The Geography of Africa

1. The Geography of Africa

2. A Satellite View

3. Africa’s Facts and Figures • Africa holds approximately 30% of the earth’s minerals and oil production • Africa is the Earth’s oldest, second largest (after Asia) and second most populous (after Asia) continent • Africa has the world’s longest river (the Nile), biggest desert (the Sahara), oldest desert (the Namib) and shortest coastline

4. Africa’s Size 4 6 0 0 M I L E S 5000 MILES • Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. • 10% of the world’s population. • 2 ½ times the size of the U. S.

5. The Land People Water Resources The Plants and Animals Climate Zones Africa’s Geography

6. Africa’s Geography: Climate Zones • Africa is the world’s second driest continent (after Australia) • Africa is the world’s hottest continent • Africa emits only 4% of total global CO2emissions

7. Africa’s Geography: Land • 32% of Africa’s pasture lands and 19% of its forests and woodlands are classified as degraded • Africa's deserts account for about 5% of Africa's land area • Arid lands cover approximately 60% of Africa • 10% of farm soils are prime agricultural land and more than 25% of the land has moderate to low potential for sustainable agriculture • Forests account for over 20% of Africa’s 30 million km2 of land area

8. Mediterranean Sea Bodies Of Water Red Sea NileRiver NigerRiver L. Chad--> <--Gulf of Aden L. Albert--> Congo River L. Victoria L. Tanganyika-> Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean Zambezi River LimpopoRiver OrangeRiver Pacific Ocean

9. Africa’s Geography: Water Resources • It is estimated that over 300 million people in Africa face water scarcity • Per capita water consumption in Africa is 31m3 per year • About 75% of the African population relies on groundwater as its major source of drinking water • Renewable water resources for the whole of Africa amount to about 3 930 km3

10. The Mighty Nile River:“Longest River in the World”

11. The Congo River Basin • Covers 12% of thecontinent. • Extends over 9countries. • 2,720 miles long. • 99% of the countryof Zaire is in theCongo River basin.

12. The Niger River Basin • Covers 7.5% of the continent. • Extends over 10 countries. • 2,600 miles long.

13. Hydroelectric Power

14. Atlas Mts. Mountains & Peaks ΔMt. Kenya ΔMt. Kilimanjaro Ruwenzori Mts. Drajensburg Mts.

15. Mt. Kilimanjaro:Highest free-standing mountain in the world In northern Tanzania 19, 341 feet

16. The African Plateau

17. Libyan Desert Deserts Sahara Desert Sahel Namib Desert Kalahari Desert

18. The Sahara Desert

19. Desertification

20. The Sahel Zone of transition between desert and savanna

21. Valleys & Plains Great Rift Valley

22. Great Rift Valley 3,700 miles long

23. Tropic of Cancer 20° N Africa:The“Tropical”Continent Equator 0° Tropic of Capricorn20° S

24. West Africa: Home of our Hurricanes

25. The African Savanna:13 million sq. mi.

26. African Rain Forest • Annual rainfall of up to 17 ft. • Rapid decomposition (very humid). • Covers 37 countries. • 15% of the land surface of Africa.

27. Africa’s Geography: People • In Africa is home to more than 965 million people • More than 60% of Africa’s population is still living in rural areas • Africa now has the fastest urban growth rate in the world • 2.7% of Africa’s population lives within 100 km of the coast • 56.6% of African labour force is engaged in agriculture

28. Africa’s Geography: The Plants and Animals • Africa is home to world’s largest bird – the ostrich (Struthio camelus) and largest living land mammal – the African elephant • 98% of Madagascar's land mammals, 92% of its reptiles, 68% of its plants and 41% of its breeding bird species exist nowhere else on Earth • Africa’s Congo Basin constitutes the second-largest area of dense tropical rain forest in the world (after the Amazonian forests of South America)