Africa chapter 1, section 1Land and Water

Africa’s Regions and Landforms-4 regions-Plateau contnent-Mountains-Coastal Plains-Great Rift Valley

Africa’s Rivers-Nile River-Farming along Nile-Congo River-Niger River-Zambezi River

Africa’s 4 regions and landforms

North

Atlas Mts.

Sahara Desert

(largest desert)

West

most populated

grasslands

good farming

East

many mountains, plateaus,

grasslands, hills

South/central

flat and rolling grasslands, hills, rain forests,

mountains, swamps,

Namib and Kalahari deserts.

The Plateau Continent

- Africa is made up of mostly flat land that drops sharply near the oceans.

- This land has a high elevation (height above or below sea level).

Mountains- All 4 regions have mountains- highest are in East Africa- Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the tallest.

Coastal Plains Edge the Continent

- Coastal plains run along much of Africa.- either dry and sandy or wet and marshy

Great Rift Valley- Mt. Kilimanjaro is on the edge.- Valley was formed 4m years ago. Continents

pulled apart and left a rift, or deep trench.- This rift is 4,000 miles long.- Most major lakes are in or near this area.

Africa’s Rivers

- 4 rivers carry water from the mountains to the sea; Nile, Congo, Zambezi, Niger.

- Parts of these rivers can be used for travel, but each is broken by waterfalls and rapids.

- Ships cannot navigate these rivers.

The Nile River- Longest river in the world (>4,000 miles)- Two tributaries (rivers or streams that flow into

larger rivers), White Nile in Sudan and Blue Nile in Ethiopia.

- The river flows north into the Mediterranean Sea.Farming along the Nile- Flooding from the Nile left silt, making the

soil fertile (rich in nutrients, good for farming).

- Aswan Dam prevents this flooding and created Lake Nasser; also produces electricity, irrigation

2

The Congo River- flows through the rain forests of central Africa

(Congo and Dem. Rep. of the Congo)- 2nd longest in Africa- hundreds of tributaries from the Congo; farmers use

this area to grow crops- Many different fish to catch.

Niger River- 3rd longest in Africa- provides water for farms and fishing

2

Zambezi River

- 4th longest river in Africa.- in Southern Africa; runs through 6 countries- Many waterfalls (Victoria Falls) and rapids.- hydroelectricity

4 Zambezi

4-Victoria Falls