Chapter 23: Equatorial Africa

Unit 6

Section 1: Physical Geography

Landforms

• Located along the Equator

• Also known as: Central Africa or the Heart of Africa

• Covers about 2.7 million square miles of land

Landforms

• Countries of the region: – DRC – Cameroon – Central African

Republic – Gabon – Equatorial Guinea – Republic of the Congo

(aka the Congo) – South Sudan – Southern part of

Chad

Landforms

• Congo Basin

– Basin-area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries

– Rainfall in this region flows downhill and collects into streams which eventually empty into the Congo River

– Second largest river basin on Earth

Water Systems

• Gulf of Guinea=Atlantic Ocean – Gulf-part of an ocean that is partially enclosed by

land

• 5 countries have coastlines, so fishing is an important part of the economy

• Congo River makes the border between the Republic of Congo and DRC

• River reaches the Atlantic through an estuary – Passage where freshwater meets seawater

Water Systems

• Congo River is easy to navigate in some areas, but in other areas there are rapids – This impacts the

movement of goods and people

• On the eastern side lies Lake Tanganyika – 420 miles long

– 1 mile deep in some places

Climates, Biomes, and Resources

• High temperatures and tropical climates

• Tropical rain forest climate

• The highland areas have a montane climate

– “mountainous area”

Climates, Biomes, and Resources

• Rainforests • Tropical grasslands cover much of the southern part of

this region – Rainfall is common

• Mineral resources are abundant – Cobalt – Copper – Gold – Silver – Zinc – Oil – Natural Gas

Section 2: Human Geography

History and Government

• First settlers of the region: Mbuti/Pygmies

• Bantu moved into the region

– Farmers and herders

– Established settlements in 800 AD

History and Government

• Europeans first came to the region for trading of gold, ivory, textiles, and slaves

• Millions of people were sold as slaves

– Atlantic Slave Trade

History and Government

• Much of the area was not colonized until the 19th century due to environmental obstacles: – Malaria and Congo River

cataracts

• France eventually gained control of the Rep. of Congo

• King Leopold II of Belgium was a terrible ruler and caused much suffering among the people of Western and Central Africa

History and Government

• Year of independence= 1960

• Issues following independence: – Ethnic Conflicts

– Harsh Rule

– Human Rights Violations

– Civil Wars

• Some countries have gained stability through utilizing their natural resources to make money

Society and Culture Today

• Hundreds of ethnic groups reside in the area

– …hundreds of languages

• Major religions: Christianity and Islam

– Some local/indigenous religions still practiced

Economics

• Main economic activity: farming – Many people are still subsistence farmers

– Small percentage involved in cash crops • Peanuts, palm oil, sisal (vegetable fiber used in various

materials)

• Lumber activities – Environmental impact

• Fishing

• Minerals (mining…not manufacturing)

Section 3: People and Their Environment

Managing Resources

• Poverty and hunger are serious issues

• Internally displaced persons-refugee within his or her own country – Due to corruption and

war

• Resources that are helping the area: – Rivers for hydroelectric

power – Mineral resources

• Copper • Cobalt • Diamonds