Section 1: Physical Features Section 2: Climate Regions

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Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara

Almost all of Africa south of the Sahara lies on a series of plateaus.

Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara (cont.)

In eastern and southern Africa, the edges of plateaus are often marked by steep, jagged cliffs called escarpments. Rivers that flow across plateaus drop suddenly at escarpments to become rushing rapids or tumbling waterfalls. Escarpments create barriers to trade by blocking ships from sailing between the interior and the sea.

Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara (cont.)

Lowland areas include a narrow band of plains that border the regions Atlantic and Indian Ocean coastlines and low, sunken areas called basins. Basins formed when tectonic activity lifted up the land surrounding them.

Off the east coast of Africa lies Madagascar, the largest island off of Africas mainland.

Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara (cont.)

In the east are the Ethiopian Highlands as well as volcanic mountain peaks, such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest peak in the region, rising to a height of 19,341 feet (5,895 m).

The Drakensberg Range is in southern Africa. It is called the barrier of pointed spears because the mountains rise suddenly and look like giant spears.

Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara (cont.)

The Great Rift Valley cuts about 4,000 miles (6,437 km) through the flat plateau of eastern Africa, stretching from Southwest Asia to Southern Africa. It is a natural wonder. A rift valley is a large break in the Earths surface formed by shifting tectonic plates, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

Waterways of the Region

Most of the large lakes in Africa south of the Sahara lie in or near East Africas Great Rift Valley. Lake Tanganyika is 420 miles (676 km) in length, making it the longest freshwater lake in the world.

Waterways of the Region (cont.)

Lake Victoria lies in a low basin and is Africas largest lake and the worlds second-largest freshwater lake, after Lake Superior in North America.

Waterways of the Region (cont.)

The same tectonic activity that produced the regions rugged landscape also affected the regions rivers.
Africas major rivers include the Nile, the Congo, the Niger and the Zambezi.

Escarpments create waterfalls and rapids that make transportation on some rivers difficult.

Waterways of the Region (cont.)

The Zambezi River in southern Africa plunges over a cliff, creating Victoria Falls, a series of waterfalls that drop as much as 420 feet (128 m).
An important source of hydroelectric power is the Akosombo Dam in Ghana.

Waterways of the Region (cont.)

Rivers that begin in African highland areas shape the land.
Many, like the Congo, flow through plateaus and carve deep gorges, steepsided valleys formed when rivers cut through the land.

Mineral Resources
Plentiful petroleum deposits are found along the Atlantic coast from Nigeria to Angola and in landlocked Chad and Sudan.
Oil has replaced agricultural products as the principal export in many countries.

Mineral Resources (cont.)

South Africa is believed to have half of the worlds gold and is also rich in platinum. The Transvaal region located there contains a large gold deposit. Many gemstones are mined in the region, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires.
Industrial diamonds mined here are used to make drills, saws, and grinding tools.

Factors Affecting Climate

Most of Africa south of the Sahara lies mainly in the Tropics between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn resulting in direct rays of the sun yearround and generally high temperatures.
Some parts of Africa south of the Sahara have long droughts, or periods of time when there is no rain at all.

Tropical and Dry Climates

A tropical wet climate is found along the Equator in Central Africa and West Africa.
Hot temperatures and plentiful rainfall in this zone support the growth of rain forests, or dense stands of trees and other plants that receive high amounts of precipitation each year.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

In a rain forest, vegetation grows at several different levels.
The forest floor has mosses, ferns, and shrubs. Above these, palms and other trees grow about 60 feet (18 m) high. The tops of the highest trees form an umbrella-like covering called the canopy, which is alive with flowers, fruits, monkeys, parrots, and snakes.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

But because many tropical African countries rely on the sale of products from the rain forests, such as wood, for income, they take part in the widespread clearing of forestland, called deforestation.

The soil on the cleared lands quickly becomes less fertile, causing farmers to clear even more forestland. Be able to discuss in detail what threatens the rain forests of Central and West Africa today.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

To preserve rain forests, and boost their economies, some African countries are encouraging ecotourism. Ecotourism is touring a place without causing harm to the environment.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

Farther from the Equator, rain forests give way to great stretches of grasslands with scattered woods, called tropical savannas, where temperatures remain hot all year, but rainfall amounts are much lower than in rain forest areas.
Savanna grasslands are home to elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and giraffes.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

Continuing farther from the Equator, rainfall becomes more scarce, and savannas merge into drier steppes .
Vegetation includes different varieties of trees, thick shrubs, and grasses.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

Steppe areas are threatened by desertification.
Climate changes that bring long periods of extreme dryness and water shortages lead to desertification. Clearing areas of trees and other vegetation for herding large amounts of livestock can also damage and dry out the land.

Tropical and Dry Climates (cont.)

The Sahara Desert in the north has high temperatures and little rain. The Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa is covered by vast stretches of sand. The Namib Desert, along the southwestern coast, is made up of rocks and dunes. Fog that forms along the coast reaches the desert and provides moisture to many varieties of succulents, or plants, such as cacti, with thick, fleshy leaves that can conserve moisture.

Moderate Climate Regions

Southwestern Africa has a Mediterranean climate in which winters are mild and wet, but the summers are warm and dry. Most rainfall occurs during the areas winter months.
Be able to explain in detail the characteristics of savanna, steppe and desert regions.

Moderate Climate Regions (cont.)

Highland climates are found in areas of higher elevation in East Africa.
Temperatures in the highlands are cooler than in surrounding areas because of the higher altitude. Snow often falls at high elevations, and vegetation is abundant at lower elevations.