Africa

1. Africa Chapters 18, 19, and 20

2. Landforms and Resources • Africa’s Plateau – huge plateau covers most of Africa. (Rises inland from narrow lowlands along the coast) • Basins– deep depressions that collect water (Chad Basin, Sudan Basin, Congo Basin, Djouf Basin).http://kim.uing.net/files/media_file_11458.jpg • Rivers • Nile – longest in world. 95% of Egyptians depend on it. • Congo – flows through center of Africa. Empties into the Atlantic • Niger – begins in West Africa, empties into the Gulf of Guinea.

3. Rift Valleys and Lakes • Rift Valleys – millions of years ago continental plates pulled apart forming huge cracks in the earth. Stretch over 4,000 miles. (East Africa) a.k.a. The Great Rift Valley http://www.uoguelph.ca/geology/geol2250/glossary/HTML%20files/DRC%20Great%20Rift%20Valley.jpg • Lakes • Lake Tanganyika – world’s longest freshwater lake • Lake Victoria – world’s second largest freshwater lake.

4. Other Landforms • Mountains • Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak (Tanzania) • MountKenya – volcanic mountain • Deserts • Sahara – world’s largest (North Africa) • Kalahari – Southern Africa • Other • The Sahel – narrow band of dry grassland on the southern edge of the Sahara. Used for farming and herding • The Great Escarpment – marks the edge of the continent’s plateau in Southern Africa. http://www.calflora.net/southafrica/images/greatescarpment.gif

5. Resources • Africa has a huge amount of the world’s resources. • Diamonds, Platinum, and Gold – South and Central Africa • Cobalt – high grade steel used in aircrafts – Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C.) and Zambia • Oil – Libya, Nigeria, and Algeria • Lumber – Nigeria • Coffee, sugar, palm oil, and cocoa beans. • However, many countries lack the industrial base and money to develop these resources. 

6. Climate • Desert – (mostly north) can reach as high as 136.4° in the summer. Underground water can be found in aquifers. When it reaches the surface this is an oasis. • The Tropics – largest tropical area of any continent. Warm year long. • Central Africa – rains year long • Middle Africa – two seasons – wet and dry. • West Africa – mostly wet • Southern Tip – Marine west coast – moderate climate; warm summers/cool rainy winters.

7. Other Features • The Serengeti Plain – huge grasslands in northern Tanzania. Ideal place for wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras. http://www.go2safari.com/image2/serengeti_national_park.jpg • The Rain Forest – major rain forest sit on the equator in the area of the Congo Basin. Home to thousands of bird, plant, insect, and animal species. Most animals live in the canopy, or uppermost layer. • Mangrove Trees – found in West Africa. Spouts up along river banks and swamps. http://alex.tsd.net.au/images/timor/atauro_beach_mangrove_tree.jpg

8. Desertification – expansion of the Sahara into the Sahel regions. http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/11351743463Dune_stabilization_chinese.jpg Causes 1. Overgrazing of animals 2. Farming – clearing land and overusing soil 3. Cutting down trees 4. Overpopulation – more people = more food and more land. Solutions 1. Increase tree planting 2. Better farming techniques 3. Restrictions on grazing Human/Environment Interaction

9. Nigeria, Oil, and the Environment • ***6th leading oil producer in the world. • Problems • Corrupt government and mismanagement of $$$$ have left it poor. • Over 4,000 oil spills have occurred in the past 40 years. • Pipeline explosions killed over 2,000 people from 1998-2000. (caused by thieves)

10. The Aswan High Dam (Egypt) • Built in 1970 – created Lake Nasser • Benefits • Gives farmers a regular supply of water • Increased farmable land by 50% • Avoid droughts and floods • Hydroelectricity • Problems • People had to be relocated to build the dam. • Decreased the fertility of the soil around the Nile. (must use expensive fertilizers. • Increase in Malaria. • Loss of millions of gallons of fresh water per year.

11. The Regions of Africa

12. East Africa • “The cradle of civilization” – first humans discovered by Louis and Mary Leakey (1979) in the Olduvai Gorge (part of the Great Rift Valley). • Aksum was an important trading empire located in present day Ethiopia. (100’s ad.) • East Africa depends largely on cash crops and tourism. Coffee, tea, and sugar are all grown for the purpose of making $$$.

13. East Africa continued • Culture – Two major ethnic groups are the Masai and the Kikuyu. (read pages 434-435 for more info). • 1990’s – Ethnic conflict between the Hutu and the Tutsi (genocide). • Health Care – AIDS is the most critical disease of East Africa. • It is a pandemic or uncontrollable outbreak of a disease affecting a large population over a wide geographic area. • ***Roughly 22 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa are living with HIV. Of those, over 1.5 million will die this year. AIDS & HIV information from AVERT.org

14. North Africa • Home to great empires like Egypt and Carthage. • Carthage – founded around 814 B.C. Its ideal location off the Mediterranean Sea made it a great trading city. • Egypt – began living farms and villages along the Nile as early as 3,300 B.C. Around 3,100 B.C. a strong king united the Egyptian empire (King Menes). • Islam was introduced in Africa in the 700’s A.D. by the Muslim empire. Today many North Africans are still Muslim.

