SUBSAHARAN AFRICA
Major Geographic Qualities
• A plateau continent that is physiographically unique
• Comprised of dozens of nations and hundreds of ethnic groups
• A realm of people dependent on farming for their livelihood
• State boundaries represent colonial legacies
• Dislocated peoples and refugees
• Raw materials and resource potential
• Largest refugee population worldwide
Africa’sPhysiography
Rift Valley in KenyaA. WinklerPrins
Plate Boundaries
Climate
Medical Geography
• Millions suffer from:– Malaria– Yellow Fever– AIDS
Medical Geography
• Endemic
- Exists in equilibrium with the population
- Many develop an immunity of sorts
- Saps energy, lowers resistance, shortens lives• Epidemic
- Sudden outbreak at local, regional scale• Pandemic
- Worldwide spread
A global view of HIV infection in 2007
SOURCE: WHO/UNAIDS
What can be done about AIDS in SSA?
• Awareness and acceptance of the problem
• Political will• Lowering of cost of drugs
A. WinklerPrins
Importance of Farming in SS Africa• Still main livelihood
for the majority• Mostly subsistence• Vulnerable to
famine• Green revolution
by-passed this realm
Early Kingdoms
The Atlantic Slave Trade
Colonialism• European colonial
objectives– Supply ports along the
West African coast– A water route to South
Asia and Southeast Asia
– 1500’s- looking for resources; Slaves
– 1850- industrial revolution occurs in Europe
• Increased demand for mineral resources
• Need to expand agricultural production
Berlin Conference 1884
• European states divided up Africa without consideration of indigenous cultures
• Results of superimposed boundaries:
– African peoples: divided
– Unified regions: ripped apart
– Hostile societies: thrown together
– Migration routes: closed off
• When independence returned to Africa after 1950, the realm had already acquired a legacy of political fragmentation.
Independent states
in Africa
The Legacy
• Several hundred languages are spoken
• Antagonism between tribes (e.g., Rwanda)
• Low level of development is linked to colonization
• Poor Infrastructure
• High Poverty levels
• Low Standard of Living
Cultural Patterns• Population
distribution• Urbanization• African
languages– Lingua franca– Multilingualism
• Religions– Christianity– Islam– Tribal religions
Languagesof
Africa
PopulationDistribution
Urban Africa• This is not an urban
realm with relatively low overall urbanization (34%)
• changing rapidly as rate of urbanization is high
• City living is harsh– informal sector
