The Cultural Geography of

Africa south of the Sahara

21.1 NotesPopulation Patterns

LifeHigh infant mortality rate

Africa = 90/1,000 World Avg. = 56/1,000 Europe = 7 U.S. = 6.7

Highest birth rate 38 per 1,000 people U.S. 14, Europe 10

Lowest life expectancy 52 yrs. U.S. 77, Europe 74

Distribution of populationUneven

Most near coast, lake or river

Distribution of population

Food ProductionDeclining because…

Intensive cultivationLoss of soil fertilityDroughts

70% of Africans S of Sahara farmProducing lessEating less

Some reasons for deathFaminePoor nutritionImpure water – BBC Water site

Only 40% have pure drinking water

DiseasesTsetse fly carryAIDS – BBC AIDS site

Scale of LivingVery low

Population grows 2x’s economyGDP

$150 billionEquivalent to Belgium

Per Capita incomeVaries greatly

Chad = $220, Gabon = $5,200

GDP Per Capita

UrbanizationLeast urbanized of any

continentCurrently world’s fastest rate

Est. 235 million live in cities

Diverse people East Africa

Many Asians and whitesKenya

Has 70 ethnic groupsTanzania

Has 100 ethnic groupsAfricans speak more than 800

languages