This document discusses the climate and topography of Africa. It notes that over 50% of Africa has inadequate precipitation and 92% experiences climatic contrasts with shortage of water in some areas and oversupply in others. About 8% has a tropical climate with rainfall 10-12 months per year. Africa has about one-third of the world's arid lands and temperature variations are not excessive, though lower plains and desert regions experience great heat. The most important climatic differences are due to rainfall variations.

1. CLIMATE
AND
TOPOGRAPHY

2. Tropical Rainforest
Humid Subtropical
Mediterranean
Savanna
Steppe
Desert
Highland
Marine

3. Over 50% of Africa has inadequate
precipitation
92% of the continent of Africa
experiences climatic contrasts;
shortage of water where it is needed
most and oversupply of water where it
cannot be fully used
About 8% of Africa has a tropical
climate with 10 to 12 months of rainfall

4. Africa has about one-third of all the
arid lands in the world
Africa does not show excessive
variations of temperature
Great heat is experienced in the lower
plains and desert regions of North
Africa

5. The most important climatic
differences are due to
variations in the amount of
rainfall

6. Vegetation in February and
August
Intensified rainfall especially on
the shores of the Gulf of Guinea
and in the upper Nile basin

9. Did you Know?
The rainiest district in all Africa is a
strip of coastland west of Mount
Cameroon, where there is a mean
annual rainfall of about 390 in (9906
mm) as compared with a mean of 458
in (11600 mm) at Cherrapunji in
Meghalaya, India

10. •The countries bordering the Sahara
desert are much exposed to a very dry
wind, full of fine particles of
sand, blowing from the desert towards
the sea.
Egypt = khasim
Mediterranean = sirocco
Guinea coast = harmattan

12. •THE HIGHEST POINT IN AFRICA IS
MOUNT KILIMANJARO, 5891.8
METERS (19330 FT) IN TANZANIA.
THE LOWEST POINT IS LAKE ASAL
153 METERS (502 FT) BELOW THE
SEA LEVEL, IN DJIBOUTI

17. The Great Rift Valley
is one of the world's
longest earthquake
faults.