Presenter Name Presentation Date

1. Presenter Name Presentation Date

2. Big Ideas Section 1: Physical Features BIG IDEA Physical processes shape Earth’s surface. Over thousands of years, the movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates has shaped the landforms of Africa south of the Sahara. The region’s landscape includes large plateaus, rocky cliffs, and great, steep valleys.

3. Physical Features A large camel can drink 25 gallons (95 L) of water in 10 minutes! It then stores the water in its bloodstream. Camels sweat very little, so the water they drink can last for weeks. Unlike a camel, a person in a desert can lose about two gallons of water a day by sweating! Humans must replace water frequently. Water is more plentiful in some regions of Africa south of the Sahara than in others. Read on to learn more about the physical features of this region.

4. Landforms of Africa South of the Sahara Main Idea Africa south of the Sahara consists mainly of vast plateaus with few mountains and lowlands. Geography and You Do you know what the landscape might look like if tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface pulled apart? Read to learn about the amazing landscape of Africa’s Great Rift Valley.

5. Four Regions Africa south of the Sahara is more than two and a half times larger than the United States. As Figure 1 shows, this enormous region is made up of four subregions, or smaller regions: West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa. Africa south of the Sahara extends from the Sahara in the north to Africa’s southern tip at the Cape of Good Hope.

6. Plateaus and Lowlands Almost all of Africa south of the Sahara lies on a series of plateaus. The plateaus are formed from the solid rock that lies under most of the African continent. They rise like steps across the continent from west to east, as well as from the coasts into the interior. Many of these landforms rise from 1,000 to 2,000 feet (305 to 610 m) in western Africa to 7,000 feet (2,134 m) or more in the east. The plateaus give Africa south of the Sahara the highest overall elevation of any world region—more than 1,000 feet (305 m) above sea level.

7. In eastern and southern Africa, the edges of plateaus are often marked by escarpments. Escarpmentsare steep, jagged cliffs. Rivers that flow across plateaus drop suddenly at escarpments to become rushing rapids or tumbling waterfalls. Escarpments create barriers to trade by blocking ships from sailing between the interior and the sea. Water Travel

8. Victoria Falls

9. Stupid People

10. More Stupid People

11. Mountains Mountains Although Africa south of the Sahara generally has a high elevation, it has only a few long mountain ranges and towering summits. In the east are the Ethiopian Highlands, as well as volcanic mountain peaks, such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest peak in the region, rising to a height of 19,341 feet (5,895 m). The name Kilimanjarocomes from a phrase in the Swahili language that means “shining mountain.”

12. Look at Satellite Image

13. Few features break the flatness of Africa’s large plateau areas. In eastern Africa, however, an amazing natural wonder—the Great Rift Valley—cuts through the landscape. The Great Rift Valley stretches about 4,000 miles (6,437 km) from Southwest Asia to southern Africa. A rift valley is a large break in the Earth’s surface formed by shifting tectonic plates. Millions of years ago, plate movements created deep cuts in the Earth’s crust where the Great Rift Valley now lies. The Great Rift Valley

14. Waterways of theRegion • Main Idea Waterways provide transportation, freshwater, and electricity for Africans living south of the Sahara. • Geography and You Do people travel on rivers or fish in lakes where you live? Read to find out about the ways Africans south of the Sahara use their rivers and lakes.

15. Lakes • Most of the region’s large lakes lie in or near East Africa’s Great Rift Valley. One of these lakes, Lake Tanganyika (tan·guhn·YEE·kuh), is 420 miles (676 km) in length, making it the longest fresh water lake in the world. Lake Victoria lies in a low basin and is Africa’s largest lake.

17. Doing Your Best Work Stop and look at Pictures http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Africa/Kenya/West/Nyanza/Kisumu/photo994186.htm

18. Rivers Africa south of the Sahara has four large river systems—the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi (zam·BEE·zee). All of these rivers begin in the interior plateaus and make their way to the sea. In some places these rivers and their many branches are useful for freshwater and transportation, but geographical barriers limit their use in other areas. The Zambezi River in southern Africa plunges over a cliff, creating Victoria Falls, a series of waterfalls that drop as much as 420 feet (128 m). The thick mist from the falls can be seen from miles away. Many, like the Congo, flow through plateaus and carve deep gorges, or steep-sided valleys formed when rivers cut through the land.

20. Mineral Resources Main Idea Africa south of the Sahara holds both a great variety and large quantities of mineral resources. Geography and YouHave you ever seen diamond rings displayed in the window of a jewelry store? Read to discover where many of the world’s diamonds are found. Blood Diamonds

21. Oil • Africa south of the Sahara is rich in energy resources. Plentiful petroleum deposits are found along the Atlantic coast from Nigeria to Angola. Landlocked Chad and Sudan also have large petroleum deposits. Oil has replaced agricultural products as the principal export in many of these countries.

