Physical Geography of

Africa – The Land20-1

Landforms Continent of plateaus

series of plateaus rise from W to E escarpments – steep cliffs separating

plateaus highest and broadest in SE continent with highest overall elevation

LandformsMts. and Highlands

Atlas Mts. – NW Ethopian Highlands – S. of Sahara & E.

down to S. Africa Drakensberg Mts. – SE Ruwenzori Mts. – Central & E. Africa Mt. Kenya & Kilimanjaro highest – 19,340

ft.

Drakensberg Mts.

Ruwenzori Mts.

Mt. Kenya

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Drakensberg Mts.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Landforms Great Rift Valley

natural wonder Jordan River to Zambezi R. in Zimbabwe

trench 3,500 mi. long believed to have been caused by Pangea

split Africa had volcanic activity as result

Great Rift Valley

Water Systems Chain of Lakes

Lake Victoria – 2nd largest freshwater lake, Central & E.

Lake Tanganyika – 420 mi. long – longest freshwater lake

Lake Malawi – many fish species, S & E Lake Chad – created by dam near Chad

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi

Water Systems Rivers and Basins

Nile – N. Africa with tributary from Lake Victoria

Congo – longest S. of Sahara, 2,700 mi. long, crosses equator south

10 million gal. per sec. Niger – empties into Atlantic Ocean Zambezi – empties into Indian Ocean

Niger River

Zambezi River

Physical Geography of Africa – The Climates and Vegetation

20-2

Deserts and semi-desert Covers 2/5 of Africa Namib Desert – coast of Namibia, SW Kalahari Desert – Southern plateau,

covers most of Botswana vegetation – cactus, shrubs temps vary from 120°-50°F

PBS Website on Africa’s Climates and Vegetation

Kalahari and Namib Desert

Kalahari Desert - family

Namib Desert

Desert Oases Okavango – river

that empties into Kalahari Desert

Called “the Delta”

Botswana

Namibia

Angola

Desert Oases Okavango – river

that empties into Kalahari Desert

Called “the Delta”

The Sahel Steppe grasslands – wide grassy

plains Seasons – long dry one, short wet one Less water in recent years – caused

by drought Problems – famine, death, migration

The Sahel

Tropical Savanna vegetation – grassland and scattered

trees rainfall – 30-60 in. per year elephant grass – grows 15 ft. or taller

Tropical Rainforests cover 8% of Africa located near equator Rains daily poor farmland

Soil gets leached – nutrients washed away products from rainforest

Cocoa – chocolate Rubber Palm oil lumber

Cocoa

Moderate climates highlands of Kenya southern tip – S. Africa three characteristics of location of

population Fertile soil Adequate rain Favorable climate