Africa's Physical Features
![Picture](/uploads/9/7/1/7/97171958/africa-geographical.jpg?1481887345)
Africa is the second largest continent. Home to the Sahara, the largest hot desert in the world. To the north of the Sahara and several miles inland is the Atlas mountains. They seperate coastal regions from the Sahara desert.
Across the width of north Africa is the Sahara. Its covered with sand dunes, rolling rocky hills, and just wide streches. Traders in the Sahara travel with camels, caravans, jeeps, and trucks.
The Sahel is located south of the Sahara. The Sahel is a dry semi-arid reigion thats turning into desert. A major problem in this reigion is people trying to live there and cutting down trees. With less trees and animals overgrasing, the land soon becomes very loose and dry.
Near the middle of the continent is the Savanna. It is a vast area of grasslands and more tropical habitats. Although the lack of rainfall has caused difficulty for farmers.
Along the central coast there are Tropical Rainforests. They are hot and humid but have problems about deforestation.
Beneath at the southern part of Africa is the Kalahari Desert where it is surrounded by semi-arid areas and is becoming drier.
Beginning in the central mountains of Africa is the Nile, which is also the longest river in the world. The Nile goes from south to north from Lake Victoria to the Meditteranean Sea.
In central and west Africa the Congo River flows through the largest and second largest
(Above is a physical feature map of Africa)
rainforests in Africa. It starts at Lake Tanganyika and goes down to the Atlantic ocean.
Guinea to the African coast is where the Niger River flows. It is also called an oil delta, because of the petroleum industry centered there.
To learn more go to:http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/africa-physical-geography/
Across the width of north Africa is the Sahara. Its covered with sand dunes, rolling rocky hills, and just wide streches. Traders in the Sahara travel with camels, caravans, jeeps, and trucks.
The Sahel is located south of the Sahara. The Sahel is a dry semi-arid reigion thats turning into desert. A major problem in this reigion is people trying to live there and cutting down trees. With less trees and animals overgrasing, the land soon becomes very loose and dry.
Near the middle of the continent is the Savanna. It is a vast area of grasslands and more tropical habitats. Although the lack of rainfall has caused difficulty for farmers.
Along the central coast there are Tropical Rainforests. They are hot and humid but have problems about deforestation.
Beneath at the southern part of Africa is the Kalahari Desert where it is surrounded by semi-arid areas and is becoming drier.
Beginning in the central mountains of Africa is the Nile, which is also the longest river in the world. The Nile goes from south to north from Lake Victoria to the Meditteranean Sea.
In central and west Africa the Congo River flows through the largest and second largest
(Above is a physical feature map of Africa)
rainforests in Africa. It starts at Lake Tanganyika and goes down to the Atlantic ocean.
Guinea to the African coast is where the Niger River flows. It is also called an oil delta, because of the petroleum industry centered there.
To learn more go to:http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/africa-physical-geography/
Water Scarcity in Africa
![Picture](/uploads/9/7/1/7/97171958/africa-water-scarity.jpg?1481892529)
Depending on where you live access to water and rainfall differs. Huge cities come from rivers, and very few live in the desert. The more water an area has the denser the population is. The grasslands and semiarid plains have smaller groups of people living there. Resources also vary from place to place. Africa contains 22% of Earth's land and yet only 15% of Earth's people live there. However a wide variety of cultures or ways of life have helped Africans to adapt to thier ways of living.
To learn more go to:http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/09/02/water-scarcity-cooperation-or-conflict-in-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCHhwxvQqxg
(To the right is a water scarcity map of africa)
To learn more go to:http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/09/02/water-scarcity-cooperation-or-conflict-in-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCHhwxvQqxg
(To the right is a water scarcity map of africa)
European Colonization
European powers took over Africa in the 1800's. When they did it was called the "Scramble for Africa" because many European powers wanted this land. Although africans resisted European rule, powerful and new weapons kept them from standing against the Europeans. The Europeans ended up ruling almost all of Africa from the 1880s to the 1960s. Damages and effects of this are still felt today.
Why did they do this?(you may or may not be asking) Well these are some of the reasons why they did it. For respect and admiration. To get the natural resources needed for industrial european goods. To make markets into factories.
The actual event. European leaders (No African leaders) met and decided to split up Africa for themselves. Soon Europeans controlled almost the entire continent.
Effects of this happening. The ignorance of ethnic groups when making borders. Not developing colonial economies beyond thier aim. Forcing Africans to grow cash crops or extract resources.
As Africans eventually became educated and leaders came from them.Soon they got mad about the unfair ruling. A political leader named, Kwame Nkrumah, promoted Pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanism is an idea that unites and encourages black Africans to embrace thier cultural heritage. Almost all colonies in Central and West Africa turned into independent nations between 1960 and 1975. Despite the happiness of the change conflicts among the group started. For example, in Congo specifically,Belgian Congo, had gotten chaotic when they were granted independence. Mobuto took advantage of the situation and made false promises to become dictator. It worked and he ruled for 32 years while the people of Congo suffered.
Nigeria is another good example. Opposing british rule they too wanted freedom. They became independant in 1960. Ethnic unity didn't last long. Three eastern states that were controlled by the Ibgo ethnic group attempted to secede or break away from Nigeria and become an independent country named The Republic of Biafra. Many were killed before Biafra rejoined Nigeria.
Relationships with former colonial leaders remained intact for trades on goods and services. Businesses and homegrown manufacturing grew slowly. In the Cold War African nations were caught in the middle. Both sides often supported dicators. After the Cold War support from the Cold War powers ended. Democracy got spread throuout the reigion. Some newly formed governments were successful but others unstable.
Why did they do this?(you may or may not be asking) Well these are some of the reasons why they did it. For respect and admiration. To get the natural resources needed for industrial european goods. To make markets into factories.
The actual event. European leaders (No African leaders) met and decided to split up Africa for themselves. Soon Europeans controlled almost the entire continent.
Effects of this happening. The ignorance of ethnic groups when making borders. Not developing colonial economies beyond thier aim. Forcing Africans to grow cash crops or extract resources.
As Africans eventually became educated and leaders came from them.Soon they got mad about the unfair ruling. A political leader named, Kwame Nkrumah, promoted Pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanism is an idea that unites and encourages black Africans to embrace thier cultural heritage. Almost all colonies in Central and West Africa turned into independent nations between 1960 and 1975. Despite the happiness of the change conflicts among the group started. For example, in Congo specifically,Belgian Congo, had gotten chaotic when they were granted independence. Mobuto took advantage of the situation and made false promises to become dictator. It worked and he ruled for 32 years while the people of Congo suffered.
Nigeria is another good example. Opposing british rule they too wanted freedom. They became independant in 1960. Ethnic unity didn't last long. Three eastern states that were controlled by the Ibgo ethnic group attempted to secede or break away from Nigeria and become an independent country named The Republic of Biafra. Many were killed before Biafra rejoined Nigeria.
Relationships with former colonial leaders remained intact for trades on goods and services. Businesses and homegrown manufacturing grew slowly. In the Cold War African nations were caught in the middle. Both sides often supported dicators. After the Cold War support from the Cold War powers ended. Democracy got spread throuout the reigion. Some newly formed governments were successful but others unstable.