Geography of Africa

Label Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Guinea Strait of Gibraltar Mediterranean Sea Suez Canal Red Sea Gulf of Aden Indian Ocean Mozambique Channel

Label Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Guinea Strait of Gibraltar Mediterranean Sea Suez Canal Red Sea Gulf of Aden Indian Ocean Mozambique Channel

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General InformationGeneral Information

11,608,000 sq miles Second Largest

Continent 3.3 times larger

than the us 20.2% of Earth’s

Land 878 million people

11,608,000 sq miles Second Largest

Continent 3.3 times larger

than the us 20.2% of Earth’s

Land 878 million people

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PlateausPlateaus

Africa is dominated by plateaus in South & East

Africa is dominated by plateaus in South & EastQuickTime™ and a

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Escarpments & CataractsEscarpments & Cataracts

Escarpment: A steep slope or long cliff separating two level areas of differing elevation

Cataract: waterfall or where the flow of a river changes dramatically

Escarpment: A steep slope or long cliff separating two level areas of differing elevation

Cataract: waterfall or where the flow of a river changes dramatically

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Major Landforms of Africa

Key Landforms: Atlas Mountains Sahara Desert Ahaggar Mountains Tibesti Mountains Sahel Great Rift Valley Ethiopian Highlands Horn of Africa Congo River Basin Mount Kilimanjaro Serengeti Plain Kalahari Desert Namib Desert Cape of Good Hope

Key Landforms: Atlas Mountains Sahara Desert Ahaggar Mountains Tibesti Mountains Sahel Great Rift Valley Ethiopian Highlands Horn of Africa Congo River Basin Mount Kilimanjaro Serengeti Plain Kalahari Desert Namib Desert Cape of Good Hope

SavannaSavanna

also known as tropical grasslands Most common environment in Africa rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and

isolated trees found in a wide band on either side of the

equator between tropical rainforests and deserts

warm temperature year round; a very long dry season (winter), and a very Short wet season (summer).

also known as tropical grasslands Most common environment in Africa rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and

isolated trees found in a wide band on either side of the

equator between tropical rainforests and deserts

warm temperature year round; a very long dry season (winter), and a very Short wet season (summer).

Serengeti PlainSerengeti Plain

An area of northern Tanzania bordering on Kenya and Lake Victoria. It is internationally well-known for its extensive wildlife preserve.

An area of northern Tanzania bordering on Kenya and Lake Victoria. It is internationally well-known for its extensive wildlife preserve.

Sahara DesertSahara Desert almost 1/3 of the continent largest desert in the world (Antarctica

Doesn’t count) 3,500,000 sq. miles (size of us) areas of Mountains, rocky plains, rolling

sand dunes and numerous sand seas Regional deserts: Libyan, Nubian & the

Western desert of Egypt

almost 1/3 of the continent largest desert in the world (Antarctica

Doesn’t count) 3,500,000 sq. miles (size of us) areas of Mountains, rocky plains, rolling

sand dunes and numerous sand seas Regional deserts: Libyan, Nubian & the

Western desert of Egypt

KALAHARI DESERT KALAHARI DESERT 100,000 sq. miles covers much of Southern Africa (Botswana,

southwest South Africa, western Namibia) Along the coastal known as the Namib Desert

100,000 sq. miles covers much of Southern Africa (Botswana,

southwest South Africa, western Namibia) Along the coastal known as the Namib Desert

The SahelThe Sahel

Comes from the Arabic for “shore”

transition zone between northern arid Sahara and the Southern tropical area

Prone to droughts and is experiencing desertification.

Comes from the Arabic for “shore”

transition zone between northern arid Sahara and the Southern tropical area

Prone to droughts and is experiencing desertification.

Congo River BasinCongo River Basin 1,400,000 sq. miles 20% of the world's rain forest dominates the Democratic Republic of

the Congo and Central Africa

1,400,000 sq. miles 20% of the world's rain forest dominates the Democratic Republic of

the Congo and Central Africa

Great Rift ValleyGreat Rift Valley

runs north to south for 3,000 miles, from Northern Syria to central Mozambique

In eastern Africa the valley divides into two, the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift

runs north to south for 3,000 miles, from Northern Syria to central Mozambique

In eastern Africa the valley divides into two, the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift

Mount KilimanjaroMount Kilimanjaro

The highest mountain in Africa, in northeast Tanzania near the Kenya border, rising in two snow-capped peaks to 19,340 feet

