1. The Physical Geography of Africa South of the Sahara
Unit 8
The Physical Geography of Africa South of the Sahara
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2. I. Section I
The Land
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3. Africa’s Size Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi.
M I L E S
M I L E S
Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi.
10% of the world’s population.
2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

4. A. Landforms Plateaus, Highlands, & Mountains
Africa is the continent of plateaus
Escarpments – steep cliffs located near the coasts
Cataracts – waterfalls over escarpments
Africa has an overall higher elevation than any other continent (because of its plateaus)
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5. Highlands & Mountains Eastern Highlands Ethiopian Highlands
Mt. Kilimanjaro – highest point
Ruwenzori Mountains
Drakensberg Range (Cape Mountains)
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6. The Great Rift Valley Natural Wonder
A large crack in the Earth’s surface
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7. B. Water Systems Land of Lakes
Most of the lakes are located near the great rift valley
Lake Tanganika – longest freshwater lake in the world
420 miles long!
Lake Malawi - 3rd greatest lake in Africa
Lake Victoria – 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world
Source of the White Nile
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Lake Victoria

8. Lake Chad – threatened w/extinction
Drought and irrigation have dried it up!
LandSat images of disappearing Lake Chad
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9. B. (cont) A Lake Meets Many Needs
Lake Volta – One of the largest man made lakes in the world.
Rivers (4 Main Ones) **Know what body of water each of these flows into!
Niger River – “great river”
Main river in western Africa
Delta
Zambezi River
South Central Africa
Victoria Falls is located on this river
Congo River
Central & Western Africa
Estuary
White Nile
Tributary of the Nile
Daunting Physical Barriers
Deserts & Plateaus have made it very difficult to explore & trade with Africa
Victoria Falls
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10. C. Natural Resources Oil Gold Uranium
Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, and Congo
Gold
South Africa (has about half of the world’s!), Dem. Rep. of Congo
Uranium
South Africa, Niger, Gabon, Dem. Rep. of Congo, & Namibia
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Gold Mining

11. Diamonds
South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Dem. Rep. of Congo, & Sierra Leone
Diamonds are often the funding for civil war in many African nations!
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12. II. Section II
Climate & Vegetation
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13. A. Climate Climate Factors
Three major lines of latitude cross this continent!
No other continent covers all three!
All of Africa lies within 35 degrees of the equator
The great variation in climate comes from the elevation – plateaus, ocean currents, prevailing winds, and latitude
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14. B. Tropical Climate Tropical Rain Forest Near the Equator
Wettest region
Crops & Cutting at a cost
Leach – Know what this means!
Cash Crops – Bananas, pineapples, cocoa, tea, coffee, rubber, cotton
Slash & Burn, Clear Cutting are problems
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15. African Rain Forest Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.
Rapid decomposition (very humid).
Covers 37 countries.
15% of the land surface of Africa.

16. Savanna
Covers almost half of the continent
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17. C. Dry Climates Steppe Desertification Desert Sahel
Sahel has undergone much of this
Desert
Covers 2/5 of Africa
Temps can range from degrees F
Sahara – world’s largest
Namib - Southern Africa
Kalahari – Southern Plateau of Africa
Kalahari Desert scene
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18. D. Moderate Climates Less common Found in coastal areas & highlands
Map on pg. 506
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19. West Africa: Home of our Hurricanes: How?