IN recent times ratings have become very popular. On the one hand, they look like something conceived primitive, PR and subjective. On the other hand, in my opinion, they help to structure large volumes of information and squeeze out a lot of water and information noise. I've also decided to aim at William our Shakespeare.
It was possible, of course, to yellow the topic with a catchy heading like "10 places in Africa that you must visit" or something similar. But I won't be like top bloggers :)
Naturally, the notion “interesting” hints at the subjectivity of the list: what is interesting to one person may be absolutely not interesting to another. Therefore, this is the most subjective but unbiased list of African interests :)
The reasons why people go to Africa can be divided into 3 components - animals, people and nature. For me, this is an axiom that formed the basis of the list.
A unique place in Africa, and, possibly, on the entire planet, where original tribes have survived, minimally affected by civilization. Mursi, Surma, Erbore, Hamer ... Each tribe is unique in its way of life, traditions, adornments of its own body. In the Omo Valley, it is as if you are traveling in a time machine for many centuries, or even millennia, back to the primitive communal system.
Of course, the proximity to the benefits of civilization influenced the tribes of this part of Ethiopia. The war, which continued here for a considerable time, also affects. Many men instead of spears and bows wear Kalashnikovs, for example. The local population has already got used to the fact that tourists are regularly brought to them, and even learned how to benefit from this. Do not expect to be able to photograph the exotic appearance of these proud sons of Africa for free. Each frame is taken into account and payment is inevitable :)
Perhaps the most popular national park in Africa, an icon of the tourism industry in Kenya, one of the best parks on the continent. Masai Mara is often written in an excellent degree and, it should be noted, quite deservedly.
The park is like a continuation of the Serengeti, only in Kenya.
Masai Mara is famous for its prides of lions, and in general it is one of best places in Africa to observe the big cat three: lions, leopards and cheetahs.
And, of course, do not forget about the great migration that takes place in Masai Mara from July to October, when millions of herds of wildebeests arrive in the park from Tanzania. at this time the most spectacular.
In general, we can say that not a single safari in Kenya
cannot be considered complete without the Masai Mara.
Kilimanjaro is the same symbol of Africa as Victoria Falls or the Cape of Good Hope, and, despite the fact that the mountain itself is located in Tanzania, the best and most picturesque view of it opens from national reserve Amboseli (Kenya). That is why even many Tanzanian travel sites and offline travel guides do not hesitate to illustrate articles about Kilimanjaro with photographs taken in Amboseli.
Elephants and Kilimanjaro, giraffes and Kilimanjaro, Masai and Kilimanjaro, African acacias and Kilimanjaro ... If you want to add these stories to your portfolio, then you are in.
The park is good in itself, there are all the big five, but it is Kilimanjaro that makes it special and unique.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Tanzania
The highest concentration of wild animals in the world in their natural habitat. This argument immediately gives a head start and increases attractiveness. protected area Ngorongoro. The animals here are separated from the rest of the world by the high slopes of the ancient volcano's crater. As one client said, "Where are they going in the submarine" :)
Ngorongoro boasts the Big Five, and its relatively small size and enclosed space make safaris one of the most exciting in Africa.
Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda
One of the three largest waterfalls in the world and that says it all.
Detailed solution paragraph § 27 on geography for grade 7 students, authors Korinskaya V.A., Dushina I.V., Shchenev V.A. 2017
Questions and tasks
1. What are the most significant geographic objects South Africa.
Zambezi, Kalahari Semi-Desert, Drakensberg and Cape Mountains.
2. On a comprehensive map, highlight the main types of economic activities in the countries of South Africa.
Agriculture and mining.
3. What are the main features of the nature and economy of South Africa.
South Africa is a country of diverse natural complexes and enormous natural resources. Most of the country is a flat plateau, which gradually rises in steps to the south and east, giving way to mountains. Savannah prevails in the country. Natural conditions, as in all of South Africa, change not only from north to south, but also from east to west.
