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African Canadian Studies
Exploring The Climate and Vegetation of Africa
What Influences Climate:
• Within Africa there are three factors that influence climate:
a) The regions location in relationship to large bodies of water.
b) The regions location in relationship to the equator.
c) The elevation of a particular region.
The Role of The Equator:
• Having looked at the physical geography of Africa it is very clear that the
second largest continent in the world is located on or near the equator and is
very warm.
• In Africa a place’s location in relationship to the equator will influence its seasons.
o North of The Equator: Winter and Summer are the same time as the U.S.
o South of The Equator: The season are reversed south of the equator
The Role of Elevation:
• Another factor that contributes to the climate of a region is its point above elevation.
• The higher the elevation, the cooler a place tends to be, i.e. Mount Kilimanjaro. This
mountain is considered Africa’s highest peak and is blanketed with ice and snow all
year round.
• Another example would be the countries of Somalia and Ethiopia. Although they are
both the same distance from the equator, they have different climates.
Ethiopia - Very high plateau that has mild temperatures and rain.
- Farmers grow a wide range of crops without irrigation
Somalia - Lower elevation that is hot and dry
- Farming is possible where crops may be irrigated or an oasis is in place
SCO: Students will be expected to examine the diversity of Africa in light of its
physical environments, cultures, languages and nationalities
The Role of Location & Rainfall:
• Rainfall varies greatly from one region to another. A location along the west coast
will allow farmers to receive moisture from the ocean. This region may average
250 centimeters per year.
• A location along the Sahara, North Africa, or the Namib, South Africa may not see
rain at all for several years in a row.
The Tropical Rainforests and Savannas:
• Tropical Rain Forests:
- Regions where it rains all the time and the moisture is used to support a rich
environment of trees, plants, and animals.
- Regions that has become smaller due to clearing of land for the purpose of
farming.
- Rain Forests are not good for farming. Once land is cleared, heavy rainfall will
wash away the nutrients that make the soil fertile.
• Tropical Savannas:
- Tropical region within Africa that has two seasons, wet and dry, and contains tall
grasses, thorny bushes, and scattered trees.
- Dry Season: Farming is impossible, trees loose leaves, rivers run dry
- Wet Season: The land turns green and farmers plant their first crops.
Deserts of Africa:
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Sahara: covers most of North Africa and is where nomads make a living.
Sahel: very hot & dry region with small shrubs, grass, and some trees
Namib: dry region in South Africa
Kalahari: dry region in South Africa
SCO: Students will be expected to examine the diversity of Africa in light of its
physical environments, cultures, languages and nationalities