Physical Geography of Africa – The Land 20-1. Landforms Continent of plateaus series of plateaus rise from W to E escarpments – steep cliffs separating.
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Physical Geography of
Africa – The Land20-1
Landforms Continent of plateaus
series of plateaus rise from W to E escarpments – steep cliffs separating
plateaus highest and broadest in SE continent with highest overall elevation
LandformsMts. and Highlands
Atlas Mts. – NW Ethopian Highlands – S. of Sahara & E.
down to S. Africa Drakensberg Mts. – SE Ruwenzori Mts. – Central & E. Africa Mt. Kenya & Kilimanjaro highest – 19,340
ft.
Drakensberg Mts.
Ruwenzori Mts.
Mt. Kenya
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Drakensberg Mts.
Mt. Kilimanjaro
Landforms Great Rift Valley
natural wonder Jordan River to Zambezi R. in Zimbabwe
trench 3,500 mi. long believed to have been caused by Pangea
split Africa had volcanic activity as result
Great Rift Valley
Water Systems Chain of Lakes
Lake Victoria – 2nd largest freshwater lake, Central & E.
Lake Tanganyika – 420 mi. long – longest freshwater lake
Lake Malawi – many fish species, S & E Lake Chad – created by dam near Chad
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi
Water Systems Rivers and Basins
Nile – N. Africa with tributary from Lake Victoria
Congo – longest S. of Sahara, 2,700 mi. long, crosses equator south
10 million gal. per sec. Niger – empties into Atlantic Ocean Zambezi – empties into Indian Ocean
Niger River
Zambezi River
Physical Geography of Africa – The Climates and Vegetation
20-2
Deserts and semi-desert Covers 2/5 of Africa Namib Desert – coast of Namibia, SW Kalahari Desert – Southern plateau,
covers most of Botswana vegetation – cactus, shrubs temps vary from 120°-50°F
PBS Website on Africa’s Climates and Vegetation
Kalahari and Namib Desert
Kalahari Desert - family
Namib Desert
Desert Oases Okavango – river
that empties into Kalahari Desert
Called “the Delta”
Botswana
Namibia
Angola
Desert Oases Okavango – river
that empties into Kalahari Desert
Called “the Delta”
The Sahel Steppe grasslands – wide grassy
plains Seasons – long dry one, short wet one Less water in recent years – caused
by drought Problems – famine, death, migration
The Sahel
Tropical Savanna vegetation – grassland and scattered
trees rainfall – 30-60 in. per year elephant grass – grows 15 ft. or taller
Tropical Rainforests cover 8% of Africa located near equator Rains daily poor farmland
Soil gets leached – nutrients washed away products from rainforest
Cocoa – chocolate Rubber Palm oil lumber
Cocoa
Moderate climates highlands of Kenya southern tip – S. Africa three characteristics of location of
population Fertile soil Adequate rain Favorable climate
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