South Africa, with its wide variety of landscapes, has a very rich fauna. In many areas, hunting and fishing are still the main occupation of the local population. But with the arrival of the Europeans, the number of wild animals decreased markedly and many of their species almost disappeared. The number of herbivores has especially decreased - antelopes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, large black buffaloes, rhinos. Lions and leopards have almost completely disappeared.
In order to save wild animals from complete extermination, as well as natural complexes in general, reserves and national parks have been created in South Africa. In the largest of them - the Kruger National Park - all animal species found on the mainland are collected.
Fertile lands in the country belong to white farmers who own private agricultural enterprises. Farms make extensive use of machinery and fertilizers and therefore receive high yields. They grow corn, wheat, legumes, sugarcane, citrus fruits, cotton and other crops. Sheep and cattle farms are located on high plateaus with good pastures. Pasture animal husbandry occupies the most important place in agriculture.
The bowels of South Africa are rich in various minerals. This country is called a geological miracle. South Africa is one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and production of diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium and iron ores. The country's economy is dependent on the British and American monopolists, who lead the development of minerals and receive huge profits.
There are many factories and plants in the country, and industry is developing rapidly.
4. Compare the nature, population and economic activities of North and South Africa. What are the similarities and differences? Explain the reasons for the differences.
North Africa is part of the Middle East and is sometimes even included in it. North. Africa is an undoubted and inseparable part of the Muslim Arab world, predominantly desert territories and is inhabited mainly by Arabs, Berbers and other Semitic-Hamitic tribes along with the traditional African population of Africa. South Africa is classic Africa, except that it is more developed, along with North Africa, compared to other parts of Africa due to the greater presence of the white population there due to its mineral-rich lands.
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC
1. What are the main features of the structure of the surface of Africa. How are they explained?
By the type of relief, Africa can be divided into two parts: low is in the north and west, high in the east and south. The relief of the mainland is dominated by plains and plateaus with a height of 200 to 1000 m, the largest territory of which is occupied by the East African and South African plateaus. The uplifted areas of the mainland alternate with depressions, the largest of which are the Congo Basin and the Kalahari Basin. The highest parts of the mainland are the Ethiopian Highlands (up to 4500 m) and the Drakensberg Mountains (over 3000 m). Such features of the relief of Africa can be explained by the fact that most of the continent was formed on the ancient Arabian-African platform; within the platforms, the relief is represented by plains. Atlas, Cape and Drakensky mountains are confined to folded belts of different ages. In the east of Africa there is a large fault in the earth's crust - the continental rift. In the rift zone, heat fluxes emerge and material rise from the mantle, the formed basins are occupied by lakes, along which the cones of volcanoes rise. It is here that the highest peak in Africa is located - Kilimanjaro Volcano (5895 m).
The well-known statement "Africa is the hottest continent" can be explained by the fact that the continent is located in the warmest climatic zones of the Earth (equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical). Africa is located on both sides of the equator, within latitudes that receive significant amounts of solar radiation from 160 kcal / cm² to 200 kcal / cm². The temperature on the mainland throughout the year is above + 20⁰С. The greatest amount of precipitation falls at the equator, since a belt of low atmospheric pressure is formed here, in which ascending air currents form clouds saturated with moisture. The smallest amount of precipitation occurs in the tropical belt, where, on the contrary, cloud formation does not occur in the high atmospheric pressure belt. The climate of the coasts of the mainland is influenced by warm and cold currents.
2. What are the features of the climate in Africa? What do they depend on?
The peculiarities of the climate in Africa were formed as a result of the action of a system of various factors. Most of the continent is located between the tropics, and therefore the climate of Africa is characterized by high values \u200b\u200bof total solar radiation. Accordingly, a significant part of the mainland has high temperatures, and therefore Africa is considered the hottest continent. There are areas here where the air temperature sometimes exceeds 50 ° C.
