REGIONAL FOCUSLAND
Africa covers about 9.5 million square miles. The Sahara Desert covers most of northern Africa, however central and southern parts of the continent are more tropical. Because Africa landmass is at a higher land elevation than most continents around the world, Africa has quite a few plateaus. Plateaus make almost a stairway from west to east. Africa does possess a few mountain ranges. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain peak in Africa found in southeastern coastline of Africa. Africa does possess the Great Rift Valley starting at the tip of Saudi Arabia heading south, then looping northward by the Lake Victoria. It runs 3000 miles long. Four major rivers exist in Africa. The Nile, Congo, Niger and Zambezi Rivers make up the main four rivers. The largest river is the Congo running 2,800 miles long linking the coastal regions of Africa to the inland parts of the region. CLIMATE & VEGETATION If a person travels in Africa toward the Equator from the north or the south, they will travel through four major climate types: desert (sand), steppe (dry treeless grasslands), tropical savanna (grasslands with scattered trees) and tropical rainforest (jungle). Moderate climates exist in the eastern highlands and portions of South Africa. The largest deserts in Africa are the Sahara (North), Namib (South) and Kalahari (South). The Sahel steppe is becoming a desert in large part because of drought and human interaction with the environment. South of the Sahara Desert, much of Africa is savannas, tropical grasslands with scattered trees. Steamy rainforest cover land near the equator. ECONOMY Africa’s farming is mostly farming, though the region does have quite a few mineral deposits as well. AGRICULTURE Farming and herding are Africa’s leading economic activities. While some Africans grow enough food to feed their families, others work on plantations growing crops specifically for exporting. Africa is a major producer of cocoa, sweet potatoes, coffee, bananas, cotton, peanuts and tea. Central and southern African have large deposits of gold, diamonds and copper. Oil can be found in western and central Africa. INDUSTRY Industry and manufacturing is somewhat limited in Africa. Some do exist in urban areas, but the region still has much work to do with regard to railroads, airplanes and paved roads. CURRENCY In Africa, given the numerous countries, determining a single currency has proven difficult. During colonial times, European powers introduced their own monetary system into the countries they controlled. When African countries achieved independence, some kept the denominations that had been introduced and others renamed their currencies. Most of Western Africa uses a common currency known as the CFA franc. |
PEOPLE
South of the Sahara Desert, Africa is divided into 48 different nations. Each nation has many different ethnic groups, languages, religions and customs. POPULATION More than 625 million people live in this region. It is a population which is growing rapidly. Most people live along the coastlines of Africa given its desert and dry grassland type climates. Because of over populated urban areas, some countries like Nigeria and Tanzania have encouraged their people to move more inland. About 73% of the people living south of the Sahara Desert live in rural villages. Because of the tougher climates and struggling populations in some regions, many people are migrating to more urban areas. African cities are among the fastest growing cities in the world. The three largest cities in Africa are Lagos of Nigeria, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Abidjan in Core d’Ivoire. CULTURE People south of the Sahara Desert are tremendously devoted to family life. Households often are made up of extended families-grandparents and other relatives as well as parents and children. African culture also have strong ties to ethnicity/ Loyalties are often stronger among ethnic groups as opposed to national governments. HISTORY From 1500s to 1800s, Europeans explored large portions of Africa enslaving many Africans in the process. By 1914, Europeans had divided nearly all of Africa among their own nations. European powers would set up borders without regard to the different people living in the region. In many parts of Africa, Africans resisted European rule. By the 1960’s, most of Africa was made up of independent nations. South Africa became one of the few countries in Africa where European influence was still strong. By the 1990’s, South Africa too became a democratic form of government extending rights to all of its citizens. Boehm, Richard G., David G. Armstrong, and Francis P. Hunkins. Geography: The World and Its People. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1998. Print. USEFUL VIDEOS
|
study_tool_-_sub_sahara_africa__countries_.ppt | |
File Size: | 323 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
study_tool_-_sub_sahara_africa__cities_.pptx | |
File Size: | 113 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
study_tool_-_sub_sahara_africa__landforms___bodies_of_water_.pptx | |
File Size: | 195 kb |
File Type: | pptx |