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Environmental Issues in Africa

Total questions: 48

Worksheet time: 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What essential contribution do forests and trees make to rural life?

a)

Providing water

b)

Providing firewood, dyes, fruits, nuts, and building materials

c)

Providing minerals

d)

Providing shelter

2.

Which countries are working to replenish the soil and slow or stop deforestation?

a)

Nigeria and Egypt

b)

Ghana and Kenya

c)

Morocco and Algeria

d)

Libya and Sudan

3.

What is desertification?

a)

The process of urbanization

b)

The permanent conversion of productive land into desert

c)

The temporary loss of vegetation

d)

The seasonal flooding of land

4.

Which region is especially vulnerable to desertification?

a)

The Nile Delta

b)

The Sahel region

c)

The Congo Basin

d)

The Atlas Mountains

5.

What has overgrazing of cattle caused in Botswana?

a)

Increased forestation

b)

Huge areas of land turned into desert

c)

Improved soil fertility

d)

Increased rainfall

6.

Why aren’t many forests replanted in Africa?

a)

Lack of interest

b)

High cost and lack of resources

c)

Government restrictions

d)

Poor soil quality

7.

Three factors that cause desertification are:

a)

Overgrazing, deforestation, and climate change

b)

Urbanization, industrialization, and mining

c)

Pollution, tourism, and fishing

d)

Agriculture, transportation, and technology

8.

What is a common method to combat desertification?

a)

Building more roads

b)

Planting trees

c)

Increasing mining activities

d)

Expanding cities

9.

What is a major concern regarding water in Africa?

a)

Water scarcity

b)

Excessive rainfall

c)

Abundant water resources

d)

Low water prices

10.

What is needed for basic health and sanitation in Africa?

a)

Clean water

b)

More factories

c)

Increased rainfall

d)

Advanced technology

11.

List two reasons why Africa might find itself in a "water war" in the future.

a)

Dams & major reservoirs are being created by countries upstream.

b)

Scarcity of water and increasing demand due to increased population of communities sharing water sources

c)

Technological advancements and peace treaties are not working

d)

Decrease in population and rainfall.

12.

Why have government officials ignored environmental issues in Africa?

a)

Due to lack of awareness.

b)

Because of immediate economic concerns.

c)

Due to successful environmental policies.

d)

Because of abundant resources.

13.
What is one of the major problems facing those who depend on the Nile River for their water?
a)
The Nile River no longer has any fish.
b)
The Nile is too shallow to be used for transportation.
c)
The river always dries up during the summer months.
d)
The water is contaminated with human and industrial waste.
14.
Continued use of chemical fertilizer causes what to build up in soil?
a)
silt
b)
salt
c)
animal waste
d)
rocks and gravel
15.
What do people believe might lead to "water wars" in Africa in the future?
a)
demands to reroute water to the deserts
b)
competition among countries that share a river system
c)
demands to reroute rivers to supply water to the rainforests
d)
UN decrees telling African nations how to share water
16.
Why do some governments ignore industrial pollution of major rivers and waterways?
a)
They want the industries to be profitable.
b)
The people of most countries do not care about pollution.
c)
Industries always have plans in place to clean up polluting wastes.
d)
Most government officials do not recognize pollution as a problem.
17.
What destroyed the grassland and forests that were once found in the Sahel?
a)
years of heavy flooding
b)
the development of factories
c)
continuous farming and over-grazing
d)
repeated use by nomads and camel caravans
18.
Why are droughts a problem for farmers in the Sahel?
a)
animals move into the desert to find water
b)
the desert stops expanding when there is rain in the Sahel
c)
the soil is of poor quality and dry conditions result in even fewer crops
d)
people do not try to farm in the Sahel any more due to the increased rainfall
19.
Which is a result of desertification for the people living in the Sahel region?
a)
increased tourism
b)
more jobs in manufacturing
c)
increased starvation and poverty
d)
decreased support from the UN
20.
Which has been a major cause of desertification?
a)
years of uncontrolled flooding
b)
overuse of the land by the people
c)
heavy seasonal winds coming off the desert
d)
sharp and unexpected changes in the climate
21.
Which African country is losing its rainforest most rapidly today?
a)
Egypt
b)
Congo
c)
Kenya
d)
Nigeria
22.
Why is most rainforest lost today?
a)
unchecked forest fires
b)
harsh drought and high winds
c)
diseases that attack old growth trees
d)
logging for industry, farming, and fuel
23.
What is meant by the "Green Line" when one is talking about desertification?
a)
the line between the desert and cultivated areas
b)
the line dividing rural and urban neighborhoods
c)
the point in a river at which water pollution begins
d)
a barrier put up around factories to keep people away for their own safety
24.

What would prevent desertification?

a)

better farming practices and more rainfall

b)

drought and creating national parks

c)

planting trees and erosion

d)

overgrazing of livestock and heavy irrigation

25.

