The African Nations

I. Africa A. Location

1. East of North and South America, south of Europe2. Surrounded by the Indian and Atlantic Oceans3. 2nd largest continent in the world

a. divided into 5 sections: North, South, Central, East and West

B. Landforms1. Atlas Mts. Africa’s longest range located in

North Africaa. separate the Sahara from the

Mediterranean Sea

2. Mt. Kilimanjaro- highest mountain in Africa3. desert- hot area with little rainfall

a. oasis- fertile land in the desertb. Sahara Desert- largest in the world

4. Savanna- short grassy plain5. Rainforest-dense forest with large amounts of

rainfall6. Waterways

a. Nile River- longest river in the worldi. flows North

b. Congo River- flows through the rainforestin Central Africa

c. Niger River- provides water for farmersd. Zambezi River- used for hydroelectric

poweri. Victoria Falls- where the Zambezi

River empties into the Indian Ocean7. Islands- Madagascar. Canary Cape Verde8. Valleys- Great Rift Valley

Congo River

Niger River

Victoria Falls

Madagascar

C.Natural Resources1. Cacao trees- used to make chocolate2. subsistence farming- growing crops to support your

family3. cash crops- growing crops to sell4. minerals- oil, petroleum, gold, diamonds

D. Early People1. earliest people were hunter-gatherers

a. gathered fruits and nuts, hunted for food and clothing

b. Made tools out of stone and bone2. domesticated plants and animals

a. planted certain crops, raised certain animalsb. did not travelc. became civilized

i. people with governments, social classesart and writing

ii. Bantu Language- people who spoke this language migrated (moved) all over Africa. Eventuallydeveloped into different ethnic groups.

E. North Africa1. Egypt (Ancient)

a. Pharaohs ruled Egypti. Pyramids were their burial tombs

1. Great Pyramids- located in Giza2. Sphinx- guardians of the city

ii. Mummy- body treated for burialiii. Hieroglyphics- ancient Egyptian writing

became extinct after the Christians took over Egypt1. Rosetta Stone helped crack the

code of the ancient hieroglyphics

Pyramids of Giza

Close up of the pyramids

Front and side view ofthe Sphinx

Sarcophagus of a Pharaoh

King Tut’s Tomb and burial mask

King Tut’s Sarcophagus

His mummified skull andreplication of what he lookedlike when he ruled

2. Modern Egypta. Religion- Islamic or Muslimb. Quran- holy book, main source of

their law1. based on the deeds & words of

Muhammad2. stresses the importance of honor

honesty and giving to others3. says men and women are equal

in the eyes of Godc. mosque- Muslim place of worship

F. West Africa1. Nigeria

a. multiethnic- variety of ethnic groupsand cultures who speak avariety of different languages

b. More people live in Nigeria than inany other country in Africa

c. once a British colony but gained itsindependence in 1980

G. East Africa1. Ethiopia

a. Only African country besides Egypt to havea written history

b. Was the center of trade for Eastern Africai. Severe drought caused poverty throughout

the land (1977-1979; 1984-1986)ii. USA and England

held concerts, (Live Aide) to help people in Ethiopia

H. Central Africa1. Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

a. one of the world’s main sources of copperb. 4 major regions

i. Congo Rainforest- dense forest ii. Northern Uplands- covered in grasslands iii. Eastern Highlands- grasslands and forests iv. Southern Uplands- flat plainsc. 2/3 of the people farm, mining produces the

country’s wealth.d. military leader- Mobuto (until 1997)

1. authoritarian government -single leader or Small group all the power.

2. nationalized industry- put under government Control.

Cutting down theRainforest

Congo Rainforest

Mobuto: Leader of Zaire

I Southern Africa1. South Africa

a. lies at the Southern most tip of Africab. one of the wealthiest African Countriesc. cultural differences

i. black South Africans arrived 1500 years agoii. White South Africans arrived about 400

years ago, settled in Cape Towniii. Considered themselves superior

called themselves Afrikaners, spokeAfrikaans language

d. apartheid- separateness, people were separatedaccording to race

i. Apartheid made discrimination legal ii. Countries around the world fought against

apartheid stopped trading with South Africa banned Athletes from the Olympicsiii. 1990 William de Klerk passed a law banning apartheidiv. 1994 first elections held in which all people,

regardless of race. Were able to vote.**Nelson Mandela – Black South

Africanwho had been in jail for over 20 yrs. won the

election**still divided because of race…

government working on this