22. Liberia

23. Other important resources • Other important resources include natural gas, which is also found in Central African countries along the Atlantic coast. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of South Africa have coal deposits. In addition, the region provides an important resource by means of its fast-flowing rivers—hydroelectric power.

24. Gold and Diamonds • Africa south of the Sahara has large deposits of precious materials. South Africa is believed to have half of the world’s gold. A gold deposit more than 300 miles (483 km) long is located in the Transvaal, a grassy plateau. South Africa is also rich in platinum, chromium, and manganese. • Many gemstones are mined in Africa south of the Sahara, including diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. South Africa is a major diamond producer. Not all of the diamonds are used for jewelry, however. Because diamonds are such a hard substance, industrial diamonds are used to make drills, saws, and grinding tools.

25. ClimateRegions • Fishponds? Puddles? No! The holes in the ground are actually evaporation ponds in Niger. The water in the ponds evaporates, leaving behind salt. The plentiful sunshine and the mainly dry climate of Niger speed up the evaporation process. Then people gather the salt and take it to market to sell. Read this section to learn about other climates in Africa and how they affect the people who live there

26. Factors AffectingClimate

27. Main Idea Most of Africa south of the Sahara has warm or hot climates. Rainfall, however, varies greatly throughout the region. Geography and You Have you ever lived through a long period without much rain? Read to learn about how lack of rain affects the lives of people in parts of Africa south of the Sahara.

28. Africa south of the Sahara lies mainly in the Tropics. As a result, most of the region receives the direct rays of the sun year round, producing generally high temperatures. At higher elevations in this latitude, the climate is very different, however. For example, places with high elevation, such as mountains, often are cooler than low land plains at the same latitude.

29. The rain forests of Central and West Africa receive more than 80 inches (203 cm) of rain annually. By contrast, the Namib Desert in Southern Africa often gets less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain per year. Some parts of Africa south of the Sahara have long droughts, or periods of time when there is no rain at all. Droughts can cause crop failures and widespread starvation.

30. Tropical and DryClimates • Main Idea Most of Africa south of the Sahara is covered by tropical or dry climate zones. • Geography and You What kind of trees and plants grow best in your area? Read to find out how climate affects vegetation in Africa south of the Sahara. • Suppose you are standing at the Equator in Africa. Traveling either north or south, you would pass through the same pattern of climate zones: from tropical wet to tropical dry, then to steppe, and then desert.

31. Tropical Wet Climate • A tropical wet climate is found along the Equator in Central Africa and West Africa. Hot temperatures and plentiful rainfall in this zone support the growth of rain forests. Rain forests are dense stands of trees and other plants that receive high amounts of precipitation each year.

32. In a rain forest, vegetation grows at several different levels. The forest floor has mosses, ferns, and shrubs. Above these, palms and other trees grow about 60 feet (18 m) high. The tops of the highest trees form an umbrella-like covering called the canopy. The forest canopy is alive with tropical flowers, fruits, monkeys, parrots, snakes, and insects.

33. Rain forests support an enormousvariety of plant and animal life. Many tropical African countries rely on the sale of products from the rain forests, such as wood, for income. In addition, farmers clear the land for new farmland. They also depend on cut wood for fuel. All of these practices have led to deforestation, or the widespread clearing of forestland. The soil on the cleared lands, however, quickly becomes less fertile. Farmers are then forced to clear even more forestland to grow their crops.

34. Ecotourism • To preserve rain forests, and boost their economies, some African countries are encouraging ecotourism. Ecotourismis touring a place without causing harm to the environment. Ecotourists thus help increase a region’s revenue while preserving the environment.

35. Tropical Dry Climate Farther from the Equator, rain forests give way to great stretches of tropical savanna, or grasslands with scattered woods. In this climate zone, temperatures remain hot all year, but rainfall amounts are much lower than in rain forest areas. Rains are heavy in the summer but light in the winter.

36. Steppe • Continuing farther from the Equator, rainfall becomes more scarce, and savannas merge into drier steppes. In these areas, only about 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 cm) of rain falls over the course of a few months each year. Vegetation includes different varieties of trees, thick shrubs, and grasses. • Steppe areas are threatened by desertification, the process that turns fertile land into land that is too dry to support life.