What is the biggest cause of deforestation in the tropical rainforest?

a)

overpopulation

b)

water pollution

c)

people over hunting the wildlife

d)

people cutting down trees to clear land for farming

26.

The political cartoon describes what environmental issue?

a)

desertification

b)

deforestation

c)

water pollution

d)

water scarcity

27.

How can desertification impact people in Africa?

a)

it can lead to an increase in economic growth-due to people moving to cities

b)

it can lead to starvation or force people to migrate due to lack of resources

c)

it can cause deforestation in the tropical rainforest

d)

it can cause the water to be come polluted or contaminated

28.

How has water contamination impacted children in Africa?

a)

Millions of children have died because of diarrheal diseases from drinking contaminated water.

b)

Children in Africa have not had to deal with contaminated water.

c)

Millions of children have died because of malnutrition.

d)

Many boys in Africa have to spend many hours a day trying to find clean water for their families.

29.

Which of these areas is MOST at risk for desertification?

a)

tropical rainforest

b)

Sahel

c)

savanna

d)

Great Rift Valley

30.

What would be a good title for the list below?

*agriculture

*logging

*population growth

*slash and burn

a)

Causes of Desertification

b)

Effects of Desertification

c)

Effects of Deforestation

d)

Causes of Deforestation

31.

Deforestation, over-grazing, over-farming, and drought are all _____ , and they most impact the ___ region of Africa.

a)

causes of deforestation / tropical rainforest

b)

effects of desertification / savanna

c)

causes of desertification / Sahel

d)

effects of deforestation / Sahara

32.

Which is an impact of unequal access to water in Africa?

a)

People use too much water for irrigation.

b)

People get diseases from water born bacteria.

c)

People have to move from Africa to North America.

d)

People have built numerous desalination plants in Africa.

33.

What are the main causes of water pollution in Africa?

a)

acid rain and salt water

b)

sewage, salt water, bacteria, and soil

c)

fertilizers, sewage, natural bacteria, and industrial waste

d)

acid rain, oil, and waste from factory farms

34.

What type of job would you find in the Tropical Rain Forest?

a)

lumber/timber

b)

herders of camels

c)

oil field worker

d)

herders of goats

35.

Which climate zone is hot with lots of rain?

a)

desert

b)

Sahel

c)

Savanna

d)

Tropical Rain Forest

36.

Which climate zone of Africa is semi-arid and only gets 4-8 in of rain?

a)

desert

b)

Sahel

c)

Savanna

d)

Tropical Rain Forest

37.

Which climate region has animals like elephants, zebras, giraffes, and lions.

a)

desert

b)

Sahel

c)

Savanna

d)

Tropical Rain Forest

38.

Due to the lack of water, heat, and environment, people in the Sahara are ________.

a)

Nomads

b)

Farmers

c)

Hunters

d)

Inventors

39.

A savanna is ___.

a)

a large forest with heavy rainfall.

b)

a rolling grassland with few trees.

c)

a wide open water less area.

d)

a warm temperate climate near an ocean.

40.

Sub-Sahara means?

a)

The Sahara Desert region of Africa

b)

Africa south of the Sahara Desert

c)

Africa north of the Sahara Desert

d)

Area east of the Sahara Desert often called the "horn of Africa"

41.
Which statement is TRUE?
a)
The northern most part of Africa is the most populous.
b)

Farming is not possible in Africa.

c)
New weather patterns are preventing industrial growth.
d)
More people live south of the Sahara than north of it.
42.
Based on what you know about Africa’s population distribution around geographic features, where do you think most of Egypt's people live?
a)
In the Sahara desert
b)
In the Atlas Mountains
c)
In the Great Rift Valley
d)
In the Nile River Valley
43.
Which region is being described: "Very few people live here because climate is too hot, water is scarce, and it is impossible to farm"?
a)
The region at Letter A
b)
The region at Letter B
c)
The region at Letter C
d)
The region at Letter D
44.
In what region are some of Africa's most populated cities located?
a)
The region at Letter A
b)
The region at Letter B
c)
The region at Letter C
d)
The region at Letter D
45.
Which African regions are sparsely populated? Check all that apply.
a)
The region at Letter A
b)
The region at Letter B
c)
The region at Letter C
d)
The region at Letter D
46.

The area indicated with the red arrow has a very low population density because it

a)

floods annually.

b)

is dominated by desert.

c)

has been plagued by invasion.

d)

is prone to outbreaks of disease.

47.

Which factor is MOST LIKLEY to have had the greatest impact on human settlement patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa?

a)

proximity to the region's numerous coal mines

b)

proximity to water sources needed for subsistence farming

c)

political boundaries created during European colonization

d)

urbanization resulting from the growth of the oil industry in the region

48.

Which African countries have a desert climate in some of their territory?

a)

DR Congo

b)

Egypt

c)

Kenya

d)

Sudan

e)

South Africa

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