In the latitudes of Africa, constant winds dominate over the ocean - the Trade winds, which significantly affect the distribution of precipitation. Southeast Passat blowing out Indian Ocean, therefore brings moist air masses. The Northeast Passat is from Eurasia and causes dry weather. The Southwestern ones delay the Cape Mountains, which affect the redistribution of precipitation: they receive a large amount coastal areas, there is little precipitation behind the mountains.
Sea currents play a significant role in shaping the climate of the African coast. Therefore, low humidity is typical for the north-west coast (due to the cold Canary Current), south-west, east (Somalia). On the contrary, the western and southeastern shores are well moistened due to the warm currents (Guinea and Mozambique, respectively).
In the central part of the continent, the air warms up evenly throughout the year. Temperature fluctuations are clearly manifested only in tropical and especially in subtropical latitudes. The climate differs mainly in the amount and mode of precipitation. The largest number of them falls on the Equatorial regions: the basin of the Congo River (Zaire) and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea - 2000–3000 mm per year, and on the mountain slopes - up to 9000 mm. North of 20 ° Mon. sh. and south of 18 ° S. sh. the climate of Africa is tropical, in the Northern Hemisphere, desert, very dry. In the Sahara, precipitation decreases to 100 mm or less per year; Eastern Sahara is the driest region in Africa (10–20 mm of precipitation per year).
Africa lies within seven climatic zones. Due to the fact that the equator crosses the mainland in half, the climatic conditions are mirror-like from the equator to the edges of the mainland. On the territory of Africa, the Equatorial, two subequatorial and two tropical zones are distinguished. The extreme southern and northern parts of the mainland are located in subtropical zones.
The equatorial belt stretches in a narrow strip along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and further inland to the eastern coast of Lake Victoria. In this belt all year round constantly humid and uniformly hot equatorial air reigns. The air temperature here is high throughout the year: 26 ° С - + 28 ° С. The total annual rainfall is more than 2000 mm, which are evenly distributed throughout the year.
3. List the main features of the rivers in Africa. Which of them depend on the relief, which - on the climate?
The longest river in the world is the Nile (6671 km). It begins on the East African Highlands and flows through Lake Victoria. In the upper course, the river, rushing down the gorges, forms rapids and waterfalls. Coming out to the plain, it flows slowly and calmly and receives the name White Nile. Near the city of Khartoum, the river merges with the waters of the largest tributary, the Blue Nile, which flows from the Ethiopian Highlands. After the confluence of the White and Blue Nile, the river becomes twice as wide and receives the name Nile. In the middle reaches, the Nile cuts through a plateau made of hard rocks, so there were rapids that interfered with navigation. Now, thanks to the dam built at Aswan, navigation conditions have improved. In the lower reaches, the river flows calmly. When it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, it forms a large delta, in the place of which there was a bay several tens of thousands of years ago Mediterranean Sea... The deepest and second longest river in Africa is the Congo (Zaire) (4320 km). In terms of abundance and basin area, it is second only to the Amazon. The river crosses the equator in two places and is full of water all year round. Congo (Zaire) flows along the terraces of the plateaus, so there are many rapids and waterfalls on it. Navigation is possible only in certain areas. The river, in contrast to the Nile, does not form a delta; its muddy fresh waters in a wide stream extend far into the Atlantic Ocean. The third longest and third largest river in Africa is the Niger. In the middle course it is a flat river, and in its upper and lower reaches there are many rapids and waterfalls. In a significant part, the river crosses arid territories, therefore it is of great importance for irrigation; for this purpose, dams and irrigation canals have been built on the river. The Zambezi is the largest of the African rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean. Here is one of the world's largest waterfalls - Victoria. The river in a wide stream (1800 m) falls from a 120 m high ledge in a narrow gorge that crosses its channel.
