1. Africa
Features of Africa
Unit 8

2. The Sahara Desert
The Sahara(Arabic for desert) is the largest desert in the world, covering almost 1/3 of Africa.
The Sahara divides Africa into two regions; North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

3. The Sahara Desert
Oasis exist in the Sahara providing a water source for the people who live here.

4. The Sahara Desert
Every year the Sahara grows larger due to deforestation of the Sahel. This process is known as desertification.

5. The Sahel
The Sahel[pronunciation?] is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south, having a semi-arid climate. It stretches across the north of the African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea.
The Arabic word sāḥil ساحل literally means "shore, coast", describing the appearance of the vegetation of the Sahel as a coastline delimiting the sand of the Sahara.

6. The Sahel

7. The Sahel
Deforestation of the Sahel is allowing the Sahara to spread and overtake grasslands.

8. Savannas
Savannas are open grasslands with trees that are spread out so that sunlight can penetrate the ground.
These areas are near the equator both north and south and receive seasonal rains.

9. The Rain Forests of Africa
Along the equator lies the Congo Basin, home to the world’s second largest rainforest. A tropical rainforest is a forest so close to the equator that it averages over 70 inches of rain per year.
Vegetation is so thick that sunlight does not reach the forest floor.