The United States China India The United Kingdom Portugal Spain France Belgium Germany The Netherlands Switzerland Italy Eastern Europe Japan 11.7 million sq. miles Just how big is Africa?
Chapter 18 Section 1 Landforms and Resources
Africa s Plateau Most prominent feature and covers most of Africa. Most of the continent is at least 1000 ft. above sea level.
Basins 5 Huge basins (depressions in the earth); 625 miles across, 5,000 ft. deep
Rivers World s longest river, the Nile River; 4,000+ miles long. Over 95% of Egyptians depend on the Nile for water. Population density along the Nile is 3,320 per sq. mile. Congo and Niger Rivers
Geopolitical Impact of the Nile Who was a right to water?
Rift Valleys Long, thin valleys in East Africa that were formed when land sank into cracks in the earth caused by continental plates pulling part. Stretch over 4,000 miles from Jordan to Mozambique.
Rift Valley
Rift Valley
Lakes Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world and is located at the bottom of a rift valley. 420 miles long x 4,700+ ft. deep. Lake Victoria is Africa s largest lake; sits between 2 rift valleys; 2 nd largest freshwater lake in the world; only 270 ft. deep. Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika
Lake Victoria
Mountains Mainly volcanic, Mount Kenya and including the tallest Mount Kilimanjaro ; Great Escarpment marks edge of the continents plateau in Southern Africa Escarpment: is a steep slope with a nearly flat plateau on top.
Mount Kenya
Escarpment
Mineral Wealth Large amounts of gold, platinum, chromium, cobalt, copper, phosphates & diamonds Benefited past colonial powers; Africa lacks the infrastructure & industries to benefit more fully
Energy Resources Libya, Nigeria & Algeria and Angola produce over 7% of the world s oil. Some Angolan oil money is channeled into civil war instead of their infrastructure; does not benefit Africans
Commodities Agricultural is the single most important economic activity in Africa. Resources provide a livelihood for many Africans. Oil, coffee (20% of the world s supply), lumber, sugar, palm oil and cocoa beans. 1/3 of exports are farm products.
Chapter 18 Section 2 Climate and Vegetation
Deserts The Sahara is the largest desert in the world; stretches 3,000 miles east to west across north Africa & 1,200 miles north to south 20% Sand; the rest is mountains, rock formations and gravelly plains; An aquifer is a large storage of water underground. Water that comes to the surface is an oasis which supports life and vegetation Kalahari, Namib and Libyan deserts
Namib Desert
Regions across the Sahara
Interesting Facts Sahara Desert World s hottest desert 3,600,000 sq mi Sand dunes can be up to 590ft The name is Arabic, meaning desert 6,000 ft under the surface are aquifers; underground water
Oasis
Tropics Africa has largest tropical area of any continent 90% of the continent lies within the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. July temperature averages 110-115
Moderate Areas Mediterranean climate on northern & southern tips of Africa Rainfall only in winter: January/December in North Africa & June/July in South Africa
Robertson Wine Valley, South Africa
Tropical Grasslands Cover most of the continent; Serengeti Plain, in north central Tanzania, contains some of the world s best grasslands Dry climate and hard soil prevent major tree growth; abundance of grasses, excellent for grazing animals
Rain Forests Mostly found on the equator in the Congo Basin Hot, moist air beneath an umbrella of vegetation that blocks most sunlight; home to a huge variety of species Canopy is the uppermost layer of branches, about 150 ft. above the ground and most animals live here.
Chapter 18 Section 3 Human-Environment Interaction
Environmental Issue Sahel: is a narrow band of dry grassland that runs along the southern edge of the Sahara. Used for farming and herding. Shore of the Desert in Arabic. Desertification: Expansion of dry conditions to moist areas that are next to deserts.
Causes Happens naturally but is sped up by overgrazing; farming, irrigation; trampling the soil; drilling for water; and indirectly by increasing population levels.
Results Destroys forests, including rainforests.
Oil in Nigeria Niger Delta contains most of Nigeria s oil. 80-90% of Nigeria s income; huge potential for economic benefit. Spills and fires have harmed the land & people; bandits/corrupt officials have sabotaged pipelines for financial gain. 1999 new president introduced economic reforms.
Aswan High Dam Completed in 1970; provides farmers with a regular supply of water, increasing the number of harvests per year from 1 to 2-3. Increased Egypt s farmable land by 50% and helped them avoid droughts and floods; more harvests Created the artificial Lake Nasser; 300 miles long
Aswan High Dam
Dam Problems Construction caused relocation of peoples and loss of ancient treasures. Decreased soil fertility near the Nile and increased fertilizer usage; rich silt; sediment, is no longer deposited. Increase in diseases like Malaria due to still water. Millions of gallons of freshwater are lost yearly due to evaporation.