Geography of Africa
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In the south, Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast the Sinai Peninsula is washed by the waters of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, in the east and southeast the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and in the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Geographical features of Africa

Atlas

The Atlas Mountains system extends from the southwestern part of Morocco along mediterranean sea to the eastern border of Tunisia. It includes several smaller mountain ranges, namely: the High Atlas, the Middle Atlas, and the Primorsky Atlas. The most high point- Mount Toubkal, located in the western part of Morocco, with a height of 4,167 meters.

Basin of the Congo River

The Congo Basin, located in central Africa, is located in most of the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the neighboring Republic of the Congo. In addition, it extends to the territory of Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Zambia. The area of ​​this fertile basin is approximately 3,600,000 sq. km., and about 20% of all tropical forests in the world grow on its territory. The Congo River is the second largest river in Africa, and its network of tributaries and streams serves as a transport function for the population of the interior of Africa.

Great Rift Valley

A sharp depression in the Earth's surface, approximately 6,400 km long, extending from the Red Sea, near the Jordanian border in the Middle East, south to Mozambique. In essence, this valley is the result of a series of geological faults caused by large volcanic eruptions many centuries ago. The result of these same faults were numerous sheer cliffs, mountain ranges, rocky valleys, and very deep lakes located throughout the considerable length of this valley. In the immediate vicinity of the valley are many of the most high mountains Africa, including Kilimanjaro, Kenya, and Stanley.

Ahaggar Highlands

Ahaggar is a high-mountainous region in the central part of the Sahara, in the southern part of Algeria - 1,500 km. south of the country's capital, and west of the city of Tamanrasset. The region is mostly rocky desert, with an average altitude of over 900 m above sea level. The highest point is Mount Tahat (3003 m).

Kalahari Desert

The desert area is about 259,000 sq. km., It covers most of Botswana, south- western part South Africa, and the entire western part of Namibia. On this desert plateau there are many mouths of dry rivers, and dense shrubs grow in abundance on it. There are several small mountain ranges in this area, including Karas and Hans. AT national park Kalahari-Gemsbok, located in South Africa, on the border with Namibia, is home to large herds of wild animals.

Namib Desert

The Namib is a coastal desert in the southern part of the African continent, stretching over 2,000 km along the coast. Atlantic Ocean. The desert begins in Angola, runs through Namibia, and ends at the Olifants River in the Western Cape in South Africa. East of Atlantic coast the desert is gradually gaining height, up to 200 km. at the foot of the Great Ledge Mountains.

Annual precipitation is from 2 mm. in the driest areas of the desert up to 200 mm. in the highlands, which is why the Namib can be considered the only true desert in southern Africa. The Namib is also the world's oldest desert, geologically consisting of dune (sand) seas in coastal areas, while inland areas are dominated by gravel plains and rocks.

Sand dunes of the desert, some of which reach 300 m in height and 32 km. in length, are the second largest in the world, second only to the dunes of Badyn Jaran in China.

Sahara Desert

Covering almost one third of the entire African continent, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world, with an approximate total area of ​​9,065,000 sq. km. Topographically, the desert includes flat areas strewn with stones, mobile sand dunes, and numerous dune (sandy) seas.

The height of the desert varies from 30 m below sea level to 3,350 m above sea level ( Mountain peaks in Ahaggar and the Tibesti). Regionally, the Sahara is divided into the Libyan Desert, the Nubian Desert, and the Western Desert in Egypt, west of the Nile.

Precipitation in the Sahara is practically absent, but several underwater rivers flow through its territory, originating in the Atlas Mountains, which help irrigate isolated oases. In the east, the waters of the Nile help fertilize small areas of the desert.

Sahel

The Sahel is a wide strip of land that stretches across the entire width of northern central Africa, southern edge the ever-expanding Sahara desert. This border region is a transition zone between the dry regions of the north and the tropical regions of the south. The area receives very little rainfall (15-20 cm per year) and the vegetation here is mostly sparse grass cover and shrubs.

Nile river system

Africa is the second largest continent on planet Earth. The first in size is the mainland Eurasia. There is another part of the world, which is also called Africa. This article will consider 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. The continent of Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea on the north coast, the west coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the north East Coast washes 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 full list African countries in the table.

