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Chapter 1
Physical Geography of Africa
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Physical Geography of AfricaPhysical Geography of Africa
Chapter Menu
Chapter Introduction
Section 1: Physical Features
Section 2: Climate Regions
Summary
Physical Geography of AfricaPhysical Geography of Africa
Chapter Intro 1
Regions The physical environment of Africa is diverse. It ranges from deserts to rain forests, from mountains to rolling grasslands to jagged cliffs. Some areas of Africa’s interior are very difficult to reach. How do physical features influence a region’s climate?
Physical Geography of AfricaPhysical Geography of Africa
Chapter Intro 2
Section 1: Physical Features
Physical processes shape Earth’s surface. Over thousands of years, the movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates has shaped the landforms of Africa. The region’s landscape includes huge deserts, large plateaus, rocky cliffs, and great, steep valleys.
Physical Geography of AfricaPhysical Geography of Africa
Chapter Intro 2
Section 2: Climate Regions
Geographers organize the Earth into regions that share common characteristics. Africa has four main climate regions, each of which covers a large area. Similar climate zones appear north and south of the Equator in the region. Climates range from damp rain forests to vast grasslands to hot deserts.
Section 1-Main Idea
Physical processes shape Earth’ssurface.
Section 1-Polling Question
Do you believe reliable water and sanitation systems should be provided by the government or private companies?
A. Government
B. Private companies
C. Neither
D. Not sure
Section 1
Without warning, in the mid-1980s, huge amounts of poisonous carbon dioxide gas escaped from Lakes Nyos and Mounoun in Cameroon, killing more than 2,000 people. The gas originated in volcanic magma underground and eventually seeped into the lakes, where it exploded. Special pipes now control the release of the gas in harmless amounts.
Section 1
Landforms of Africa
Africa consists mainly of vast deserts and plateaus with some mountains and lowlands.
Section 1
Landforms of Africa (cont.)
• Almost all of Africa lies on a series of plateaus that rise like steps across the continent from west to east and from the coasts into the interior.
• In eastern and southern Africa, the edges of plateaus are often marked by steep, jagged cliffs called escarpments.
• Africa also has some lowland areas. The Congo Basin in central Africa is the largest lowland area in Africa’s interior.
Africa
Section 1
Landforms of Africa (cont.)
• Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert, covers much of North Africa.
• South of the Sahara lies a region known as the Sahel.
• The Kalahari desert in Botswana is covered by vast stretches of sand.
• The Namib, along the coast of Namibia, is made up of rocks and dunes.
Africa
Section 1
Landforms of Africa (cont.)
• The Ahaggar Mountains, Tibesti Mountains, and the Atlas Mountains are in North Africa.
• In the east are the Ethiopian Highlands and volcanic mountain peaks, such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
• Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest peak in the region at 19,341 feet (5,895 m).
• The Drakensberg Range is in southern Africa.
Africa
Section 1
Landforms of Africa (cont.)
• The Great Rift Valley in eastern Africa cuts through the flatness of large plateau areas.
• A rift valley is a large, visible break in the Earth’s surface formed by shifting tectonic plates.
• Some areas of the Great Rift Valley have rich volcanic soil that supports farming.
Africa
Section 1
Which mountain range is found in the North Africa region?
A. Zagros
B. Hindu Kush
C. Tian Shan
D. Atlas
Section 1
Waterways of the Region
Waterways provide transportation, freshwater, and electricity for Africans.
Section 1
Waterways of the Region (cont.)
• Most of the continent’s large lakes lie in or near East Africa’s Great Rift Valley.
• Lake Tanganyika is the longest fresh water lake in the world.
• Lake Victoria lies in a low basin and is Africa’s largest lake.
• Lake Chad in West Africa changes dramatically in size between the rainy season and the dry season.
Section 1
Waterways of the Region (cont.)
• Africa has four large river systems—the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi.
• All of these rivers begin in the interior plateaus and make their way to the sea.
• In some places these rivers and their many branches are useful for freshwater and transportation, but geographical barriers limit their use in other areas.
Section 1
Waterways of the Region (cont.)
• The Suez Canal is a human-made waterway on Egypt’s eastern edge.
• It is used by ships to pass from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
• It is one of the most important and most used shipping lanes in the world.
Section 1
Waterways of the Region (cont.)
• Clean water is scarce throughout much of Africa.
• Dams have been built to control flooding in the parts of Africa where rivers and lakes provide plentiful water.
• The dams have resulted in both benefits and environmental damages.
Section 1
What do the region’s four main rivers have in common?
A. They all originate in Zambia.
B. They all flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
C. They all begin in the interior plateaus and make their way to the sea.
Section 1
Resources
Africa holds both a great variety and large quantities of mineral and other resources.
Section 1
Resources (cont.)
• Africa is rich in energy resources.
• Oil has replaced agricultural products as the principal export in many African countries.
• Other important resources include: natural gas, coal, hydroelectric power, iron ore, chromium, uranium, and copper.
Section 1
Resources (cont.)
• Africa has large deposits of precious materials such as: gold ore, platinum, chromium, and manganese.
• A large number of gemstones are mined in Africa, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.
