1. The African Continent

2. The African Continent Africa is the second largest continent
a fifth of the earth's landmass
divided into 54 different countries
the equator cuts the continent's into two nearly equal halves
generally divided into two regions with reference to the Sahara (the world's largest desert)
north of the Sahara
sub-Saharan region

3. The African Continent landmass largely consists of plateau land
plateau can be divided into two regions
southeastern portion includes the Ethiopian Plateau, the East African Plateau and the Drakensberg Range.
northeastern portion contains the Sahara Desert with the Ahaggar Mountains, and in northwestern Africa, the Atlas Mountains
Several basins (bowl shaped areas) within the plateaus

4. The African Continent there are several mountain ranges in Africa
the Atlas Mountains in the northwest
Mt. Kilimanjaro is the most well known
presence of many rivers
the Nile – Africa AND the world’s longest
Congo River
The Niger River
The Zambezi River
many large lakes
Lake Victoria
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Malawi
Lake Chad

5. The African Continent The Ituri Forest A desert The Great Rift Valley
a dense tropical rain forest in the northern part of the Congo River Basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)
A desert
The Sahara Desert – Africa’s AND the largest desert in the world
Kalahri Desert
Namib Desert
The Great Rift Valley
runs from the north to the south of the continent

6. The African Climate Alternating wet and dry season
Rain is distributed unevenly
From less than an inch to more than 80 inches
Northern and Southern Hemispheres almost symmetrical
six general climatic regions
Tropical
Tropical Wet
Tropical Wet and Dry
Dry
Desert
Semiarid
Mid Latitude
Mediterranean
Marine west coast
Humid Subtropical
Highland

7. Dead vegetation in drought-stricken area, Senegal.
The Africa Climate
Largest climate zone = Tropical Wet and Dry
Savanna (grassland) covers almost half the continent’
Home to most Africans
Rain is unpredictable
Heavy or light
Early or late
Or not at all = drought
Desertification is a serious
problem
Turning semiarid lands into desert
Caused by droughts, over grazing and people moving onto the land
Dead vegetation in drought-stricken area, Senegal.

8. The African Vegetation Regions
Rain forest
Grassland
Desert and dry shrub
Temperate grass.land
Mediterranean shrub

9. The Tanout, Niger area, situated just south of the Sahara desert
Desertification
The Tanout, Niger area, situated just south of the Sahara desert

10. The African People 12% of the world's population
Is large and growing rapidly
Second largest and fastest growing in the world
More than 1,500 different languages/cultural groups
In the North (close cultures ties to the Middle East)
mostly Arabs
In the South (Sub-Sahara)
Amhara, Mossi, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Kongo Zulu, Akan, Oromo, Hausa, and the Masai
Europeans – due to colonization
Africa is sparsely populated in parts
Africa has some of the most densely populated places on Earth
Egypt along the Nile River (95% of Egypt’s pop.)
principal cities of Africa are usually the national capitals and the major ports

12. The African Economy Farming Herding fishing Hunting and gathering
Subsistence farming (60%) vs cash crop
Herding
Cattle on the savannas (grassland)
fishing
Hunting and gathering
Very few remain today
Mining
Gold and diamonds
Urban (cities)
Along the coast, capital
Growing quickly
Move for a better life
Slums
Himba, nomadic pastoralists,
girl herding goats, Namibia

13. Agriculture and herding in Africa

14. Africa’s Resources Oil is most valuable Diamonds Gold
Algeria, Kenya, Libya, Egypt, Angola, Nigeria
Diamonds
40% of the world’s
Gold
50% of the world’s gold
Rich in resources

15. Pictures of Africa

16. The Nile The world’s longest river

17. The Sahara

18. Camel Caravan crossing the Sahara

19. Atlas Mountain Northwest

20. Ethiopian Plateau

21. Great Rift Valley

22. Mount Kilimanjaro

23. Lake Victoria

24. Serengeti

25. Flamingoes in Ngorogoro Crater part of the Serengeti National Park

26. The Masai

27. Congo River

28. The Niger River

29. The Zambezi River Lake Kariba

30. Victoria Falls

31. Drakensberg Mountains Southeast

32. Ituri Forest northern part of the Congo River Basin

33. Kalahari Desert

34. Kalahari Desert

35. Kalahari Desert A black-maned lion

36. Okavango Delta an oasis in the Kalahari Desert

37. The Grand Canyon of South Africa Located in Augrabies Falls National Park

38. Augrabies Falls

39. The Great Escarpment in South Africa

40. Africa
54 countries.
Over 1000 languages.
797 million people.