Africa NotesAfrica Notes

Geography….Geography….

► About 50 About 50 countriescountries

► 1/3 of all the 1/3 of all the world’s world’s countriescountries

► 2nd largest 2nd largest continent in continent in land arealand area

Continent of Plateaus….Continent of Plateaus….

► Africa is a giant Africa is a giant plateauplateau

► Plateau - flat Plateau - flat landmass higher landmass higher than the than the surrounding land surrounding land with at least one with at least one steep sidesteep side

► Narrow coastal plains Narrow coastal plains extend inland less extend inland less than 20 milesthan 20 miles

► One plateau follows One plateau follows the other as the land the other as the land rises from west to east rises from west to east in a series of stepsin a series of steps

Continent of Plateaus…Continent of Plateaus…► Escarpment – steep Escarpment – steep

cliffs or slopes, cliffs or slopes, separate the plateausseparate the plateaus

► The highest and The highest and broadest plateaus and broadest plateaus and escarpments lie in the escarpments lie in the south and eastsouth and east

► Rivers turn into Rivers turn into cataracts – waterfalls, cataracts – waterfalls, as they flow over the as they flow over the escarpmentsescarpments

► Because of plateaus, Because of plateaus, Africa has the highest Africa has the highest overall elevation of any overall elevation of any other continentother continent

► The average elevation is The average elevation is 2000 feet above sea 2000 feet above sea levellevel

Mountains & Highlands…Mountains & Highlands…

►Not many Not many mountainsmountains Atlas MountainsAtlas Mountains Drakensberg Drakensberg

MountainsMountains Mount KenyaMount Kenya Mount Mount

KilimanjaroKilimanjaro►Africa’s highest Africa’s highest

mountain mountain

Great Rift Valley…Great Rift Valley…

►Great Rift Great Rift Valley - valley Valley - valley that creates a Y that creates a Y shaped trench shaped trench 3500 miles long3500 miles long Series of faultsSeries of faults Mt. Kilimanjaro – Mt. Kilimanjaro –

famous of the famous of the rift’s volcanoesrift’s volcanoes

Steep Steep escarpments over escarpments over a mile higha mile high

Pangaea….Pangaea….

► PangaeaPangaea Theory that all the Theory that all the

continents were continents were connected to form connected to form one large continentone large continent

Scientists believe the Scientists believe the Great Rift Valley was Great Rift Valley was created during violent created during violent movements that movements that separated the separated the continents and continents and caused them to drift caused them to drift apart 180 million apart 180 million years agoyears ago

Deserts….Deserts….► Kalahari DesertKalahari Desert

Located in south-Located in south-central Africacentral Africa

Grasses & palm treesGrasses & palm trees Biodiversity – many Biodiversity – many

different types of different types of plant & animal lifeplant & animal life

►Namib DesertNamib Desert Some of the world’s Some of the world’s

highest sand duneshighest sand dunes As little as ½ inch As little as ½ inch

rain per yearrain per year Beetles, lizards, Beetles, lizards,

snakessnakes

Lake VictoriaLake Victoria►Source of the White Source of the White

Nile RiverNile River►22ndnd largest freshwater largest freshwater

lake in the worldlake in the world Lake TanganyikaLake Tanganyika

►Stretches 420 milesStretches 420 miles►World’s longest World’s longest

freshwater lakefreshwater lake Lake MalawiLake Malawi

►Many species of fish Many species of fish found in Lake Malawi found in Lake Malawi that are not found that are not found anywhere else on earthanywhere else on earth

Lake VoltaLake Volta►Formed due to a dam Formed due to a dam

on the Volta Riveron the Volta River Lake ChadLake Chad

►No outlets to the seaNo outlets to the sea

Rivers….Rivers…. NileNile► World’s longest riverWorld’s longest river

Zaire RiverZaire River► 2700 miles long2700 miles long► Crosses the equator Crosses the equator

twicetwice Congo RiverCongo River

► Flows northward from Flows northward from Zambia & then Zambia & then southwest into Atlantic southwest into Atlantic OceanOcean

Niger RiverNiger River► Empties into the Empties into the

Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean Zambezi RiverZambezi River

► Empties into the Empties into the Indian OceanIndian Ocean

► Forms Victoria FallsForms Victoria Falls Explorer, David Explorer, David

Livingstone, name this Livingstone, name this after the British after the British Queen VictoriaQueen Victoria

Twice the height of Twice the height of Niagara FallsNiagara Falls

Climate….Climate….

