1. Climate and Diversity Ch. 3 Sec. 2

2. Latitude and Elevation Tropical location: – Most of Africa between Tropics of Capricorn & Cancer – Warm year round – Coolest regions = highlands Rainfall: – Alternating wet and dry seasons – Variations depending on region (desert vs. rainforest)

3. Major Climate Zones Tropical Wet Region – Narrow strip along equator – Rain forest extending from west coast to Great Rift Valley – Leaching: constant rain makes poor soil for farming – Indigenous diseases Mosquitos: Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever Tsetse flies: Sleeping sickness Poor water: Typhoid Fever, cholera

4. Major Climate Zones Tropic Wet and Dry – Alternating wet and dry seasons – Largest climate zone in Africa – Includes savanna & plains – Frequent periods of drought – Desertification: cutting trees and grazing animals have reduced fertility of the soil, making savanna into desert

5. Major Climate Zones Deserts – 40% of Africa – Sahara: North Africa Largest desert in the world Avg. less than 10 in. rainfall per year Trade goods and ideas between Northern and Southern Africa – Kalahari: Southern Africa Grasses & melons grow in some places More habitable than Sahara – Namib: Southern Africa Virtually no rainfall Sahara Kalahari Namib

6. Major Climate Zones Mediterranean – Southern tip & Northern coast – Mild: warm, dry summers / cool, moist winters – Support farming and herding

7. Population Patterns Population: – Not densely populated, but growing – Population clusters around water Nile R. delta, Lake Victoria, Med. Sea, Atlantic Ocean, etc. – Most live on savanna Adapting to the Land: – Most are farmers – Cities (mostly along Med. Sea coast) Language: – 1,000+ language groups – Helps provide info about early groups/tribes in Africa & movements