Africa Flashcards
Mount Kilimanjaro
- In Tanzania, East Africa
- 3 degrees South of the equator
- the mountain is 5895m (17,685 ft) high
- permanent snow and ice at the top
relief:
height and shape of the land
plateaus:
high up but flat at the top
mountains:
sharp peaks
Where would be the best place to like, mountain ranges or plateaus?
Plateaus would be the best place to live in because there are fewer injuries, it’s more accessible, better for farmland and therefore better to live in.
How would mountain ranges affect the climate of the country it is within? Why?
Mountains can affect precipitation. They can cast a rain shadow. As wind rises up the windward side of the mountain ranges, the air cools and precipitation falls. On the other side of the range, the air is dry and it sinks.
Two deserts in Africa:
- Sahara Desert
- Namib Desert
Where do all three major rivers in Africa seem to have their source in Africa? Why?
The source appears to be in the mountain ranges. This is because water collects in the mountains which become small channels which gradually create rivers.
Why is it possible in Egypt for large numbers of people to live in the dry desert?
The River Nile enables a large amount of people to live in Egypt because it provides rich soil good for farming, access to water and good trade routes.
Mali average rainfall (mm): average temperature (degrees celsius):
93mm
34.5 degrees celsius
Egypt average rainfall (mm): average temperature (degrees celsius):
2.41mm
28 degrees celsius
South Africa average rainfall (mm): average temperature (degrees celsius):
42mm
21 degrees celsius
Zimbabwe average rainfall (mm): average temperature (degrees celsius):
- 83mm
25. 58 degrees celsius
Compare the climate of Egypt and South Africa:
Egypt has a very hot climate and very little rainfall whereas South Africa has a higher rainfall.
biome:
The regions of the world with similar climate (weather and temperature), animals and plants). The climate dictates what a biome will be like. This is because plant and animals adapt to suit the climate.
What biomes are in Africa?
hot desert, Semi-desert, tropical rainforest, Savanna, grassland Woodland/Scrub
rainforests
- hot, moist biome
- rains all year long
- in centra Africa
- dense canopies of vegetation made up of 3 layers
desert
- the Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert
- Sahara Northern part of Africa
- harsh environment
- dry
- sand dunes
population density:
the number of people per km squared
climate:
the average weather of a place over a long period of time (usually over 30 yrs)
sparse:
low number of people per km squared
dense:
high number of people per km squared
population distribution:
how people are spread over an area of land
Using a TEA structure, describe the population distribution of Africa.
Africa has an uneven spread of population, with less people and more desert. For example. Mauritias has a population density of 588 people per km squared and only 5 people per km squared. This shows the lack of people in the desert land. Egypt doesn’t follow this trend and is an anomaly because it has a dense population of a approximately 7 people per km squared.7
Ethnic groups in Africa:
- Masai
- Hausa
- Berber
- Fulani
- Taureg
- Zulu
- DInka
- Bantu
Culture Religion Language:
- there are hundreds of different ethnic groups
- each ethnicity has its own distinct language, traditions arts, history and way of life
Fulani ethnic group:
- one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa
- majority consists of semi-sedentary people, sedentary styled farmers, scholars, artisans, merchants and nobility. Follow the religion Islam. Well known for decoration of utilitarian objects. They are scattered throughout many parts of West Africa mainly in Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal and NIger. Bound together by the Fula language. Well known for the decoration of utilitarian objects e.g. milk bowels that reflect their nomadic and pastoral lifestyle
Where is Egypt?
northeast of Africa
what passes through Africa?
equator
Greenwich meridian
where is the Sahara desert?
stretches across the northern part of Africa
how many countries are in Africa?
54
stereotype:
an oversimplified, generalised concept or belief about a person, group, event or issue, usually based on prejudice other than on fact
Does Africa have penguins?
yes
Does Africa have French speaking countries?
yes
Does it sometimes snow in the Sahara?
yes
Famous Misconceptions of Africa:
- has no water
- no snow
- is poor
- people don’t know when Christmas is
- it’s only hot
- nothing grows there
- no rivers flow in Africa
- it’s deprived
- it’s a world of dread and war
- it has a clang of doom
“A world of dread and fear”
“The clanging chimes of doom”
-Africa is the festival continent, throughout the whole continent, colourful and vibrant festivals range through musical, religious, cultural, harvest and many more.