► Western AfricaWestern Africa Lies within the tropicsLies within the tropics Warm Warm

temperatures temperatures throughout the throughout the yearyear

Areas around the Areas around the equator have arid equator have arid climateclimate

Sahel – region of Sahel – region of semiarid climate semiarid climate extending below extending below the Sahara Desertthe Sahara Desert► Major droughts can Major droughts can

occur & causes occur & causes widespread faminewidespread famine

Climate Climate cont…cont…

► Southern AfricaSouthern Africa Tropical wet and dryTropical wet and dry Winds from Sahara bring Winds from Sahara bring

hot, dry conditions in hot, dry conditions in winterwinter

Winds from the ocean Winds from the ocean bring rain in summerbring rain in summer► Grasslands & grazing Grasslands & grazing

animalsanimals Drakensberg MountainsDrakensberg Mountains

► Causes rain shadow Causes rain shadow effecteffect

► Central AfricaCentral Africa Rainfall year roundRainfall year round Dense tropical Dense tropical

rainforestrainforest Home to many Home to many

endangered speciesendangered species

Natural Resources….Natural Resources….►DiamondsDiamonds

Found in South Africa and Found in South Africa and ZaireZaire

►GoldGold Geologists believe ½ the Geologists believe ½ the

world’s gold comes from world’s gold comes from South Africa and the South Africa and the Great Rift ValleyGreat Rift Valley

►OilOil Found in Nigeria - Found in Nigeria -

member of OPECmember of OPEC

►Cacao Beans (coco)Cacao Beans (coco) West Africa is world’s West Africa is world’s

major sourcemajor source

Population….Population….

► 967 million967 million►World’s youngest World’s youngest

populationpopulation► About half of the About half of the

people are less than people are less than 15 years old15 years old

►World’s highest World’s highest birthrate - birthrate - statistic that tells statistic that tells the # of babies the # of babies born in a born in a populationpopulation

Population…Population…►World’s shortest World’s shortest

life expectancy - life expectancy - average age people average age people are expected to liveare expected to live

►World’s lowest World’s lowest economic growth rateeconomic growth rate

►High infant mortality High infant mortality rate - the # of babies rate - the # of babies that die in a that die in a populationpopulation

►World’s highest World’s highest population growth population growth raterate

Population Distribution….Population Distribution….

Uneven population Uneven population distribution due to distribution due to physical geographyphysical geography►Sparsely populated:Sparsely populated:

DesertsDeserts MountainsMountains

►Densely populated:Densely populated: Around lakes and Around lakes and

riversrivers Fertile soilFertile soil Good climatesGood climates

Problems Facing the Problems Facing the Population…Population… Due to a growing Due to a growing

population, many population, many regions in Africa are regions in Africa are struggling to feed their struggling to feed their populationpopulation

Food production has Food production has declined due to:declined due to:►Loss of soil fertilityLoss of soil fertility►DroughtsDroughts

Famine and malnutrition Famine and malnutrition kill many Africanskill many Africans►Famine - severe food Famine - severe food

shortage for an shortage for an extended period of extended period of timetime

Only about 40% have Only about 40% have clean drinking waterclean drinking water

Problems….Problems….

