AFRICA--Physical Geography

Africa’s Unique Physical Geography Intro Africa is really a plateau continent with escarpments and rift valleys-. Below is a picture of the Great Escarpment (Drakensberg) in South Africa ( show animation) Plateaus, Mountains, and Highlands: Africa south of the Sahara is a series of plateaus that rise in elevation from the coast inland and from west to east. ( show book picture) The regions of Africa extend to a sea or ocean in all cardinal directions Atlantic Ocean to the west, Indian Ocean to the east, Mediterranean to the north and Southern Ocean to the south.

Africa’s mountains Africa has no major mountain chains. It has scattered volcanic mountains (like the Kilimanjaro), the old & worn Atlas Mts. in Morocco. The Ruwenzori Mountains, which form the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are one of the few mountain ranges in the region.

Deserts Major deserts: Sahara (only slightly smaller than the United States) Kalahari in Botswana and a coastal desert, the Namib in Namibia. Nubian desert in Sudan Lybian desert

Africa’s rivers & basins Niger River basin : - Niger river is the main artery in western Africa it originates in the Guinean highlands & curves southeast to meet the Atlantic coast of Nigeria (2600 mi. long) Major means of transportation, tourism & travel Zambezi River basin: Has it’s source near the Zambia/Angola border and flows to the east to meet the Indian Ocean in a delta shape (2,200 mi) Congo River: largest network of navigable waterways in Africa (2,900 mi). The Congo estuary is 6 miles wide and is easily navigable by ocean vessels Congo River estuary

Elongated lakes and erratic river courses are common in Africa

Section 1-10 Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information. Land of Lakes: Most of the region’s lakes are near the Great Rift Valley. Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, lies between the eastern and western branches of the Great Rift. (pages 500–504) Victoria Falls

Lake Victoria is not only the source of the Nile, but is also the largest body of fresh water in Africa, and second largest in the world after Lake Superior. It is bigger than many countries

Nile River leaves Lake Victoria on a 6,000 kilometer trip.

Atlantic Ocean in Namibia

Ethiopian Highlands

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Why is Africa’s physical geography unique? The theory of plate tectonics whereby mountain chains are created by collision of earth’s crustal plates. (not found in Africa) did have a big influence in forming Africa’s physical geography When South America and India broke away from Africa, they left escarpments along the coastlines. East Africa is breaking away –creating the Rift Valley.

Tectonic Activity

Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley, stretching from Syria to Mozambique, was formed millions of years ago by shifting tectonic plates. Along the axis of the Great Rift Valley, the earths crust is being spread apart in a long, ridge like fashion. The Rift Valley system consists of a large number of finger-like-troughs, each ranging in width from about 30 to 60 km, making up the complex system of plate tectonic activity

Congo River <>

Niger River Great Bend of the Niger River “Where the camel meets the canoe”

Water is an abundant resource for irrigation and hydroelectric power, but irregular and unpredictable rainfall poses a challenge to the control and use of this power.  Solar power provides a vital source of power to rural areas. Between 1986 and 1996, 20,000 small-scale solar power systems were installed in Kenya. Natural Resources Mineral resources of the region include oil, uranium, diamonds, and about half the world’s supply of gold. 

Africa’s Hydroelectric Power on the Congo River

Africa’s Hydroelectric Power on the Nile River Aswan High Dam

Gold South Africa = ½ World’s Gold Also found in Zimbabwe, D. R. Congo Tanzania, and Ghana Uranium is usually found with gold.

Diamonds And nearly half of all the diamond jewelry in the world is sold in the United States.

Blood Diamonds Conflict Diamonds In relation to diamond trading, conflict diamond (also called a converted diamond, blood diamond, hot diamond, or war diamond) refers to a diamond mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts, or a warlord’s activity, usually in Liberia, Angola, Sierra Leone,DRC, Cote D’Ivoire

Natural Resources Oil Angola, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo Nigerian women occupied a Nigerian Oil terminal of Chevron-Texaco Until they agreed to hire villagers, Build schools, & provide Electric & water

Solar Community Kitchen in Kargi, Kenya, Africa Getting electricity to the rural poor

Waterfalls, cataracts & rapids

Zambezi River

Cape of Good Hope

Increasing drought in the Sahel area and more demand for freshwater for irrigation may mean that Lake Chad will continue shrinking.

Lake Volta, Ghana Man-made lake: irrigation for farms, hydroelectric power 4 Aluminum plants, fish

Uranium Iraq sought African Uranium

Diamonds fund Civil Wars in Angola, D. R. Congo and Sierra Leone

Chromium S. Africa & Zimbabwe Iron Ore Copper & Cobalt Mine D.R. Congo

Manganese is used for dry cell Batteries Manganese Mine in South Africa