Download Climate Regions - Burnet Middle School

Chapter 19, Section 2
(Pages 538–542)
Climate Regions
Geographers organize the Earth into regions that share common characteristics. As you read, complete the diagram below. In the small boxes, write
three facts about the region’s climate. In the large box, write a generalization from those facts.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Factors Affecting Climate
Calculating
What is the difference in rainfall
between the rain forests of Central and
West Africa and the
Namib Desert?
Rain forest:
Namib Desert:
Difference =
Chapter 19, Section 2
(page 539)
The majority of Africa south of the Sahara lies in the Tropics.
Most of the region has high temperatures because it receives
the direct rays of the sun year-round. Elevation has an impact
on the climate, however. Even in this hot region, mountains
have cooler temperatures than the lowland areas.
The climate zones—wet, dry, and temperate—vary throughout the region. The amount of rainfall also varies. Rain forests
in Central and West Africa, for example, receive more than
80 inches of rain per year. The Namib Desert in southern Africa
gets less than 10 inches of rain per year.
Some areas of Africa south of the Sahara experience long
droughts. A drought is a period of time when no rain falls at
all. Crops fail, and people can starve during severe droughts.
133
Tropical and Dry Climates
(pages 540–541)
Tropical Wet Climate
Note the placement
of the word Equator
below. As you read,
write in the tropical wet, tropical dry,
steppe, and desert
climate zones in
their appropriate
places relative to
the Equator.
The area along the Equator in Central Africa and West Africa
has a tropical wet climate. The hot temperatures and plentiful
rainfall are ideal conditions for rain forests—dense stands of
trees and other plants that receive large amounts of rain every
year. The floor of a rain forest has mosses, ferns, and shrubs.
High above, the tops of the trees form an umbrella-like covering
called the canopy. Monkeys, parrots, snakes, and insects live in
the canopy. Tropical flowers and fruits also grow there.
Many tropical African countries depend on the sale of rain
forest products, including wood. Farmers cut down trees for
firewood and to clear the land for farming. These practices have
led to deforestation, or the widespread clearing of forestland.
To preserve the rain forests and boost their economies, some
countries have developed an ecotourism industry. Tourists visit
the area without harming the environment.
Tropical Dry Climate
Equator
Steppe
Where do Africa’s
most recognizable
animals live?
134
Even farther from the Equator is the steppe climate zone.
Very little rain falls there, and only for a few months of the
year. Plant life includes a variety of trees, thick shrubs, and
grasses. Steppe areas are facing desertificaton, a process that
turns fertile land into land that is too dry to support life. Climate
changes, clearing the land for farming, and herding large numbers of livestock have damaged and dried out the land.
Desert
The driest climate zone is desert. Africa has three large
deserts—the Sahara in the north and the Namib and Kalahari
in the south. The Sahara is mostly rock or stony plains. The
Kalahari has vast stretches of sand. The Namib, along the
Atlantic coast, is slightly cooler than other deserts because it
receives ocean breezes. It also gets moisture from fog. This fog
helps support succulents, or plants such as cacti with thick,
fleshy leaves that conserve moisture.
Chapter 19, Section 2
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Farther away from the Equator, countries experience a tropical dry climate. In this zone, temperatures are hot, but much
less rain falls than in the tropical wet areas. Huge stretches of
savanna, or grasslands with scattered woods, grow in this dry
climate. Some of Africa’s most recognizable animals live in these
savannas, including elephants, lions, and giraffes. Several countries have set aside their savannas as national parks.
Moderate Climate Regions
(page 542)
Coastal southern Africa and the highlands of East Africa
have moderate climates. The temperatures in these areas are
comfortable, and there is enough rainfall for farming.
Southeastern Africa has a humid subtropical climate. The
summers are hot and rainy, and the winters are mild and rainy.
Temperatures become cooler farther south, because the area is
farther away from the Equator.
Southwestern Africa has a Mediterranean climate with
warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Seasons occur at
the opposite time of the year from seasons in the United States.
Thus, most rain falls during the winter months of June through
August. Areas of East Africa with higher elevations have highland climates. Temperatures are cooler, and snow often falls
at high altitudes.
What three moderate
climate zones are
found in this region?
1.
2.
3.
Wrap -Up
Answer these questions to check your understanding of the entire
section.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
1. Determining Cause and Effect What practices have led to desertification?
2. Identifying In the chart below, identify the months of the year for
each season south of the Equator.
Seasons
Descri pt
ptive
Chapter 19, Section 2
Months
On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph describing a journey
through a rain forest.
135