Chapter 3, Sections 1 & 2

 Africa is the second- largest continent.  It is home to 54 nations.  Location ◦ Africa straddles the Equator and stands between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.  These oceans connected Africa with other cultures.

 Regions ◦ The main regions of Africa are:  North Africa  West Africa  East Africa  Central Africa  Southern Africa ◦ Regional differences contribute to the diversity of African people.

 Plateaus ◦ Most of Africa is a vast plateau ◦ Escarpments divide the plateau from the coastal plain ◦ Rivers flowing from the plateau to the coast tumble over cataracts, or large waterfalls.  Great Rift Valley ◦ Stretches along the eastern side of the continent ◦ Nutrient-rich soil washes down into the valley, creating some of the most fertile farmland on Earth.

 Rivers provide fresh water, fish, transportation, irrigation, and hydroelectric power in Africa.  The Nile River flows for 4,160 miles before emptying out into the Mediterranean Sea.  For thousands of years the flooding of the Nile produced fertile soil on its banks.

 Other key rivers include: ◦ Congo River ◦ Niger River ◦ Zambezi River

 Africa has the following mineral resources: ◦ Diamonds ◦ Gold ◦ Copper ◦ Cobalt ◦ Oil  The uneven distribution of these resources means that wealth wildly fluctuates between areas.

 80% of Africa lies between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. ◦ Because of this tropical location, African climates are generally warm throughout the year.  The coolest regions in Africa are found in the highlands. ◦ As elevation rises, temperatures drop. ◦ Two areas that exist at the same line of longitude can have very different climates.

 A major feature of African climates is a pattern of alternating wet and dry seasons.  When areas north of the equator are experiencing their wet season, areas south of the equator are in their dry season (and vice versa).  Rainfall can vary from less than 1” in desert areas to more than 80” near the equator.

 Because of its size, almost every type of climate and vegetation can be found in Africa.  The four major climate zones of Africa are: ◦ Tropical Wet ◦ Tropical Wet and Dry ◦ Desert ◦ Mediterranean

 Many disease-carrying insects breed in tropical climates. ◦ Mosquitos spread malaria ◦ The tsetse fly spreads sleeping sickness  This disease also affects cattle so many Africans do not have beef in their diet. ◦ Other flies can cause blindness. ◦ River snails with parasitic worms can transmit bilharzia to people who wash or swim in streams where the snails live.

 Africans speak more than 1,000 different languages.  Scholars divide these languages into language families ◦ By studying these families and their locations, anthropologists can examine early movement patterns of African people.