Physical Geography of Central Africa

​Physical Geography of Central Africa

• Identify major physical features of Central Africa

• Describe how humans and the environment affect each other in Central Africa

• Explain the importance of natural resources in Central Africa

​Objectives/Goals

​Vocabulary

• Confluences

• Deforestation

• Gorge

• Ivory

• Navigable

• Poacher

• Poverty

• Rapids

​Essential QUestion: What are the major physical features in Central Africa?

Open Ended

Where in the World is Comet?

(Location and Country)

Clue 1: This countries offical language is French but it's not France.

Clue 2: This country gained its independene in 1960.

Clue 3: This location is busiest during the months of April - October.

Clue 4: This location is oe of the best known natural landmarks in Central Africa?.

Clue 5: Nearby this location is the famous "Crocodile Lake".

Where is Comet?

Word Cloud

Where does the water you use come from?

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​Central Africa's Geographic Features

• Central Africa diversity: coastal countries, interior countries, landlocked countries, and islands.

• Central African Country Location and Geography

  • Central African Republic: a landlocked country

  • Equatorial Guinea: includes parts that are islands and mainland

  • Cameroon: Located to the west of Central Africa Republic

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo: Located to the east of the Republic of the Congo

  • Sao Tome and Principe: a pair of islands

​The Congo River

• Main River in Central Africa

• Water Source

  • Heavy annual rains and Lakes from the Western Rift Valley and tributaries

• Navigable: able to be sailed by ships and boats (Trade, Travel and Technology)

• Upper Congo River

  • Confluences: areas where other streams and tributaries come together to form a larger river

• Middle Congo River

  • Begins at Boyoma Falls

  • Major capital cities are located on this river: Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

• Lower Congo River

  • Livingston Falls: dangerous waterfalls with steep gorges (a narrow valley between hills or mountains)

​The Congo River Basin

• The Congo River Basin is the land that drains into these rivers

• Inga Dams

  • Located in Lower Congo

  • Large, hydroelectric plants

• Tributaries: brings a constant, steady flow of usable water

• Rainforest: second largest rainforest; humidity and location contribute to rainforest vegetation and diversity

• Climate

  • 67 inches of rain a year (2 Seasons: rainy and dry)

  • Average temperature in the 70's

• Deforestation

  • Clearing land for agriculture

  • Destruction of Animal and human habitats

Open Ended

If you were asked to help resolve the issues with deforestation in the Congo Rainforest but also support local indigenous groups, what is a solution you might come up with?

​Natural Resources of Central Africa

• Minerals

  • Copper, diamonds, rubber, coltan (used in cellphones), petroleum

  • Poachers (illegal hunters) hunt African elephants for the Ivory (tusks of elephants)

Open Ended

Which animal from Central Africa would you want as a pet and why?

• Central Africa is one of the richest regions of the world

  • $24 Trillion ($24,000,000,000,000.00)

• Extreme Poverty

  • 80% of the population lives on less than $500.00 a year

  • Subsistence Farming

  • Food Scarcity

  • Poor Infrastructure

  • Corrupt governments

    • Civil Wars

  • High disease rates (life expectancy of 48)

• Who gets the money from the Natural Resources?

​Poverty in Central Africa

​Shrinking of Lake Chad

• Importance of Lake Chad

  • Water Supply

  • Irrigation

  • Fishing

  • Trade, Travel and Technology

• Lake Chad is drying up

  • Over Irrigation

  • Water Scarcity

  • Climate Change

• Solving the Problem

  • Canals

  • Education

  • Resource Management