AfricaAfricaGeographic UnderstandingGeographic Understanding

SS7G3aSS7G3aThe student will explain how the characteristics in the Sahara, Sahel, The student will explain how the characteristics in the Sahara, Sahel, Savannah, and Tropical Rain Forest affect where people live, the type of Savannah, and Tropical Rain Forest affect where people live, the type of work they do, and how they travel. work they do, and how they travel.

Largest desert on Earth and covers 3.5 million Largest desert on Earth and covers 3.5 million square miles. square miles.

Few people are able to live in the harsh Few people are able to live in the harsh environment. environment.

Climate is hot and dry; with very little rainfall. Climate is hot and dry; with very little rainfall.

Most people living in the Sahara are nomads (move Most people living in the Sahara are nomads (move from place to place). from place to place).

Travel by camel looking for food or water. Travel by camel looking for food or water.

Desert nomads led caravans across the desert before Desert nomads led caravans across the desert before air travel and vehicles were available. air travel and vehicles were available. Salt and gold came across the desert from Central Salt and gold came across the desert from Central Africa to markets along the Mediterranean coast. Africa to markets along the Mediterranean coast.

The SahelThe Sahel Area south of the Sahara Area south of the Sahara

Desert and forms a wide Desert and forms a wide band stretching from the band stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.Sea.

Covers about 1.8 million Covers about 1.8 million square miles.square miles.

Flat with few mountains and Flat with few mountains and hillshills

Climate is hot and arid. Climate is hot and arid. Rainfall varies from year to Rainfall varies from year to

year ranging from 6 – 20 year ranging from 6 – 20 inchesinches

Farming is difficult even Farming is difficult even when rainfall is plentiful. when rainfall is plentiful.

Vegetation is sparse; grasses Vegetation is sparse; grasses and shrubs are unevenly and shrubs are unevenly distributed to support distributed to support grazing animals.grazing animals.

Other areas are dry. Other areas are dry. Desertification is a problem Desertification is a problem

because people cut down because people cut down trees for fuel and shelter. trees for fuel and shelter.

SavannahSavannah

Area were grass grows Area were grass grows naturally. naturally.

Water is not enough to Water is not enough to sustain trees and forests.sustain trees and forests.

Grasslands are important Grasslands are important because they support many because they support many animals animals

Grasses and grains: wheat, Grasses and grains: wheat, oat, and sorghum grow in oat, and sorghum grow in the regionsthe regions

African Savannah is the African Savannah is the largest in the world. largest in the world.

Covers almost half of AfricaCovers almost half of Africa During the summer rains, During the summer rains,

the savannah is green and the savannah is green and the grass is thick. the grass is thick.

During the winter (dry) During the winter (dry) season, the grass is brown season, the grass is brown and grass fires occur. and grass fires occur.

Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest

Africa has the world’s Africa has the world’s second largest area of second largest area of rainforest. The largest is rainforest. The largest is in the Congo River in the Congo River Basin. Basin.

Rich plant life and water Rich plant life and water is plentiful.is plentiful.

The rainforest floor is The rainforest floor is home to thousands of home to thousands of varieties of insects; varieties of insects; including butterflies.including butterflies.

Butterflies pollinate flowers Butterflies pollinate flowers and make it possible for and make it possible for them to reproduce.them to reproduce.

Rivers and streams support Rivers and streams support fish, alligators, and fish, alligators, and crocodilescrocodiles

In the canopy of the In the canopy of the rainforest, birds, monkeys, rainforest, birds, monkeys, snakes, frogs, and toads snakes, frogs, and toads make their homes. make their homes.

Rainforest has been home to Rainforest has been home to a small amount of people a small amount of people who lived by gathering food who lived by gathering food from the forest or living on from the forest or living on small subsistence farms.small subsistence farms.

In 1800s, land was cleared In 1800s, land was cleared to make room for large to make room for large plantations and the people plantations and the people were forced to work and were forced to work and traditional methods of living traditional methods of living disappeared. disappeared.

Rainforest are destroyed Rainforest are destroyed today due to commercial today due to commercial logging (logging (deforestationdeforestation). ).

Timber needs roads and Timber needs roads and heavy equipment to move heavy equipment to move trees from the forest into the trees from the forest into the city. city.

Deforestation leads to Deforestation leads to extinction of special animals extinction of special animals and plants.and plants.

ExtinctionExtinction means a species means a species no longer exist anywhere in no longer exist anywhere in the worldthe world