LANDFORMS AND RESOURCESChapter 18, Section 1

A Vast Plateau

• Present day Africa moved very little from Pangea– Most of Africa is one big plateau• “Plateau Continent” – 2nd Largest

– Huge basins• Up to a mile deep and 625 across!

Nile River

• World’s longest!– 95% of Egyptians depend on it!• Population density comparison• Cradle of Civilization

– Waterway systems• Transportation – cataracts

– Meandering courses

Distinctive Landforms

• No long chain of mountain ranges – Rift Valleys • Continent is pulling apart

– Sometimes, lakes form at the bottom» Lake Tanganyika – almost a mile deep and 420 miles long!

– Lake Victoria – 2nd largest freshwater lake, 270 ft. deep» Or 5000 feet less than Lake Tanganyika

– Mountains• Mount Kilimanjaro

– Most mountainous areas are formed by volcanoes– Great Escarpment

Wealth of Resources

• Africa is home to many different valuable resources– Gold, diamonds, oil, cobalt, chromium, platinum…• Africa is behind the times because of Colonial Rule

– The problem of natural resources

Diversity of Resources

• Major Commodities – 1. Oil– 2. Coffee – Fair Trade Coffee• Also – cocoa beans, lumber, sugar…

• 66% of Africans farm– Farm products = 1/3 of Exports