Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY The Geography of Africa Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

A Satellite View

A Satellite View

Africa’s Size Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. 4 6 0 0 M I L E S 5 0 0 0 M I L E S Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. 15% of the world’s population, about 1 billion 2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

Bodies Of Water Mediterranean Sea Red Sea Nile River Niger River L. Chad--> <--Gulf of Aden L. Albert--> Congo River L. Victoria L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River Limpopo River Orange River Pacific Ocean

The Mighty Nile River: “Longest River in the World”

The Congo River Basin Covers 12% of the continent. Extends over 9 countries. 2,720 miles long. 99% of the country of Zaire is in the Congo River basin.

The Niger River Basin Covers 7.5% of the continent. Extends over 10 countries. 2,600 miles long.

Hydroelectric Power

Mountains & Peaks Atlas Mts. Δ Mt. Kenya Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro Rwenzori Mts. Drajensburg Mts.

Drajensburg Mountains Atlas Mountains Mount Kenya

Rwenzori Mountains : Snow on the Equator? Mt. Kilimanjaro Rwenzori Mountains : Snow on the Equator?

Libyan Desert Deserts Sahara Desert Sahel Namib Desert Kalahari Desert

How does it compare to other deserts of the world? The Sahara Desert How does it compare to other deserts of the world?

The Sahara Desert The word Sahara means “desert” in Arabic The world’s largest desert (3,500,000 miles) It runs across the width of northern Africa. It covers 1/3rd of the continent It is the hottest desert in the world It divides the continent into two distinct regions – North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahara is covered with sand dunes, rocky hills, and stretches of gravel that continue for miles and miles. Very few people live in the desert because it is considered one of the harshest places to live in the world The people who do live here are called nomads They move from place to place, usually traveling by camel, looking for food & water

The Sahara Desert

Desertification - type of land degradation in which relatively dry area of land becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by a variety of factors, such as through climate change and through the overexploitation of soil through human activity.

The Sahel – “border” or “margin” A strip of dry grassland that is located between the Sahara Desert to the north and the grassland and rain forest to the south Dry, semi-arid (6-20 inches of rain) generations of overgrazing and desertification have caused soil erosion flat, few mountains and hills vegetation is sparse – grass, shrubs

Kalahari Desert located in southwestern Africa surrounded by semi-arid areas that are slowly becoming more dry not a “true” desert because it receives 3-10 inches of rain per year precipitation and underground water supplies allows grass, shrubs, and wild animals to live in the Kalahari desert.

Valleys & Plains Great Rift Valley

Great Rift Valley 3,000 miles long Largest seismically active rift in the world

Seismic Activity in Africa

Africa: The “Tropical” Continent Tropic of Cancer 20° N Africa: The “Tropical” Continent Equator 0° Tropic of Capricorn 20° S

African Trade Winds

West Africa: Home of our Hurricanes

Vegetation Zones

The African Savannah 13 million sq miles – largest in the world hot, dry grasslands that cover almost ½ of Africa Enough rain to support drought resistant undergrowth; tall, thick grasses; short scattered trees Large variety of wildlife

# Shrinking due to deforestation African Rain Forest – 2nd largest # Shrinking due to deforestation Africa’s tropical rain forest is located along the central coast of Africa, near the Equator. It lies in the Congo River Basin. The rain forest covers 1/5th of the land surface of Africa and touches 37 countries. The rain forest has a hot, humid climate. The annual rainfall is over 17 feet. There is a large variety of animals found in this region. Trees are so thick and tall that sunlight never reaches the forest floor! The trees grow hundreds of feet tall. It’s the second largest rain forest in the world; the Amazon rain forest in Brazil is the largest. Unfortunately, this rain forest has shrunk due to deforestation. Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft. Rapid decomposition (very humid). Covers 37 countries. 15% of the land surface of Africa.

The Complete Topography Of AFRICA Mediterranean Sea Atlas Mts. Libyan Desert The Complete Topography Of AFRICA Tropic of Cancer 20° N Sahara Desert Red Sea Sahel Nile River Niger River L. Chad--> Great Rift Valley <--Gulf of Aden L. Albert--> Equator 0° Δ Mt. Kenya Congo River L. Victoria Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Ruwenzori Mts. Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River Namib Desert Kalahari Desert Limpopo River Tropic of Capricorn 20° S Orange River Drajensburg Mts. Pacific Ocean

Natural Resources

The African Plateau