The Plateau Continent

Africa

Landforms and Resources

• Shape and landforms are result of location in Pangea.– Other continents

moved a great amount while present day Africa moved very little

True size of Africa

Vast Plateau

• Majority of land lies on a plateau that stretches across the continent.– The majority of land is

1000 ft. above sea level

– Basins: depressions in the ground

– Nile River: world’s longest river, 4,000 mi. long, flows N to Egypt

NileMed

Victoria Falls:One of the 7 Wonders of the World

Distinctive African Landforms

• Rift Valleys: continental plates pull apart, form huge cracks, land sinks– Stretch 4,000 mi. – Lakes form at the bottom

• Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa’s Highest Mount.) are both volcanoes

• Escarpment: steep slope with a flat plateau

Resources

• Minerals– Gold, platinum,

chromium, cobalt, copper & diamonds

– Because of colonialism, Africa hasn’t developed the infrastructure needed to make a profit

Diamond Miners

• Oil– Libya, Angola, Nigeria

and Algeria are leading producers

– American oil companies pay fee to Angola which turns and uses money to fund ongoing civil war.

Diversity of Resources

• Coffee– Most profitable after oil

• Lumber• Agriculture

– Single most important econ. activity

– 60% of Africans earn their living in farming

Climate and Vegetation

• Warm Continent• Sahara: largest desert in

world. –Temp. H: 136.4° (day), below freezing at night

• Aquifers: underground stores of H²O. Known as an oasis when they reach surface

• Tropical weather all year long

– 90% of land lies between tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn

Sahara

Sunshine and Rainfall

• Rain forest receives most rain (on or near Equator)

• W coast receives a great deal

• Moderate area (N & S tips) only receives rain in winter

Grassy Continent

• Tropical Grasslands cover most of Africa– Serengeti Plain: grassland in N. Tanzania– Perfect for animals to graze

Serengeti

Rain Forest– Sits along Equator area of Congo basin– Wide variety of plant & animals

• Most live in the canopy (near the tops of the trees)

– Farmers using slash and burn have cut down ½ already, now endangered

Human Environment Interaction

• Nigeria– Sixth leading oil producer, most shipped to U.S.– Oil spills (4,000 in 40 yrs)

• Oil pipeline explosions, sabotage by rebels• Fires lead to acid rain

Desertification of Sahel• Sahel: shore of the desert

– Desertification: expansion of dry conditions into moist areas that are near desert• Normal, natural process that is sped up because of

grazing• Causes include: overgrazing, farming, pop. increase

Controlling the Nile

• 1st Aswan Dam completed in 1902

• Aswan High Dam– 4 miles up river form 1st Dam

– Creates Lake Nasser (artificial), Egypt shares with Sudan– Increased farmable land by 50%– Natural renewal of silt (sediment), which occurs during floods, gone– Expensive fertilizers now used– Mosquitoes increased