Sub-Saharan Africa Geography

Africa’s

Geography

AFRICA

•Africa is the world’s second largest
continent (11,700,000 miles).

•It is home to 54 countries, 1,000
different languages, and 800 million
people.

•10% of the world’s population
lives in Africa.

•The vast African continent has almost
every type of landform and climate.

•Africa can be divided into several
regions, including the Sahara, the
Sahel, the savannahs, and the
tropical rain forests.

The Sahara

• The Sahara is the world’s largest hot

desert (3,500,000 miles).

• It runs across the width of

northern Africa and covers 1/3rd
of the continent.

• It divides the continent into two

distinct regions – North Africa and
sub-Saharan Africa.

• The Sahara is covered with sand

dunes, rocky hills, and stretches of
gravel that continue for miles and
miles.

The Sahara

• Very few people live in the desert

because it is considered one of the
harshest places to live in the world.

• The people who do live here are

called nomads.

• They move from place to place,

usually traveling by camel, looking
for food & water.

​You will need to write down two facts after the video.

Open Ended

What are two things you learned about the Sahara from the video?

The Sahel

• The Sahel is a strip of dry grassland

that is located south of the Sahara
and north of the equator that
separates the desert from tropical
rainforests.

• The word “Sahel” means “border” or

“margin”.

• It is a dry, semi-arid region that is

slowly turning into desert.

• It gets more rainfall than the desert,

but still receives very little (ranging
from 6-20 inches).

The Sahel

• The Sahel is relatively flat with few

mountains and hills.

• People have tried to live here but

generations of overgrazing and
desertification have caused soil
erosion.

• Vegetation is sparse here—grasses

and shrubs are unevenly distributed.

Multiple Choice

Which one is NOT true about the Sahel?

• Overgrazing and desertification have caused soil erosion.

• It is a dry, semi-arid region.

• Vegetation is unevenly distributed.

• It receives 20-30 inches of rain each year.

Savanna

• The African savannas are hot, dry

grasslands that are located near the
Equator and cover almost half of Africa.

• They cover the regions just north and

south of the rainforests that lie along the
equator.

• The African savanna is the largest in the

world (over 4.5 million square miles).

Savanna

• There is a large variety of wildlife in

the African savannas, including lions,
zebras, & elephants.

• Farming is good here, but only if

there is good rainfall.

• Grasses and grains like wheat,

oats, and sorghum grow in the
region.

• The area receives enough rain to

support drought resistant
undergrowth, but not enough to
support forest-type vegetation.

• Grasses are tall and thick, while

trees are short and scattered.

Fill in the Blank

Wildlife can survive in the savanna because ________ resistant crops/plants can survive if there is enough rain.

Tropical Rainforest

• Africa’s tropical rain forest is located

along the central coast of Africa,
near the Equator, and lies in the
Congo River Basin.

• The rain forest covers 1/5th of the land

surface of Africa and touches 37
countries.

• The rain forest has a hot, humid

climate with an annual rainfall of over
17 feet.

Tropical Rainforest

• Africa’s tropical rain forest is home to

a large variety of animals.

• Trees are so thick and tall that

sunlight never reaches the forest
floor!

• The trees grow hundreds of

feet tall.

• It’s the second largest rainforest in

the world; the Amazon rainforest in
Brazil is the largest.

• Unfortunately, about 90% of this rain

forest has shrunk due to
deforestation.

Multiple Choice

How much has this rainforest shrunk due to deforestation?

• 50%

• 60%

• 75%

• 90%

Congo River

• The Congo River is in west central Africa.

• It begins in central Africa, near Lake

Tanganyika, and flows west.

• It crosses the equator twice and is

surrounded by rainforest.

Congo River

•The Congo River is the second
longest river in Africa and the fifth
longest in the world.

•It’s over 3,000 miles long.

​As you watch, pay attention to why there has been so much conflict in this area. You will need be specific.

Open Ended

Why has there been so much conflict in this region? BE SPECIFIC.

Niger River

• The Niger River is in western Africa.

• It flows through Guinea, Mali, Niger,

Benin, & Nigeria.

•The Niger River is the third largest
river in Africa.

•It runs over 2,600 miles.

• The mouth of the Niger River flows

through a large delta, often referred to
as the “Oil Delta” because of the
petroleum industry that’s centered
here.

Multiple Choice

The Niger River is also known as

• The River with No End

• The Oil Delta

• Petroleum Valley

• Alligator Delta

Lake Victoria

•Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa
and the second largest freshwater lake in
the world. (Lake Superior is the largest.)

•It is in central Africa and extends into three
countries: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.

•Lake Victoria is a headwaters reservoir for
the Nile River.

Lake Victoria

•Even though it is shallow, Lake Victoria is vital in supporting the millions of
people that live nearby.

•It provides a living for many fishermen and attracts millions of tourists each
year.

Fill in the Blank

The ______ River starts at Lake Victoria

•The Great Rift Valley is a giant dip in the Earth’s
surface.

•It was created about 35 million years ago when
the African and Eurasian tectonic plates
separated.

•The valley runs north to south for over 3000
miles, from Syria in Southwest Asia to
Mozambique in east Africa.

Great Rift Valley

Great Rift Valley
•The Great Rift Valley varies in width from about 20 to 60 miles.

•The valley is surrounded by highlands.

•It contains three of Africa’s most important lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika,
and Lake Malawi.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

•Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest
mountain in Africa.

•It is in Tanzania and rises
approximately 16,100 feet at its
base to 19,340 feet above sea level.

•The mountain is a dormant
volcano.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

•Mt. Kilimanjaro is part of the Kilimanjaro National Park and is a major climbing
destination.

•The first climbers proven to have reached the summit of the mountain were Hans
Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller in 1889.

Kalahari Desert
•The Kalahari Desert is a large arid to
semi-arid sandy area that’s located
in southwestern Africa.

•It covers parts of Botswana,
Namibia, and South Africa.

•Its dunes range from 20 to 200 feet
high and can be 50 miles long.

•The region is surrounded by
semi-arid areas that are slowly
becoming drier due to
desertification.

Kalahari Desert
•The Kalahari Desert is not a “true”
desert because it receives 3-10
inches of rain per year.

•Because of the precipitation and
underground water supplies,
grass, shrubs, and wild animals
manage to live in the Kalahari
desert.

Multiple Choice

Why is the Kalahari Desert not a "True" desert?

• It gets 3-10 inches of rain.

• It can support wildlife, like lions.

• It gets less rain than the Sahara desert.

• Nothing can survive there.

​You will need to write down two facts after the video.

Open Ended

What are two thing you learned about the Kalahari desert from the video?