The source of the river is in the black swamps region of northwest Zambia, among the forested hills at an altitude of about 1,500 meters above sea level. To the east of the source, there is a belt of uplands with rather steep northern and southern slopes, lying between 11 and 12 degrees south latitude. This belt is the watershed between the basins of the Congo and Zambezi rivers. It clearly separates the Luapala River basin (the main tributary of the upper Congo) from the Zambezi. In the vicinity of the source, the watershed is implicitly expressed, but these two river systems are not connected. The Zambezi is a powerful river. Although the Zambezi occupies only the fourth place in Africa in terms of length, it takes the second place in terms of annual flow and is second only to the Congo River. The Zambezi mainly gets its food from heavy summer rains (in these latitudes, summer lasts from November to March). At other times of the year, the river is much less full-flowing. The river regime is characterized by a rapid decrease in the water level in March and a subsequent rise in November. In order to prove the relationship existing between inland waters and relief, you need to trace the nature of the flow of rivers and the shape of the lakes. Mountain rivers differ from the plain ones by their fast current, high banks, the presence of rapids and waterfalls. Lake Tanganyika, located along the Great African Rift, has a shape elongated in the meridional direction. The length of the lake is almost 10 times its width. The nature of the climate determines the high flow of rivers and lakes, the regime of their filling with water. Precipitation is one of the main sources of food for rivers and lakes. Therefore, we can safely say that rivers and lakes located in the equatorial climate are more deep than rivers and lakes located in the tropical desert climate. The shallow lake Chad, located within the subequatorial climatic zone, periodically changes its shape, increasing and decreasing by half. This transformation is associated with the periodicity of the incoming water from the rivers flowing into the lake. Thus, we see a clear relationship that exists between relief, climate and inland waters.
High floods all year (Congo), or dependence on downstream rains and high floods (Nile).
4. What natural areas prevail in Africa? What are their features and how are they explained? Which zones are the most favorable for agriculture?
Africa is predominantly a flat continent. Mountain systems occupy only the northwestern (Atlas Mountains) and southern (Cape Mountains) outskirts of the mainland. The eastern part of Africa (High Africa) is occupied by the East African Plateau, which is highly uplifted and fragmented by shears of the earth's crust. The highest peaks of the continent are located here - the giant extinct and active volcanoes Kilimanjaro, Kenya, etc. The peculiarities of the development of Africa determined the main features of the structure of its surface. Most of the continent is characterized by a flat relief with a wide development of flattening surfaces from Permian-Carboniferous and Triassic to Neogene and even Quaternary, with block and volcanic mountains protruding separately among them. Due to its geographical position (mostly in the hot zone of illumination) Africa is the hottest continent on Earth. Due to its geographical position (mostly in the hot zone of illumination) Africa is the hottest continent on Earth. It receives more solar heat and light than any other continent. It is the only continent that extends approximately the same distance from the equator into the northern and southern hemispheres. The sun throughout the year between the tropics is high above the horizon, and twice a year at any point is at its zenith. The main features of the climate are determined, first of all, by the position of the main part of the continent in tropical and equatorial latitudes. Against the background of constantly high air temperatures, the main differences in the climate of individual regions are determined by the amount of precipitation and the duration of the rainy season. In tropical latitudes, there are huge deserts, closer to the equator - areas of summer rains, in the equatorial zone precipitation falls throughout the year. Large spaces are severely lack of moisture. The continentality of the climate is especially pronounced in the northern part of Africa due to its large size and the close proximity of Eurasia. The western shores of the continent in tropical latitudes are washed by cold currents - the Canary and Benguela currents, cooling the air lying above them so much that its lower layers, up to a height of about 500 m, become noticeably colder than the overlying ones. This excludes the possibility of the development of ascending currents and precipitation. Therefore, along the western shores in tropical latitudes, there are oceanic deserts. Southeast coaston the contrary, it is washed by the warm Mozambican current, which increases the instability of air masses and contributes to precipitation on the mountain slopes of East and South Africa. Most of Africa is influenced by the trade wind circulation in both hemispheres. The northern hemisphere trade winds coming from land carry continental air with low relative humidity. The trade winds of the southern hemisphere, coming from the Indian Ocean, carry masses of humid unstable air to the eastern edge of the continent. The distribution of the river network and runoff over the continent is extremely uneven, which depends mainly on the difference in climatic conditions, relief and the nature of the rocks of certain regions. Along with the regions with a dense hydrographic network and large lakes, vast expanses of Africa are almost or completely devoid of a local river network. Many rivers do not reach the ocean and end in inland drainless basins. Almost all the rivers of the continent are fed by rain. Only in deserts and semi-deserts their food is ground, and on high peaks the Atlas Mountains and East Africa, the sources of the rivers are also fed by melted snow and glaciers. In the extreme north and south, there are zones of rigid-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, followed by zones of semi-deserts and deserts, savannas, variable and permanently moist forests. Latitudinal zoning is violated only on the territory of mountains and highlands, but there are few of them on the mainland.
