95% of Egyptians depend on Nile for water

Created as plates pull apart causing the land to sink in

Mountains are mostly volcanoes

Mt. Kilimanjaro

19,340 ft

Steep slope with a nearly flat plateau on top

South Africa World’s largest

producer of chromium used in stainless steel

80% of world’s platinum

30% of world’s gold

Central Africa 42% of world’s cobalt makes high grade

steel for aircraft and industrial engines Europeans colonized the regions and exported the

resources. This slowed the industrialization process in Africa.

Libya, Nigeria, Algeria and Angola make up 7% of the world’s oil

Angola spends $ from oil to pay for a civil war

20% of world’s coffee Agriculture is the single most important

economic activity = 66% of population

Largest desert in the world

Central Africa gets the most, spread evenly throughout the year

Rest of Africa has one or two rain seasons Closer to equator = longer rain season Closer to desert = longer dry season

Aquifer – huge stores of under ground water Oasis – place where aquifer breaks through

the earth

90% of continent lies between tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

Hottest areas in Sahara do not have much difference in seasons

Dry climate and hard soil bad for crops but good for grass

Many grazing animals such as wildebeest, gazelles and zebra

Most animals live in the canopy – upper layer of branches

2nd largest on Earth

Expansion of dry conditions into moist areas that are next to deserts

Caused by overgrazing, farming, increased population

Causing rain forests to disappear Sahara is expanding at 30 sq. mi. per year

4,000 oil spills in 40 years

Cleanup is slow or nonexistent

Creates acid rain and soot

Pipeline explosions killed 2,000 people in 2 years

Built dam to control flood waters

Created Lake Nasser Control of river allows for

2 or 3 harvests per year Increased farmable land Helps Egypt avoid floods

and drought

Most diamonds are found in river beds and streams through alluvial mining requiring only a shovel, a pan, and hard labor to mine.

Diamonds are not rare or scarce. Through its enormous wealth, power, and

influence, De Beers is able to buy large amounts of diamonds whenever countries attempt to flood the market.

Because of De Beers, the price of diamonds has remained steady despite civil wars and conflict. The average diamond ring, for example, is marked up 100% to 200%.

Rebel groups use the profits from the sale of diamonds to purchase weapons.

In the past 15 years, over 6 million people from Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have become refugees after being forced from their homes by diamond fueled conflict.

Millions more have died in diamond related conflicts over the past 15 years.