The size of Africa from north to south is 8,000 kilometers, and when viewed from east to west, it is approximately 7,500 kilometers.

Extreme points on mainland Africa:

1) The easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Ras Hafun, which is located on the territory of the state of Somalia.

2) Most northern point This mainland is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Republic of Tunisia.

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 most south point The mainland of Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa).

Relief of Africa

Most of the mainland is made up of plains. The following relief forms predominate: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. The mainland is conditionally 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 the heights reach a size mostly less than 1000 meters - the northwestern part).

The highest point on the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the mainland there are the Drakon 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 there are atlas mountains.

In the north of the mainland is the most large 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 salt lake Assal, 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 the continents in terms of warmth. This is the hottest continent, since it is completely located in the hot climatic zones of the planet Earth and is crossed by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and there is no change of seasons. 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 at high air temperatures. If you 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 fairly high air temperatures, which leads to the formation of deserts.

African inland waters

The inland 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 6852 km), and the Congo River is considered the most full-flowing river (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are lakes on the mainland. The largest lake is Lake Victoria. The area of ​​this lake is 68 thousand km2. The greatest depth in this lake reaches 80 m. The lake itself is the second in its area on planet Earth from fresh lakes.

30% of the land mass of mainland Africa is desert, in which water bodies can be temporary, that is, dry up completely at times. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions, groundwater can be observed, which are located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The African continent is renowned for its diversity. flora, as well as the animal. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which are replaced by light forests and savannahs. In the subtropical zone, mixed forests can also be found.

The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palms, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in the savannas, most often you can 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.

Diverse in Africa and animal world. In 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 has become famous for such animals as elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, dune cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinos and much more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.

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Detailed solution paragraph § 27 in geography for students of grade 7, authors Korinskaya V.A., Dushina I.V., Shchenev V.A. 2017

Questions and tasks

1. Name the most significant geographical features of South Africa.

Zambezi, Kalahari Semi-Desert, Drakon and Cape Mountains.

2. On a comprehensive map, highlight the main types of economic activity 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 vast natural resources. Most of the country is a flat plateau, which gradually rises in steps to the south and east, giving way to mountains. The country is dominated by savannas. 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 inherent diversity of landscapes, has a very rich fauna. In many areas, hunting and fishing is still the main occupation of the local population. But with the advent of Europeans, the number of wild animals decreased markedly and many of their species almost disappeared. Especially reduced the number of herbivores - antelopes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, large black buffalo, rhinos. Almost completely disappeared lions, leopards.

In order to save wild animals from complete extermination, as well as natural complexes in general, nature reserves and national parks have been created in South Africa. In the largest of them - the Kruger National Park - all kinds of animals found on the mainland are collected.

Territories with fertile land in the country belong to white farmers - owners of private agricultural enterprises. Farms widely use machinery and fertilizers and therefore receive high yields. They grow corn, wheat, legumes, sugar cane, citrus fruits, cotton and other crops. Sheep and cattle farms are located on elevated plateaus with good pastures. Pasture animal husbandry occupies an important place in agriculture.

The bowels of South Africa are rich in various minerals. This country is called a geological wonder. South Africa occupies 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 British and American monopolists, who lead the development of minerals and receive huge profits.

There are many factories and factories in the country, industry is developing rapidly.

4. Compare the nature, population and economic activity 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 even sometimes included in it. Sev. Africa is an undoubted and inseparable part of the Muslim Arab world, mostly desert territories and it 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 the same North Africa, compared to other parts of Africa due to the greater presence of the white population there due to its mineral-rich lands.

GENERALIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC

1. What are the main features of the structure of the surface of Africa. How are they explained?

According to the type of relief, Africa can be divided into two parts: low is located 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. Elevated sections of the mainland alternate with basins, 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 dragon mountains(more than 3000 m). Such features of the relief of Africa can be explained by the fact that most of the mainland was formed on the ancient Arabian-African platform, within the platforms the relief is represented by plains. The Atlas, Cape, and Dragon Mountains are associated with folded belts of different ages. In eastern Africa, there is a large fault in the earth's crust - the continental rift. In the rift zone, heat flows exit and matter rises from the mantle, the formed basins are occupied by lakes, along which volcano cones rise. It is here that the highest peak of Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m) is located.

