Download Unit 1 – The World - World Geography

Unit 7 – Africa South of the Sahara
Chapter 20 – Physical Geography of Africa South of the Sahara
Section 1 – Landforms
Terms:
•
escarpment
•
fault
•
cataract
•
delta
•
rift valley
•
estuary
Facts:
1. South of the Sahara, Africa covers _____ square miles. It stretches from the
_____ in the northeast to the _____ in the west, to the _____ in the east. In the
South, the oceans meet at the _____.
2. Most of Africa is made of _____ that rises in elevation from _____ to _____ feet
in a series of _____.
3. Where are most African mountains located? What mountain range separates Uganda
from the Congo? Where is the Drakensberg Range?
4. Where is the Great Rift Valley located? How was it formed? What land forms
are found along its eastern branch?
5. Explain the importance of the following lakes: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Lake
Victoria, Lake Chad.
6. Where is Lake Volta? How was it formed? How do people benefit from it today?
7. Why are Africa’s rivers so difficult to navigate? Why is the Niger River Important?
How large is its delta region? What river system forms the largest network of navigable
waterways on the continent?
8. Victoria Falls lie on what river? Where is it located? Unlike other African rivers, the
Congo River forms a deep _____ at the sea. Why is this important?
9. Why was travel into Africa so difficult by land? Why was travel difficult by river? What
was the result of these barriers to travel?
10. Where is oil found in Africa? Where will you most likely find gold and uranium? Where
are diamonds most abundant? In what countrie(s) is hydroelectric power most common?
Section 2 – Climate and Vegetation
Terms:
•
leach
•
harmattan
•
savanna
Facts:
1. What causes the great variations in climate and vegetation in the region? What type of
vegetation and climate is most common?
2. What is Africa’s wettest climate region and where is it located?
3. Describe the vegetation growth at each level of a triple canopy rain forest.
4. What crops grow well in this environment? What is the most serious threat to the
rain forest today?
5. What types of vegetation grow in the Savanna? Describe the seasons in this area.
6. How does wind affect the climate in western Africa? What sometimes occurs
when winds from the Sahara collide with southwest winds?
7. What is the Serengeti National Park? Where is it located?
8. How do climate regions change as you move away from the Equator? What
region lies between the tropics and the desert. How did it get it’s name?
9. What has happened in the Sahel region over the past 50 years? What are some of
the causes?
10. Besides the Sahara, what other deserts exist in the region? Where are they
located? In what country is the Okavango Delta located?