africa obstacles

How do countries/people progress?

* Progress through contact with other people.

• Through trade they exchange ideas, new technology, etc.

“In understanding Black Africa, geography is more important than

history.” Fernand Braudel

Obstacles to Africa’s Development

1. Desert that Divides

Sahara Desert

Desert is larger than continental United States

3,500,000 square miles

5 of Africa’s 10 richest countries are located in Northern Africa WHY??

2. Lack of easy access to oceans

Can’t get goods in and out.

No harbors to dock ships

Escarpments

Difficult for ships to dock on tip of Africa as wind, ocean currents are nasty!!

3. Limited Islands/Peninsulas

Only 2% of Africa’s landmass is made up of islands/peninsulas.

WHY is this a problem??

4. Landlocked countries

1/3 or 15 countries in Africa are landlocked.

5. Lack navigable rivers

Many rivers only navigable during rainy season.

No rivers reach from inner continent to ocean anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Asia: Yangtze River can carry boats weighing up to 10,000 tons

Hudson River in America holds aircraft carriers

6. Lack of access to rivers that exist

Many sandbars block mouth of river

Nile River only river in Africa that reaches inland.

7. Lack of mountains in tropics/dependence on rainfall.

No mountains = no collection of snow=no runoff=no water to refill rivers

8. Bad Bugs

Tsetse Fly (sleeping sickness)

Malaria

People are sick they can’t work!!

Bugs effect pack animals can’t work

Animals die there is no fertilization…dead animals can not poop!!

9. Language Barrier

800-2000 different languages spoken in Africa

Difficult to dialogue with each other

10. European Colonalization Late

1800s-1960s

European Colonialism Late 1800s-1960

**Divided groups

**Forced groups who disliked each other to live next to each other.

**Diseases

Why should we care about Africa?