15. North Africa continued • Economy – largely based on oil (ex: oil makes up about 99% of Libya’s exports) • Culture – Souks, or market places, are typically found in the old districts (medina) • Rai – music originally founded by poor Algerians in the 1920’s. Later became protest music against the French. • Women’s Roles – Male dominated society. Women stay at home. Eat, pray separately. Only now beginning to change.

16. West Africa • The Trading Empires • 1. Ghana (800 -1100 A.D.)– farmed by the Sonike people. Taxed traders who passed through the territory. Exchanged gold and salt. • 2. Mali – (1235-1400 A.D.) 1st great leader, Sudiata, conquered Ghana. Promoted agriculture and reestablished gold and salt trade. (1350 – supplied 2/3 of the world’s gold). • 3. Songhai – (1400-1591 A.D.) – Led by Sunni Ali for 28 years. Conquered by the Moroccan army in 1591.

17. Stateless Societies • Before colonialism many cultures relied on family lineages (descendants) to govern themselves. • Example - the Igbo of southeast Nigeria • During and after colonialism it was expected that one ruler would govern society.

18. West Africa’s Economy • Positives • Ghana – based on gold, diamonds, magnesium, and bauxite. 2nd highest per capita income in West Africa $1900 • Negatives • Sierra Leone – years of political instability and civil wars have left the economy in shambles. 31% literacy rate. (1 out of 3 can read). Few roads and little industry.

19. Culture • The Ashanti – ethnic group living in present day Ghana. Known for weaving colorful clothing known as asasia (kentecloth). Also carve mask and wooden stools (symbolize the unity between the dead and the living) • Benin – Once the great kingdom of Benin. Known for Benin “bronzes” (masks, statues, and jewelry)

20. Central Africa • The Bantu – In 2000 B.C. The people living in what is now Southeastern Nigeria moved southward throughout Africa. On the way they spread their languages (Bantu languages) and cultures. This mass migration was called the Bantu migrations. • Why its important? Produced a great diversity of cultures and helped link various areas of the continent. (Today 120 million Africans speak some form of Bantu language).

21. The Slave Trade • 15th century – The Portuguese established the island of Sao Tome on the coast of present day Gabon. (Initial slave trade base) • Africans traded other Africans into slavery in exchange for guns and other goods. • By 1870, millions of Africans had been taken captive and sent to the Americas

22. King Leopold II • King Leopold of Belgium wanted to open the interior of Africa to Europe. • By 1884, he controlled the Congo. This paved the way for the Berlin Conference. • Used forced labor to gather rubber, palm oil, ivory, and other resources.

23. Effects of Colonialism • 1. Loss of Resources • 2. Weak/Corrupt governments • 3. Cultural and Ethnic oppression • 4. Civil Wars • Example: The D.R.C • 1967 – Mobutu Sese Seko seizes power • Begins taking kickbacks (bribes) • Economy, Education, and Social System all suffer • People rise up against his army (civil war) • 1997 - Cycle starts over again with Laurent Kabila

24. Culture • Fang Sculptures – carved boxes containing the skulls and bones of deceased ancestors. Created by the Fang who live in Gabon, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.

25. Other • Education • Problems – shortage of teachers, high drop out rate (age 12), shortage of secondary schools, over 700 languages spoken. • Disease • AIDS • Ebola – fever, blood clots, bleeding from eyes and ears. (death from 2-21 days) • Cholera – infection of small intestine that causes severe diarrhea

26. Southern Africa • Mostly Bantu speaking people • 1000 A.D. – the Shona people established the stone city called Great Zimbabwe a gold trading center. • 1400’s – The Mutapa Empire replaced the Great Zimbabwe. Extended throughout all of present day Zimbabwe.

27. Ethnic Clashes • Zulu – Great warrior tribe in South Africa. 1800’s fought and were defeated by the British. • 1890’s – British defeated Dutch farmers known as the Boers (Boer War). • 1902 – British formed the Union of South Africa.

28. Apartheid in South Africa • Apartheid – separation of the races in South Africa • white only restaurants, bathrooms, train cars, ect • Blacks and other people of color were forced to carry passports. • Whites were given the best jobs. • (this was much like segregation in the United States)

29. Nelson Mandela • Leader of the African National Congress(A.N.C.) – a political group aimed at ending apartheid. • Spent almost 30 years in jail for speaking out against apartheid. • 1994 – Became the 1st black president of South Africa

30. The Economy of South Africa • South Africa • blacks poorly educated. • Posses great cities with huge industrial complexes, such as Johannesburg and Cape Town. • Botswana • Rich diamond industry. However, miners make very little $$$. • 80% of people are farmers