Sub-Saharan Africa

Countries for the Political Map Quiz

Mali Somalia Niger Malawi Chad Botswana Cameroon Zimbabwe Senegal South Africa Liberia Lesotho Togo Madagascar Democratic Rep. of the Congo Mozambique Tanzania Uganda Ethiopia Nigeria Sierra Leone Kenya Angola

Facts

2nd largest continent

Known as the “Plateau Continent”

Most of Africa is covered by a huge plateau

Several basins (depressions) lie throughout the plateau

Important Physical Features

1. Nile River Flows through Egypt; over 4,100 miles

long– Numerous cataracts, rapids, & waterfalls

makes transportation via rivers difficult

2. Rift Valleys (East Africa)3. Mount Kilimanjaro4. Escarpments (Great Escarpment)

Features Continued

At the bottom of rift valleys are clusters of lakes

Examples: Lake Tanganyika

– World’s largest freshwater lake Lake Victoria

– Africa’s largest lake

Africa’s Resources

Mineral resources makes Africa one of the richest continents

Examples: gold, platinum, copper, cobalt, phosphates, diamonds

Oil & Coffee in Africa

Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, & Libya

– Leading petroleum producers

– Produce about 7% of world’s oil

Coffee: – 2nd most profitable

commodity– Africa grows 20% of

the world’s supply Lumber & chocolate are

also major commodities

Importance of Agriculture

Agriculture = single most important economic activity in Africa

66% earn their living from farming– Accounts for 1/3 of Africa's exports

Climate & Vegetation

Majority of Africa is between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

The equator runs through the middle of the continent

Africa = warm temperatures

8 climate regions are found in Africa

Which is found the most?– Desert

Exs: Sahara, Sahel, Kalahari, and Namib

Travel is risky due to EXTREME conditions

Rainfall?

Matter of EXTREMES– Some areas receive too much, while other

too little Closer to equator = longer rainy season Closer to desert = longer dry season MOST RAIN:

– Rainforest in Central Africa & Africa’s west coast

Serengeti Plain

Grassland area in northern Tanzania– Very dry with

few trees

– Lots of animal life

DesertificationWhen the land becomes so dry

that it turns into deserts

Desertification

Aswan High Dam

Built to control cycle of floods and droughts throughout Egypt

= regular supply of water for farmers

Problems with the Aswan High Dam

1. Relocation of people

2. Moving/destruction of ancient Egypt’s treasure (temples/pyramids)

3. Decreased fertility of soil

4. Increased rate of diseases, such as Malaria

Vocabulary Time!!!

Define the following words on the RIGHT side of your notebook; Draw pictures on the LEFT side

Rift Valley -Pandemic Basin -Stateless Society Escarpment -Aquifer Serengeti Plain -Bantu Migrations Sahel -Cash Crop Desertification -Commodity Aswan High Dam -Apartheid Silt -Canopy Genocide

4 Regions

1. East

2. Central

3. Western

4. South

East Africa’s Aksum

Aksum (important East African civilization)– Important trading

center; contributed to expansion and power (traded w/Egypt)

6th Century: Aksum lost many trade partners….empire began to weaken

European Colonization

The Slave Trade * Existed for centuries, Europeans

dramatically increased the traffic * Middle Passage- slave trade from

Africa to New World ( N. America) * Many died during this trip across the

Atlantic

Scramble for Africa

European powers divide Africa

All Countries were controlled by Europeans, except Liberia and Ethiopia (independent)– Nations =

independence in the mid 1900’s

Ethiopia

Not colonized by Europeans

Emperor Menelik II kept the country independent.

* Political boundaries made by Europeans caused ethnic conflict (2 opposing groups occupying same land)

* Left many regions under developed

Colonial Legacy

The Masai of Kenya

Ethnic group

Found in the grasslands of the rift valley

Herd livestock

West African Empires

Ethnic Groups

Ashanti– Kente cloth weaving

Bantu Migrations: Central Africa

South Africa

White dominated government enforced the policy of apartheid (strict separation of the races)

**Blacks lived in separate areas **No political rightsApartheid ended in 1991

Mandela

In 1994, held first election following policy of universal suffrage

Nelson Mandela was elected 1st black president of South Africa