37. Deserts • In very dry areas of Africa, deserts dominate the landscape. The largest are the Sahara in the north and the Kalahari and the Namib in the south. The Sahara has high temperatures and little rain. Instead of sandy dunes, it contains barren rock or stony plains covered by rocky gravel. Very little vegetation can live outside the oases and the highlands. • By contrast, the Kalahari in Southern Africa is covered by vast stretches of sand. It has high temperatures and little rainfall. When rains do fall, they are immediately absorbed by the sand, leaving the surface dry. Certain areas of the Kalahari have trees with long roots that reach the moisture in the deep sand. • The Namib, along the southwestern coast, is made up of rocks and dunes. This desert is arid, but temperatures tend to be cooler than in other African deserts because of breezes from the ocean. Fog that forms along the coast reaches the desert and provides moisture to many varieties of succulents. Succulentsare plants such as cacti with thick, fleshy leaves that can conserve moisture.

38. Moderate ClimateRegions • Main Idea Small areas of Africa south of the Sahara have moderate climate regions. • Geography and You Is it extremely hot or cold where you live, or is the climate more moderate? Read to learn about the areas of Africa south of the Sahara that have moderate climates.

39. Climate • moderate climates are found in coastal Southern Africa and the highlands of East Africa. These areas have comfortable temperatures and enough rainfall for farming. • Southeastern Africa has a humid subtropical climate of hot, wet summers and mild, wet winters. The farther south you go in Africa south of the Sahara, the farther you are from the Equator. As a result, temperatures become cooler.

40. Seasons • Southwestern Africa has a Mediterranean climate. Here, winters are mild and wet, but the summers are warm and dry. Because the area is south of the Equator, seasons occur opposite of those in the United States. • Autumn occurs in April, a period when some rain may fall. However, most rain falls during the area’s winter months, which are June through August. Highland climates are found in areas of higher elevation in East Africa. Temperatures in the highlands are cooler than in surrounding areas because of the higher altitude. Snow often falls at high elevations, and vegetation is abundant at lower elevations.

42. History andGovernments • Early African History • Main Idea African peoples built successful societies in the region beginning in ancient times. • Geography and You If you moved to a place far away, what would you bring to your new home? Read to learn how a large migration in ancient Africa spread a common culture throughout the continent.

43. Early History • Early Africans lived as hunter-gatherers, or people who moved from place to place to hunt and gather food. Over time, people began to herd livestock and to farm. As northern Africa’s climate became drier and hotter, many people began migrating southward to more fertile areas. Around 3000 b.c., a migration that lasted several thousand years began. The migrants, a people known as the Bantu, shared a common language, culture, and technology. The Bantu migrated from modern-day

44. East and Southern Africa • Some of Africa’s earliest kingdoms developed in East and southern Africa. Around 800 b.c., Kush developed along the Nile River in present-day Sudan. The people of Kush grew wealthy from trade and ironworking. Kush gold, ivory, and iron products were traded as far as Egypt and Southwest Asia. As Kush’s wealth increased, its rulers built temples and monuments like those of Egypt. During the a.d. 300s, however, Kush was defeated by the neighboring kingdom of Axum.

45. West Africa’s Trading Empires • As Figure 1 shows, three trading empires emerged in West Africa from the a.d. 800s to the a.d. 1500s. Ghana (GAH·nuh), the earliest empire, controlled trade between the Sahara and West Africa’s rain forests. Over these routes, traders brought salt and cloth and exchanged them for gold and ivory. By taxing this trade, Ghana became very wealthy. In the late 1000s, North African invaders disrupted Ghana’s trade and the kingdom collapsed.

46. Mali • The empire of Mali replaced Ghana. Like Ghana, Mali grew wealthy from farming and from control of the gold and salt trade. Its most famous ruler, Mansa Musa, was a skilled administrator. During his rule, Timbuktu (tihm∙buhk∙TOO) became a center of trade, education, and Islamic culture.

47. European Contact • Main Idea After 1500, increased contact with Europeans led to great changes in Africa south of the Sahara. • Geography and You Has a new business, store, or factory moved into your community? What effect did it have? Read to find out about the effects of European commerce on Africa’s peoples.

48. Portugal • In the 1400s and 1500s, Europeans began trading with African societies. Merchants from Portugal set up trading posts along Africa’s western coast, and traders from other countries soon followed. The arrival of Europeans in Africa south of the Sahara dramatically changed the region.

49. The Slave Trade • One of the many changes was the growth of the slave trade. Europeans did not introduce slavery or the slave trade to the African continent. For centuries, African rulers had enslaved and traded prisoners. Arab traders had brought enslaved Africans to the Islamic world since the a.d. 800s.

50. The slave trade • The slave trade, however, greatly increased when Europeans began shipping Africans to the Americas. There, the Africans were forced to grow sugar and other cash crops. In Africa, African traders armed with European guns seized captives and delivered them to European trading posts on the coast. European traders then shipped the captured people across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold into slavery. Between about 1500 and the late 1800s, nearly 12 million Africans were sent to the Americas.