1. Climate and Diversity Notes

2. Climate of Africa General Facts:
Africa is the most tropical of all the continents
Temperatures are mostly warm/hot
Rainfall varies from place to place
It is the rain that determines the climate in Africa
Point to Ponder:
Why does rain or lack of rain matter to a group
of people or a region and/or
place?

3. Latitude and Longitude
What does the map show?
The Equator runs through the middle of Africa
80% of Africa is the tropics
Tropics- the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
Climates are generally warm throughout the year
Using the Room:
Looking at the posters on the opposite wall can you see a connection between climate and culture?

4. What can we assume about the areas of the world in-between the red lines?

5. Latitude and Longitude
The coolest regions are found in the highlands of Africa
The higher you go (elevation) the cooler it gets
Ex:
Accra, Ghana is on the West African Coast
Hot, humid weather with temps in the 80’s
Nairobi, Kenya is at the same latitude but 5,300 feet above sea level
Temps are in the 60’s and 70’s
Elevation causes this to occur

6. Ghana
Kenya

7. Rainfall
Major feature is the alternating wet and dry seasons in Africa
It varies (changes) North and South of the Equator
When it rains in the South the North is Dry
When it rains in the North the South is Dry
Rain fall is uneven and sporadic
May be less than an inch in the desert areas
May be more than 80 inches near the Equator
80 inches equals 6 ½ feet

8. What would you guess the features of these
Climate Zones
Climate- average weather of a place over a period of years
Africa has four major climate zones:
Tropical Wet
Tropical Wet and Dry
Desert
Moderate Mediterranean
What would you guess the features of these
zones might be?

9. Tropical Wet Climate Region
Rain forest are located in the wet tropical climate regions
Cover about 8% of Africa
From Guinea on the West Coast to the Great Rift Valley (See page 61)
High temps and lots of rain promote lots of plants and trees
Thousands of birds and animals live here
Leaching- washing away of nutrients in the soil
Destroys the soil and makes it unsuitable for farming

10. Tropical Wet Climate Region
Problems with this area:
Disease carrying insects breed in pools of water
Termites attack wooden buildings
Dampness causes clothes to become moldy and rot
Overcrowding cause people to want to clear and permanently destroy rainforests
Slash and Burn Farming
?? What is this and how is it done ??

11. Tropical Wet & Dry Climate
This is the largest climate zone in Africa
Savanna- a grassland
Covers almost ½ of the continent
Varies rainfall depending on where you are
Closer to the Equator hot and wet conditions
Outer edges of the Savanna are hot and semiarid
People living are dependent on the rainfall
Drought- periods of little or no rainfall
Desertification- turning semiarid land into desert by removing trees and grazing animals
Major problem in Sahel- separates the Savanna from the Sahara Desert in the North

12. What do you see in this picture?

13. Deserts Deserts cover about 40% of Africa They are:
The Sahara- located in the North
Sahara means “Desert” in Arabic
The Kalahari- located in the South
Namib- located in the South as well
What are the normal features of a Desert climate?
List them in your notes

14. Sahara Desert

15. Kalahari

16. Namib

17. Sahara Desert The Sahara is larger than the continental United States
Temperatures can reach 130 Degrees (F)
Less than 10 inches of rain per year
A major part of the African trade network
Connected North Africa and the Savanna
Kalahari Desert
Slightly wetter desert than Sahara
Namib
One of the driest places on Earth
Main source of water is ocean mist

18. Mediterranean Climate Zone
Along the Southern Tip and Northern Coast
Mild Mediterranean Climate (like Los Angeles)
Mild Climate and Fertile Soil
Attracted French, Italian and Spanish colonists to the North Coast
Dutch and British settled in Southern Africa
South African Coast

19. ?? How can people stop/combat these diseases and their causes ??
Climate and Health
Climate can lead to the cause of disease
Mosquitoes – malaria
Kills 1 million children each year
Tsetse Fly- sleeping sickness
Infects both people and livestock
Other diseases:
River Blindness- cause loss of sight
Bilharzia- transmitted by snails (parasite)
People get it from the water they wash or swim in
?? How can people stop/combat these diseases and their causes ??