Physical Geography of aFRICA

1. Physical Geography of aFRICA SSWG1 Explain why physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, climate, and natural resources act as contributing factors to world settlement patterns. d. Identify and describe climates and locations of major physical features of Africa. Explain how these physical characteristics impact settlement patterns including, but not limited to, the Nile River Valley, the Sahara, the Kalahari Desert, the Sahel, and the Congo River Basin.

2. Physical Features to Know 1. Niger River 2. Lake Chad 3. Drakensberg Range 4. White Nile River 5. Victoria Falls 6. Lake Tanganyika 7. Congo River 8. Lake Victoria 9. Mount Kilimanjaro 10. Zambezi River 11. Kalahari Desert 12. Cape of Good Hope 13. Sahara Desert

3. “The World’s largest plateau” • Huge plateau covers most of Africa • Most of continent lies at least 1,000 ft above sea level • Made up of several basins – depressions which collect water

4. The Nile & other water features • Nile river = world’s longest river (4,000 miles) • Flows north • Used as irrigation system for thousands of years • In Egypt, most people live along nile • Waterfalls, rapids, gorges = rivers less useful for travel • 2,900 mile long Congo River – largest network of waterways • 32 cataracts (WATERFALLS) – MOSTLY IMPASSABLE

6. Landforms • No distinct long mountain chains - valleys & lakes • Rift valleys – long, thin valleys created by moving apart of continental plates; east Africa primarily • Lakes form at base of these valleys • Lake Victoria & lake tanganyika • Rift valleys forming along fault lines – east Africa splits. From continent

8. Mountains • Mostly volcanic mountains • Mount Kenya & Mount Kilimanjaro (highest) = volcanoes • Great escarpment in Southern Africa • Steep slope with nearly flat plateau on top • Marks edge of continents plateau in Southern Africa

9. Natural resources • Many resources, but countries lack industry & money to develop them • Gold, platinum, chromium, cobalt, copper, phosphates, diamonds, oil • Colonial rulers take resources & sent back to Europe = Africa did not benefit • Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Gabon = large producers of oil/petroleum

10. Diversity of resources • Oil & coffee two most profitable commodities • An agricultural or mining product that can be sold • Lumber is important commodity = leading to deforestation • Sugar, palm oil, cocoa • Agriculture is single most important economic activity

11. Climate – the Sahara • Deserts • South - Kalahari & namib • North – Sahara • Sahara = largest desert in world (3,000 miles long & 1,200 miles wide) • Made up of mountains, rock formations & gravelly plains • Aquifers = huge stores of underground water • Oasis = place where water has come to surface

12. Climate - tropics • Hot year round • No distinct winter • Cooler at nighttime than in “winter”

14. Sunshine & rainfall • Two extremes: too much rain, or none at all • Droughts = unpredictable period of no rainfall • Tropical savanna = STRETCHES THROUGH MIDDLE OF THE CONTINENT • RAINY, HOT • Moderate on northern & southern tips of continent

15. Vegetation • Grassland, rainforests, wide variety of plant life • Tropical grassland covers most of continent • Serengeti plain – grassland with many grazing animals • Rainforest = Congo basin • BIODIVERSE • Canopy = uppermost layer of trees & branches