SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Physical Geography

INTRODUCTION Massive continent, 2nd largest. Large, complex, and often

misunderstood Equally in North and South hemisphere

2ND LARGEST CONTINENT

A VAST PLATEAU Huge plateau covers most of Africa (1,000

ft. above sea level).

Basins - huge depressions on plateau (Chad, Sudan, Congo Basins). Water collects here.

Plateaus separated by escarpments—steep slope with flat plateau on top

RIVERS Africa’s rivers contain many waterfalls,

rapids, and gorges. These features make rivers less useful

for transportation Congo River (2,900 mi.)- largest

network of waterways on the African continent, largely impassable (32 waterfalls)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66qKHLhAWyQ

DISTINCTIVE LANDFORMS Rift Valleys- long thin valley created by

the moving apart of continental plates in East Africa.

Stretch over 4,000 mi. from Jordan to Mozambique

LANDFORMS Mount Kilimanjaro- Africa’s highest

mountain (19,343 ft.)

LANDFORMS Lake Victoria- Africa’s largest lake World’s second largest fresh water lake

LANDFORMS Lake Tanganyika- longest fresh water

lake in the world (420 miles)

VICTORIA FALLS

NATURAL RESOURCES Story of plenty and scarcity Africa has a large amount of the world’s

minerals, but many countries lack the industrial base or money to develop them

Major source of conflict in the area

CASE STUDY: WEST AFRICA

Ghana’s Stability Sierra Leone

Exports gold, diamonds, magnesium, bauxite to industrialized countries

second highest per capita income in West Africa

Post-colonial switch to democracy brought military rule, civil war

past decade’s free elections and political stability grow the economy

Once produced high-quality diamonds, but civil wars destroyed economy

Low 31% literacy rate means few skilled workers

Poor transportation system, few highways and roads

WEALTH OF MINERALS One of the world’s richest continents Large amounts of gold, platinum(South Africa-

80%), chromium (South Africa, world largest producer), cobalt (42 % of world’s supply), copper, diamonds, and many others

Ores and minerals account for ½ of export value.

This mineral wealth hasn’t meant economic prosperity for most of the population.

19th-20th century European colonialism to develop these resources, many nations have been slow to develop infrastructure and industries as a result.

OIL RESOURCES Nigeria is a leading petroleum producer,

Angola and Gabon have developing petroleum industries.

DIVERSITY OF RESOURCES Agriculture- single most important

economic activity (1/3 of exports). 66% earn their living via agriculture

Coffee, 2nd most profitable commodity (20%)

Lumber Sugar, palm oil, cocoa Cash crops for direct sale (coffee,

tea, sugar) such crops take up farmland

needed for growing food

*ISSUE: BUILDING INDUSTRIES

Commodity- agricultural or mining product that can be sold

“One-commodity” countries rely on export of one or two commodities

value varies daily based on worldwide supply and demand

this makes “one-commodity” nations’ economies unstable

Economists want Africans to diversify, or create variety in economies

promote manufacturing to achieve economic growth and stability

CLIMATE Most of Sub-Saharan Africa lies between

the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (90%), has a tropical climate with warm temperatures.

This area experiences two seasons (2 wet, 2 dry), defined by rainfall, the temperatures never drop below freezing.

Why is that important? In temperate zones rain is reliable

(North), but in other areas it can be very unreliable.

Drought= fact of life (especially in the East)

CLIMATE

A GRASSY CONTINENT Grasslands, rain forests, and various

plants Tropical grasslands covers most of the

continent. Serengeti Plain- in Northern Tanzania-

some of the best grasslands in the world, many grazing animals (wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras)

Place where the largest numbers of land mammals still make annual migrations.

RAIN FOREST The major rainforests are located near

the equator, in the Congo Basin. Home to hundreds of tree species, birds

etc. Most animals live in the canopy,

uppermost layer of branches.

TOURISM: WEALTH AND PROBLEMS Wildlife parks in Kenya, Uganda,

Tanzania attract tourists, income need for food, farmland is threatening

wildlife reserves Mountain Gorilla

HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION Sahel- “shore of the desert.” A narrow

band of grassland that runs east to west along the southern edge of the Sahara.

Since the 1960s the desert has spread into the Sahel.

This shift is called desertification, which is the expansion of dry conditions into moist areas next to the desert.

Typically this is a long term process, but human activity is accelerating this process.

DESERTIFICATION Overgrazing of vegetation by livestock

exposes the soil, animals also trample soil.

Farming- clearing of land exposes soil to wind. Also, drilling for irrigation prevents the growth of vegetation.

Increasing population levels- require more food = over farming and clearing of land

Results- slowly this process is destroying tropical rainforest around Lake Chad etc.

NIGERIA Oil discovered here in 1956. Rich deposits in the Niger Delta made

the country one of the wealthiest in Africa.

However, the drilling for oil leads to damaged land and a threat to the human population.

Today, Nigeria is the 6th leading oil exporter in the world = 80-90% of income.

Extract 2 million barrels per day, most going to the U.S.

OIL IN NIGERIA In the 1970s high oil process led the

g’ment to borrow heavily for the future sell of oil, but the prices fell.

Mismanagement, poor planning, corruption, and declining prices = economic decline.

Ethnic conflicts and resentment from oil wealth

DESTROYING LAND AND PEOPLE More than 4,000 oil spills occurred in the

Niger Delta over the past 4 decades. Cleanup operations have been slow,

sometimes nonexistent Fires often result, acid rain is produced,

respiratory diseases. Pipeline explosions killed more than

2,000 ppl. (1998-2000)- bandits trying to resell oil.

MADAGASCAR Largest amount of funds for

conservation 4th largest island One of the richest ecologies, with 25%

of the flowering plants in Africa