The nature of the savannah is most favorable for agriculture. A distinctive feature of savannas is the alternation of dry and wet seasons, which take about six months, replacing each other.
5. Name some of the most outstanding natural sites in Africa.
Sahara, Kilimanjaro Volcano, Victoria Falls, Nile River.
6. What natural resources Does Africa Possess?
Crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, copper, diamonds, gold. chrome ore, tungsten, mica, silver, hydropower resources, fish, salt.
7. Give examples of changes in the nature of Africa by man. What would you suggest for ending the desert advance on the savannah.
Back in the 19th century. Africa was presented as a continent of virgin nature. However, even then, the nature of Africa was significantly changed by man. The area of \u200b\u200bforests has decreased, which have been uprooted for centuries and burned down for arable land and pastures. Especially great damage to the nature of Africa was caused by the European colonialists. Hunting, carried out for profit, and often for sporting interest, led to the mass extermination of animals. Many animals have been completely destroyed (for example, some species of antelopes, zebras), while the number of others (elephants, rhinos, gorillas, etc.) has greatly decreased. Europeans exported expensive timber to their countries. Therefore, in a number of states (in Nigeria, etc.) there was a danger of the complete disappearance of forests. The territories on the site of the deforested forests were occupied by plantations of cocoa, oil palm, peanuts, etc. This is how savannas were formed in the place of equatorial and variable-wet forests (Fig. 59). The nature of the primary savannas has also been significantly changed. There are huge areas of plowed land and pastures. Due to improper farming (burning, overgrazing, and cutting down trees and shrubs) for many centuries savannahs give way to deserts. In the last half century alone, the Sahara has significantly moved south and increased its area by 650 thousand km2. The loss of agricultural land leads to the death of livestock and crops, and to people's hunger.
Stop cutting down forests, start planting vegetation, watering deserts, and streamline economic activities.
8. What do you think will happen to the boundaries of natural zones if measures are not taken to protect the nature of Africa?
The zone of savannas and equatorial forests will shrink, and deserts, including the Sahara, will expand.
9. What maps will you use to describe the nature of Madagascar? What data can be obtained from each card?
Physical (relief), climatic (precipitation, average January and July temperatures, currents), a map of natural zones (vegetation, animals).
10. What peoples inhabit Africa and how are they distributed on the mainland?
Africa is inhabited by diverse peoples. Over the course of a long history, other peoples have been added to the indigenous people, whose roots of origin are not connected with this continent. The colonization of Africa contributed to the resettlement of peoples living in Asia, Europe, America. Arab peoples inhabit the north of the mainland. Central and southern regions populated by the peoples of the Negroid race. Descendants of Europeans live in the north and south of the mainland: the French, the British, the Dutch.
11. What changes have occurred on political map Africa over the past 40-50 years? What do these changes indicate?
Many of the countries have gained sovereignty. This indicates that the peoples have got a chance to build their states.
