A f r i c A

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A f r i c A
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Facts about Africa

• Africa is the worlds second largest continent
  (behind Asia)
• 4 x size of USA
• Contains more countries than any other nation
  55
• Nile is the longest river in the world
• Sahara is the worlds largest desert
• Lake Victoria is the worlds second largest
  freshwater lake
• Lake Malawi is the deepest lake in the world
• Mt. Kilimanjaro is Africas highest point-19,340
  feet
• Rainforest shelters more than ½ of Earths plant
  and animal species

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5 Regions
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Physical Features

• Most of Africa is a plateau
• Land drops off as you get closer to the coast
• As rivers come off plateaus they run through
  waterfalls and rapids, thus many rivers
  non-navigable
• Africa developed around coast as a result
• Great Rift Valley giant fault
• Birth of human race

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Landforms and EcoSystems

• Desert (40)
• no rain, hot during day, cold at night
• Grasslands
• Tropical or Savanana tall grasses and low tress
  or shrubs
• Dry tall grasses good for cattle and wheat
• Highlands and Mountains
• Too windy for plants to grow above tree line on
  lower slopes
• Rainforest (15)
• Lush, wet all year round, many plants and animals
• Poor soil for farming

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Climate

• Most of Africa is tropics
• Alternating wet (harvest) and dry season (plant)
• Rainfall varies by location
• Northern and Southern climates mirror each other.
• Farther north or south one goes from the equator,
  the more dry it is.

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Natural Resources

• Only a few nations have vast numbers of resources
• Key resources
• Agriculture timber, cotton, cocoa, nuts, coffee
• Mineral gold, diamond, oil
• Most countries rely on export of products, as
  prices drop around world, economy effected
• Most African resources owned by non-Africans (e.g
  oil), so profit does not go back to African
  people.

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World Population

• Asia 60
• Africa 12 ( 884 million)
• Europe 11
• North America 8
• as of 2005

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African Population

• Most people live in Savannas best farm land
• 75 of continent sparsely located
• People congregate near water access
• Fastest growing region on the earth
• 43 population under age of 15

2) Egypt
3) Ethiopia
5) Sudan
1) Nigeria- 110MM
4) Zaire
6) South Africa
African population expected to be 1.8 billion in
2050!!!!!
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Life Expectancy

• Africa has one of the lowest life expectancies of
  any continent. Disease, AIDS, poverty cause low
  life expectancy.

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Land Use

• In general, most Africans rural
• Most subsistence farmers
• Access to water a problem
• 49 of population does not have safe water
• Cities and urban life growing
• Africa now produces nearly 30 less food per
  person than in 1967.
• 1999 Johns Hopkins Center for Communication
  Programs

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Early Civilizations

• Early civilizations grew up along coast and near
  important resources
• North/West Gold, Salt trade in North, Europe
• East Trading cities connected trade routes to
  India, China, Middle East

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Outside Influence

• North had Islamic influence
• East includes Chinese, Middle East and Indian
  influence
• European influence seen throughout continent due
  to colonialization.
• And then there is religion..
• look at map of tribal Africa vs Colonial
  Africa.

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Religion

• Africa home to many religions
• Islam
• Christianity
• Hinduism
• Judaism
• Indigenous
• Islam predominately in North

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Economy

• Many Africa countries below poverty line (less
  than 1/day)
• Note Map includes percentage of people living on
  less than 1/day.

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Current Issues and Challenges in Africa

• AIDS
• Political instability and civil wars (Rwanda,
  Sierra Leone, Sudan, etc.)
• Drought and Famine
• Widespread diseases
• Population growth
• Desertification
• Drastic decrease in natural resources following
  years of exploitation by the colonial rulers
• Lack of technology and investments