Geography of Africa

A Satellite View

Africa’s Size # Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. # 15% of the world’s population. # 2 ½ times the size of the U. S. 5000MILES5000MILES M I L E S

Plateau Most of Sub-Saharan Africa is a giant plateau, slightly higher in the east than the west Average height of the plateau is 2,000 ft. above sea level At coastal areas, the plateau drops off sharply into narrow coastal plains This barrier creates waterfalls and rapids

Cape of Good Hope (example of coastal plateau)

Victoria Falls Lies on the Zambezi River Plunges 335 feet, or two times the height of Niagara Falls

Victoria Falls

Great Rift Valley 4,000 miles long It can be seen from the moon!

Great Rift Valley Contains the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro is 19,340 ft. high Snow capped Located in Tanzania

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Lakes Most of the great lakes of Sub-Saharan Africa lie on the floor of the rifts Lake Victoria is a shallow circular lake that isn’t part of the rift system, but is a depression in the land Second Largest Freshwater Lake in the World What is the largest?

Climate Zones Four Zones that we will discuss: 1. Tropical-Rain Forest 2. Tropical Savannah 3. Desert 4. Mediterranean

African Rain Forest # Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft. # Rapid decomposition (very humid). # Covers 37 countries. # 15% of the land surface of Africa.

Tropical Rain Forest Zone north and south of the equator 80 Degrees year round with humid air

The African Savannah: 13 million sq. mi.

Savannah Zone Savannahs- Grasslands with an occasional clump of trees Savannahs cover ¼ of Sub-Saharan Africa Average Rainfall per year is inches Supports farming and herding Rainfall can vary year to year, causing droughts or flooding

African Savannah

Desert Zone North and South of the Savannah Zones Sahara covers most of northern Africa Kalahari lies in Southern Africa Average of less than 10 inches of rainfall per year in these areas

Mediterranean Climate Zone Southern Tip of Sub-Saharan Africa and small section of Northern Africa Winters are mild and rainy Summers are hot and dry Great for crops; can have crop seasons year after year

Agriculture Agriculture is the main economic activity of Sub-Saharan Africa Approximately 70% of all workers are farmers However: Much of Africa’s soil is poor….so what can they do?

Slash and Burn Farming Act of clearing a piece of forest or savannah to plant crops. Often times use fire as a method of clearing a field Requires a great deal of land Fertility of land is gone after only a few seasons

Two Other Types of Farming Subsistence Farming- grow enough to live on, but no crops left over to sell Sedentary Farming- permanent growing of crops. Allows for cash crops, or crops sold at the market.

Desertification Desertification is a big problem in Africa. It happens when grass dries out or is eaten, and the soil becomes dry and sandy. Eventually the land turns to desert. The Sahara is slowly creeping southward

Resources 60% of world’s gold comes from Sub-Saharan Africa World’s major source of diamonds, most of which come from mines in South Africa and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Resources (CNN) ica/africa-resources-fuel- world/index.html?hpt=iaf_mid ica/africa-resources-fuel- world/index.html?hpt=iaf_mid