GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
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GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
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GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA. BASIC FACTS. Second largest continent Could fit 3 of the U.S. Most independent countries (54). 11,668,545 square miles that’s over 11 billion football fields. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA
BASIC FACTS
Second largest continent
Could fit 3 of the U.S.
Most independent countries (54)
11,668,545 square miles that’s over 11 billion football fields. If you were to give each person on earth -
that's almost 6 billion people - land in Africa, you could give everyone almost two football fields
Pennsylvania = 46,058 square miles
Approximately 253 PA’s would fit inside Africa!
What is significant about Africa’s
location?
Location
Distance north and south of equator
80% of Africa is in the TROPICS
CANCER-CAPRICORNClimate: Warm all year
REGIONS
North Africa (Morocco-Egypt)West Africa (Sahel: Coastline)East AfricaCentral AfricaSouthern
Natural Resources
West: Gold CoastCopper: ZairePlatinum: S.A.Oil: Libya
Looking at your large map…what do you notice about the elevation of Africa?
Elevation
Height above sea levelTemperature drops as elevation increases
Accra, Ghana: 80’sNairobi, Kenya: 60’s
LANDFORMS
Mostly plateaus (Tilts to NW)
Escarpments: Steep cliffs
Cataracts: Waterfalls
Landforms
Great Rift Valley Volcanic activity Why historically, might this area be significant?
The Great Rift Valley
•Huge “cut” in the Earth’s crust•Extends from Syria to Mozambique
•Formed when tectonic plates pulled away from one another – land slid between the plates creating a valley
Land formsEscarpments
Steep cliffs that divide the Plateau from the costal plain
What do you think is the most important
geographic feature of Africa?
RIVERS
Key to African society
Why?
Food
Irrigation
Transportation
What major rivers exist in Africa?
NILE
EgyptLongest river
(4160 miles)Early
civilizationsAswan Dam
Central Africa
Can’t travel on
ZAIRE
Nile River
Longest river in the world. 4160 miles.
Played a key role in human development
ASWAN HIGH DAM
ASWAN HIGH DAM
Why Built? Irrigation Feed growing population Power Protects vs flooding Symbol of Nasser’s Power
NIGER
Provides water for farmers
Major source of fish
Victoria FallsKariba Dam
provides hydroelectric power
ZAMBEZI
ZAMBEZI
Kariba Dam provides hydroelectric power
Negative Impact:
The dam causes flooding in other regions
Diseases have increased since its construction
SCHISTOSMIASIS FROM PARASITIC WORMS
4 CLIMATE ZONES
Tropical WetSavannaDesertMediterranean
Tropical Wet
Central and West AfricaAvg Temp: 80 degreesRainfall: 60-120 inLeaching: Minerals dissolvedDisease: Malaria, Tsetse Fly
West Africa Tropical wet- Hot humid, lots of rainfall
Savanna
Largest climate zoneGrasslandsSummer: Hot+WetWinter: Warm+DryDrought: Periods w/o rainDesertification: land into
desert
Savanna-½ of Africa is Tropical Wet and Dry-largest climate in Africalittle rain in Winter
DESERTS
Covers 40% of AfricaSahara
LARGER THAN U.S. 10 YEARS W/O RAIN
Kalahari: South AfricaNamib: One of driest places
Desert-Sahara-130 degrees
Deforestation
The process of land turning to desert
Desertification could displace up to 50m people over the next decade
Tree-planting schemes may put pressure on scarce water resources
While you’re watching the video, pay attention to why deserts are GOOD. Plant life Energy
Desertification Video
MEDITERRANEAN
Similar to CaliforniaMild climate and fertile soilMakes for good farming
conditions
South Africa Mediterranean-summers hot and dry, winters cooler and moist
HEALTH CONCERNS
Disease carrying insectsMalaria kills 1,000,000 childrenTsetse Fly:
KILLS CATTLE TRANSMITS BLINDNESS
Bliharzia: Snails that carry parasitic worms
Malaria
Malaria
Malaria
A TSETSE FLY-causes sleeping sickness
The early phase entails bouts of fever, headaches, pains in the joints and itching. The second, known as the neurological phase, begins when the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier and infests the central nervous system. This is when the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease appear: confusion, sensory disturbances and poor coordination. Disturbance of the sleep cycle, which gives the disease its name, is the most important feature. Without treatment, the disease is fatal. If the patient does not receive treatment before the onset of the second phase, neurological damage is irreversible even after treatment.
Dysentery
Way of life
Most live in the savanna
Most are farmers
Few hunters remain
Cities growing
Languages
1000’s are spoken
Creates problems
Swahili: Bantu and Arabic
NIGHT ARRIVES BETWEEN EUROPE & AFRICA
Pre Class
What does an Archaeologist do?
ARCHAEOLOGIST
Recreate the past
Study the remains of ancient humans (both fossils & artifacts)
Paintings on cave walls
Tools, weapons, food, religion
MARY AND LOUIS LEAKEY
Worked in Tanzania in 1950Found bone in rock2,000,000 years oldAfrica was home to 1st
people
Paleontologist
Studies fossils of man & animals
Anthropologists
Scientists studying physical and
cultural characteristics of
humans
