Agenda: Environment Issues in Africa Cont./ Geographic Regions

1. SS7G3a- Explain how the characteristics of the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, and tropical rainforest affect where people live, the type work they do and transportation. Agenda: Environment Issues in Africa Cont./ Geographic Regions EQ: Explain how the characteristics of the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, and tropical rainforest affect where people live, the type work they do and transportation. • Warm up: • If you could choose to live in any geographic region in Africa (Sahara, Sahel, savanna, and tropical rainforest), where would you select? • Why? Provide at least 3 reasons.

2. Another place where rapid desertification is happening is East Africa. • In Ethiopia, people who have lived for generations by farming and raising grazing animals like sheep and goats are finding they have less and less land available to them. • The Kalahari Desert is a desert that covers part of the southern tip of Africa. • The people around this desert face the same problems. • Pressure from increasing populations, the need for fuels like firewood and brush, and the constant grazing of animals have worn away soil and introduced desertification. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DrZMo03OS0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGGctK4aWGg&feature=related

3. Less than 50% of the population in sub-Saharan African has access to safe drinking water from environmental pollution. This has caused a decrease in the country’s economic growth. • Some governments ignore industrial pollution of major rivers and waterways because they want their industries to make more profits.

4. Climate, Location and Where People Live SS7G3a- Explain how the characteristics of the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, and tropical rainforest affect where people live, the type work they do and transportation.

5. Sahara • World’s largest desert • Very few people are able to live here. • Hot and dry with very little rainfall • Most people are nomads moving from place to place looking for food and water traveling by camel. • Desert today still has places that are impossible to cross without camels.

6. Sahel • Region south of the Sahara that stretches from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. • Climate is hot and arid. Rainfall varies from year to year ranging from 6-20 inches. • Most people herd animals and are semi- nomadic, moving when water and grass run out.

7. Sahel in Sudan • Desertification – Lands that was once arable (farmable) but now is desert has forced herdsmen south to the Dafur region, which has caused conflict.

8. Other people have subsistence farms, growing only enough for their family. Sahel

9. Savanna • Region where grass grows naturally and supports many animals. • Covers half of Africa • In the summer grass, is green and thick. • In the winter, it is dry and fires occur. • Region has largest population due to the arable land.

10. Overpopulation, too great a number of people for the land to support, are a threat to the savanna. • They plan to release more land for farming and ranching. • There is also pressure from cities and towns needing highways to connect the urban area. savanna

11. Rain forest • Second largest rain forest in the world • Warm and humid climate with rich plant life and plenty of water. • Diverse ecosystem ( many animals, fish and insects live here) • Transportation is difficult due to the dense forest.

12. Historically, people lived in small groups and gathered food from the forest or had subsistence farms. • Once Europeans arrived, land was cleared for plantations, large farms. • Today, the rainforest is continuing to be destroyed by logging. Rainforest

13. Many industrial centers are located near the coast to: • Use hydroelectricity • For importing and exporting • Dumping of industrial waste