Essential Question

What are the major geographical features of Africa?

Africa’s Africa’s geographical geographical

features!features!

SaharaSahara• desert in northern Africadesert in northern Africa

• largest desert in the world at largest desert in the world at 3,500,000 square miles3,500,000 square miles

• from Arabic word Al-Sahrafrom Arabic word Al-Sahra

Atlas MountainsAtlas Mountains

• mountain range in north mountain range in north Africa between the Africa between the Mediterranean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara desert Sahara desert

• extends from Morocco to extends from Morocco to TunisiaTunisia

Sahel

• ““Transitional Land”Transitional Land”

• the transitional land between the transitional land between desert land and savannadesert land and savanna

• semi arid land, which is still dry semi arid land, which is still dry but gets more rain than the desertbut gets more rain than the desert

Lake TanganyikaLake Tanganyika

• deepest lake in Africadeepest lake in Africa

• located in central Africalocated in central Africa

• divided between Burundi, divided between Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, and ZambiaCongo, Tanzania, and Zambia

Savanna• tropical or subtropical grassland tropical or subtropical grassland

containing scattered treescontaining scattered trees

• receives enough rain to support receives enough rain to support drought resistant undergrowth but drought resistant undergrowth but not enough to support “forest not enough to support “forest type” vegetationtype” vegetation

Niger River• principal river in western Africa

• runs through Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin and Nigeria

• significant water source for the city of Timbuktu

Congo RiverCongo River

• largest river in western central largest river in western central AfricaAfrica

• flows through the third largest rain flows through the third largest rain forest in the worldforest in the world

Tropical RainforestTropical Rainforest

• a forest that receives more water a forest that receives more water through precipitation than is loses through precipitation than is loses through evaporation through evaporation – What are these processes?What are these processes?

• more than 80 inches of rain per yearmore than 80 inches of rain per year

• 1/5 of Africa is rainforest1/5 of Africa is rainforest

• Africa contains 1 of the 3 major Africa contains 1 of the 3 major rainforests in the world.rainforests in the world.

Drakensberg Mountains

• highest mountains in southern highest mountains in southern AfricaAfrica

• located in the eastern portion located in the eastern portion of South Africa and Lesothoof South Africa and Lesotho

Nile RiverNile River• It’s the world’s longest river at It’s the world’s longest river at

4,150 miles!!!4,150 miles!!!

• located in eastern Africa located in eastern Africa

• depended upon for waterdepended upon for water

• Flows north into the Mediterranean Flows north into the Mediterranean sea!sea!

Kalahari DesertKalahari Desert• located in south Africa and covers located in south Africa and covers

Botswana and parts of Namibia and Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa South Africa

• not a “true” desert because it receives not a “true” desert because it receives 3-10 inches of rain per year3-10 inches of rain per year

• because of the precipitation can because of the precipitation can sustain some animal lifesustain some animal life

Lake VictoriaLake Victoria

• largest lake in Africa largest lake in Africa

• 22ndnd largest fresh water lake in the largest fresh water lake in the worldworld

• vital in supporting the millions of vital in supporting the millions of people that live nearbypeople that live nearby

Zambezi RiverZambezi River

• southeast African river flowing southeast African river flowing through Zambia and Angola, also through Zambia and Angola, also along many of the borders of many along many of the borders of many countriescountries

• empties into the Indian Oceanempties into the Indian Ocean

• contains Victoria Fallscontains Victoria Falls

Victoria FallsVictoria Falls

• It’s the largest and most It’s the largest and most unique waterfall in the unique waterfall in the world!world!

Mount KilimanjaroMount Kilimanjaro

• It’s the tallest free standing volcanic It’s the tallest free standing volcanic mountain in the world! mountain in the world!

• It is the highest peak in Africa at 19,340 It is the highest peak in Africa at 19,340 feet! feet!