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Download 8/24/2015 African Geography
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Geography of Africa An Introduction Standards • SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse characteristics of early African societies before 1800 CE. • e. Analyze the role of geography and the distribution of resources played in the development of trans-Saharan trading networks. Physical Geography • • • • • • • PHYSICAL FEATURES Sahara Desert smooth coastline lack of navigable rivers Great Rift Valley high plateau Fertile soil along the Nile River encouraged the rise of great civilizations (ex. Egypt) Physical Geography • RESULT • Groups are kept separate • 800 different languages are spoken in modern Africa • Many geographic features in Africa have prevented contact, trade & unity among peoples • Many of these same features limit European knowledge of Africa “the Dark Continent” True desert spreads into semi-arid regions Problem: Desertification Sahel Desert (south Sahara) malnutrition starvation poverty Topography • Deserts – 40% of the land surface of Africa – slows cultural diffusion - does not totally prevent it • Sahara -- North Africa – Size of the U.S. – majority is rock and gravel • Kalahari--Southwest Africa Sahara Desert Desertification - Causes • Farmers use semi-arid land next to desert yields poor crop • Overgrazing by cattle and goats • Overcutting of trees for firewood • With no grass or tree roots, the topsoil blows away, the desert advances Somalia Solutions • Crop rotation • Terracing to prevent soil from washing away • Tree belts to stop erosion and hold soil in place Rivers • Congo - 3000 miles long • Niger - ancient civilizations flourished here • Zambezi - Victoria Falls, used for hydroelectric power • Therefore, the interior of Africa remained largely unexplored Zambezi Gorge The Nile • 4,180 miles long (world’s longest!!) • flows NORTH • Source - - Lake Victoria • Delta - - Egypt • Floods annually – One of the most densely populated region in Africa Coastline • Smooth • Few natural harbors hard to land ships Skeleton Coast, Namibia Climate - determined by rainfall, latitude and elevation • Savanna - 40%, safari!! • Tropical Rainforest 8%, • Desert - 40% • Mediterranean - 12%, good farm land • About 85% of the land is not suited to farming Natural Resources • Farming – peanuts, cotton, cocoa, coffee • Minerals – diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt • Water – hydroelectric power A Satellite View of Africa A Satellite View Rift Valley, Kenya Savannah Savannah Sahara Desert Sahel Deserts The Sahel Mediterranean Sea Bodies Nile River Of L. Chad--> Water L. Albert--> L. Victoria L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River Limpopo River Orange River Pacific Ocean Mountains & Peaks Δ Mt. Kenya Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro Vegetation Zones Mediterranean Sea Libyan Desert The Tropic of Cancer 20° N Sahara Desert Complete Topography Sahel Nile River L. Chad--> L. Albert--> Δ Mt. Kenya Equator 0° L. Victoria Of AFRICA Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River Tropic of Capricorn 20° S Limpopo River Orange River Pacific Ocean Standards • SSWH6 The student will describe the diverse characteristics of early African societies before 1800 CE. • e. Analyze the role of geography and the distribution of resources played in the development of trans-Saharan trading networks. • List 5 facts which will help you remember this lesson: • • • • •
