Exploring Africa

1. Exploring Africa

2. The Continent of Africa • Africa is the second- largest continent and covers 11,677,00 square miles and includes several islands with the largest being Madagascar. • Africa contains 23% of the world’s total land area and is 3 times as large as the U.S. • The equator divides Africa in half. • Africa is almost completely surrounded by water. A small land border joins Egypt and Israel.

3. The Land • The continent is mainly plateau land. It does have a narrow plains and a few mountain ranges. • The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro at 19,341 feet above sea level. The lowest point is Lake Assai at 502 feet below sea level. • The Sahara is the world’s largest desert. It covers over 3,500,000 square miles and covers ¼ of the continent. It cuts through the northern and southern regions. • Southern Africa also has desert terrain with the Namib Desert and the Kalahari Desert are located in Namibia and Botswana.

4. Rivers • The major rivers of Africa are the Nile and the Congo (also called the Zaire). The Nile is the world’s longest river at a length of 4,160 miles. Lakes Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake, and it is the third- largest lake in the world. It covers over 26,800 square miles. One branch of the Nile River begins at Lake Victoria. Waterfalls Africa contains one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls. They were named the Victoria Falls by the Scottish explorer David Livingstone in honor of Queen Victoria of England and are on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.

5. Africa’s Climate • Africa has a variety of climate conditions. • Much of Africa is in a tropical zone, and a tropical zone’s climate tends to remain stable. • The continent has few mountain ranges acting as barriers, and several ocean currents help maintain unchanging climate features. • Average temperatures range from 94°F to 51°F. • The average precipitation ranges from 404 inches to 0.1 inches. • With some exceptions, in regions to the north of the equator, the rainy season is from April to September; south of the equator, the rainy season is from October to March. Regions near the equator have year-round rain.

6. Climate Zones • Africa’s mildest climate conditions are in the northwest and southwest regions of the continent. These Mediterranean climate zones have mild temperatures, wet winters, and dry summers. • The central part of the continent and much of the island of Madagascar include tropical rain forests. In the rain forest areas, the average temperature is 80°F. The average rainfall each year is 70 inches. • North and south of the rain forest area is a tropical savanna climate. A savanna is a hot region like a tropical forest; however, it only receives major rainfall for about half the year and has a dry season the other half.

7. Climate Zones cont’d. • Farther away from the equator, both to the north and south, the regions have a drier climate known as a steppe climate zone. The rainfall in the steppe zone is about 15 inches per year. Most of the rain in the steppe arrive in one season. • Africa also has massive desert regions. In the Sahara, Horn, Kalahari, and Namib Deserts, the rainfall is less than 10 inches each year. The desert temperatures range from over 90° in the summer season to below freezing in the winter season.

8. Africa’s Resources • Africa is perhaps the richest continent in natural resources. • It contains many of the world’s largest mineral reserves.

9. Mineral Resources • Large reserves of titanium, uranium, and radium. It also has about ½ of the world’s gold, and well over ½ of the world’s supply of diamonds. • Provides about 50% of the world’s chromite (used for the hardening of steel) • Contains about 10% of the world’s copper and 50% of the world’s cobalt deposits. • Other major mineral resources include bauxite (the ore from which aluminum is extracted), iron ore, lead, magnesium, nickel, phosphates (used for fertilizer), platinum, tin, and zinc.

10. Mineral Resources cont’d • The continent also contains major deposits of clays, mica, sulfur, salt, graphite, limestone, and gypsum. The limestone and gypsum reserves help supply a major concrete manufacturing industry. • Most of Africa’s mineral operations are managed by foreign nations. However, the African governments are working to increase native ownership.

11. Fossil Fuels • Africa also has many large reserves of fossil fuels. The continent contains some deposits of coal and natural gas, as well as major deposits of petroleum. • Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, and the western coast are the major locations of Africa’s petroleum industries. • Most of Africa’s petroleum operations are managed by foreign nations. Like mineral resources, the African governments are working to increase native ownership.

12. Forests • One-fifth of Africa is covered with forests. However, very little of the forests are of commercial value. A few rare hardwoods, such as mahogany, are exported. In the past, much of the wood from forests has been burned as fuel. The forestry industry has grown in recent years. Unfortunately, as the forest industry grows, deforestation is becoming a serious problem in several regions.

13. Fishing • Freshwater fishing and ocean fishing are done for local consumption (eating). • The number of fish farms is increasing. • Commercial fishing (the activity of catching fish for profit) off Africa’s coast is done by Japan, Russia, and the United States.

14. Exports • Most of Africa’s exports are minerals. • South Africa contributes about one-half of the continent’s mineral income. • Gold and diamond mining are the largest industries there.

15. Africa’s Industries • Africa’s foreign trade consists of about 52% exports and 48% imports. • Most of the trade is with European nations, especially Britain and France.

16. Agriculture • Africa’s largest industry. Most of the production goes to feeding the continent’s population. However, the population is growing faster than the agricultural output. • Farmers grow some crops for export. Major exports: bananas, cacao, coffee, tea, & tobacco. • In northern Africa: barley, citrus fruits, corn, dates, oats, olives, wheat, and a variety of vegetables. Herds of goats and sheep are also raised in this region. • Savanna regions: corn, cotton, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, peanuts, sorghum, & soybeans. Herds of camels, cattle, pigs, poultry, and sheep live in this region. • South savanna region, outside the rain forest areas: rice, yams, cassava, okra, & bananas.