Many diseasesMany diseases►AIDS has become AIDS has become

an epidemic - a an epidemic - a disease affecting disease affecting many persons at many persons at the same time, the same time, and spreading and spreading from person to from person to person in a person in a locationlocation

Poor medical care Poor medical care due to:due to:►Lack of doctorsLack of doctors►Lack of medical Lack of medical

supplies and supplies and equipmentequipment

Very low Gross Very low Gross Domestic Product Domestic Product (GDP) - total amount (GDP) - total amount of goods and services of goods and services produced in a county produced in a county in a yearin a year

Low per capita income Low per capita income - - average amount a average amount a person earns in a person earns in a yearyear►Varies from region to Varies from region to

regionregion► Sierra Leone - $530Sierra Leone - $530►South Africa - $10, 270South Africa - $10, 270

Urbanization….Urbanization….► Urbanization - the movement of people from Urbanization - the movement of people from

rural to urban areasrural to urban areas► Africa is the least urbanized continent but it is Africa is the least urbanized continent but it is

urbanizing at the fastest rateurbanizing at the fastest rate► Most cities are located along rivers or near natural Most cities are located along rivers or near natural

resourcesresources► People often move to cities in search of jobsPeople often move to cities in search of jobs

Housing shortagesHousing shortages No electricity or running waterNo electricity or running water

History….History….► Great kingdoms Great kingdoms

ruled areas of ruled areas of West & Central West & Central AfricaAfrica Trading sitesTrading sites Gold, cloth, slavesGold, cloth, slaves Islam spread to regionIslam spread to region

► 1400s – Europeans 1400s – Europeans began trading with began trading with AfricansAfricans Trying to find route to Trying to find route to

East AsiaEast Asia Tropical disease, few Tropical disease, few

navigable rivers, and navigable rivers, and thick forests kept thick forests kept Europeans outEuropeans out

History….History….► European European

ColonizationColonization 1500s to 1800s the 1500s to 1800s the

Europeans began Europeans began trading with African trading with African societies for slavessocieties for slaves

Europeans sold Europeans sold enslaved Africans to enslaved Africans to American colonistsAmerican colonists

The slave trade The slave trade existed for a long timeexisted for a long time►Disrupted families & Disrupted families &

societiessocieties►Coastal states became Coastal states became

more powerful than more powerful than inner savannainner savanna

The triangular The triangular slave trade:slave trade:► Europeans Europeans

traded with traded with Africans for Africans for slaves in slaves in exchange for exchange for goods like goods like weaponsweapons

► Slaves were Slaves were taken from Africa taken from Africa to the colonies in to the colonies in the Americasthe Americas

► Raw materials Raw materials grown in the grown in the Americas were Americas were taken to taken to Europe to the Europe to the manufacturing manufacturing plantsplants

Millions died Millions died during the “Middle during the “Middle Passage”- ocean Passage”- ocean journey from journey from Africa to the Africa to the AmericasAmericas

History cont….History cont…. David LivingstoneDavid Livingstone

► Scottish doctor and Scottish doctor and missionarymissionary

► One of the first One of the first Europeans to explore Europeans to explore the interior of Africathe interior of Africa

► For 30 years, he explored For 30 years, he explored and set up Christian and set up Christian missionsmissions

► Sent detailed reports Sent detailed reports back to Great Britain of back to Great Britain of the exotic wildlife and the exotic wildlife and peoplepeople

The stories from Africa The stories from Africa made people very curiousmade people very curious

European ColonizationEuropean Colonization

►Mid-1800s – slave Mid-1800s – slave trade was endingtrade was ending

► Europe was Europe was industrializing industrializing and needed and needed resourcesresources Europeans sought Europeans sought

control of fertile control of fertile African territories African territories and resourcesand resources

Scramble for Africa….Scramble for Africa…. European nations European nations

scrambled to make scrambled to make their claims in Africatheir claims in Africa

By the 1800s, By the 1800s, European nations European nations divided up Africa and divided up Africa and colonized itcolonized it

In 1885, 14 nations met In 1885, 14 nations met in Berlin to partition- or in Berlin to partition- or divide, Africadivide, Africa

By 1914, European By 1914, European nations controlled nations controlled 90% of Africa90% of Africa

Europeans controlled Europeans controlled most of Africa until the most of Africa until the mid to late 1900smid to late 1900s

History cont….History cont…. LiberiaLiberia

The only free The only free independent independent state in west state in west AfricaAfrica

►Established in Established in 1822 by freed 1822 by freed Africans who were Africans who were once enslavedonce enslaved

►Received Received support from the support from the U.S.U.S.

