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.