17. Mining & Petroleum • Mining and petroleum are both growing industries. • Industries for the extracting and processing of minerals are mainly located in South Africa and the eastern horn of Africa region (Ethiopia & Somalia). • Petroleum is concentrated in Angola, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, and Sudan. • Africa supplies much of the world’s gold, diamonds, copper, and other valuable minerals.

18. Manufacturing • Africa was the location of very little manufacturing for many years. Its raw minerals were exported to Europe, and finished goods were then imported at high prices. This kept much of the continent in poverty. (the state of being extremely poor) • Since their independence, many of the national governments have encouraged the local manufacturing of items, especially building materials, textiles (a type of cloth or woven fabric), vehicle tires, and canned goods. • Heavy industries, including the manufacturing of machines and transportation equipment, have also increased, especially in South Africa.

19. Hydroelectric Power • Africa has a tremendous potential for the development of hydroelectric power, which uses moving water to create electricity. • Since 1960, major hydroelectric, including the Aswan and Cabor Bassa Dams, have been constructed. • However, this resource is still underdeveloped, as only about 20% of the potential is being utilized.

20. Transportation • Transportation is another industry likely to develop further in the future. Few paved roads exist, nor are there many roads linking the various nations within the continent. • New railways and transcontinental highways are planned or currently under construction.

21. The People of Africa • Africa’s population in 2011 was estimated at just over 1 billion people. • It is the second-largest continent, containing 1/5 of the world’s land, and yet it has only 15% of the world’s population. • Due in part to advances in medical treatment, the population is increasing at about 2.5% each year. • It is the world’s fastest-growing continent. • In most of the sub-Saharan Africa, 40% of the population is under 15 years old.

22. Population • Africa is home to a diverse population. There are over 3,000 different ethnic groups in Africa, and they speak about 1,000 different languages. • Most of Africa’s population lives in rural areas (area that is located outside of towns & cities), however, Africa now has over 50 cities with populations over 1 million. • Cairo, Egypt, is Africa’s largest city with a population of about 14.5 million people in its metropolitan area.

23. Population cont’d • North of the Sahara Desert most of the people are lighter skinned and are a mixture of Arab and indigenous (originally from a region) people, especially the Berbers. The culture of the northern region is more similar to the Middle East than to the rest of Africa. • The region south of the Sahara contains about 80% of the total population. These people are darker skinned and include a variety of ethnic groups, including the Khosian and Pygmies.

24. Population cont’d • Descendants of Europeans are also scattered throughout the continent, since Europeans colonized many of the African countries from the 1500s to the 1900s. • Many of the ethnic groups are linked by kinship. They are often formed into clans. Many outsiders refer to these as “tribes.” However, the word tribe is not really accurate. Anthropologists (scientists who study human beings, their works, and cultures) prefer to use the term “societies.”

25. Society • Anthropologists divide African society into 6 major types based on the primary activity of the members. • Some societies include hunters, gatherers, herders (mainly of cattle), fishers, and planters. • In modern times, the societies have become much more mixed.

26. Religion • The people of Africa follow 2 major religions. Many Africans believe in Christianity, which has over 380 million followers. • The Islamic faith has over 330 million followers. • In addition to these religions, native traditional religions have over 98 million followers. Most of the traditional religions believe in one major power or spirit and many lesser spirits.

27. Education • Africa has the lower literacy rate of any of the continents. • Less than half of its people can read and write. • The national governments are working hard to improve the nations’ standards of education.

28. Health • Health is another issue of major concern in Africa. It has the highest death rate of any continent. • Poor health care, poor diets, and lack of sanitation contribute to the high death rate. AIDS (a disease in which there is a sever loss of the body’s immunity, greatly lowering the resistance to infection) is one of the leading causes of death in many African nations. The African nations and the United Nations are working together to improve living conditions and less the effects of diseases.

29. African Culture • Africa has a very diverse culture. Much of its culture relates to ethnic groups. • Arts in the northern regions have strong Islamic influences. • The arts south of the Sahara Desert have a more traditional native influence. • Many of Africa’s artists are returning to native themes, while others are combining older and modern styles. African art and music are currently receiving greater worldwide attention and appreciation.

30. Art • Many of the artists specialize in making items for other members of their society. Major types of art include: masks, pottery, textiles, beadwork, and sculpture. • Much of the art serves a useful purpose, in addition to being pleasing in appearance. Baskets, pottery, eating utensils, and textiles are examples of this. Other African art, especially masks and headdresses, is also used in religious ceremonies and other rituals.

31. Art cont’d • African artists use a variety of materials, including gold, brass, leather, ivory, beads, and feathers, to create jewelry and sculptures. • African textiles have both woven and printed designs. Many of the designs indicate the status of the wearer. The Kente cloth was a special design once reserved for royalty. It was a brightly colored cloth with gold threads woven into its design.

32. Music and Dance • Traditional music and dance are important parts of African daily life as well as celebrations and religious ceremonies. Often songs accompany work tasks. • Rhythm is the most outstanding characteristic of African music. Often the rhythm of a selection is emphasized by hand-clapping. Drums and other percussion instruments are an important part of African music. However, a wide range of horns and stringed instruments are also often used. • Much of African music includes group performance. “Call and response” is often used in African music. The leader sings a phrase and the chorus then sings a phrase in response.

33. Literature • African literature came from a long oral tradition. Stories were told by members of one generation to the next. Eventually, these stories were written down. One of the most famous stories was the epic of Sundiata, which comes from the 13th century. • Many African poets, novelists, and authors of nonfiction have been widely published and read in recent years. Four African writers have received Nobel prizes for literature.