GEOSouthernAfrica

Chapter 21

South Africa and It’s Neighbors

South Africa

• Capital: Pretoria

• Population: 44,187,637

• Natural Resources: gold, chromium, coal

• Environmental Issues: lack of rivers and lakes, air pollution, desertification

South Africa

• Spreads across the southern end of Africa

• Three times the size of California

• Landscapes:– Winding coastlines– Tall mountains– Deep valleys– High plateaus

South Africa

• Enclaves- small countries surrounded or nearly surrounded by a larger country.– Lesotho– Swaziland

• Coasts– West coast borders the Atlantic Ocean– South and east coast borders the Indian

Ocean

South Africa

• Cape of Good Hope- the southernmost point of Africa

• Great Karroo- a dry flat land between the mountain ranges of southern Africa

• High Veld- south African plateau made up of flat, grass-covered plains– Isolated rocky hills rise as high as 100 feet

• The Great Escarpment- mountains and cliffs that circle the plateau and divide the coastal areas

The Climate

• Lies south of the Equator• Winter

– Cool and sunny, some rainfall– Temperatures sometimes drop to freezing

• Summer– Mild due to high elevation

• Cape Town- a major port city– Eastern warm winds from the Indian Ocean

bring a humid subtropical climate

The Economy

• Has the most developed economy in Africa

• ½ of Africa’s minerals are mined in S.A.

• 2/5 of Africa’s manufactured goods come from South Africa

• In rural areas, South Africans are poor and depend on subsistence farming

Economy

• South Africa is one of the richest countries in the world

• 1/3 of all gold is mined there

• Witwatersrand- an area around the city of Johannesburg holds the largest goldfield

• South Africa also contains the world’s largest deposits of diamonds

Economy

• Manufacturing– Industrial workers produce manufactured goods– Exports metal products, chemicals, clothing, and

processed foods

• Farming– Is either too dry or too hilly to farm– Grow enough food for themselves and some to export– Herding sheep and livestock is a major economic

activity on the plateau

People

• 74% of the population is made up of various African ethnic groups

• 14% of the people are of European origin

• 3% of the people are of Asian origin

• 9% are a mixed of European, Asian, and African

People

• Apartheid- “apartness” or practices that separated South Africans of different ethnic groups

• Townships- neighborhoods outside cities

• 57% of people live in urban areas

Recent history in South Africa

• 1994- Mandela became president (all races were able to vote for the 1st time)

• 1997- new constitution went into effect to complete the transition from white minority rule to democracy

Mandela’s Government

• Tried to improve the lives of blacks while keeping support of other races

• Promised to preserve free enterprise

• Brought South Africa’s economy to the strongest in Africa

• Stepped down in 1999, ANC leader Thabo Mbeki became president

South Africa’s continued problems

• 1/3 of South African’s were unemployed

• ¼ lived in inadequate housing

• 1/5 have HIV (highest incidence in the world)

Section 2

Atlantic Countries

Angola

• Capital: Luanda


• Natural Resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore

• Environmental Issues: overuse of pastures, soil erosion; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest

Angola

• Larger than Texas and California combined

• Includes a tiny exclave called Cabinda– Exclave- is a tiny area of a country that is

separated from the main part

Angola

• Huge inland plateau

• Rivers cross Angola draining into the Congo River in the North and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans

