1. Geography of Africa
Most of Africa lies between which two lines of latitude?
Why is this important to know?

2. Topography
Of all the continents, Africa has the highest overall elevation. Africa averages 3000 feet above sea level.
It is a continent of plateaus. They cause cataracts, or waterfalls.
There are steep slopes, called escarpments, that separate the plateaus and they drop steeply to the sea.
Africa is the 2nd largest continent and is located in all 4 hemispheres.

3. Atlas Mountains
Located in Northwest Africa, running through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia extending 1600 miles.
The Atlas Mountains block the precipitation by separating the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahara Desert.

4. Ruwenzori Mountains
Also known as the “Mountains of the Moon” because they are snowcapped and mist shrouded. They average 2500 ft.
Located on border of Uganda and Congo
These mountains are a source of the Nile River.
Many waterfalls make them very scenic.

5. Mt. Kilimanjaro Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania.
It is 19,340 feet in elevation.
It is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.
It is a dormant volcano.

6. Great Rift Valley Runs from the Red Sea to the Mozambique Channel.
The Nile River, Congo River and the Zambezi Rivers have their source in the Great Rift Valley.

7. Lakes
Lake Victoria is the 2nd largest freshwater lake and a source of the White Nile
Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake
Lake Malawi is the third deepest lake

8. Rivers

9. Deserts In Africa
The Namib Desert in Namibia is known for the sand dunes that are constantly forming.
The Kalahari Desert in Botswana has a wet and dry season.

10. The Sahel The Sahel is steppe grasslands south of the Sahara
Lies between the desert and fertile grasslands
Sahel is Arabic for “border of the Sahara”
The Sahel has two seasons, a long dry season from October to May, and then the short wet season starts.

11. Tropical Savannas Savannas alternated between wet and dry seasons.
They provide grazing lands for livestock.
Game preserves protect wildlife.

12. Tropical Rainforests Cover 1/5 of Africa Located around the Equator
Heavy rains leach, or wash away, nutrients in the soil
Face destruction from cocoa and rubber plantantions and logging companies

13. Moderate Climates
Found in the most southern and northern areas of Africa and in the highlands of Kenya
These areas are heavily populated and have fertile soil, adequate rainfall, and a favorable climate.