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 a significant amount of solar radiation from 160 kcal / cm² to 200 kcal / cm². The temperature on the mainland is above +20⁰С throughout the year. The largest number Precipitation falls at the equator, because a belt of low atmospheric pressure is formed here, in which ascending air currents form clouds saturated with moisture. The least amount of precipitation occurs in the tropical zone, where, on the contrary, in the zone of high atmospheric pressure, cloud formation does not occur. The climate of the coasts of the mainland is influenced by warm and cold currents.

2. What are the features of Africa's climate? What do they depend on?

Features of the African climate were formed as a result of the action of a system of various factors. Most of the mainland is located between the tropics, and therefore the climate of Africa is characterized by high values ​​of total solar radiation. Accordingly, a significant part of the mainland has high temperatures, and therefore Africa is considered the hottest continent. There are areas where the air temperature sometimes exceeds 50 ° C.

In the latitudes of Africa, constant winds dominate the ocean - the Trade Winds, which significantly affect the distribution of precipitation. The southeast trade wind blows from indian ocean, therefore brings moist air masses. The northeast trade wind is from Eurasia and causes dry weather. The southwestern ones delay the Cape Mountains, which affect the redistribution of precipitation: coastal areas receive a large amount of them, there is little precipitation beyond the mountains.

Sea currents play a significant role in shaping the climate of the coast of Africa. Therefore, low humidity is typical for the northwestern coast (due to the cold Canary Current), southwestern, eastern (Somalia). On the contrary, the western and southeastern coasts are well moistened due to warm currents (Guinean and Mozambique, respectively).

In the central part of the mainland, 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 pattern of precipitation. Their greatest number falls on the Equatorial regions: the Congo River basin (Zaire) and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea - 2000-3000 mm per year, and on the slopes of the mountains - 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 it is 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, climatic conditions are mirrored from the equator to the edges of the mainland. On the territory of Africa, the Equatorial, two subequatorial and two tropical belts are distinguished. The extreme southern and northern parts of the mainland are located in subtropical zones.

The equatorial belt extends in a narrow strip along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and further inland to the eastern coast of Lake Victoria. Constantly humid and evenly hot equatorial air reigns in this belt all year round. The air temperature during the year is high here: 26°С - +28°С. The total annual precipitation is more than 2000 mm, which is distributed evenly throughout the year.

3. List the main features of the rivers of 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 Plateau and flows through Lake Victoria. In the upper reaches, the river, rushing down the gorges, forms rapids and waterfalls. Having entered the plain, it flows slowly and calmly and is called the White Nile. Near the city of Khartoum, the river merges with the waters of the largest tributary - the Blue Nile, flowing from the Ethiopian highlands. After the confluence of the White and Blue Nile, the river becomes twice as wide and gets the name Nile. In the middle reaches, the Nile cuts through a plateau composed of hard rocks, so there were rapids that interfered with navigation. Now, thanks to the dam built near Aswan, navigation conditions have been improved. Downstream, the river flows calmly. When it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, it forms a large delta, on the site of which several tens of thousands of years ago there was a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The deepest and second longest river in Africa is the Congo (Zaire) (4320 km). In terms of water 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. The Congo (Zaire) flows along ledges of plateaus, so it has many rapids and waterfalls. Navigation is possible only in certain areas. The river, in contrast to the Nile, does not form a delta, its muddy fresh waters go far into the Atlantic Ocean in a wide stream. The third longest and 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, so 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 river in Africa flowing into the Indian Ocean. Here is one of the largest waterfalls in the world - Victoria. The river falls in a wide stream (1800 m) from a ledge 120 m high in a narrow gorge that crosses its channel.

