Physical Features of Africa

Landforms Sahara Sahel Savanna Tropical Rainforest Atlas Mountains Kalahari Desert

Sahara The world’s largest hot desert Covers most of North Africa- from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean

Sahel South of the Sahara and north of the Equator Separates the Sahara from the tropical rainforest

Savanna Rolling grasslands and scattered trees and shrubs There are 4.5 million square miles of savannas

Tropical Rainforest Found in central Africa Africa is home to the second largest rainforest in the world

Atlas Mountains Found in Northern Africa between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara

Kalahari Desert Large arid to semi-arid sandy area in southern Africa Dunes as larges as 200 feet high and 50 miles long can be found here

Waterforms Congo River Nile River Niger River Lake Tanganyika Lake Victoria

Congo River Flows throughout west central Africa Second longest river in Africa and fifth longest river in the world Crosses the rainforest twice and surrounded by rain forest

Nile River The world’s longest river (4150 miles) Flows northward from the mountains in central Africa through eastern Africa into the Mediterranean Sea

Niger River Principal river in western Africa Flows into the Atlantic Ocean Five nations depend on it for their water

Lake Tanganyika Longest lake as well as the second-deepest lake in the world Lies in central Africa

Lake Victoria Headwaters reservoir for the Nile Largest lake in Africa Second largest freshwater lake in the world A shallow lake