This document provides an overview of the geography, population demographics, languages, and key physical features of Africa. It notes that Africa is the second largest continent, is home to over 1 billion people from over 3,000 distinct tribes speaking over 1,000 languages, and contains several major rivers and rainforest regions. Tribal identity and diversity present ongoing challenges to political and social cohesion in many African nations.

1. Lecture
#1:
Geography,
Language
and
Culture

2. Africa’s
Geog.
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➡
Second
largest
continent
at
11,700,000
sq.
mi.
➡22%
of
Earth’s
total
land
area
➡
16%
of
the
world’s
population.
➡
2
½
times
the
size
of
the
U.S.
➡Shortest
coastline
of
the
major
continents
-­‐
due
to
few
jutting
edges
and
bays

3. African Population
Demographics
➡54 Independent nations
in Africa
➡Population of Africa
nearly 1 billion people
➡Rapid population
growth (last 40 years)
and disease have resulted
in a young population.
(over 50% is under 25)
➡Nigeria is most
populous country with an
estimated 150 million
people
➡Most populated city in
Africa is Cairo 17 million

4. Africa
:
::
America
:
Ethnic
Group?
Tribe
African Population
Demographics
➡Tribal lifestyle is the backbone to African culture.
➡Diverse tribes in Africa make it difficult to unify.
➡Tribal loyalty is more important than loyalty to country/
nation

5. Problems
of
Tribalism
Today
1.
The
tribe
is
more
important
than
the
nation.
2.
Communication
problems.
3.
Inter-­‐tribal
warfare
leads
to
civil
wars.
4.
Tribal
favorites
for
government
jobs:
Nepotism
Urbanization:
Breaks
down
tribal
traditions.
Tribal
intermingling
on
the
job.

6. Languages➡1000 different languages in
Africa
➡population experts estimate that
there are at least 3,000 distinctive
tribes in Africa.
➡Nigeria alone is home to more
than 370 recognized tribes
within its borders.
➡Arabic is the most common
language with over 170 million
speakers (mostly in Northern
Africa)
➡Islam is also the most common
religion as 25% of pop. is a
Muslim

7. The Mighty Nile River:
“Longest River in the World”
•Major source of fresh
water throughout N. Africa
•4,132 miles long (longest
in the world)
•Drains by flowing away
from equator into
Mediterranean Sea
•Nile River Valley site of
early African Civ.

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

9. The
Congo
River
Basin
• Covers
12%
of
the
continent.
• Extends
over
9
countries.
• 2,720
miles
long.
• 99%
of
the
country
of
DRC
is
in
the
Congo
River
basin.

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

11. Deserti^ication •The
turning
of
semiarid
land
into
desert
through
climate
change
and
human
actions
•Africa
contains
the
worlds
largest
desert,
the
Sahara.
•The
Sahara
makes
up
an
area
greater
in
size
than
the
entire
continental
US
•Major
Deserts
•Sahara
•Sahel
•Kalahari

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