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Africa chapter 1, section 1Land and Water
Africa’s Regions and Landforms-4 regions-Plateau contnent-Mountains-Coastal Plains-Great Rift Valley
Africa’s Rivers-Nile River-Farming along Nile-Congo River-Niger River-Zambezi River
Africa’s 4 regions and landforms
North
Atlas Mts.
Sahara Desert
(largest desert)
West
most populated
grasslands
good farming
East
many mountains, plateaus,
grasslands, hills
South/central
flat and rolling grasslands, hills, rain forests,
mountains, swamps,
Namib and Kalahari deserts.
The Plateau Continent
- Africa is made up of mostly flat land that drops sharply near the oceans.
- This land has a high elevation (height above or below sea level).
Mountains- All 4 regions have mountains- highest are in East Africa- Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the tallest.
Coastal Plains Edge the Continent
- Coastal plains run along much of Africa.- either dry and sandy or wet and marshy
Great Rift Valley- Mt. Kilimanjaro is on the edge.- Valley was formed 4m years ago. Continents
pulled apart and left a rift, or deep trench.- This rift is 4,000 miles long.- Most major lakes are in or near this area.
Africa’s Rivers
- 4 rivers carry water from the mountains to the sea; Nile, Congo, Zambezi, Niger.
- Parts of these rivers can be used for travel, but each is broken by waterfalls and rapids.
- Ships cannot navigate these rivers.
The Nile River- Longest river in the world (>4,000 miles)- Two tributaries (rivers or streams that flow into
larger rivers), White Nile in Sudan and Blue Nile in Ethiopia.
- The river flows north into the Mediterranean Sea.Farming along the Nile- Flooding from the Nile left silt, making the
soil fertile (rich in nutrients, good for farming).
- Aswan Dam prevents this flooding and created Lake Nasser; also produces electricity, irrigation
2
The Congo River- flows through the rain forests of central Africa
(Congo and Dem. Rep. of the Congo)- 2nd longest in Africa- hundreds of tributaries from the Congo; farmers use
this area to grow crops- Many different fish to catch.
Niger River- 3rd longest in Africa- provides water for farms and fishing
2
Zambezi River
- 4th longest river in Africa.- in Southern Africa; runs through 6 countries- Many waterfalls (Victoria Falls) and rapids.- hydroelectricity
4 Zambezi
4-Victoria Falls