Geography

5 Words To Know

grasslands, a desert-like area with lots of small plants

Savanna

Desert

Little to no rainfall all year, few plants

Rain Forest

Central Africa, lots of rain, lots of trees

Delta

Triangular shaped landform at the

mouth of a river, great for farming.

Sahel

Region of savanna on the Southern

border of the Sahara

Africa is much more than just a desert!

Chapter 5 The Roots of Mighty Empires

A Land of Many Climates

• Dried-up riverbeds as well as cave paintings indicate that in 5000 B.C., the Sahara was indeed a land of flowing rivers, lush green pastures, and forests.

• As the Sahara's climate changed, people who lived there migrated south to settle in more fertile areas -- the savannas and rain forests.

Grass is gone…

• Some of those who migrated to West Africa settled on oases located along a strip of grasslands, or savanna, on the Sahara's southern border.

• This region is known as the sahel, or "shore of the desert."

What river was important to both Ghana and Mali?

Niger River

The Land of Africa• 2nd largest continent & very diverse.• Northern Coast- mountains• Sahara- South of the mountains.• Grasslands- west of the deserts• Tropical jungles- west of the deserts along

the coast.• Plateau (relatively high, flat land areas)- East• Great Rift Valley- deep canyons surrounded

by mountains.• Congo Basin- tropical rain forests

The Climate of Africa• 4 distinct climate zones. Explains different

lifestyles.

1. Northern coast & southern tip of Africa- mild climate with warm temperature & moderate rainfall. Farming

2. Deserts- 40%. Sahara in the north & Kalahari in the south.

3. Rain Forest- 10%. Located along the Equator. Heavy rains & warm temperatures. Farming & travel very difficult. Disease carrying insects.

4. Savannas- 40%. North & South of the Rain Forests. Enough to farm & herd animals.

Emerging Civilization & the Rise of Islam• 7-8,000 yrs. ago Africans began to tame

animals.• Kush & Axum 1st civilizations.• Kush (Nubia) freed itself from Egypt. 1st was

a farming community. Then traded ivory, ebony, frankincense, & leopard skins. Conquered Egypt & ran out by Assyrians. Learned to make iron weapons & tools. Traded iron goods with the Romans, Arabia, & India. Received luxury goods. Gave way to Axum.

• Axum combined Arab & African cultures. Prosperous because between India & the Mediterranean Sea. Traded ivory, frankincense, myrrh, & slaves. In 4th century, King Ezana invaded Kush & converted to Chrisitanity. Took over Egypt & controlled entire coastal region of N. Africa. Had peaceful relations with Muslim states. 12th century Muslims moved inland & wanted control over slaves & ivory. Axum in growing conflict with Muslims.

Geography & Environment

African continent is 3 times larger than the U.S.

Contains deserts, mountains, grasslands, river valleys, rainforests, etc.

5 regions (N, S, E, W, and Central)

Geography & Environment

Sahara Desert in the north = the world’s largest desert

Another major desert = the Kalahari in the south

Geography & Environment

South of the Sahara lies a great plateau = high, flat area = called the Sahel Sahel = covered

by savannas = treeless grasslands

Geography & Environment

Tropical rainforests in central Africa

Major highlands and mountains in eastern Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya

Geography & Environment

Geography and Environment

As a result of Africa’s size and environmental variations, many separate societies, cultures, and civilizations grew throughout Africa

Africa’s Climate

Africa is one of the most tropical continents in the world

As a result of this tropical climate:

1) Poorer and less fertile soil = less productive agriculture than in Eurasia

2) Many disease-carrying insects and parasites = long-term health problems

Africa’s Proximity to Others

Close to Eurasia and Arabia

This facilitated trade, interaction, and cultural diffusion