Africa

1. Africa World Studies December 2, 2013

2. Background on Africa • 2nd largest continent (behind Asia) • 5,000 miles north to south • The continent is almost completely surrounded by water • (Atlantic Ocean on the west, Indian Ocean on the southeast, Mediterranean Sea to the north, and Red Sea to the east)

3. Diversity of Africa • Africa includes several distinct geographic zones: • North, along the Med. Sea coast is mountainous • Rift Valley – snow capped mountains, lakes, and canyons that is grassland with wild animals • Below the northern mountains is the largest desert in the world – The Sahara • Congo River basin – dense vegetation that fade into plateaus and desert • The west – the hump of Africa, grasslands and tropical jungles along the coast

4. Climate • There are four distinct climate zones in Africa. • In the north and southern tip – mild climate – moderate rainfall – warm temperatures – fertile lands produce abundant crops • Deserts cover about 40% of Africa – Sahara in the north and Kalahari in the south are the two largest • Rain forest stretch along the equator and make up about 10% of the continent – Heavy rains and warm temperatures produce dense, unfarmable and untravelableforest – home to tsetse fly • Savannas are the other major climate zone – about 40% of Africa – wide grasslands with small trees and shrubs – exist in both the north and south – there is enough rainfall to farm and herd animals, the rain is unreliable

5. Kush • Kush: 750 b.c. – Kush conquered Egypt 663 b.c. – the technology inferior Kush are overwhelmed by the Assyrians (iron weapons vs bronze and stone) Kushites return to their original lands in the upper Nile River valley (remember – upper Nile is south) Kush economy was based on farming but began to emerge as one of the leading trace centers because of the abundant iron ore mines For the next few hundred years – Kush was a major trade empire – Meroe was the center of Kush economy - provided iron, gold, ivory, slaves to Roman empire, Arabia and India. Kush empire thrives from 250 b.c. to 150 a.d.

6. Axum • The rise of Axum, in present day Ethopia, combined Arab and African cultures and began to replace Kush as the trade center • Located on the Red Sea, Axum became the preferred route between India and the Mediterranean Sea. • Exported ivory, frankincense, myrrh, and slaves • Imported textiles, metal goods, wine, and olive oil • 4th Century a.d. conquered Kush • King Ezana made Christianity the official religion • Conflicts occur because of the rise of Islam