A Satellite View

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Africa’s Size

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Second largest continent

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11,700,000 sq. mi.

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10% of the world’s population.

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2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

Bodies Of Water Mediterranean Sea Nile River Lake Victoria Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Okavango Swamp/River Pacific Ocean

The Nile River

• Longest River in the World • White Nile and Blue Nile meet in Sudan to form the Nile River • Flows northward, emptying in the Mediterranean Sea • Without the annual flooding in Egypt land would not be arable

The Mighty Nile River:

“Longest River in the World”

SUEZ CANAL

• Located in Egypt • Divides the mainland Egypt from the Sinai Peninsula • Connects the Mediterranean Sea with Red Sea • One third the distance that it was before

SUEZ CANAL

The Congo River Basin

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Covers 12% of the continent.

Extends over 9 countries.

2,720 miles long.

99% of the country of Congo is in the Congo River basin.

CONGO RIVER BASIN

• Located near the equator in central and western Africa • This is where the majority of Africa’s tropical rain forests are located

The Niger River Basin

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Covers 7.5% of the continent.

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Extends over 10 countries.

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2,600 miles long.

Mountains & Peaks Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro

The African Plateau

Deserts Sahel Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert

Desertification

The Sahel

SAHEL

• Semi-arid region just south of the Sahara • Dry grasslands with scattered trees • Desertification is a growing problem – Growing of the desert caused by climate changes and over grazing

Valleys & Plains

Mount Kilimanjaro:

• Africa’s highest mountain at 19,341 feet • Located on the Equator in Tanzania near Kenya • Formed by volcanic activity from the Great Rift Valley • Only year round snow capped mountain in Africa – Known in Swahili as “Shining Mountain”

Mt. Kilimanjaro:

Snow on the Equator ?

SAVANNAS

• Tropical grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs • This is where many of the African Safaris take place • Large populations of wildlife • Serengeti – means “endless plains” – Largest mammal migration and game reserve

The African Savannah:

13 million sq. mi.

Great Rift Valley

3,000 miles long

Seismic Activity in Africa

African Rain Forest

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Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft.

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Rapid decomposition (very humid).

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Covers 37 countries.

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15% of the land surface of Africa.

Africa: The “Tropical” Continent Tropic of Cancer 20 ° N Equator 0 ° Tropic of Capricorn 20 ° S

Vegetation Zones

African Trade Winds

Lake Victoria • Located in the middle of the Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa • It is a shallow depression • Largest lake in Africa

Victoria Falls

• Forms a border between Zambia and Zimbabwe • Largest waterfall in the world

Okavango Swamp/River • Worlds largest inland river delta • River is absorbed by the Kalahari Desert • Large game reserve in the desert

Kalahari Desert • Largest Desert in southern Africa • Has many oasis which makes it habitable • Oasis – vegetated areas in a desert caused by fresh water springs

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

• Southern most point of Africa • Converging currents from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans make waters dangerous for sailing but great wildlife

South African Penguins

Only Place in the world Great Whites breach

Mediterranean Sea Suez Canal The Complete Topography Of AFRICA Tropic of Cancer 20 ° N Equator 0 ° Sahel Atlantic Ocean Tropic of Capricorn 20 ° S Sahara Desert Nile River L.ake Victoria Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro Indian Ocean Okavnago Swap/River

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---Victoria Falls Pacific Ocean

Africa Physical Geography • Mediterranean Sea • Suez Canal • Red Sea • Gulf of Aden • Indian Ocean • Atlantic Ocean • Congo River • Nile River • Niger River • Lake Victoria • Atlas Mountains • Drajensburg Mountains • Mount Kilimanjaro • Sahara Desert • Sahel • Great Rift Valley • Victoria Falls • Okavango River • Kalahari Desert • Cape of Good Hope

Countries Of Africa Mali South Africa Senegal Congo Rwanda Burundi Egypt Sudan Somalia Ethiopia Nigeria