►This discouraged This discouraged European powers European powers from seizing it as a from seizing it as a colonycolony

►Only other free Only other free country was country was EthiopiaEthiopia

History….History….

► Boer War – 1899 to 1902Boer War – 1899 to 1902 Dutch vs BritishDutch vs British British were victoriousBritish were victorious White minorities controlled South AfricaWhite minorities controlled South Africa

►Held political powerHeld political power►Controlled the economy & owned most of the Controlled the economy & owned most of the

landland

Post-Colonialism….Post-Colonialism….

► Colonialism Colonialism lasted less than lasted less than 100 years100 years

► 1976 – all 1976 – all African African countries countries were were independentindependent

► Effects:Effects: Many ethnic Many ethnic

conflictsconflicts Workers shifted Workers shifted

from agriculture from agriculture to industryto industry

History…History… Apartheid – Apartheid – official official

policies that forced policies that forced black South Africans black South Africans to live in separate to live in separate areas and use areas and use separate facilities separate facilities from white South from white South AfricansAfricans

African National African National Congress pushed for Congress pushed for end to apartheidend to apartheid

1990 – apartheid ended1990 – apartheid ended 1994 – 1994 – Nelson Nelson

Mandela elected first Mandela elected first black presidentblack president

Culture….Culture….► LanguageLanguage

Over 800 languages Over 800 languages and dialectsand dialects► Some originated in Some originated in

AfricaAfrica► Some were brought Some were brought

by foreignersby foreigners► Some are a mixture Some are a mixture

of languagesof languages Lingua franca- Lingua franca-

universal language universal language that trade and that trade and business is business is conducted inconducted in► Swahili is the lingua Swahili is the lingua

franca of East Africafranca of East Africa Many countries still Many countries still

have the language of have the language of the European country the European country that colonized themthat colonized them

Culture cont….Culture cont….►ReligionReligion

Many ethnic groups have their own Many ethnic groups have their own traditional religionstraditional religions

Traditional religions, Islam and Christianity each Traditional religions, Islam and Christianity each consist of about 1/3 of the religions practiced in consist of about 1/3 of the religions practiced in AfricaAfrica

African religionsAfrican religions►Believe spirits of ancestors are importantBelieve spirits of ancestors are important►Spirits are honored in ceremoniesSpirits are honored in ceremonies►Animists believe in sprits of the natural worldAnimists believe in sprits of the natural world

IslamIslam►Religion of the SahelReligion of the Sahel

ChristianityChristianity►Atlantic coastAtlantic coast

HousingHousing

Housing South African slumsHousing South African slums

1) Market in West Africa selling fruits

2) Farmer and his laid-out field (needs to be located near water for irrigation

3) Farmer plowing his field to grow crops (lack of technology)

4) Typical business woman in South Africa where opportunities are greater

5) Copper mining in Central Africa

Agriculture….Agriculture…. Most Africans still Most Africans still

rely on agriculture rely on agriculture to make a livingto make a living

Cash crops - grown Cash crops - grown to make a profitto make a profit

Millet & sorghum are Millet & sorghum are staple crops – drought staple crops – drought resistantresistant

Other staple crops – Other staple crops – cassava, yams, corncassava, yams, corn

Dual economies – Dual economies – some goods produced some goods produced for exportation while for exportation while others are produced others are produced for local peoplefor local people

Agriculture cont…Agriculture cont… Farming methodsFarming methods

►Commercial farming- Commercial farming- farming organized as a farming organized as a business produce cash business produce cash cropscrops

►Shifting farming- farmers Shifting farming- farmers move every one to three move every one to three years to find better soilyears to find better soil

►Sedentary farming- Sedentary farming- farming conducted on farming conducted on permanent settlementspermanent settlements

ProblemsProblems►Most people cannot afford Most people cannot afford

the machinery, the machinery, technology and fertilizers technology and fertilizers to increase food to increase food productionproduction

