Geography of Africa

A Satellite View

Africa’s Size

# Second largest continent 11,700,000 sq. mi.

# 15% of the world’s population.

# 2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

5000

MILES

4 6 0 0 M I L E S

Plateau

• Most of Sub-Saharan Africa is a giant plateau, slightly higher in the east than the west

• Average height of the plateau is 2,000 ft. above sea level

• At coastal areas, the plateau drops off sharply into narrow coastal plains

• This barrier creates waterfalls and rapids

Cape of Good Hope(example of coastal plateau)

Victoria Falls

• Lies on the Zambezi River

• Plunges 335 feet, or two times the height of Niagara Falls

Victoria Falls

Great Rift Valley

4,000 miles long

It can be seen from the moon!

Great Rift Valley

• Contains the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro

• Kilimanjaro is 19,340 ft. high

• Snow capped

• Located in Tanzania

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Lakes

• Most of the great lakes of Sub-Saharan Africa lie on the floor of the rifts

• Lake Victoria is a shallow circular lake that isn’t part of the rift system, but is a depression in the land

• Second Largest Freshwater Lake in the World• What is the largest?

Climate Zones

• Four Zones that we will discuss:• 1. Tropical-Rain Forest• 2. Tropical Savannah• 3. Desert• 4. Mediterranean

African Rain Forest

# Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.

# Rapid decomposition (very humid).

# Covers 37 countries.

# 15% of the land surface of Africa.

Tropical Rain Forest

• Zone north and south of the equator

• 80 Degrees year round with humid air

The African Savannah:13 million sq. mi.

Savannah Zone

• Savannahs- Grasslands with an occasional clump of trees

• Savannahs cover ¼ of Sub-Saharan Africa• Average Rainfall per year is 30-60 inches• Supports farming and herding• Rainfall can vary year to year, causing

droughts or flooding

African Savannah

Desert Zone• North and South of the Savannah Zones

• Sahara covers most of northern Africa

• Kalahari lies in Southern Africa

• Average of less than 10 inches of rainfall per year in these areas

Mediterranean Climate Zone

• Southern Tip of Sub-Saharan Africa and small section of Northern Africa

• Winters are mild and rainy

• Summers are hot and dry

• Great for crops; can have crop seasons year after year

Agriculture

• Agriculture is the main economic activity of Sub-Saharan Africa

• Approximately 70% of all workers are farmers

• However: Much of Africa’s soil is poor….so what can they do?

Slash and Burn Farming

• Act of clearing a piece of forest or savannah to plant crops.

• Often times use fire as a method of clearing a field

• Requires a great deal of land• Fertility of land is gone after only a few

seasons

Two Other Types of Farming

• Subsistence Farming- grow enough to live on, but no crops left over to sell

• Sedentary Farming- permanent growing of crops. Allows for cash crops, or crops sold at the market.

Desertification

• Desertification is a big problem in Africa.

• It happens when grass dries out or is eaten, and the soil becomes dry and sandy. Eventually the land turns to desert.

• The Sahara is slowly creeping southward

Resources

• 60% of world’s gold comes from Sub-Saharan Africa

• World’s major source of diamonds, most of which come from mines in South Africa and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Resources (CNN)

• http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/25/world/africa/africa-resources-fuel-world/index.html?hpt=iaf_mid