Intro to Africa Flashcards
Africa is the ____ biggest continent in the world
2nd
These two oceans surround Africa:
The Indian and the Atlantic
How many countries?
54
Newest country?
South Sudan
Countries with largest populations?
- Nigeria
- Ethiopia
- Egypt
Basin:
huge, low-lying areas
How can basins affect ships trying to enter Africa from the ocean?
Waterfalls that are between the basin and the plateau make it hard for the ship to sail up because of the downward currents.
What is the Sahara Desert?
The Sahara desert is a dry and large place with mountains, sand dunes, and gravel plains. It is the world’s largest desert. Worlds driest and hottest desert.
What body of water does the Nile River empty into?
The Mediterranean Sea
Name the longest freshwater lake in the world:
Lake Tanganyika
What is the highest peak in Africa and how tall is it?
Mount Kilimanjaro. It is 19,340 feet tall.
According to the book (p. 282) what are the two most widely used languages?
Arabic and Swahili
Why do people call Africa the birthplace of the human race? (p. 283)
Scientists found the bones of human-like species that lived in eastern Africa millions of years ago.
List three details about the Egyptian civilization:
lasted 3,000+ years, learned to preserve the dead as mummies, and build still-standing pyramids.
How did the three great kingdoms of Western Africa (Ghana, Mali, Songhai) become wealthy and powerful?
They had control of trade across the Sahara.
As result of these kingdoms’ influence, what religion was spread across much of Africa?
Islam.
Who were the first Europeans to explore Africa and when?
The Portuguese in the 1400’s.
Why did Europeans enslave Africans?
They needed workers to raise crops.
When did the African slave trade end?
Around 1850.
What was the first black African colony to break free of European colonialism?
Ghana
Why do African countries struggle to create stable governments?
Tensions between ethnic groups.
Which religion is slightly more common in Africa than Islam?
Christianity
What industry makes up half of Africa’s export?
Mining
Most of their oil goes to
Europe
