1) Africa is the second largest continent, covering about 11.7 million square miles, or about 10% of the world's population and 2.5 times the size of the United States. 2) Major physical features include escarpments, several mountain ranges such as the Atlas Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro, the Sahara desert, and the Great Rift Valley running nearly 3,000 miles through the continent. 3) Key rivers that flow through Africa include the Nile, Congo, Zambezi, and Niger rivers, which empty into surrounding bodies of water like the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea.

1. The Geography of Africa

2. A Satellite View

3. ESCARPMENTS A long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion...

4. Africa’s Size Second largest continent  11,700,000 sq. mi. 10% of the world’s population. 2 ½ times the size of the U. S. 5 0 0 0 M I L E S 4 6 0 0 M I L E S

5. Bodies Of Water Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Red Sea L. Victoria L. Albert--> L. Chad--> L. Tanganyika-> <--Gulf of Aden Know what bodies of water surround Africa. What ocean did the slave ships cross to reach the Americas??? Know lakes of Africa. What lake is the source of the White Nile???

6. Bodies Of Water Nile River Congo River Zambezi River Niger River Orange River Limpopo River Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Red Sea <--Gulf of Aden Know what bodies of water Africa’s Rivers flow into. What ocean does the Zambezi River empty into? What ocean does the Congo River empty into?

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

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

9. The Niger River Basin Covers 7.5% of the continent. Extends over 10 countries. 2,600 miles long. These rivers create what? POPULATION CENTERS

10. Drajensburg Mts. Ruwenzori Mts. Δ Mt. Kenya Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro Mountains & Peaks Atlas Mts. What mountain range is found on the Northwest side of the Sahara Dessert???

11. Mt. Kilimanjaro: Snow on the Equator ?

12. The African Plateau

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

14. The Sahara Desert Why is population so low here? Limited access to water!!!

15. The Sahel

16. In the Sahel, Overgrazing = Desertification

17. What is Desertification? A = The process which turns productive into non- productive desert as a result of poor land-management .

18. Desertification

19. Valleys & Plains Great Rift Valley

20. Great Rift Valley 3,000 miles long

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

22. West Africa: Home of our Hurricanes

23. Vegetation Zones

24. The African Savannah: 13 million sq. mi.

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

26. The Complete Topography Of AFRICA Nile River Congo River Zambezi River Niger River Orange River Limpopo River Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Red Sea L. Victoria L. Albert--> L. Chad--> L. Tanganyika-> <--Gulf of Aden Drajensburg Mts. Ruwenzori Mts. Δ Mt. Kenya Δ Mt. Kilimanjaro Sahara Desert Sahel Kalahari Desert Namib Desert Libyan Desert Great Rift Valley Atlas Mts. Tropic of Cancer 20 ° N Tropic of Capricorn 20 ° S Equator 0 °