Introduction to Africa

1. Introduction to Africa

2. A Satellite View

3. Africa’s Size 4 6 0 0 M I L E S 5000 MILES Percent of the world’s population • Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. • About 3.7 times the size of the U.S. • About 15% of the world’s population. • About 2.8 times as many people as the U. S.

4. Mediterranean Sea Bodies Of Water Red Sea NileRiver NigerRiver L. Chad--> <--Gulf of Aden L. Albert--> Congo River L. Victoria L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River LimpopoRiver OrangeRiver Pacific Ocean

5. The Mighty Nile River:“Longest River in the World”

6. The Congo River Basin • Covers 12% of thecontinent. • Extends over 9countries. • 2,720 miles long. • 99% of the countryof Zaire is in theCongo River basin.

7. The Niger River Basin • Covers 7.5% of the continent. • Extends over 10 countries. • 2,600 miles long.

8. Hydroelectric Power

9. Atlas Mts. Mountains & Peaks ΔMt. Kenya ΔMt. Kilimanjaro Ruwenzori Mts. Drajensburg Mts.

10. Libyan Desert Deserts Sahara Desert Sahel Namib Desert Kalahari Desert

11. Desertification Two thirds of the continent is desert or drylands. The region is afflicted by frequent and severe droughts. Many countries are landlocked, have widespread poverty, and depend heavily on natural resources. They have difficult socio-economic conditions, insufficient governments, incomplete infrastructure, and weak educational systems. In many countries, combating desertification and promoting development are virtually the same due to the social and economic importance of natural resources and agriculture. When people live in poverty, they have little choice but to exploit the land. When the land becomes uneconomic to farm, these people are often forced to migrate, which in turn can further strain the environment and cause social and political tensions and conflicts.

12. The Sahel Timbuktu. Djenné. KoumbiSaleh. For centuries, the Sahel boasted some of Africa's most influential civilizations. A narrow band of semi-arid land south of the Sahara, the Sahel attracted both Arabs looking for gold from Sudan and Europeans looking for slaves from West Africa. But the region, one of the poorest and most environmentally damaged places on earth, has deep troubles. In the 1970s, the Sahel captured international attention when drought and famine killed nearly 200,000 people. Though conditions have since improved, it has yet to shake a vicious cycle of soil erosion, insufficient irrigation, deforestation, overpopulation, desertification and drought. To ease the strain, the Sahel's land must be restored. Ambitious tree-planting and irrigation projects dot the Sahel. Will they succeed? For now, the answer remains in doubt. Click to explore the Sahel

13. Valleys & Plains Great Rift Valley

14. Great Rift Valley 3,000 miles long

15. Tropic of Cancer 20° N Africa:The“Tropical”Continent Equator 0° Tropic of Capricorn20° S

16. The African Savannah:13 million sq. mi.

17. African Rain Forest • Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft. • Rapid decomposition (very humid). • Covers 37 countries. • 15% of the land surface of Africa.

18. Mt. Kilimanjaro:Snow on the Equator?

19. Mediterranean Sea Atlas Mts. Libyan Desert The Complete Topography Of AFRICA Tropic of Cancer 20° N Sahara Desert Red Sea Sahel NileRiver NigerRiver L. Chad--> Great Rift Valley <--Gulf of Aden L. Albert--> ΔMt. Kenya Equator 0° Congo River L. Victoria ΔMt. Kilimanjaro L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Ruwenzori Mts. Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River Namib Desert Kalahari Desert LimpopoRiver Tropic of Capricorn20° S OrangeRiver Drajensburg Mts. Pacific Ocean

20. Test Your Knowledge of Africa • Click here to play the Africa Challenge game and test your knowledge of Africa.