Africa and The Middle East S. Ray

Landforms of Africa Atlas mountains- This mountain system runs from southwestern Morocco along the Mediterranean coastline to the eastern edge of Tunisia. Several smaller ranges are included, namely the High Atlas, Middle Atlas and Maritime Atlas. The highest peak is Mt. Toubkal in western Morocco at 13,671 ft. (4,167 m). Ethiopian Highlands- The Ethiopian Highlands are a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia, Eritrea (which is sometimes referred to as the Eritrean Highlands), and northern Somalia in the Horn of Africa. The Ethiopian Highlands form the largest continuous area of its altitude in the whole continent, with little of its surface falling below 1500 m (4,921 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4550 m (14,928 ft). It is sometimes called the Roof of Africa for its height and large area

Landforms of Africa Cont. Namib Desert- The Namib is a coastal desert in southern Africa that stretches for more than 2,000 km (1,200 mi) along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, extending southward from the Carunjamba River in Angola, through Namibia and to the Olifants River in Western Cape, South Africa. From the Atlantic coast eastward, the Namib gradually ascends in elevation, reaching up to 200 km (120 mi) inland to the foot of the Great Escarpment. Sahel- The Sahel is a wide stretch of land running completely across north-central Africa, just on the southern edges of the ever-expanding Sahara Desert. This border region is the transition zone between the dry areas of the north and the tropical areas of the south. It receives very little rain (six - eight inches a year) and most of the vegetation is a savanna growth of sparse grasses and shrubs.

Africa Bodies of water Lake Victoria- Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named after Queen Victoria by the explorer John Hanning Speke, the first European to document it. Lake Tanganyika- Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, in both cases, after only Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake. Cahora Bassa- In the Portuguese colonial era known as Cabora Bassa, from Nyungwe Kahoura-Bassa, meaning "finish the job"—is Africa's fourth-largest artificial lake, situated in the Tete Province in Mozambique.

Middle East Landforms Anatolian Plateau- This generally barren and arid plateau of central Turkey averages about 500 meters in elevation. Farming and livestock raising (the major industries), are difficult occupations here as extreme temperatures, both summer and winter are commonplace. Regardless, scattered towns and villages cover the landscape. Arabian Desert- The Arabian Desert, one of the largest deserts on the planet, is a vast desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and from Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, with an estimated area of 2,330,000 sq km (900,000 sq mi).

Middle east landforms cont. Caucasus Mountains- Positioned between the Black and Caspian Seas, these mountains dominate the landscape of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia where the Middle East begins. Volcanic peaks here exceed 15,000 ft., with the highest point being Mt. Elbrus at 18,481 ft. (5,633m). Zagros Mountains- This region and its namesake mountains stretch across much of Tajikistan and parts of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, and similar to the Hindu Kush, numerous peaks exceed 22,000 ft, with the highest point being Pik Samani at 24,590 ft. (7,495m).

Bodies of water in the middle east Jordan River- is a 251 kilometers long river in West Asia flowing to the Dead Sea. Suez Canal- also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Red Sea- is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia.