African Geography

Relative Location of Africa

• Bordered by:

– Atlantic Ocean on west– Indian Ocean on east– Mediterranean Sea on north– Red Sea on northeast

Land Features of Africa

• Called “plateau continent” because plateaus are most dominant landform in Africa

– Plateau: high flat or gently rolling land

• Coastline– Narrow and even with few inlets or bays to form good

harbors• Harbor: part of a body of water protected and deep enough

for ships to dock

Great Rift Valley

• Geographic features

– Located in eastern Africa– Giant trench groove out of the plateau; giant

ditch– Stretches 6,000 miles from Red Sea into

Southern Africa– More than 1 mile deep

Great Rift Valley-continued

• Caused by shifting movements of the earth’s crust, causing faults

– Faults: cracks in the earth’s surface

Major Mountain Ranges of Africa

• Mt. Kilimanjaro– Africa’s highest peak– Located in East Africa

• Atlas Mountains– Located in NW Africa

• Drakensberg Mountains– Located in SE Africa

Lakes of Africa

• Major lakes:– Lake Victoria– Lake Tanganyika– Lake Nyasa

• Lakes described as “life-giving waters”– Provide waters for drinking, irrigation, and

transportation• Irrigation: to supply dry land with water by means of ditches,

pipes, or streams

Major Rivers of Africa

• Nile River– World’s longest river– Source (where river begins) flows from center of

Africa northward into Mediterranean Sea

• Congo River– Located in Central Africa– Crosses equator twice

• Niger River– Flows through west Africa

Major Rivers-continued

• Rivers not useful for long distance travel– Cataracts and shallow rapids flow over escarpments

• Cataracts: huge waterfalls• Escarpments: steep cliffs

– Water levels are low at mouths of river• Mouth: place where stream enters a larger body of water

– Rivers too shallow for navigation during dry season

HEI and Cataracts

• Positive HEI– Provide hydroelectric power which generate

electricity

• Negative HEI– Limits river travel – Slows movement

Vocabulary

• Cataracts: huge waterfalls

• Escarpment: steep cliffs

• Continental Drift: explanation of how the continents move

• Plateau: high flat or gently rolling land