12. Name the states of Africa and their capitals known to you.
Algeria, capital of Algeria. Ghana, capital of Accra. Nigeria, capital Abuja. Ethiopia, capital of Addis Ababa. Republic of South Africa, the capital of Pretoria. Egypt, capital Cairo, Tunisia, capital Tunisia.
13. Select among the countries of Africa those that are located on the plains, and those that lie in the mountains.
The plains are located: Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Algeria. The mountains are located: Namibia, Botswana, South Africa.
14. What parts of Africa would you like to travel to? Why?
I would like to travel all over the continent of Africa to see with my own eyes all the features, similarities and differences.
The second largest continent on planet Earth is continent Africa. The first in size is the continent of Eurasia. There is also a part of the world, which is also called Africa. This article will look at Africa as the mainland of the planet.
In terms of its area, the size of Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the entire land surface of the planet. Mainland Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast, west Coast it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the northeast coast is washed by the Red Sea. There are 62 states on the territory of Africa, of which 54 are independent states, and the population of the entire continent is about 1 billion people. By clicking on the link, you can see the full list of African countries in the table.
The size of Africa from north to south is 8000 kilometers, and when viewed from east to west, it is approximately 7,500 kilometers.
Extreme points on mainland Africa:
1) The most east point the mainland is Cape Ras Khafun, which is located on the territory of the state of Somalia.
2) The northernmost point of this continent is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Tunisian Republic.
3) The westernmost point of the continent is Cape Almadi, which is located on the territory of the Republic of Senegal.
4) And, finally, the southernmost point of the continent of Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory South Africa (SOUTH AFRICA).
Relief of africa
Most of the mainland is plain. The following landforms prevail: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. Conventionally, the mainland is divided into High Africa (where the heights of the mainland reach a size of over 1000 meters - the southeast of the mainland) and Low Africa (where heights reach a size mainly less than 1000 meters - the north-western part).
The most high point mainland - Kilimanjaro Volcano, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the mainland there are the Drakensberg and Cape Mountains, in the east of Africa there is the Ethiopian Highlands, and to the south of it is the East African Plateau, in the northwest of the continent are the Atlas Mountains.
In the north of the mainland there is the largest desert on the planet - the Sahara, in the south is the Kalahari Desert, and in the southwest of the mainland there is the Namib Desert.
At the same time, the lowest point of the mainland is the bottom of the Assal salt lake, the depth of which reaches 157 meters below sea level.
Climate of Africa
The climate of Africa can be put in first place among all continents for warmth. This is the hottest continent, as it is completely located in the hot climatic zones of planet Earth and is crossed by the equator line.
Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by large precipitation and there is no change of seasons at all. To the south and north of the equatorial belt there are subequatorial belts, which are characterized by a rainy season in summer and a dry season in winter with high air temperatures. If we follow further south and north after the subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern tropical belts follow, respectively. Such belts are characterized by low precipitation at rather high air temperatures, which leads to the formation of deserts.
Inland waters of Africa
The internal waters of Africa are uneven in structure, but at the same time vast and extended. On the mainland, the longest river is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6,852 km), and the Congo River is considered the deepest river (the length of its system reaches 4,374 km), which is famous for being the only one that crosses the equator of all rivers twice.
There are also lakes on the mainland. The most big lake Lake Victoria is considered. The area of \u200b\u200bthis lake is 68 thousand km2. The greatest depth in this lake reaches 80 m. The lake itself is the second largest freshwater lake on the planet Earth.
30% of the landmass of the continent of Africa is deserts, in which reservoirs can be temporary, that is, at times completely dry up. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions, underground waters can be observed, which are located in artesian basins.
Flora and fauna of Africa
The continent of Africa is famous for its diversity of both flora and fauna. The continent is home to humid tropical forests, which are replaced by woodlands and savannas. Mixed forests can also be found in the subtropical zone.
The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palm trees, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in the savannas, you can most often find thorny shrubs and small trees. The desert is distinguished by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are grasses, shrubs or trees in oases. Many areas of the desert have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is the amazing Velvichia plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it releases 2 leaves that grow throughout the life of the plant and can reach a length of 3 meters.