The highest mountain in Africa, in northeast Tanzania near the Kenya border, rising in two snow-capped peaks to 19,340 feet

Major Bodies of

Water

Major Bodies of

Water

Major Rivers: Niger River Congo River Nile River Blue Nile White Nile Victoria Falls Zambezi River

Major Lakes: Lake Chad Lake Rudolf Lake Albert Lake Victoria Lake Tanganyika Lake Nyasa

Major Rivers: Niger River Congo River Nile River Blue Nile White Nile Victoria Falls Zambezi River

Major Lakes: Lake Chad Lake Rudolf Lake Albert Lake Victoria Lake Tanganyika Lake Nyasa

The Nile RiverThe Nile River

World’s Longest river 4150 miles Drains East Africa Blue Nile: Ethiopian

Highlands White Nile: Lake

Victoria

World’s Longest river 4150 miles Drains East Africa Blue Nile: Ethiopian

Highlands White Nile: Lake

Victoria

Top Ten Longest RiversTop Ten Longest Rivers1. The Nile in Africa with a length of 4,145 miles2. The Amazon-Ucayali in South America with a length of 4,000 miles3. The Yangtze in Asia with a length of 3,900 miles4. The Mississippi-Missouri in North America with a length of 3,740 miles5. The Huang in Asia with a length of 3,395miles6. The Ob-Irtysh in Asia with an length of 3,362 miles7. Rio de la Plata-Parana in South America with a length of 3,030 miles8. The Congo in Africa with a length of 2,900 miles9. Parana in South America with a length of 2,800 miles10. Amur-Ergun in Asia with an length of 2,761 miles

1. The Nile in Africa with a length of 4,145 miles2. The Amazon-Ucayali in South America with a length of 4,000 miles3. The Yangtze in Asia with a length of 3,900 miles4. The Mississippi-Missouri in North America with a length of 3,740 miles5. The Huang in Asia with a length of 3,395miles6. The Ob-Irtysh in Asia with an length of 3,362 miles7. Rio de la Plata-Parana in South America with a length of 3,030 miles8. The Congo in Africa with a length of 2,900 miles9. Parana in South America with a length of 2,800 miles10. Amur-Ergun in Asia with an length of 2,761 miles

Aswan High dam & Lake NasserAswan High dam & Lake Nasser

Lake VictoriaLake Victoria largest lake of Africa and world's second largest freshwater lake, 26,830

square miles on the Uganda-Tanzania-Kenya border occupies a shallow depression on the Equatorial Plateau between two

arms of the Great Rift Valley

largest lake of Africa and world's second largest freshwater lake, 26,830 square miles

on the Uganda-Tanzania-Kenya border occupies a shallow depression on the Equatorial Plateau between two

arms of the Great Rift Valley

Victoria FallsVictoria Falls

1 mi wide with a maximum drop of 420 feet

in the Zambezi River on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border

1 mi wide with a maximum drop of 420 feet

in the Zambezi River on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border

Top Ten Cities in AfricaTop Ten Cities in Africa1. Lagos, Nigeria-- 8,029,200 (9,123,200)2. Cairo, Egypt-- 7,764,700 (15,546,100)3. Kinshasa, Dem Rep Congo-- 6,301,100

(7,527,500)4. Alexandria, Egypt-- 3,806,300 (4,345,800)5. Casablanca, Morocco-- 3,344,3006. Abidjan-- Cote d' Ivoire-- 3,310,500

(3,972,300)7. Kano, Nigeria-- 3,248,700 (3,519,500)8. Ibadan, Nigeria-- 3,078,400 (3,670,400)9. Cape Town, South Africa-- 2,686,000

(3,086,600)10.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-- 2,638,500

1. Lagos, Nigeria-- 8,029,200 (9,123,200)2. Cairo, Egypt-- 7,764,700 (15,546,100)3. Kinshasa, Dem Rep Congo-- 6,301,100

(7,527,500)4. Alexandria, Egypt-- 3,806,300 (4,345,800)5. Casablanca, Morocco-- 3,344,3006. Abidjan-- Cote d' Ivoire-- 3,310,500

(3,972,300)7. Kano, Nigeria-- 3,248,700 (3,519,500)8. Ibadan, Nigeria-- 3,078,400 (3,670,400)9. Cape Town, South Africa-- 2,686,000

(3,086,600)10.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-- 2,638,500

Lagos, NigeriaLagos, Nigeria

Cairo, EgyptCairo, Egypt

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cape Town, South AfricaCape Town, South Africa

Addis Ababa, EthiopiaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia