1. WEST AFRICA
Chapter 5.1

2. Geography of Africa Main Idea 1:
The landforms, water, climate, and plant life affected history in West Africa

3. Geography of Africa
Africa is the second largest continent in the world and is shaped like a soup bowl with mountains on the rim.

4. Geography of Africa
The Niger River became a source of water, food, and transportation that allowed many people to live in the sub-Saharan plains,
The sub-Saharan plains are the areas in Africa south of the equator.
Niger
River

5. Africa’s Four Regions
The northern part of West Africa is the Sahara desert.
The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest desert. 2 1 3 4

6. Sahara Desert

7. Sahara Desert

8. Africa’s Four Regions
The Sahel is a semiarid area that divides the desert from wetter areas.
The Sahel has enough vegetation to support hardy grazing animals. 2 3 2 4

9. Sahel

10. Sahel

11. Africa’s Four Regions
Farther south is the savannah, which is an open grass area with scattered trees.
Grazing animals are common there. 2 3 3 4

12. Savannah

13. Savannah

14. Savannah

15. Africa’s Four Regions
Rain forests are moist, densely wooded areas that are near the equator.
They contain a variety of plants and animals. 2 3 4 4

16. Rainforest

17. 1. Which of the following is the Niger River?A. D. A. B. C.

18. 2. Which of the following is the Sahara?1 A B. 2 B C 3 2 3 4 D 4

19. 3. The picture below shows which region of Africa?
A. Sahara A
B. Rain forest B C
Sahel 2 3
D. Savannah D 4

20. 4. Which of the following is the Sahel?1 B. 2 3 D. 4

21. 5. Which statement correctly describes the sahel region of Africa?
A forest area full of different animals and plants
which receives a lot rainfall.
A desert area.
The region between the desert and wetter areas
where there is barely enough vegetation for animals.
A region of grasslands with many grazing animals.

22. Resources in West Africa
Main Idea 2:
West Africa’s resources included farmland, gold, and salt.

23. Resources in West Africa
West Africa’s land produced many crops, such as dates and kola nuts.
Kola nuts could be used for medicine.
Dates
Kola Nuts

24. Resources in West Africa
Gold could be used for jewelry or coins.

25. Resources in West Africa
Salt was a scarce resource that was found deep in the earth, from lakes that had dried up.
In most of West Africa salt was considered to be of equal value with gold because it was so scarce

26. Regional Commerce in West Africa
Salt was used to preserve and flavor food.
It was essential to good health. It helped people replace what was lost through perspiration.

28. 6. Which of the following was not a resource that was frequently traded in Africa?
A. kola nuts
B. ivory
salt
gold

29. 7. Why were kola nuts important?
A. Kola nuts preserved and flavored food
Kola nuts were often traded for gold
Kola nuts were used for medicine
Kola nuts were Planters number one snack for
making Saturday nights a party.

30. 8. Which statement is not true about salt?
A. It was often used for medicine.
It was very scarce in West Africa.
It was often traded for gold.
It helped preserve and
flavor food.