AFRICA GEOGRAPHY & PEOPLES

OBJECTIVES Identify key landforms and resources. Locate nations and geographic features on a map of Africa. Explain how geographic features have influenced where people live and contributed to the cultural diversity of the continent.

Warm up List the features you associate with Africa’s geography & climate.

Geography Hospitable coasts Inhospitable interior 5 geographic regions Northern Africa Western Africa Eastern Africa Central Africa Southern Africa “Regions of Africa Video” http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search

Climate, Landforms, & Vegetation Most Africa plateau 80% tropics = warm Rainfall decreases w/distance from equator Tropical Rainforests Tropical Savanna Drought/Desertification Deserts Mediterranean Climate Africa Climate video clip Plateau – large area of high land that is flat or gently rolling…continent tilts downward toward west and north. Land drops sharply toward the coast….steep cliffs divide plateau from coastal plain. Equator runs nearly through middle of Africa – as result 80% of the continent is in the tropics – climates generally warm throughout yr Coolest regions in highlands (temp drops as elevation increases) Major feature of climate is alternating wet and dry seasons. Wet in north, dry in south and vice versa. Farther north or south you go, the shorter the rainy pd and longer the dry season. Four major climate zones – distinguished by amount of rainfall: 1.Rainforests – 8% of Africa wet tropical climate, hot & humid yr round, abundant rainfall = lush biodiversity…poor soil quality (rain leeches nutrients), hard to settle (diseased insects, dampness & mold/rot) 2. Savanna – tropical with wet and dry season – grassland covers almost half the continent, warm all year, wet in summer/dry in winter. Most people live here. Face issues of drought (unpredicatble rainfall) causes them to slaughter livestock or destroy crops and desertification (growing population & human activity destroys land turning into desert – especially in region known as Sahel) 3. Deserts – 40% Africa – Sahara (means desert in Arabic) in north, Kalahari and Namib in South Sahara – windswept rock, gravel, sand dunes, 130 F, 10 yrs can pass w/out rainfall…may have grasses to support grazing animals Highway and barrier (trade helped develop diverse societies and cultures)…southern deserts not quite as dry as the Sahara 4. Mild climate (like LA) in North Africa – summers hot and dry, winters cooler and wet = fertile soil, crops & herding Attracted Europen settlers…similar in southern tip Africa

Climate, Landforms, & Vegetation Mountains: Atlas in NW Drakensberg in SE Mt. Kilimanjaro – Tanzania Great Rift Valley Break in Earth’s crust Deserts: N.Africa – Sahara (3.2mm2) Kalahari & Namib in south Rivers: Nile Zambezi Congo Niger Geographic Features Video Clip

Natural & economic resources Hydroelectric power Minerals – gold, diamonds, copper, uranium, coltan (cell phones & computer chips) Oil – Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Angola Tropical woods, palm oil Agriculture – rubber, coffee, cotton Underdeveloped = political instability, transport issues Foreign co’s make $ http://www.economist.com/node/21547285 Largely underdeveloped resources due to obstacles such as geography, transportation, and political instability. Many nations lack money to develop resources (allows for foreign investment which means many of the profits flow out of Africa)

Activity: Wish you were mine Read the article “Wish you were Mine” Highlight and underline the important aspects Be prepared to discuss http://www.economist.com/node/21547285

Human diversity 763 million people & growing Many ethnic groups w/unique languages Most live in rural areas, in savanna Recent migration to cities

Language

Climate & Health Disease-carrying insects Unclean water Hunger Malaria Tsetse fly River blindness Unclean water Parasites Diarrheal diseases Hunger Drought = no crops Lack protein Tsetse fly - There are 22 different species of tsetse fly, and they live only in Africa. These flies are slightly larger than a horsefly. They breed along rivers and streams. They are active during the day and feed exclusively on blood. They can transmit a disease called trypanosomiasis, an infection of the central nervous system. There are 2 forms of trypanosomiasis: Rodesian (sometimes called East African trypanosomiasis) and Gambian (sometimes called West African trypanosomiasis). Rhodesian trypanosomiasis, also known as nagana, is transmitted from animal to animal and mostly affects cattle, horses, and wild animals like antelope--although humans can also be infected. The Gambian form is much more prevalent and only affects humans. It is commonly called sleeping sickness. It is nearly impossible for many African villagers to avoid the river blindness, which is transmitted by black flies that breed in the clean, fast-moving water used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes. The flies are the vector for parasitic worms that are transmitted to humans through fly bites. The worms enter the body, nestling near bone protuberances, where they breed millions of offspring.

Activity 1 Map : Label all nations Color geographic regions Make key on map Label mountains and rivers

closure What resources do African nations export to the world?