Geography of Africa

An Introduction

Standards• SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse

characteristics of early African societies before 1800 CE. • e. Analyze the role of geography and the distribution of

resources played in the development of trans-Saharan trading networks.

Physical Geography

• PHYSICAL FEATURES• Sahara Desert

• smooth coastline

• lack of navigable rivers

• Great Rift Valley

• high plateau

• Fertile soil along the Nile River encouraged the rise of great civilizations (ex. Egypt)

Physical Geography• RESULT• Groups are kept separate• 800 different languages are

spoken in modern Africa• Many geographic features

in Africa have prevented contact, trade & unity among peoples

• Many of these same features limit European knowledge of Africa “the Dark Continent”

True desert spreads into semi-arid regions

P rob lem : D esertifica tion

m aln u trit ion s ta rva tion p overty

S ah e l D esert(sou th S ah ara)

Topography• Deserts

– 40% of the land surface of Africa

– slows cultural diffusion - does not totally prevent it

• Sahara -- North Africa– Size of the U.S.– majority is rock and

gravel• Kalahari--Southwest Africa

Sahara Desert

Desertification - Causes• Farmers use semi-arid

land next to desert - yields poor crop

• Overgrazing by cattle and goats

• Overcutting of trees for firewood

• With no grass or tree roots, the topsoil blows away, the desert advances

Somalia

Solutions• Crop rotation• Terracing to

prevent soil from washing away

• Tree belts to stop erosion and hold soil in place

Rivers• Congo - 3000 miles

long• Niger - ancient

civilizations flourished here

• Zambezi - Victoria Falls, used for hydro-electric power

• Therefore, the interior of Africa remained largely unexplored

Zambezi Gorge

The Nile• 4,180 miles long

(world’s longest!!)• flows NORTH• Source - - Lake

Victoria• Delta - - Egypt• Floods annually

– One of the most densely populated region in Africa

Coastline

• Smooth• Few

natural harbors - hard to land ships

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

Climate - determined by rainfall, latitude and elevation

• Savanna - 40%, safari!!• Tropical Rainforest -

8%, • Desert - 40%• Mediterranean - 12%,

good farm land

• About 85% of the land is not suited to farming

Natural Resources

• Farming– peanuts, cotton,

cocoa, coffee

• Minerals– diamonds, gold,

copper, cobalt

• Water– hydroelectric power

A Satellite View

A Satellite View of Africa

Rift Valley, Kenya

SavannahSavannah

Deserts

Sahara Desert

Sahel

Kalahari Desert

The Sahel

Bodies

Of

Water

Nile River

Congo River

Zambezi River

Niger River

Orange River

Limpopo River

Mediterranean Sea

Atlantic Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Red Sea

L. Victoria

L. Albert-->

L. Chad-->

L. Tanganyika->

<--Gu

lf of A

den

Draje

nsburg

Mts

.

Ruwenzori M

ts.

Δ Mt. KenyaΔ Mt. Kilimanjaro

Mountains

&

Peaks

Atlas Mts.

Vegetation Zones

The

Complete

Topography

Of

AFRICA

Nile River

Congo River

Zambezi River

Niger River

Orange River

Limpopo River

Mediterranean Sea

Atlantic Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Red Sea

L. Victoria

L. Albert-->

L. Chad-->

L. Tanganyika->

<--Gu

lf of A

den

Drajensburg Mts.

Ruw

enzori Mts.

Δ Mt. Kenya

Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro

Sahara Desert

Sahel

Kalahari

Desert

Nam

ib D

esert

Libyan Desert

Gre

at R

ift

Val

ley

Atlas Mts.

Tropic of Cancer 20° N

Tropic of Capricorn20° S

Equator 0°

Standards• SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse

characteristics of early African societies before 1800 CE. • e. Analyze the role of geography and the distribution of

resources played in the development of trans-Saharan trading networks.

• List 5 facts which will help you remember this lesson:• • • • •