The source of the river is located in the black swamp region in northwestern Zambia, among forested hills at an altitude of about 1500 meters above sea level. To the east of the source is a belt of uplands with rather steep northern and southern slopes, lying between 11 and 12 degrees south latitude. The watershed between the Congo and Zambezi river basins runs along this belt. It clearly separates the basin of the Luapala River (the main tributary of the upper Congo) from the Zambezi. In the vicinity of the source, the watershed is implicit, but these two river systems are not connected. The Zambezi is a powerful river. Although the Zambezi ranks only fourth in Africa in terms of length, it comes second in terms of annual flow and is second only to the Congo River. The Zambezi mainly receives food from abundant 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 regime of the river is characterized by a rapid decrease in the water level in March and a subsequent rise in November. In order to prove the dependence that exists between inland waters and relief, it is necessary to trace the nature of the flow of rivers and the shape of lakes. Mountain rivers differ from flat rivers in their rapid current, high banks, and the presence of rapids and waterfalls. Lake Tanganyika, located along the line of the Great African Rift, has a shape elongated in the meridional direction. The length of the lake is almost 10 times its width. The full flow of rivers and lakes, the mode of their filling with water depends on the nature of the climate. One of the main sources of food for rivers and lakes is precipitation. Therefore, we can safely say that rivers and lakes located in the equatorial climate are more full-flowing compared to rivers and lakes located within the tropical desert climate. The shallow Lake Chad, located within the subequatorial climatic zone, periodically changes its shape, increasing and decreasing by half. Such a 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 the relief, climate and inland waters.

Full water all year (Congo), or dependence on rains in the lower reaches and high floods (Nile).

4. What natural areas prevail in Africa? What are their features and how are they explained? Which areas 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. East End Africa ( High Africa) is occupied by the highly uplifted and fragmented shifts of the earth's crust by the East African Plateau. Here are the highest peaks of the mainland - giant extinct and active volcanoes Kilimanjaro, Kenya and others. Features of the development of Africa determined the main features of the structure of its surface. Most of the mainland is characterized by a flat relief with a wide development of leveling surfaces from Permian-Carboniferous and Triassic to Neogene and even Quaternary with separately protruding blocky and volcanic mountains. Thanks to his geographic location(mostly in the hot zone of illumination) Africa - is the hottest continent of the 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 roughly 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 primarily by the position of the main part of the mainland 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. Vast areas experience an acute 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 ones, which cool the air above them so much that its lower layers, up to a height of about 500 m, become noticeably colder than the overlying ones. This eliminates the possibility of the development of ascending currents and precipitation. Therefore, along western coasts in tropical latitudes lie oceanic deserts. The southeast coast, on the contrary, is washed by the warm Mozambique 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 under the influence of the trade wind circulation of both hemispheres. The northern hemisphere trade winds coming from the 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 margin of the mainland. The distribution of the river network and runoff across the continent is extremely uneven, which depends mainly on the difference climatic conditions, relief and nature of the rocks of certain areas. Along with areas with a dense hydrographic network and large lakes, the 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 depressions. Almost all 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 the melt waters of snows and glaciers. On the far north and in the south there are zones of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, then zones of semi-deserts and deserts, savannahs, variable and permanently humid forests follow. The latitudinal zonality is violated only in the mountains and highlands, but there are few of them on the mainland.

The nature of the savannas is most favorable for agriculture. A distinctive feature of the savannas is the alternation of dry and wet seasons, which take about half a year, replacing each other.

5. Name some of the most outstanding natural objects in Africa.

Sahara, Mount Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, Nile River.

6. What natural resources Africa has?

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 to stop the advance of deserts on the savannas.

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 ​​forests, which have been uprooted and burned for arable land and pastures for centuries, has decreased. Particularly great damage to the nature of Africa was caused by European colonialists. Hunting, carried out for profit, and often for sport, led to the mass extermination of animals. Many animals are completely destroyed (for example, some species of antelopes, zebras), while the number of others (elephants, rhinos, gorillas, etc.) has been greatly reduced. Europeans exported expensive timber to their countries. Therefore, in a number of states (Nigeria, etc.) there is a danger of complete disappearance of forests. Territories on the site of reduced forests were occupied by plantations of cocoa, oil palm, peanuts, etc. Thus, savannahs formed on the site of equatorial and variable-moist forests (Fig. 59). Significantly changed the nature and primary savannas. There are huge areas of plowed land and pastures. Due to mismanagement of agriculture (burning, overgrazing, and cutting down trees and shrubs), savannas have given way to deserts for many centuries. In the last half century alone, the Sahara has moved significantly southward and increased its area by 650,000 km2. The loss of agricultural land leads to the death of livestock and crops, to starvation of people.

