Northern Africa Human Geography

Chapter 8, Lesson 1 Geography of Africa

Open Ended

What is the best show on right now? Why? Explain...

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A VAST AND VARIED LANDSCAPE

The people of Africa found opportunities and challenges in the

geography of the continent. First of all, Africa is very large in size.

After Asia, Africa is the world’s second largest continent.

Most of Africa lies in the Tropics. However, this enormous

continent is made up of five geographic zones.

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Africa is also home to the world’s largest desert, the Sahara desert. Rain forests stretch along the Equator, which slices through the middle of the continent. These forest make up about

10 percent of Africa’s land area. The rain forest zone gets heavy rainfall, and it is warm there all year long.

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Multiple Choice

Africa is the ________ largest continent in the world, spanning 5,000 miles from end to end.

• Most

• Second

• Third

• Fourth

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the large desert that covers most of northern Africa?

• The Sahara Desert

• The Mojave Desert

• The Nile Desert

• I don't know

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Vast grasslands make up the second zone, stretching north and south of the rainforest.

Savannahs are tropical grasslands dotted with small trees and shrubs. These flat or rolling plains cover about 40 percent of Africa’s land area. The savannahs have high temperatures and uneven rains. However, they get enough rainfall for farming and herding. Farmers grow grains, such as sorghum and herders raise cattle and other animals.

Multiple Choice

What is a savannah?

• A grassy plain in the tropical and subtropical region

• A desert in a semi-arid region

• An area of relatively level high ground

• wetlands that form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water

Multiple Choice

What is the region where tall grasses grow?

• savannah

• sahel

• sahara

• rain forest

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In northern Africa, the savannahs connect with a third zone, one with even drier grasslands known as the Sahel. Plants that grow there provide barely enough food for people

and animals. The people of the Sahel were traditionally hunters and herders.

Deserts are Africa’s fourth zone. They are found north and south of the grasslands. About 40 percent of the land in Africa is desert. The world’s largest desert—the Sahara—stretches across

much of North Africa. For years, the deserts limited travel and trade. People had to move along the coastline to avoid these vast seas of sand.

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Multiple Choice

What desert is located at number 1?

• Sahara

• Sahel

• Kalahari

• Nile

Multiple Choice

Which number is nearest the Sahel?

• 1

• 5

• 4

• 3

Multiple Choice

Which TWO trade resources were found in medieval Africa?

• salt and gold

• Precious metals

• Natural Gas and oil

• Coal and Diamonds

​Physical Map of Africa

Multiple Choice

What is the longest river in Africa?

• Niger

• Nile

• Congo

• Ob

Multiple Choice

What country is on the island located South East of Africa?

• Mozambique

• South Africa

• Madagascar

• Rwanda

The End!