• South Africa is a major diamond producer.
Section 1
What important resource do the fast-flowing rivers provide?
A. Hydroelectric power
B. Nuclear power
C. Petroleum deposits
D. Gold
Section 2-Main Idea
Geographers organize the Earth into regions that share common characteristics.
Section 2-Polling Question
What kind of climate would you prefer to live in?
A. Mediterranean
B. Tropical
C. Highland
D. Desert
Section 2
Uganda, second in the world in banana production, is looking into making paper with banana fibers instead of with traditional wood pulp from trees. The process uses the stems and leaves from the banana plants that are otherwise thrown away as waste. If it works, banana farmers will be able to sell both the fruit and the waste, boosting the economy, and the environment will have another protection against deforestation.
Section 2
Factors Affecting Climate
Most of Africa has warm or hot climates. Rainfall, however, varies greatly throughout the region.
Section 2
Factors Affecting Climate (cont.)
• Africa lies mainly in the Tropics, resulting in direct rays of the sun year-round and generally high temperatures.
• Places with high elevation, though, often are cooler than lowland areas at the same latitude.
• Africa has wet, dry, and temperate climate zones.
Africa: Climate Zones
Section 2
• Some parts of Africa have long droughts, or periods of time when there is no rain at all.
• Droughts can cause crop failures and widespread starvation.
Factors Affecting Climate (cont.)
Africa: Climate Zones
Section 2
How much rain falls in the Sahara in Northern Africa?
A. More than 80 inches (203 cm) per year
B. None
C. About 3 inches (7 cm) or less per year
Section 2
Tropical and Dry Climates
Most of Africa is covered by tropical or dry climate zones.
Section 2
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
• A tropical wet climate is found along the Equator in Central Africa and West Africa.
• Hot temperatures and plentiful rainfall in this zone support the growth of rain forests, or dense stands of trees and other plants that receive high amounts of precipitation each year.
Section 2
• Rain forests support an enormous variety of plant and animal life.
• But because many tropical African countries rely on the sale of products from the rain forests, such as wood, for income, they take part in the widespread clearing of forestland, called deforestation.
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
Section 2
• To preserve rain forests, and boost their economies, some African countries are encouraging ecotourism. Ecotourism is touring a place without causing harm to the environment.
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
Section 2
• Farther from the Equator, rain forests give way to great stretches of grasslands with scattered woods, called tropical savannas, where temperatures remain hot all year, but rainfall amounts are much lower than in rain forest areas.
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
Section 2
• Continuing farther from the Equator, rainfall becomes more scarce, and savannas merge into drier steppes that have only about 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 cm) of rain over the course of a few months each year.
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
• Steppe areas are threatened by desertification, the process that turns fertile land into land that is too dry to support life.
Section 2
• The Sahara Desert in the north has high temperatures and little rain.
Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)
• When rain falls in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa, it is immediately absorbed by the sand, leaving the surface dry.
• The Namib Desert, along the southwestern coast, is made up of rocks and dunes.
Section 2
What factors are threatening the savanna plants and animals of Africa?
A. Hunting
B. Human settlement
C. Pollution
D. Both A and B
Section 2
Moderate Climate Regions
Small areas of Africa have moderate climate regions.
Section 2
Moderate Climate Regions (cont.)
• Moderate climates, with comfortable temperatures and enough rainfall for farming, are found in coastal North Africa, Southern Africa, and the highlands of East Africa.
• Southeastern Africa has a humid subtropical climate of hot, wet summers and mild, wet winters.
• The farther south you go in this region, the farther you are from the Equator, resulting in cooler temperatures.
Section 2
• Coastal North Africa and southwestern Africa has a Mediterranean climate in which winters are mild and wet, but the summers are warm and dry.
Moderate Climate Regions (cont.)
• Highland climates are found in areas of higher elevation in East Africa.
In Southwestern Africa, in which season are Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza?
A. Near the beginning of summer
B. Near the beginning of winter
C. Near the beginning of spring
D. Near the beginning of fall
Section 2
VS 1
Landforms
• Most of Africa lies on a series of plateaus.
• Africa’s landforms include deserts, plateaus, and volcanic peaks.
• Narrow plains hug Africa’s coastlines. In some places, the plains spread deep into inland areas.
VS 2
Waterways
• Most lakes lie in the Great Rift Valley. Lakes are a source of freshwater and fish.
• The major rivers of Africa are the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi.
VS 3
A Tropical Region
• Tropical rain forests have hot temperatures and plentiful rains throughout the year.
• The amount of rainfall varies in the savannas. A variety of animals lives on these grasslands.
• Several countries have created national parks to protect forests and grasslands.
VS 4
Deserts and Steppes
• Deserts dominate the landscape in large areas of Africa.
• The main deserts include the Sahara, the Kalahari, and the Namib.
• Partly dry grasslands near deserts are threatened by desertification.
VS 5
Moderate Climates
• Parts of southeastern and southwestern Africa lie outside the Tropics. They have moderate climates.
• Highland climates are found in mountainous areas of East Africa.
• Temperatures in the highlands are cooler than in surrounding areas because of higher altitude.
Figure 1
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