Africa Physical Geography. Landforms and Resources The geographic features of Africa include:...
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Transcript of Africa Physical Geography. Landforms and Resources The geographic features of Africa include:...
Landforms and Resources
The geographic features of Africa include:plateausbasinsriversrift valleysmountains
Plateau
an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain that is raised significantly above the surrounding area, often with one or more sides with steep slopes
Basins
a depression, or dip, in the Earth’s surface Major basins include the Congo,
Chad, Sudan, and Djouf basins
Each basin in more than 625 miles acr across and as much as 5000 feet
deep
Rivers
The Nile is the world’s longest river at more than 4000 miles
flows through Uganda and Sudan into Egypt95% of Egyptians rely on the Nile for waterpopulations density along Nile = 3,320 people
per sq mileaverage in Egypt is 177Helena = 1724
Rift Valleys
Rift Valleys are long, thin valleys formed when the continental plates pulled apart over millions of years and huge cracks appeared in the earth
eastern Africa is pulling away from the rest of Africa
Lakes
Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world
420 miles long and depth of up to 4700 feet
Mountains
Africa contains mainly volcanic mountainsMt. Kilamanjaro in Tanzania is Africa’s highest
mountain
Africa’s Resources
Africa has a huge amount of the world’s minerals but many of the countries lack the industrial base and money to develop them
Africa’s minerals make it one of the richest continents
S. Africa is world’s largest producer of chromium and produces 80% of world’s platinum and 30% of gold
Africa’s Resources
In the 19th and 20th centuries, European colonial rulers developed natural resources for export
many African nations have been slow to turn these resources into valuable products
Africa’s Resources
Africa is home to 1/10th of the world’s oil reserves
Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, and Angola are among the world’s leading oil producers
Angolan government used money from oil production to pay for long running civil war that started shortly after the country gained independence from Portugal
Major commodities
Africa produces 12% of the world’s coffeelumbersugarCote d’Ivoire is world’s largest cocoa bean exporter
Agriculture is Africa’s most important activity
Climate and Vegetation
Africa lies almost entirely between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn
The Deserts
The Sahara is the largest desert in the world3000 miles from Atlantic to Red Sea and 1200 miles
north to south136 degrees in summer and below freezing in winternot all sand- only 20%
mountains, rock formations, gravelly plainsaquifers, huge stores of underground water, lie 6000
feet undergroundcome to surface as an oasis
Rainfall
Rainforest in Central Africa receives most raincloser to equator = longer rainy seasoncloser to desert = longer dry seasonLiberia = 120” rain/yearaverage in Africa = 20”Helena = ??
Rainfall
Mediterranean climate on northern and southern tips
clear, blue skiesrain only in winter
December and January in NorthJune and July in South
Summer temps in Johannesburg, South Africa average 68
Rain Forest
stretches across Central Africaon the equator in Congo Basinhuge variety of trees and birdsslash-and-burn agriculture endangers the rain forest
destroyed up to 90% of the rain forests in the West
Human-Environment Interaction
Desertification: expansion of dry conditions into moist areas next to deserts
Normally naturally occurring but can be sped up by human activity
Human causes of desertificationovergrazing of vegetation by livestockfarmingincreasing population (indirect) ???
Human-Environment Interaction
Oil in Nigeriadiscovery in 1956 made
Nigeria one of Africa’srichest countries
80-90% of Nigerian income
Human-Environment Interaction
Oil in Nigeria1970’s = high oil prices = wealthy Nigeria
Government borrowed against high oil prices
Oil prices dropped, sent Nigeria into huge debt
Nigeria ended up poorer than before oil boom
Human-Environment Interaction
Oil in NigeriaSevere environmental damage
over 4000 oil spillsslow cleanupfires
acid rainrespiratory disease
over 2000 deaths from explosionsome intentionally set
Human-Environment Interaction
Controlling the NileAswan High Dam completed in 1970 to control cycles of
flooding and drought along the NileBenefits
regular supply of water holds floodwaterfarmers can have 2-3 harvests/yearfarmland increased by 50%
Human-Environment Interaction
Controlling the NileAswan High Dam completed in 1970 to control cycles of
flooding and drought along the NileProblems
people and treasures had to be relocatedpermanent change to way of life
decreased soil fertility around Nileincrease in malaria and other diseaseswater loss due to evaporation