HEI & LOD of Sub-Saharan Africa

The Sahel is a narrow band of dry grassland that runs east to west along the southern edge of the Sahara. The Sahel is known as the “shore of the desert” and literally means “coastland” in Arabic. People use the Sahel mostly for herding.

Desertification is an expansion of dry conditions into moist areas that are next to deserts. Humans can also cause desertification through their land use choices, such as over-farming.

Overgrazing of vegetation by livestock can also result in desertification. Animals also trample the soil, making it more vulnerable to erosion.

When farmers drill for water to irrigate, the resulting loss of vegetation can also cause a loss of moisture, which can lead to erosion and/or further desertification. As moisture is leached (removed) from soil, it can cause an increase in the salt levels of the soil, preventing the growth of new vegetation. LESS moisture = More erosion = MORE salt in soil = MORE desertification

Growing population levels are an indirect cause of desertification. More people= the need for more food. More food= the need for more farming.

More Human Interaction with Environment of Africa: Oil discovered in Nigeria in 1956 Niger Delta-a region that contains most of Nigeria’s oil. Nigeria is the 6 th leading oil exporter in the world. 2 million barrels are extracted each day & much of it is shipped to the U.S.

While drilling for oil, the Nigerian government & foreign oil companies have often damaged the land & harmed the people living in the Niger delta.

Damage by the oil companies & the Nigerian government has been severe. 4,000 oil spills over the past 4 decades. Cleanup operations are slow/non-existent.

In 2000, there was an explosion & fire spread along 1 mile of the pipeline. This accident cost thousands of lives & major environmental ruin in the region.

Oil-related fires have often resulted, causing acid rain & soot. There is a high incident of people in the region who have contracted respiratory diseases.

Many of the spills and explosions were not accidents but caused intentionally. Bandits, in cooperation with corrupt government officials & the military, drain fuel from the pipelines & then resell it.

During the 1970s, high oil prices made Nigeria one of the wealthiest nations in Africa. During the same time, the government borrowed heavily against the future sale of its oil. BUT, prices fell & the Nigerian government owed millions to other nations, including the U.S.

Mismanagement, poor planning, corruption, & a decline in oil prices left Nigeria poorer than before the oil boom.

The empires of Ghana, Mali, & Songhai thrived in West Africa because of their location on trade routes across the Sahara.

Gold & salt were the main products traded in this region.

Ghana Ghana’s economy relies primarily on mining and cash crops and the export of gold, diamonds, magnesium, bauxite and cocoa. Ghana’s transition from colonialism to democracy has had setbacks, including military & civil war.

East Africa Agriculture forms the economic foundation of East Africa. In addition, East Africa’s world-famous wildlife parks generate millions of dollars for the region’s economy.

East Africa is more than 70% rural. Since European colonization, countries have relied more on cash crops like coffee, tea & sugar. Relying on cash crops can be risky because the price of crops varies according to the world market.

In east Africa, farmers and people in the tourism industry are competing against each other for use of game reserve parklands. Some groups want to eliminate or reduce the size of the wildlife reserves to create more farmland. vs

Developed or Developing? Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are developing so they have: A.Low per capita GDP B.Low life expectancy C.High population growth rate D.High infant mortality E.Large percentage of population under 15 F.Low literacy rates

Developed or Developing? South Africa is now considered developed, however, there is a large disparity of income. The rich people live in gated neighborhoods with armed guards in the modern city cores. There are many shantytowns or squatter settlements on the fringes of the modern cities.

Africa has substantial mineral wealth but the countries have a wide range of per capita incomes for several reasons: A.Lack of modern infrastructure B.Corrupt governments C.Civil wars D.Colonization E.Large number of landlocked states F.Environmental problems such as desertification and droughts

This airport outside of Nairobi, Kenya is the busiest airport in East Africa. The lack of modern infrastructure makes it difficult to conduct business.

Population Growth One of the biggest reasons why Africa is poor is that population growth is high. African countries cannot expand their economies fast enough to create enough jobs for young and unskilled workers.