SUBSAHARAN AFRICA

Major Geographic Qualities

• A plateau continent that is physiographically unique

• Comprised of dozens of nations and hundreds of ethnic groups

• A realm of people dependent on farming for their livelihood

• State boundaries represent colonial legacies

• Dislocated peoples and refugees

• Raw materials and resource potential

• Largest refugee population worldwide

Africa’sPhysiography

Rift Valley in KenyaA. WinklerPrins

Plate Boundaries

Climate

Medical Geography

• Millions suffer from:– Malaria– Yellow Fever– AIDS

Medical Geography

• Endemic

- Exists in equilibrium with the population

- Many develop an immunity of sorts

- Saps energy, lowers resistance, shortens lives• Epidemic

- Sudden outbreak at local, regional scale• Pandemic

- Worldwide spread

A global view of HIV infection in 2007

SOURCE: WHO/UNAIDS

What can be done about AIDS in SSA?

• Awareness and acceptance of the problem

• Political will• Lowering of cost of drugs

A. WinklerPrins

Importance of Farming in SS Africa• Still main livelihood

for the majority• Mostly subsistence• Vulnerable to

famine• Green revolution

by-passed this realm

Early Kingdoms

The Atlantic Slave Trade

Colonialism• European colonial

objectives– Supply ports along the

West African coast– A water route to South

Asia and Southeast Asia

– 1500’s- looking for resources; Slaves

– 1850- industrial revolution occurs in Europe

• Increased demand for mineral resources

• Need to expand agricultural production

Berlin Conference 1884

• European states divided up Africa without consideration of indigenous cultures

• Results of superimposed boundaries:

– African peoples: divided

– Unified regions: ripped apart

– Hostile societies: thrown together

– Migration routes: closed off

• When independence returned to Africa after 1950, the realm had already acquired a legacy of political fragmentation.

Independent states

in Africa

The Legacy

• Several hundred languages are spoken

• Antagonism between tribes (e.g., Rwanda)

• Low level of development is linked to colonization

• Poor Infrastructure

• High Poverty levels

• Low Standard of Living

Cultural Patterns• Population

distribution• Urbanization• African

languages– Lingua franca– Multilingualism

• Religions– Christianity– Islam– Tribal religions

Languagesof

Africa

PopulationDistribution

Urban Africa• This is not an urban

realm with relatively low overall urbanization (34%)

• changing rapidly as rate of urbanization is high

• City living is harsh– informal sector