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AFRICAN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. Introduction. Massive continent, 2 nd largest. Large, complex, and often misunderstood Equally in North and South hemisphere. The Nile River. Longest River in the World White Nile and Blue Nile meet in Sudan to form the Nile River
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Introduction • Massive continent, 2nd largest. • Large, complex, and often misunderstood • Equally in North and South hemisphere
The Nile River • Longest River in the World • White Nile and Blue Nile meet in Sudan to form the Nile River • Flows northward, emptying in the Mediterranean Sea • Without the annual flooding in Egypt land would not be arable
THE NILE RIVER The Nile Lower Nile Upper Nile
SUEZ CANAL • Located in Egypt • Divides the mainland Egypt from the Sinai Peninsula • Connects the Mediterranean Sea with Red Sea • One third the distance that it was before
SAHARA DESERT • Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world (not counting the Arctic and Antarctica) • Why 1. On the Tropic of Cancer 2. Permanent high pressure system 3. Rain Shadow by Atlas Mountains
SAHARA DESERT • There are two main types of landscape in the Sahara • Erg – sand dunes • Reg – gravel covered plain
SAHEL • Semi-arid region just south of the Sahara • Dry grasslands with scattered trees • Desertification is a growing problem • Growing of the desert caused by climate changes and over grazing
SAVANNAS • Tropical grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs • This is where many of the African Safaris take place • Large populations of wildlife • Serengeti – means “endless plains” • Largest mammal migration and game reserve
Tsetse Fly The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly • Bad – Carries a disease the make its victims (humans and domesticated animal) have “Sleeping Sickness” • Good – Wildlife are immune. Humans and livestock avoid some of these areas creating a natural game preserve
A Vast Plateau • Huge plateau covers most of Africa (1,000 ft. above sea level). • Basins - huge depressions on plateau (Chad, Sudan, Congo Basins). Water collects here. • Plateaus separated by escarpments—steep slope with flat plateau on top
CONGO RIVER BASIN • Located near the equator in central and western Africa • This is where the majority of Africa’s tropical rain forests are located
Lake Victoria • Located in the middle of the Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa • It is a shallow depression • Largest lake in Africa
Victoria Falls • Forms a border between Zambia and Zimbabwe • Largest waterfall in the world
Okavango Swamp/River • Worlds largest inland river delta • River is absorbed by the Kalahari Desert • Large game reserve in the desert
Kalahari Desert • Largest Desert in southern Africa • Has many oasis which makes it habitable • Oasis – vegetated areas in a desert caused by fresh water springs
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE • Southern most point of Africa • Converging currents from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans make waters dangerous for sailing but great wildlife Only Place in the world Great Whites breach South African Penguins