Name________________________________________ Hour______

Africa Overview Unit 6

Unit Essential Question: How has the physical geography of the Africa influenced the
development of these regions (i.e. history, population distribution, and economic development)?
1. Pre-Reading List the first 5 words you think of when you hear the word Africa
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

Unit Atlas (p. 402)

2. How does the continental United States compare to Africa in terms of size?
3. How does the United States population compare to Africa?
4. Using the Regional Data File (p.408), which African nation would you most like to live in? Why?
5. Using the Regional Data File (p.408), which African nation would you least like to live in? Why?
6. What is the largest desert in Africa? How does it compare to the largest desert in the U.S.?
7. Looking at the map on p. 406, where do most the people in Africa generally live?
8. What are the major rivers of Africa? How do they compare the Mississippi?
Section 1: Landforms & Resources (p.415)
9. Compare and contrast the Africas two longest rivers, the Congo and the Nile.
10. A huge __________ covers most of Africa. It rises inland from narrow lowlands along the coast. Most
of the continent is ____________ feet above sea level. Sometimes Africa is referred to as the
_______________ Continent.
11. Throughout Africa are several large basins. Define and describe the basins in Africa.
12. Describe and define the rift valleys of Africa.
13. Africa contains mainly volcanic mountains. Mount ____________________, Africas highest mountain,
is a volcano.
14. Define Escarpment
Complete the chart below.
Product/Resources
15. Mineral
Wealth

16. Energy
Resources

17. Commodities

Who They Benefit

18. Agriculture is the single most important economic activity in Africa. _____% of Africans earns their
living from farming. Farm products account for nearly ________ of the continents exports.
19. Why do you think Africas abundance of natural resources has not translated into economic wealth for
most of its population?

Section 2: Climate and Vegetation (p.420)

20. Describe the Sahara desert. (Temperature, size, etc.)
21. Define Aquifer
22. Define Oasis
23. What is the best way to travel through the Sahara?
24. Africa lies almost entirely between the Tropic of _______ and the Tropic of __________. This location
gives most of Africa warm, tropical temperatures.
25. Nearly 90% of Africa lies within the ________________ Zone.
26. Rainfall in Africa is often a matter of extremes. Some parts get too much rain, while others receive too
little. The closer an area is to the ___________________, the longer the rainy season.
27. Describe the location of and life on the Serengeti Plain.
28. Most animals in a rain forest live in the ____________ - the uppermost layer of branches, about 150 ft.
above the ground.
29. What is the current status of Africas rainforests?

Section 3: Human-Environmental Interaction (p.425)

30. What is the Sahel?
Complete the following chart.
Desertification of the Sahel
31. Definition of Desertification
32. Causes

33. Results

34. How has the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta affected Nigerias environment?

35. Why was the Aswan High Dam created? Who benefits from it? What are the problems with the dam?