The animal world is also diverse in Africa. In the savannah areas, grass grows very quickly and well, which attracts many herbivorous animals (rodents, hares, gazelles, zebras, etc.), and, accordingly, predators that feed on herbivorous animals (leopards, lions, etc.).
The desert at first glance may seem uninhabited, but in fact, there are many reptiles, insects, birds that hunt mainly at night.
Africa is famous for such animals as elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, sand cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinos and more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.
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Africa Objects of geographic nomenclature. Grade 7 Authors-compilers: Team "Astyr" (Astyrovskaya school), team "Researchers" (school 118), team "Seeker" (Siberian secondary school), team "Positiff" (Sherbakulskaya school 1), organizers of the project "Fascinating toponymy"
List of objects of the nomenclature of the Sea: Mediterranean, Red.MediterraneanRed Gulfs: Guinea, Aden.Guinea Strait of Aden: Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Mozambique, Suez Canal. Gibraltarian Bab-el-Mandeb Mozambique Canal Suezar Suezar Somalia Landforms: mountains: Atlas, Drakonovy, Cape; The East African Plateau, Ethiopian Highlands; volcanoes: Kilimanjaro, Kenya Atlas Dragon Cape East African Plateau Ethiopian Highlands Kilimanjaro Kenya Rivers: Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Orange Falls, Limpopo, Victoria, Victoria Nile
Red Sea The sea of \u200b\u200bthe Indian Ocean, between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The name is associated with the color orientation of the peoples of the East, according to which the southern side was marked with red. For the ancient Assyria and Babylon, the entire western part of the Indian Ocean, which was called Rubrugi, was in the south. "Red Sea". Content
Strait of Gibraltar The strait between the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and the north western part Africa, connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Among the Phoenicians it was known as the "pillars of Hercules". In the VIII century. the rock on the shore of the strait began to be called in Spanish Hibraltar - "Mount Tariq", and in Russian - Gibraltar. In honor of her, the name of the strait. Content
The Orange River in South Africa flows into the Atlantic Ocean. He surveyed the river and mapped it in 1777 - 1779. Scottish officer R. Gordon. He also appropriated the name in honor of the Dutch Oran dynasty - "Orange River", but the Dutch oranje also means "orange". Therefore, when translating the name into Russian, a mistake was made. This name took root in Russia. Content
Africa is a part of the world with an area of \u200b\u200b30.3 million km2 with islands, it is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.
Geographical position
Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere (most of it), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland of Gondwana, it has massive outlines, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, and from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.
Main geographic characteristics
Africa lies on an ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is cut by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost entirely occupied by the Sahara Desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian Highlands, the southeast is the East African Plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Draconic mountains. The highest point in Africa is volcano Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, there is the world's largest fault in the earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.
Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from the south to north (its origins are on the East African Plateau, and it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a delta). The rivers are rich in water exclusively in the equatorial zone, due to the large amount of precipitation there, most of them are distinguished by high flow rates, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest lake after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salty closed lake - Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern edge of the greatest Sahara desert in the world).
Due to the location of Africa between two tropical belts, it is characterized by high total indicators of solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent of the Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El-Azizia (Libya) - + 58 С 0 in the shadow).
On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south, turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannas and woodlands, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevres and southern Africa, savannahs are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari. Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of rigid-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. Natural zones of mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.
African countries
The territory of Africa is divided between 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, the Sahara Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and gained independence only by the middle of the last century. Depending on the geographic location Africa is divided into five regions such as North, Central, West, East and South Africa.
List of African countries
Nature
Mountains and plains of Africa
Most of the African continent is plain. There are mountain systems, highlands and plateaus. They are presented:
- The Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
- the highlands of Tibesti and Ahaggar in the Sahara desert;
- The Ethiopian Highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
- Drakensberg mountains in the south.
The highest point in the country is Kilimanjaro Volcano, 5,895 m high, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...
