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Chapter 18 Physical Geography of Africa The Plateau Continent

Chapter 18 Physical Geography of Africa The Plateau Continent. Objective: Analyze key features of Africa’s physical geography, climate/vegetation, & human-environment interaction. Chapter 18 Section 1 Landforms & Resources.

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Chapter 18 Physical Geography of Africa The Plateau Continent

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  1. Chapter 18Physical Geography of AfricaThe Plateau Continent Objective: Analyze key features of Africa’s physical geography, climate/vegetation, & human-environment interaction

  2. Chapter 18 Section 1Landforms & Resources Vocabulary: Basin, Nile River, Rift Valley, Mount Kilimanjaro, & Escarpment Objective: Describe the distinctive African landforms of rift valleys, lakes, mountains, & escarpments

  3. A Vast Plateau • Africa moved very little during continental drift • Plateaus are Africa’s most prominent physical features • Several basins lie throughout the plateaus • The Nile River is the longest river in the world covering more than 4,000 miles • Africa contains waterfalls, rapids, & gorges

  4. Distinctive African Landforms • As continental plates pulled apart, it formed Rift Valleys in Africa • Lakes are formed at the bottom of the rift valleys • Lake Tanganyika is the longest freshwater lake in the world located within the rift valley • Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain

  5. Africa’s Wealth of Resources • Africa has a large amount of resources but lacks the industrial base & money to develop them • Africa has large quantities of gold, platinum, chromium, cobalt, copper, phosphates, diamonds, & other minerals • Due to European colonial rule, African nations have been slow to develop the infrastructure & industries to turn the resources into valuable products • Libya, Nigeria, & Algeria have oil reserves

  6. Diversity of Resources • Coffee is the most profitable commodity in Africa • They grow 20% of the world’s supply • Lumber is another important commodity in Africa • Other major commodities include sugar, palm oil, & cocoa • 66% of Africans earn their living from farming

  7. Chapter 18 Section 2Climate & Vegetation Vocabulary: Sahara, Aquifer, Oasis, Serengeti Plain, & Canopy Objective: Explain the distribution of warm climates in Africa

  8. A Warm Continent • The Sahara is the largest desert in the world, that stretches 3,000 miles across the continent • Temperatures can rise as high as 134 degrees during the day but freezing at night • Travelers rely on camels who can go up to 17 days without water • Underground water called aquifers are located below the desert • Oasis support vegetation & wildlife

  9. Sunshine & Rainfall • Rainfall in Africa is often a matter of extremes; some areas get too much rain, while other parts receive too little • It also varies year to year & season to season • Central Africa receives the most precipitation, as rain falls throughout the year • In the Sahara may not see rain for years

  10. A Grassy Continent • Africa’s vegetation consists of grasslands, rain forests, & a wide variety of other plant life • The Serengeti Plain has dry climate & hard soil that prevents the growth of trees & many crops • However it has a vast quantity of grass

  11. Africa’s Extremes • The major rain forest of Africa is on the Congo Basin • The massive number of plants, leaves, & trees block out much of the sunlight • Most animals in the rain forest live in the canopy (uppermost layer of branches) • Farmers use slash & burn to clear the land

  12. Chapter 18 Section 3Human-Environment Interaction Objective: Niger Delta, Sahel, Desertification, Aswan High Dam, & Silt Objective: Explain the harm caused by oil operations in Nigeria

  13. Desertification of the Sahel • Sahel: narrow band of dry grassland that runs along the Sahara • Desertification is an expansion of dry conditions into moist areas that are next to deserts • Human causes of desertification include overgrazing, farming, irrigation, & overpopulations • Desertification is destroying land & is difficult to slow down

  14. Harming the Environment in Nigeria • Oil accounts for 80% of Nigeria’s income • Nigeria’s government owed millions of dollars in loans to drill more oil • Mismanagement, poor planning, corruption, & decline in oil prices has left Nigeria poor then before the oil boom • 4,000 oil spills have occurred & very little clean up is done • Nigeria has started economic reforms & trying to find ways for Nigeria to benefit again

  15. Controlling the Nile • Egypt has faced issues controlling the floodwaters of the Nile River • They build the Aswan High Dam that keeps the water year round & releases its for farmers • The dam has increased farmable land by 50% • However it causes issues with no deposits of silt & less fertile soil

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