Physical Features of Africa

1. Physical Features of Africa SSWG4a Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on Sub-Saharan Africa.

2. Mountains/Highlands • Major Highlands: Ethiopian Highlands/Plateau, Mt. Kilimanjaro • Ethiopian Highlands were created because of volcanic eruptions long ago • Kilimanjaro an inactive stratavolcano.

3. Mountains Ethiopian Highlands/Plateau Mt. Kilimanjaro

4. Rivers • Major Rivers: Nile, Congo, Zambezi, Senegal, Niger, Orange • Nile is the longest river in the world (flows north) • Victoria Falls is part of the Zambezi River System

5. Rivers Nile River Zambezi River

6. Valleys/Plains/Basins • Major features: Congo Basin, Great Rift Valley • The Congo Basin contains almost 20% of the world's rain forest. • Great Rift Valley is a great depression in eastern Africa

7. Valleys/Plains/Basins Great Rift Valley Congo River Basin

8. Deserts • Major features: Sahara, Kalahari, Namib • Covering almost one-third of the continent, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world • The Kalahari, covered largely by reddish sand, lies between the Orange and Zambezi rivers

9. Deserts Sahara Desert Kalahari

10. Lake • Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa, Lake Chad • Most are precious water sources and have high population density around them. • Lake Victoria is the largest African lake • Lake Chad is shrinking because of its location.

11. Lakes Lake Chad Lake Victoria

12. Additional Land Features • Horn of Africa, Sahel, Comoros Islands, Canary Islands • The Sahel is on the southern edges of the ever-expanding Sahara Desert. It’s a transition zone between the dry areas of the north and the tropical areas of the south. • Horn of Africa is the peninsula on the eastern side of the continent.

13. Other Land Features Horn of Africa Sahel