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Africa’s Geog.
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M ILES
4 6 0 0 M I L E S
➡ Second largest continent at 11,700,000 sq. mi.
➡22% of Earth’s total land area
➡ 16% of the world’s population.
➡ 2 ½ times the size of the U.S.
➡Shortest coastline of the major continents -‐ due to few jutting edges and bays
African Population Demographics
➡54 Independent nations in Africa
➡Population of Africa nearly 1 billion people
➡Rapid population growth (last 40 years) and disease have resulted in a young population. (over 50% is under 25)
➡Nigeria is most populous country with an estimated 150 million people
➡Most populated city in Africa is Cairo 17 million
Africa : :: America : Ethnic Group? Tribe
African Population Demographics
➡Tribal lifestyle is the backbone to African culture.
➡Diverse tribes in Africa make it difficult to unify.
➡Tribal loyalty is more important than loyalty to country/nation
Problems of Tribalism Today
1. The tribe is more important than the nation.
2. Communication problems.
3. Inter-‐tribal warfare leads to civil wars.
4. Tribal favorites for government jobs: Nepotism
Urbanization:Breaks down tribal traditions.
Tribal intermingling on the job.
Languages➡1000 different languages in Africa
➡population experts estimate that there are at least 3,000 distinctive tribes in Africa.
➡Nigeria alone is home to more than 370 recognized tribes within its borders.
➡Arabic is the most common language with over 170 million speakers (mostly in Northern Africa)
➡Islam is also the most common religion as 25% of pop. is a Muslim
The Mighty Nile River: “Longest River in the World”
•Major source of fresh water throughout N. Africa
•4,132 miles long (longest in the world)
•Drains by flowing away from equator into Mediterranean Sea
•Nile River Valley site of early African Civ.
African Rain Forest
• Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.
• Rapid decomposition (very humid).
• Covers 37 countries.
• 15% of the land surface of Africa.
The Congo River Basin
• Covers 12% of thecontinent.
• Extends over 9 countries.
• 2,720 miles long.
• 99% of the country of DRC is in theCongo River basin.
The Niger River Basin
• Covers 7.5% of the continent.
• Extends over 10 countries.
• 2,600 miles long.
Deserti^ication •The turning of semiarid land into desert through climate change and human actions
•Africa contains the worlds largest desert, the Sahara.
•The Sahara makes up an area greater in size than the entire continental US
•Major Deserts
•Sahara
•Sahel
•Kalahari