Sub-Sahara Africa: The Land

Highland Features Plateaus make a series of steps make up most of Africa Edges of plateaus are escarpments (cliffs) Most are <20 miles from coast (Map on p. 501) Hard to travel inland from coast (bad for exploration)

Highland Features Rivers plunge down escarpments making cataracts (waterfalls) Victoria Falls; b/w Zambia & Zimbabwe

Highland Features Africa has highest overall elevation than any other continent… But still few mountains Mts. included in Eastern highlands Ethiopian Highlands, and volcanoes Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya

Highest Free-Standing Mountain in the world Mt. Kilimanjaro 19,330 ft; in Tanzania Highest Free-Standing Mountain in the world Mt. Kenya 17,057 ft; in Kenya

Mt. Kenya

Highland features Ruwenzori Mts. Drakensberg Range Divide Uganda & Dem. Rep. of the Congo Covered in snow and clouds Drakensberg Range South Africa Lots of national parks, wetlands

Ruwenzori Mts.; 16,761 ft. Ice Cap on Mount Margherita….Africa’s 3rd tallest mountain

Tugela Falls World’s 2nd tallest waterfall Drakensberg Range; 11,420 ft. - “Barrier of Spears” in Zulu Tugela Falls World’s 2nd tallest waterfall

1 1. Notes: Africa is one giant plateau w/ coastal lowlands, elevation raises as you go inland. Africa has high elevation, but few mountains 2. Define Escarpment. 3. Define Cataracts 4. What is the significance of Mt. Kilimanjaro? 5. Describe the relative location of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Drakensberg Range

Stretches from Syria to Mozambique Great Rift Valley Stretches from Syria to Mozambique Formed by shifting tectonic plates (what kind??) millions of yrs. ago Volcanoes & earthquakes continue to shape region TODAY

Red Sea

Great Rift Valley Forms two branches Eastern branch = volcanic cones Western branch= lakes Lake Tanganyika (2nd lgst. freshwater & 2nd deepest in world) Lake Malawi (mt. rimmed, >2,300 feet deep) Lake Victoria (2nd widest in world, but shallow; source of White Nile)

Lake Malawi Lake Tanganyika

Lake Victoria

The African Great Lakes

2 6. Describe the relative location of the Great Rift Valley. 7. What type of plate movements (plate boundaries) caused this? Name and Describe the boundary 8. NOTES: Great Rift Valley caused Lake Tanganyika (2nd deepest in World), Lake Malawi, & Lake Victoria (2nd Widest in World). 9. What makes Lake Volta different from the lakes above? What kind of power does it provide? For what country?

Travel from plateaus in center of cont. to the sea Water Systems Lakes & rivers come from basins formed millions of yrs. ago as land uplifted Travel from plateaus in center of cont. to the sea Hit escarpments  waterfalls  near impossible to navigate inland/ up river

3 10. The 3 pictures show different characteristics of African Rivers Describe each picture in 10 words. 11. Describe what it would be like to try to navigate these rivers. What are the problems of each river?

Water Systems Lake Chad: West-central Africa 20 mil. ppl in 4 countries depend on it Faces desertification (droughts + natural climate) So shallow, affected greatly by climate Δs 1960s = 26,000 km²; 2000= 1,500 km²

4 12. What Lake is picture above? 13. Describe the problem that is occurring above. 14. What do you think could be causing this? 15. What are some ways that you could help fix the problem?

Water Systems Lake Volta: Man-made (1 of lgst. in world) Flooded 700 villages & displaced 70,000 to create Used for irrigation, fishing, hydroelectric power (Akosombo Dam) for major aluminum plant and ppl of Ghana

Akosombo Dam (creates Lake Volta)

Water Systems Niger River: “great river” main artery in W. Africa 2,600 miles long (3rd in Africa) Forms arc across 5 countries Vital for irrigation & transportation Splits into Niger Delta in Nigeria (150 X 200 miles)

5 16. Identify the primary country that the following rivers flow through: the Niger River, Zambezi River, and Congo River 17. NOTES: The Congo River is one of the only navigable rivers in Africa. 18. Define Navigable 19. Considering there are very few navigable rivers in Africa, describe the shipping industry in Africa.

6 20. Describe the top picture. What do you think this is a picture of? 21. SHORT ANSWER: Africa has plenty of resources (oil, diamonds, gold, and water). However, the continent is less developed and the countries’ economies are poor. Why do you think this could happen?

Water Systems Zambezi River: Congo River: Many waterfalls (Victoria Falls- 355 foot drop– 2X size of Niagra) Congo River: Meets sea at deep, navigable estuary (only one in Africa) Largest network of navigable water in Africa But still has major waterfalls & rapids

Zambezi River Victoria Falls

Congo River- 2nd longest

7 22. Explain the difference between the Sahara and Sahel. 23. Is the desert becoming smaller? is it increasing in size? 24. What are some reasons for this occurrence? 25. What can people do to help the issue?

Physical Barriers Sahara prevents travel from North Africa to South/Central Africa Western deltas were treacherous to sail inland Eastern highlands made travel inland difficult (cliffs) Europeans controlled coastal trade and Africans controlled inland trade

Mineral resources are abundant Natural Resources Mineral resources are abundant Plentiful oil reserves Various metals across region S. Africa has ½ world’s gold, also found elsewhere Major diamond deposits

Natural Resources Water is ABUNDANT The problem lies with harnessing power (physical & financial problems) Congo River- More potential hydroelectric power than U.S. Africa hold’s 25% of the world’s potential for hydroelectricity, but uses less than 10% of it. More development is occurring Kenya installed 20,000 rural solar power systems from 86-96

Climate Review Ch 20.2

Climate & Vegetation Match the location with its correct climate region: Sahel South Africa Kalahari Congo Sahara Serengeti Plain Namib Desert Steppe Savanna Moderate Rainforest

Climate & Vegetation How can heavy rains be detrimental to farming in the tropics? Name 3 factors leading to the desertification of the Sahel.

Farming for the Future Simulation

In your Spiral How did the Impact Cards change your situation as a subsistence farmer? What do you think would have happened if this cycle of low food production and malnutrition were to continue for several years? What are structural solutions to the issues of hunger and food security?