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Sub-Saharan Africa
Physical Geography
The Transition Zone
What and Where?
It is an area of climate change from the Sahara of
North Africa to the Tropics of Equatorial Africa.
In a band of land that crosses from the Atlantic to
the Indian Ocean, the deserts of North Africa meet
the tropical savanna of Equatorial Africa.
A border of vegetation produces a shore-like
appearance, giving the area the name Sahel,
meaning “shore” or “coast.”
The Land
It is mainly flat with plateaus, and it receives very
little rainfall.
This raised, flat
area is a
plateau.
Vegetation is mostly low-growing grasses, shrubs,
and acacia trees, making it a pastoral zone that is
good for raising livestock.
Droughts
They have plagued the area, which depends on
the limited amount of rain it receives.
Its lakes, rivers, and wetlands are important
resources.
Some lakes, however, like Lake Chad and its
wetlands, are shrinking.
During December and January, a hot, dry wind
called a harmattan blows from the Sahara.
Droughts
Harmattan
It is a hot, dry wind that blows in from the
Sahara to the north, carrying sand and dust.
It is a man-made lake that was created to store
water for hydroelectric power and irrigation.
Preventing the annual floods from the river
and halting the course of flow, however, have
reduced soil fertility and increased diseases.
They provide irrigation and transportation, and
create fertile soil for agriculture and wetlands that
support life.
For most of the year, the land is dry and animals
roam in search of water, but in the rainy season,
plants come alive providing abundant food.
East Africa
What and Where?
Landscape
Shifting tectonic plates caused great faults in
the Earth, forming the Great Rift Valley that
extends through East Africa.
The diverse landscape also includes plateaus
with steep cliffs and waterfalls, grassy plains,
and volcanic mountains such as Kilamanjaro.
Water
The Indian Ocean offers a
convenient entry point for
products, people, and
different cultures.
The Great Rift Valley
features many lakes which
provide transportation, fresh
water, abundant fishing, and
fertile soils.
Latitude and Elevation
A range of latitudes and elevations cover East
Africa, resulting in diverse climates.
The northeastern desert has limited rainfall,
vegetation, and wildlife.
A semi-arid steppe zone, which includes the
pastures of the Sahel, separates the desert
from the tropical savanna to the south.
Wildlife
Soil erosion, deforestation, and desertification
plague the Sahel, while the savanna receives
seasonal rainfall that supports the wildlife and a
variety of vegetation.
Wildlife
The Serengeti Plain, one of the world’s largest
savanna plains, is home to zebras, gazelles, hyenas,
lions, giraffes, and more.
West Africa
What and Where?
West Africa is a
land of rivers and
lakes, low plains,
and highlands.
It is located on
the Atlantic coast
of Africa.
Vegetation
Most countries in West Africa are partially in the
Transition Zone.
From north to south, the environment changes from
hot, dry Sahara to steppe with its low-growing
shrubs, then transitions to the rainier savanna, and
finally to tropical rain forests.
Landscape
Coastal regions include sandy beaches,
mangrove swamps, lagoons, and broad coastal
plains.
Beyond the plains, are the Guinea Highlands:
high plateaus with several mountain ranges,
savannas, and rainforests.
Volcanoes
A chain of former
volcanoes makes up
part of the Cameroon
Highlands, which
feature forests and
grasslands rich in
biodiversity.
To the north lies the
Sahara.
The stamp above
depicts one of the
now dormant
volcanoes of
Cameroon.
Water
Lagoons and mangrove
swamps provide food
and shelter for fish,
shellfish, mollusks,
wildfowl, and marine
animals.
They are an important
food source for coastal
people.
Mangroves
Water
The Atlantic Ocean is an important
source of food and commercial fishing
revenue.
Though significantly reduced in size,
Lake Chad, along with human-made
Lake Volta, supply irrigation for
farming.
Equatorial Africa
What and where is it?
The hot, humid subregion lies at the center of
Africa.
It is home to the
Congo River, dense
rainforest,
volcanoes, and
exotic wildlife.
Landscape
Located on and near the Equator, the climate is
mostly warm with rarely a dry season.
Its landscape is dominated by the Congo Basin, the
second largest river basin on Earth.
The basin is mostly flatland covered in rainforest.
The Congo Basin
It is surrounded by a number of highland areas that
feature plateaus, hills, and mountains.
The Congo is one of the longest rivers in the world,
and with its tributaries, forms a network of
navigable waters broken by rapids and waterfalls.
The Atlantic Coast
This coastal region
features low plains
with lagoons and
beaches.
Along the coasts of
the Gulf of Guinea,
the fishing industry
helps support the
five countries.
The Rainforest
It is home to a variety of animals and the source of
valuable foods, medicines, fibers, oils, rubber, and
wood.
Natural Resources
Heavy rainfall makes water a major natural resource
in the subregion.
Mineral resources are also abundant, such as
cadmium, cobalt, gold, copper, silver, and diamonds.
South Africa
What and where is it?
It is known for its elephants, lions,
giraffes, and zebras, and for its diamonds.
Its climates vary from marine to tropical
to desert, giving rise to diverse biomes.
The Mainland
It is surrounded by ocean on three sides.
The u-shaped Great Escarpment rises up from the
coastlands and is comprised of steep cliffs.
The land inside is mostly hills and plateaus, including the
striking Highveld plateau, which is over a mile high.
Madagascar
It is a series of plateaus surrounded by and
escarpment.
It also includes a group of volcanoes.
Rivers
The main rivers feature many rapids and waterfalls,
making them mostly non-navigable.
They are a
valuable
source of
hydroelectric
power and
are home to a
variety of
aquatic life.
Vegetation and Wildlife
Inside the Great Escarpment, savannas cover the
north and east, and are home to giraffes, zebras,
lions, leopards, elephants, and more.
The south and west are mostly desert, with some
regions able to support grasses and animals such as
antelope and ostriches.