Africa South of the Africa South of the SaharaSahara

Africa South of the Africa South of the SaharaSahara

Chapter 10Chapter 10I. Geography of AfricaI. Geography of Africa

Africa: One Continent Many Countries

A. African Continent

• Africa is three times larger (size) than the United States

• Africa has twice as many people • Home to some of the world’s poorest

countries • The top 10 poorest countries in the

world today are located on the African continent

• World's Poorest Countries

B. Landforms

• Mount Kilimanjaro – Highest mountain in Africa

• Located along the boarder of Kenya and Tanzania

• Peak is covered with snow year round even though it very close to the equator

Mount Kilimanjaro

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Mount Kilimanjaro Video

• Most of Africa sits on a plateau• Plateau – Raised area of

relatively level land • African tectonic plates are slowly

pulling a part • Great Rift Valley – Large area of

steep-walled valleys

Satellite Image of the Great Rift Valley

C. Waterways

• Nile River – Longest river in the world • Africa has many lakes and rivers

providing water and fish• Waterfall and rapids make boat travel

almost impossible • Victoria Falls – One of the highest

waterfalls in the world

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls Video

D. Desert and Semiarid Climates• Areas with little rain, high temperatures,

and few plants and animals • Sahel – Large semiarid region south of

the Sahara• Desertification – Process by which a

desert spreads • Drought – Lack of rainfall over an

extended period

The Sahel

E. Tropical and Equatorial

• Savannas – Flat grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs

• Home to many of Africa’s most famous animals

• Equatorial regions are home to some of the world’s largest remaining rainforest

Cheetahs on the Savannas near Mount

Kilimanjaro

F. Resources • Africa is home to many types of

resources• Nonrenewable – Resources that

can not be easily remade• Renewable – Resources that can

be replace in a short time period