“Where the only water flowing. is the bitter sting of tears”
“No rain or river flows”
There are floods. In Gabon over 350mm of rain fell in November and about 300mm in March, May and October. The River Nile is the longest river in Africa.
“And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmas time”
“Here’s to them, underneath the burning sun”
In January 2017 snow fell in the Sahara Desert for the first time since 1979. In Summer the town can reach 40 degrees celsius. Experts believe around 16 inches of snow fell on the 7th January 2018. It’s only the fourth snowfall in the past 37 years.
“Where nothing ever grows”
60% of Africa’s workforce are in farming, in some countries it’s up to 90%. Some of the main crops grow in Africa e.g. corn, wheat and rice and legumes and fodders e.g. beans, groundnut and cowpea.
“Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?”
54 different countries and many ethnic groups. Customs come from religion or daily life e.g. Nomadic Bedouin Tribe must have had customs that can be practiced while travelling. Majority Muslim and Christian.
“Africa’s the world’s oldest populated area”
It is thought that first species of human appeared about 2 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.
“Africa is rife with corrupt politicians”
President Sirleaf of Liberia was awarded the Nobel PeacePrize.
“It is always hot in Africa”
Africa’s diverse landscape contains biomes such as rainforest and deserts.
“Africans poor”
47% of people in sub-saharan Africa live on less than $1.25 a day, which is terrible. However, this number is falling and things are improving.
“Africa is technologically void”
Most countries in Africa have access to 4G and wi-fi with 9 out of 10 people in possession of a phone.
“Everyone in Africa lives in the middle of nowhere”
In 2008, 39% of the African population lived in urban areas.
How many of the countries in Africa re smaller than Africa?
23
3 countries in central Africa?
- Congo
- Gabon
- Democratic Republic of Congo
4 countries in North Africa?
-Algeria
-Libya
-Egypt
_morocco
4 countries in East Africa?
- Sudan
- South Sudan
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
5 countries in West Africa?
- Mali
- Niger
- Chad
- Mauritania
- Ghana
4 countries in Southern Africa?
- Republic of South Africa
- Namibia
- Angola
- Zambia
Where is the desert in Africa?
stretches across the Northern part of Africa
desert
climate characteristics
-hot in the day - up to 50 degrees celsius
-but very cold at night (no clouds to keep the heat in)
-very little rain (some places get almost none)
very strong winds
desert
plant and animals characteristics:
- plants must be able to find and store water and protect themselves from heat and wind. So you’ll find low spiny shrubs with long roots and thick stems, and wires grasses
- camels, antelopes and ostriches have learnt to survive long periods of time without drinking water
- other animals like vipers, scorpions and tiny rodents that hide from the sun in shady places or down burrows.
rainforest
where is it found in Africa?
central and Eastern regions of Africa
rainforest
climate characteristics
- warm and wet, less rain than Amazon
- thousands of species
- The Congo has the second largest of this ecosystem in the world
rainforest
plant and animals characteristics:
- low shrubs and ferns
- hot weather animals: monkeys, snakes, hippos, chimpanzees and gorillas
savanna
where is it found in Africa?
central, west, southern and eastern regions of Africa
savanna
climate characteristics
- wet season and longer dry season
- warm all year
savanna
plant and animals characteristics:
- accacia trees
- lions, elephants, giraffes, and zebra
- rolling desert with occasional trees
semi-desert
where is it found in Africa?
central, west, southern and eastern regions of Africa
semi-desert
climate characteristics
- is always warm
- cooler than desert
- temperatures are high but not as extreme as desert
- little rainfall not as little as desert
semi-desert
plant and animals characteristics:
- grass, lownshrubs, scattered trees
- wild dogs, rodents