1. Sub - Saharan Africa

2. Leading countries of the area  GDP  South Africa  Gabon  Botswana

3. Leading countries of the area cont.  Land size  Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)  Sudan  Chad  Mozambique  Madagascar

4. Leading countries of the area cont.  Population  Nigeria  Ethiopia  Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)  Tanzania  Kenya

5. Physical characteristics  Continent composed of a huge plateau and escarpment  River transportation is impeded by waterfalls and rapids  Smooth coastline provides few natural harbors

6.  Plateau--raised area of land with a generally level surface. At least one side of the plateau rises steeply above the surrounding area  escarpment--a steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations

7.  The location of the equator in the middle of the region provides similar climate patterns on both the North and South sides of the equator  Climate zones  1. Rainforest  2. Tropical Wet and Dry  3. Semi Arid  4. Arid

8.  The region has a large number of landlocked countries  landlocked--a country which is completely cut off from a sea and surrounded by land or other countries

9.  The area is a storehouse of minerals  The land of the rainforest has limited fertility in the soil because the rainforest leaches the nutrients out  Two main deserts-- Kalahari and the Namib

10.  The region has many preserves and national parks

11. Economic Charateristics  Large percentage of the population is engaged in agriculture (primary activity.  Mainly subsistence agriculture and nomadic herding  They use slash and burn agriculture

12.  Slash and burn agriculture--cutting down trees and vegetation to clear a field for planting. The field is only good for a few years before you have to do it again. The land you leave is useless because you have depleted it of nutrients

13.  There is some plantation agriculture where cash crops and food crops are raised.  Cash crops—coffee, tea, sugar, peanuts, cocoa  Food crops—millet, sorghum, wheat, corn

14.  Poorly developed infrastructure.  Large numbers of landlocked states.  Makes it difficult to trade with the rest of the world

15.  The area does have substantial mineral wealth.  EX: diamonds, gold, alloys  The region is a major exporter of raw materials, but this leads to a high trade deficit.

16.  There is a wide range of per capita income in the region.  Production of products lags behind the growing population of the area and many goods have to be imported.

17.  The area is suffering from desertification.  Desertification--the process of destroying the grassland and other vegetation regions and having them turn into desert

18.  Demographics are typical of a developing nation  low per capita GDP  low life expectancy  High population growth rates  High infant mortality  large percentage of the population under the age of 15  low literacy rates

19. Cultural Characteristics  Uneven population distribution  large numbers of refugees due to constant conflict in many countries  Many conflicts are caused by the many ethnic groups with different languages and customs

20.  There are very few cities with populations over one million  There knowledge of their history is based on an oral tradition  Many of the country names today are based on historical empires such as Mali, Ghana & Zimbabwe

21.  The diversity of Africans are reflected in their cultural heritage  maskssculpture  dancemusic  colorful dress  jewelry

22.  Centers of Culture and Trade  Lagos, Nigeria  Dakar, Senegal  Johannesburg, South Africa

23.  Markets  churches  mosques, and minarets  villages  modern city cores

24. Waterfalls (Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia)

25. African escarpment

26. African masks

27. African clothing

28. Village

29. Masks

30. African Mask

32. Catholic Church in Mali

33. Market Scene, Selling dry fish

34. Market Scene

35. Statue in Burkina Faso

36. Crops being transported for the market

37. Grande Mosque in Mali

38. Mud Brick Village in Mali

39. Market in Ghana

40. Market in Mali, notice clothing

41. Namibia Village—thatched roof

42. Shantytown outside S. Africa