Africa! Let’s take a break from Europe

Warm upWhat do you know about Africa?Which is bigger, the US or Africa? What kind of environment do you

think Africa has?

Africa: An IntroductionTheme: BoundariesAfrica’s history, geography,

culture, economic and political systems have all been shaped by boundaries.

Boundaries have limited Africa’s development, isolated its interior people and contributed to the development of multiple cultures.

Geography: Africa is the 2nd largest continent in area.

Four major geographic regions:1. Mediterranean/Coastal Region

Includes North Africa, immediate coastal areas and eastern tip of the continent.

Densely populated; most urbanized

Coastal Africa

Cairo, Egypt

Algiers, Algeria

Lagos, Nigeria

2. Desert RegionIncludes the Sahara, Namib & Kalahari

Major problem is desertification ◦Sahara is growing by 4-5 miles a year.

Sparse population; abundant wildlife

Namib Desert, Namibia

Cavavan in the Sahara Desert

3. Sahel and SavannaIncludes the grassland areas along the edges of the three deserts.

Dry grasslands – abundant wildlife

Wet grasslands – densely populated; prime agricultural region

Cattle Grazing, Ethiopia

Zebras in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya

4. Tropical RainforestIncludes the equatorial region both north and south of the equator.

Major problem is deforestation.

Rich vegetation; vast amounts of wildlife; isolated population centers.