Deserts and savannas
The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it inland to the east is the Kalahari Desert.
The savannah territory occupies the main part of Central Africa. It is much larger in area than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical of savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of the herbaceous vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. These can be practically desert savannas or tall-grass, with a grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height ...
Rivers
The longest river in the world, the Nile, is located on the territory of the African continent. Its direction is from south to north.
In the list of large water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, flowing through the territory of Central Africa.
On the Zambezi River, there is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 m high and 1,800 meters wide ...
Lakes
The list of large lakes on the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the world's second largest freshwater body of water. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. There are two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the fractures of lithospheric plates.
There is Lake Chad on the territory of Africa, which is one of the world's largest closed relict lakes that have no connection with the world's oceans ...
Seas and oceans
The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also on its shores are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. On the side of the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the waters form the deep Gulf of Guinea.
Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. The currents from the Indian Ocean are warm. The largest are Mozambican, in the northern waters, and Igolnoe - in the southern ...
Forests of africa
Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. There are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find a stone oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. High in the mountains, conifers grow, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.
Closer to the coast there are forests of cork oak, in the tropical region there are evergreen equatorial plants, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc.
Nature, plants and animals of Africa
The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, about 1000 species of various types of trees grow here: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, oil palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. ... It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects that live right in the trees. Live on the earth: bristle-eared pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas ...
Savannahs occupy 40% of Africa's territory, which are huge steppe areas covered with herbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and free standing trees (treelike acacias, baobabs).
Here you can see the largest concentration of such large animals as: rhino, giraffe, elephant, hippo, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-footed antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, in some places there are still rare springbok antelopes.
The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. The oases are home to the unique Erg Chebbi date palm, as well as drought and salt tolerant plants. The Namib Desert is home to unique velvichia and nara plants, which feed on porcupines, elephants and other desert animals.
Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of covering great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned ram, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, Dorcas gazelle, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are constantly living and migratory birds.
Climatic conditions
Seasons, weather and climate of African countries
The central part of Africa, through which the equatorial line passes, is in an area of \u200b\u200blow pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoon) humidification and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climatic zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north is the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the peculiarities of the trade wind movement, largest desert the world - Sahara, where the amount of precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...
Resources
Natural resources of Africa
In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the poorest continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet the primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.
Land resources are represented by areas of significant area with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of adequate water volume, soil erosion, etc.
The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including valuable species. The countries where they grow, the raw materials are sent for export. Resources are being used unwisely and ecosystems are gradually being destroyed.
There are mineral deposits in the bowels of Africa. Among those exported: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.
Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investment ...
Among the developed industrial spheres of the countries of the African continent, one can note:
- the mining industry, which sends minerals and fuels for export;
- the oil refining industry, spread mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
- chemical industry, specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
- as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.
The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, the oil palm is grown.
Fishing is developed insignificantly and account for only 1 - 2% of the total agricultural volume. Livestock indicators are also not high and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse fly ...
Culture
The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions
The 62 African countries are home to some 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups, for a total of about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of humans.
Most of the peoples in Africa can number as many as several thousand people, and several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with a population of more than 5 million people, 1/3 are peoples with a population of more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) are Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulus ...
There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is a Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:
- West Africa... Peoples speaking the Mande languages \u200b\u200b(Susu, Maninka, Mende, Vai), Chad (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congolese languages \u200b\u200b(Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
- Equatorial Africa... It is inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Douala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandians), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Como, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Congo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc .;
- South Africa... Rebel-speaking peoples, and speaking the Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
- East Africa... Bantu, Nilot and Sudanese groups;
- North East Africa... Peoples speaking Ethiosemitic (Amhara, Tiger, Tiger.), Kushite (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotic languages \u200b\u200b(Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
- Madagascar... Malagasy and Creoles.
In the North African province, the main peoples are the Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the southern European minor race, mainly professing Sunni Islam. There also exists an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Christians-Monophysites.
