1. Sub - Saharan Africa

2. Leading countries of the area  GDP  South Africa  Gabon  Botswana

3. Leading countries of the area cont.  Land size  Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)  Sudan  Chad  Mozambique  Madagascar

4. Leading countries of the area cont.  Population  Nigeria  Ethiopia  Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)  Tanzania  Kenya

5. Physical characteristics  Continent composed of a huge plateau and escarpment  River transportation is impeded by waterfalls and rapids  Smooth coastline provides few natural harbors

7.  Plateau--raised area of land with a generally level surface. At least one side of the plateau rises steeply above the surrounding area  escarpment--a steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations

9.  The location of the equator in the middle of the region provides similar climate patterns on both the North and South sides of the equator  Climate zones  1. Rainforest  2. Tropical Wet and Dry  3. Semi Arid  4. Arid

10.  The region has a large number of landlocked countries  landlocked--a country which is completely cut off from a sea and surrounded by land or other countries

11. Large Number of Landlocked States  Landlocked states can cause conflict and other ethnic controversies

12.  The area does have substantial mineral wealth.  EX: diamonds, gold, alloys  The region is a major exporter of raw materials, but this leads to a high trade deficit.

13.  The area is a storehouse of minerals  The land of the rainforest has limited fertility in the soil because the rainforest leaches the nutrients out  Two main deserts-- Kalahari and the Namib

14. Substantial Mineral Wealth

15.  The region has many preserves and national parks

16. Economic Charateristics  Large percentage of the population is engaged in agriculture (primary activity.  Mainly subsistence agriculture and nomadic herding  They use slash and burn agriculture

17.  Subsistence agriculture – farming for own support

18. Question: What is the primary activity for African nomads?  Cattle Herding!!!

19. Slash and burn agriculture  This takes place in the Congo River Basin

20.  Slash and burn agriculture--cutting down trees and vegetation to clear a field for planting. The field is only good for a few years before you have to do it again. The land you leave is useless because you have depleted it of nutrients

21.  There is some plantation agriculture where cash crops and food crops are raised.  Cash crops—coffee, tea, sugar, peanuts, cocoa  Food crops—millet, sorghum, wheat, corn

22. Plantation Agriculture  Africa has many cash crops (cotton) and food crops

23.  Oil Pipeline- oil leaks, explosions, bandits draining fuel to resell. In two years over 2,000 killed by explosions.

24. Poorly developed infrastructure  Rough roads, hardly any public transit  Infrastructure: basic urban needs

25.  There is a wide range of per capita income in the region.  Production of products lags behind the growing population of the area and many goods have to be imported.

26.  The area is suffering from desertification.  Desertification--the process of destroying the grassland and other vegetation regions and having them turn into desert

27.  Rainforest- slash and burn farming is destroying the rainforest. Hot and moist air causes decomposition to accelerate. Madagascar’s rainforest nearly gone.  Sahel-”shore of desert”-desertification: causes: over grazing, livestock trampling the soil; farming causes erosion and drilling for water causing more salt in the soil. Tree planting to help stop or slow this process.  Niger Delta- petroleum- 80 to 90% of Niger’s income. Borrowing, mismanagement and corruption.

28.  Demographics are typical of a developing nation  low per capita GDP  low life expectancy  High population growth rates  High infant mortality  large percentage of the population under the age of 15  low literacy rates

29. Pandemic Pandemic  AIDS-10-20% population decrease in Africa’s worst hit countries.

31. Cultural Characteristics  Uneven population distribution  large numbers of refugees due to constant conflict in many countries  Many conflicts are caused by the many ethnic groups with different languages and customs

32.  There are very few cities with populations over one million  There knowledge of their history is based on an oral tradition  Many of the country names today are based on historical empires such as Mali, Ghana & Zimbabwe

33.  The diversity of Africans are reflected in their cultural heritage  maskssculpture  dancemusic  colorful dress  jewelry

34.  Centers of Culture and Trade  Lagos, Nigeria  Dakar, Senegal  Johannesburg, South Africa

35.  Markets  churches  mosques, and minarets  villages  modern city cores

36. WAR WAR WAR and Refugees

37. With Europeans

39. WAR with Each Other   Hutus vs. Tutsis in Burundi and Rwanda   Genocide in Uganda   Terrorists in Kenya, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe ) and in South Africa.

44. Waterfalls (Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia)

45. African escarpment

46. African masks

47. African clothing

48. Village

49. Masks

50. African Mask

52. Catholic Church in Mali

53. Market Scene, Selling dry fish

54. Market Scene

55. Statue in Burkina Faso

56. Crops being transported for the market

57. Grande Mosque in Mali

58. Mud Brick Village in Mali

59. Market in Ghana

60. Market in Mali, notice clothing

61. Namibia Village—thatched roof

62. Shantytown outside S. Africa