1. Climate and Vegetation Chapter 20, Section 2

2. Tropical Rain Forest Located near the equator Wettest climate in Africa More than 60 in. of rainfall per year Farmers are clearing the area to grow crops – Bananas, pineapples, cocoa, tea, coffee, palms for rubber, and cotton. Commercial loggers are also clearing the forests

3. Savanna Tropical grasslands Covers almost half of the continent of Africa Rainfall is seasonal – Close to the equator there are six months of rain and six months of dry season – Average annual rainfall is 35 to 45 inches Trees are the main feature of the landscape Serengeti Plain is one of the world’s largest savanna plains – Animals live in the protected Serengeti National Park in Tanzania

5. Steppe Steppe land extends to the southern tip of the continent The northern steppe is call the Sahel – Extends from Senegal to Sudan – Has natural pastures of low-growing grasses, shrubs, and acacia trees. 4 to 8 inches of rainfall in the summer and the other months are very dry.

7. Desert Namib Desert – Coast of Namibia – Covered with rocks, dunes, and scattered plants Kalahari Desert – Eastern Namibia, Botswana, and part of South Africa – Most is true desert but some of it does support animal life

10. Populations Patterns Chapter 21, Section 1

11. Rapid Population Growth 673 million people Has the highest birthrate and the highest death rate Highest infant mortality rate and shortest life expectancy Births outnumber deaths Population growth is higher than any other region in the world AIDS has spread rapidly in the region – 70% of the 37 million people with HIV live in Africa

12. Population Density and Distribution Uneven distribution is caused by physical geography Most of the land is too dry to support life Most people live along the western and eastern coasts because of the access to water