►Food shortages are a Food shortages are a constant problemconstant problem

Mining….Mining…. Important Important

economic activityeconomic activity Very dangerousVery dangerous Work long hoursWork long hours Many poor Africans Many poor Africans

work in the mines to work in the mines to support their support their familiesfamilies► Mineral wealth has Mineral wealth has

made South Africa made South Africa one of the richest one of the richest regions in the arearegions in the area

► Most black South Most black South Africans do not Africans do not benefit from this benefit from this because the because the mines are owned mines are owned by white South by white South Africans or Africans or foreign foreign companiescompanies

Industrialization….Industrialization…. Manufacturing is not a Manufacturing is not a

big part of the big part of the economyeconomy

Obstacles to Obstacles to industrializationindustrialization►Lack of capital - tools Lack of capital - tools

and equipment used and equipment used in factoriesin factories

►Political conflict (within Political conflict (within countries and between countries and between neighboring ones)neighboring ones)

►Not enough skilled Not enough skilled workersworkers

Environment….Environment….► Famine is caused by:Famine is caused by:

Rapidly growing populationsRapidly growing populations Lack of capital (tools and equipment)Lack of capital (tools and equipment) Overdependence on cash cropsOverdependence on cash crops Desertification- transformation of arable Desertification- transformation of arable

(fertile) land into desert(fertile) land into desert►Using land too much for grazing and farming causes erosionUsing land too much for grazing and farming causes erosion►Droughts have impacted this tooDroughts have impacted this too

Civil War is the biggest cause of famineCivil War is the biggest cause of famine►Used food as a weapon by burning the fields of their Used food as a weapon by burning the fields of their

enemiesenemies►Relief agencies like the Red Cross would send food but it Relief agencies like the Red Cross would send food but it

was often stolen by rebels or warlordswas often stolen by rebels or warlords Example - the movie Black Hawk Down was set in SomaliaExample - the movie Black Hawk Down was set in Somalia

Deforestation…Deforestation… The destruction of The destruction of

forests for:forests for:►Wood to exportWood to export►Burn forests to clear Burn forests to clear

land for farming or land for farming or grazinggrazing

►FuelFuel Results of Results of

deforestation:deforestation:►Deforestation may Deforestation may

make the earth make the earth hotterhotter

Carbon dioxide holds in Carbon dioxide holds in more heat than oxygenmore heat than oxygen

Increase in carbon Increase in carbon dioxide (since plants dioxide (since plants turn carbon dioxide turn carbon dioxide into oxygen)into oxygen)

►Plants and animals are Plants and animals are at risk for extinction- at risk for extinction- disappearance from the disappearance from the earthearth

Deforestation cont….Deforestation cont….► Protecting rain forests and endangered wildlifeProtecting rain forests and endangered wildlife

As the population grows, farmers need more land for As the population grows, farmers need more land for farmingfarming

Taking land from grasslands and forests where Taking land from grasslands and forests where animals liveanimals live

Many animals are becoming endangered because:Many animals are becoming endangered because:►Humans have pushed into the animals’ natural Humans have pushed into the animals’ natural

habitats – living areashabitats – living areas► Increase in hunting:Increase in hunting:

Poaching – illegal huntingPoaching – illegal hunting Elephants and rhinos (Tusks and horns are very Elephants and rhinos (Tusks and horns are very

profitable)profitable) Some countries have made huge game preserves to Some countries have made huge game preserves to

protect animalsprotect animals Ecotourism- tourism based on the environmentEcotourism- tourism based on the environment Ecotourism has increased visits to preservesEcotourism has increased visits to preserves Some Africans object to preserves because they Some Africans object to preserves because they

need the land and often don’t profit from ecotourismneed the land and often don’t profit from ecotourism

Current Issues….Current Issues….

►Slow economic developmentSlow economic development►Rapid population growthRapid population growth► Internal war & conflictInternal war & conflict►DeforestationDeforestation►Extinction of plants & animalsExtinction of plants & animals►Malaria & HIV/AIDSMalaria & HIV/AIDS►Genocide – intentional destruction of Genocide – intentional destruction of

peoplepeople Rwanda (1994)Rwanda (1994) Hutu vs TutsiHutu vs Tutsi