• Hilly grasslands cover northern Angola

• Lowland has little vegetation except for rainforests in the North

Angola

• Three types of Climates:– Steppe– Desert– Tropical savanna

• The tropical savanna receives enough rainfall for farming

The Economy

• Major economic activity is agriculture

• 58% of the people live in rural areas

• Coffee is the leading export crop

• Oil and mining provide for most of the income

• Most oil deposits are found off the coast of Cabinda

Namibia

• Capital: Windhoek


• Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold

• Environmental Issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching

Namibia

• Became independent in 1990 after 75 years of South African rule

• Is about half the size of Alaska

• Namib Desert runs almost the entire length of Namibia’s Atlantic Coast

• The Kalahari Desert stretches across the southernmost part of the country

• Very hot and dry climate

The Economy

• Depends on the export of minerals

• Has a major difficulty in feeding its people, due to the desert climate

• Most Namibians are herders who raise cattle, goats, and sheep

Namibia

• Receives just enough rainfall to grow corn

• One of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa

Section 3

Inland Southern Africa

Zambia

• Capital: Lusaka


• Natural Resources: copper, cobalt, zinc

• Environmental Issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain

Zambia

• Landlocked and near the equator

• Mild climate due to high elevation

• Covered by a high plateau

• Kariba Dam- one of Africa’s hydroelectric projects on the Zambezi River

Economy

• One of the world’s largest producers of copper– 80% of Zambia’s income– Copper belt- a large area of copper mines in

northern Zambia near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Must import food due to a focus on mining

The People

• More than 70 different ethnic groups

• Speak 8 different languages

• 40% of the people live in urban areas– Most work in mining or service industries

• The other 60% live in villages & raise corn and other subsistence food crops

Malawi

• Capital: Lilongue


• Natural Resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower

• Environmental Issues: deforestation; land degradation

Malawi

• In some place is less than 50 miles wide

• Great Rift Valley runs through the country North to South

• Lies in the tropics, but mountains and plateaus give it a mild climate

• One of the most densely populated countries in Africa

Economy

• Only 1/3 is suitable for farming

• Agriculture is the country’s major economic activity

• Tea is a major export• Sorghum- tall grass with seeds like corn

Zimbabwe

• Capital: Harare


• Natural Resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold

• Environmental Issues: soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution

Zimbabwe

• Occupies a high plateau

• Tropical savanna climate of wet and dry seasons

• High elevations keep temperatures cool and pleasant

Economy

• Mining provides most of the income

• ½ of the land is fertile for farming– They grow coffee and tobacco on commercial

farms for export

People

• Most belong to two African ethnic groups – Shona & Ndeble

• 70% live in rural villages

• Some moving to the city to find factory jobs

Botswana

• Capital: Gaborone


• Natural Resources: diamonds, copper, nickel

• Environmental issues: overgrazing; desertification

Botswana

• Most isolated country in the inland of Southern Africa

• Southwestern Botswana is home to the Kalahari Desert

• Eastern- made up of grasses, bushes, and trees of the savanna

• Okawango River flows through the Northwest– One of the largest swamp areas in the world

The Economy

• Rich in mineral resources

• Mining only provides a small number of jobs

• Most farm or raise livestock

• Drought in the 1980s brought hardships to the farmers

The People

• Has very few people due to large size

• 75% live in rural areas, some moving to the city every year

Section 4

Indian Ocean Countries

Mozambique

• Capital: Maputo


• Natural Resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower

• Environmental Issues: civil war and recurrent drought

Mozambique

• Landscapes– Sand lowlands– High plateaus – Tall mountains– Sand dunes– Swamps– Flat plain near the center of the country

• Gabora Bassa Dam on the Zambezi River provides electric power to most of the country

The Economy

• Mostly farmers

• Practices slash and burn agriculture– They cut and burn forest trees to clear areas

for planting

• Major source of income comes from seaports

• Civil war in the 1980s and 1990s slowed industrial growth

Madagascar

• Capital: Antananarivo


• Natural Resources: graphite, chromite, coal

• Environmental Issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing

Madagascar

• Island nation in the Indian Ocean• Highland areas cross the middle of the

country• Coastal areas have warm, humid plains,

and fertile river valleys• Dry grasslands cover southern

Madagascar• Has many plants and animals that are not

found anywhere else on earth

Economy

• Agriculture is the chief economic activity– Coffee is the leading export– Produces most of the world’s vanilla beans

Comoros

• 4 mountainous islands formed from volcanoes

• Covered by thick tropical forests

• Farming is a major economic activity

Mauritius

• Capital: Port Louis


• Natural Resources: arable land, fish

• Environmental Issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Education

GEOSouthernAfrica