Intro to Africa Chapter 24

Historical Overview �  First humans were there 100,000 years ago. �  Migration encouraged by climate change. �  7,000 years ago, Sahara had a wetter climate.

-World’s first domestic cattle. �  Egyptian civilization rose 5,000 years ago. �  1500s, Europeans traded guns for gold and ivory.

Sought slaves for colonies in Americas. �  1800s, African countries under foreign rule by

European countries.

Physical Characteristics �  Highest mountains are along northern and eastern

edges. �  Mainly plateaus.

Climates �  Rain falls in broad zones along the equator. �  Farther north and south are desert climates. �  Mediterranean climate (wet winters and dry

summers) happens at northern and southern edges.

Climates

Ecosystems �  Far north and south are temperate grasslands. �  Sahara desert in north. �  Most of Africa is a savanna.

Ecosystems

People and Cultures �  Wide range of people, language and culture. �  South of Sahara speak over 800 languages. �  Population concentrated in Nile Valley, Nigeria, East

African highlands, and certain coastal areas.

People and Cultures

Economics, Technology and Environment

�  Most common economic activities are subsistence farming and nomadic herding (herders move their flocks to different pastures throughout the year)

�  Some areas soil suffers from leaching (dissolving and washing away of nutrients)

�  Great mineral wealth with some of the richest deposits of gold, diamonds, and petroleum in the world.

Economics, Technology and Environment