AFRICAIntroduction and Geography
1. AFRICA FACTS
World’s 2nd largest continent About 11.7 million square miles in size
US fits into Africa three times with extra room
Population: About 891 million people (US is about 291 million)
Equator runs right through the middle of the continent
Rainforests cover 10% of the land Longest River: Nile River (4,160 miles) Largest Desert: Sahara (3.5 square miles)
2. AFRICA FUN FACTS Over 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa Due to rapid population, more than half of the population is
under the age of 25 in many African states Copper and iron have been mined in Zambia for over 2,000
years Uganda is home to 11% of the world’s bird population Zambia is home to Victoria Falls (one of the Seven Natural
Wonders and the largest waterfall in the world) The Republic of Sudan has 223 of its own pyramids (twice the
number of Egypt) Coffee was first discovered by goat herders in Ethiopia in the
9th century Literacy rate in Zimbabwe is 92%
3. AFRICA’S GEOGRAPHY 1906: Hans Vischer explored
what he called the “Death Road” Trade route connecting
western Africa to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea
No European or American had ever risked the journey before
“Death Road” crossed more than 1,500 miles of the Sahara, the world’s largest desert
If you got lost it surely meant death
Only nomads living in the region knew the way but Vischer hoped to map the route.
4. AFRICA CLIMATE ZONES
Mediterranean Desert Savanna Rainforest
4. AFRICA CLIMATE ZONES
TROPICS Dry, sweeping grasslands for thousands of miles
SAVANNAS Tropical grasslands that have high temperatures and uneven
rains Perfect for raising herds of animals
DESERTS Sahara to the north Kalahari to the southwest Blocked travel and people had to follow the coast if they
wanted to get past the desert
TROPICAL RAINFOREST& SAVANNA
THE SAHARA AND KALAHARI DESERT
5. AFRICAN PLATEAU PLATEAU: an area of high flat land
East: movement of the earth’s crust millions of years ago cracked the continent and parts of the plateau’s surface dropped Great Rift Valley
RIVERS Nile River (Egypt and Kush along the banks) Niger River (West Africa)
Rich soil grows crops and many civilizations begin United the region because merchants and travelers
spread goods and ideas up and down the river
PLATEAU
NILE AND NIGER RIVERS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How might Africa’s geography affect civilizations?
How might Africa’s geography affect trade?
