Sub-Saharan Africa Physical Geography

Standard 9.6.2 Identify and locate the major physical land features of Sub-Saharan Africa; identify the natural resources of Africa south of the Sahara, and generalize the effects of the land features and natural resources upon the populations of each area.

Identify and locate the major physical land features of Sub-Saharan Africa; identify the natural resources of Africa south of the Sahara, and generalize the effects of the land features and natural resources upon the populations of each area.

Directions On the left side of your notebook, fold your paper in preparation for Cornell notes Open your book to page 499 Students will take turns reading and then a slide will summarize the text. Copy the notes as the appear on the screen on the large side of your paper After each section of notes, write study questions on the small column of your paper

On the left side of your notebook, fold your paper in preparation for Cornell notes

Open your book to page 499

Students will take turns reading and then a slide will summarize the text.

Copy the notes as the appear on the screen on the large side of your paper

After each section of notes, write study questions on the small column of your paper

Can you guess where the Sahara Desert is located?

Landforms Sahara - largest desert in the world South of the Sahara includes about 9 million square miles of huge PLATEAUS, MOUNTAINS and VALLEYS

Sahara - largest desert in the world

South of the Sahara includes about 9 million square miles of huge PLATEAUS, MOUNTAINS and VALLEYS

Plateaus, Highlands and Mountains Plateaus make up most of Africa Narrow coastal plains extend inland less than 20 miles – edge the continent Sudden rise prevented easy access to interior of Africa Separating plateaus are steep cliffs or slopes known as ESCARPMENTS

Plateaus make up most of Africa

Narrow coastal plains extend inland less than 20 miles – edge the continent

Sudden rise prevented easy access to interior of Africa

Separating plateaus are steep cliffs or slopes known as ESCARPMENTS

Escarpment

Broadest plateaus and steepest escarpments are found in south and east Rivers spill over escarpments in thundering waterfalls known as CATARACTS, as they plunge toward the Atlantic or Indian Oceans

Broadest plateaus and steepest escarpments are found in south and east

Rivers spill over escarpments in thundering waterfalls known as CATARACTS, as they plunge toward the Atlantic or Indian Oceans

Continent of Plateaus Africa has the highest overall elevation of any other continent Average elevation south of the Sahara is 2,000 feet above sea level

Africa has the highest overall elevation of any other continent

Average elevation south of the Sahara is 2,000 feet above sea level

Mountains and Highlands Africa has few mountains Most mountains in Sub-Saharan Africa are found in the EASTERN HIGHLANDS – Drakensberg Mts. rim the edge of the southeastern plateau Ruwenzori Mts. Border Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Africa has few mountains

Most mountains in Sub-Saharan Africa are found in the EASTERN HIGHLANDS –

Drakensberg Mts. rim the edge of the southeastern plateau

Ruwenzori Mts. Border Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Drakensberg Mountains

Eastern Highlands Drakensberg Mountains Ruwenzori Mountains

Ruwenzori Mountains Snow clad peaks seem to float in the sky so Africans call them Mountains of the Moon

Kenya and Tanzania Cone shaped volcanic peaks of Kenya and Tanzania include Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro Africa’s highest mountains Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet)

Cone shaped volcanic peaks of Kenya and Tanzania include Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro

Africa’s highest mountains

Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet)

Mount Kenya

Mount Kilimanjaro

The Great Rift Valley Valley that stretches from the Jordan River in Southwest Asia to the Zambezi River in Mozambique Slashes a Y-shaped trench more than 3,500 miles long Escarpments a mile high

Valley that stretches from the Jordan River in Southwest Asia to the Zambezi River in Mozambique

Slashes a Y-shaped trench more than 3,500 miles long

Escarpments a mile high

Great Rift Valley

Northern section of Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley Ripped apart 180 million years ago creating the continents we know today Pressure on land surface caused cracks, or FAULTS, and pushed up mountains

Ripped apart 180 million years ago creating the continents we know today

Pressure on land surface caused cracks, or FAULTS, and pushed up mountains

Pangaea

Water Systems Influenced by landforms shaped millions of years ago Cuts in Great Rift Valley form Africa’s largest lakes Long rivers due to plateaus High escarpments create rapids and waterfalls – blocks easy inland travel by river

Influenced by landforms shaped millions of years ago

Cuts in Great Rift Valley form Africa’s largest lakes

Long rivers due to plateaus

High escarpments create rapids and waterfalls – blocks easy inland travel by river

Lake Victoria Surrounded by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Second largest freshwater lake in the world Source of the White Nile

Surrounded by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

Second largest freshwater lake in the world

Source of the White Nile

Lake Tanganyika Southwest of Victoria 420 miles long World’s longest freshwater lake

Southwest of Victoria

420 miles long

World’s longest freshwater lake

Lake Malawi Surrounded by Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi 3 rd largest lake in Africa Home to many types of endemic species of fish – only live in that lake

Surrounded by Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi

3 rd largest lake in Africa

Home to many types of endemic species of fish – only live in that lake

Lake Malawi

Lake Volta and Lake Chad Lakes in West Africa People of Ghana built a dam across Volta river to form lake Volta Lake Chad – no natural outlet to sea – loses water to evaporation

Lakes in West Africa

People of Ghana built a dam across Volta river to form lake Volta

Lake Chad – no natural outlet to sea – loses water to evaporation

Lake Chad Lake Volta Lake Malawi

Rivers and Basins 4 great rivers slice through Africa – the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi Nile’s White Nile branch starts in Lake Victoria

4 great rivers slice through Africa – the Nile, the Congo, the Niger, and the Zambezi

Nile’s White Nile branch starts in Lake Victoria

The Congo River Largest river system south of the Sahara Twists and turns for almost 2,700 miles Crosses the equator twice 10 million gallons of water flow through the Congo each second – potential for hydro electricity Creates a huge saucer shaped basin

Largest river system south of the Sahara

Twists and turns for almost 2,700 miles

Crosses the equator twice

10 million gallons of water flow through the Congo each second – potential for hydro electricity

Creates a huge saucer shaped basin

The Congo River

The Niger and Zambezi Rivers Third and Fourth largest rivers of Africa Niger empties into the Atlantic Ocean Zambezi empties into Indian Ocean Zambezi widens to 18,297 feet before plunging down a huge chasm known as Victoria Falls

Third and Fourth largest rivers of Africa

Niger empties into the Atlantic Ocean

Zambezi empties into Indian Ocean

Zambezi widens to 18,297 feet before plunging down a huge chasm known as Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls 350 Ft High

Waterfalls Victoria falls is twice as high as Niagara Falls Millions of gallons flow over during rainy season Rivers and waterfalls create incredible potential for hydroelectric power – economic development

Victoria falls is twice as high as Niagara Falls

Millions of gallons flow over during rainy season

Rivers and waterfalls create incredible potential for hydroelectric power – economic development

Natural Resources Diamonds in South Africa Gold – ½ of World’s gold from Great Rift Valley and South Africa Copper – Central Africa is rich in copper Hydroelectric power growing Solar power beginning to develop Oil - Nigeria, Angola, Gabon and Congo

Diamonds in South Africa

Gold – ½ of World’s gold from Great Rift Valley and South Africa

Copper – Central Africa is rich in copper

Hydroelectric power growing

Solar power beginning to develop

Oil - Nigeria, Angola, Gabon and Congo

On the left side of your notebook, attach a foldable on the physical features of the region. Reorganize notes onto the foldable

On the left side of your notebook, attach a foldable on the physical features of the region. Reorganize notes onto the foldable