Stop cutting down forests, start planting vegetation, watering deserts, streamline economic activity.

8. What do you think will happen to the boundaries of natural areas if measures are not taken to protect the nature of Africa?

The zone of savannahs and equatorial forests will decrease, 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), map of natural zones (vegetation, animals).

10. What peoples inhabit Africa and how are they distributed on the mainland?

Africa is inhabited by a variety of peoples. Over a long history, other peoples have been added to the indigenous people, whose roots of origin are not connected with this mainland. The colonization of Africa contributed to the migration of peoples living in the countries of Asia, Europe, and America. Arab peoples inhabit the north of the mainland. The central and southern regions are inhabited by peoples of the Negroid race. In the north and south of the mainland live the descendants of Europeans: 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 got a chance to build their own states.

12. Name the states of Africa known to you and their capitals.

Algiers, capital of Algiers. Ghana, capital Accra. Nigeria, capital Abuja. Ethiopia, capital Addis Ababa. Republic of South Africa, the capital of Pretoria. Egypt, capital Cairo, Tunisia, capital Tunis.

13. Select among the countries of Africa those that are located on the plains and those that lie in the mountains.

On the plains are located: Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Algeria. In the mountains are located: Namibia, Botswana, South Africa.

14. Which 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.

Africa is the second largest continent, located in all four hemispheres. The area of ​​Africa is 30 million km2.

Extreme points of Africa:

• northern: Cape Ras-Engela (38°N, 10°E);
• southern: Cape Agulhas (35° S, 20° E);
• western: Cape Almadi 1 (5°N, 17°W);
• eastern: Cape Ras Hafun (11°N, 51°E).

From the west, Africa is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, from the east - by the Indian Ocean, from the north - by the waters, from the northeast - by the Red. Previously, it was connected by an isthmus 120 km wide, now the Suez Canal passes through it. It is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Gibraltar.

The coast of Africa is relatively weakly indented, there is a large Gulf of Guinea in the west and Aden in the east, large peninsula- p-s. Location: Madeira, Cape Verde, etc. East of the mainland is large island- besides it, there are clusters of small islands - Comoros, etc.

The specificity of the relief of Africa lies in the large number of plains and plateaus. Most of the north of the mainland is occupied with the highlands of Ahaggar and Tibesti. There are two noticeable mountain ranges: the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Cape Mountains in the south. The East African Plateau is located in eastern Africa. This relief structure is explained by the fact that most of the mainland is located on a single ancient African-Arabian platform, which separated in ancient times from the common continent - Gondwana. The northern and southern mountain ranges are formed in the collision zone of this platform with other large plates.

Lakes in Africa are quite large, formed in the faults of the rock and therefore very narrow, long and deep: (maximum depth - 1400 m), (700 m). Lake, on the contrary, is shallow, fed mainly by precipitation, during dry periods its area is greatly reduced.

Since most of the mainland is located in tropical, subequatorial and belts, it is warm here. Summer and winter average monthly temperatures differ slightly, the seasons differ in the amount of precipitation: summer is the rainy season, while drought occurs in winter. There are tropical forests - a basin, the east coast of Africa, where up to 3000 mm falls. precipitation. There are dry areas - savannahs, deserts.

The natural zones of Africa are expressed quite clearly and are arranged accordingly. At the equator and in the Congo, a zone of humid equatorial forests has formed. Here there is a huge variety of trees and shrubs, layering is well expressed. Reds are forming. Monkeys, medium-sized ungulates, and many birds live in the forests.

Equatorial forests almost immediately turn into savannahs - a special species with single trees encountered. This natural area occupies a vast area in Africa. There are many herbs here, acacias, baobabs are found from trees. Soils are formed red-brown. There are many large ungulates (giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras, rhinos), there are also predators (lions, cheetahs, hyenas).

An equally large natural zone is tropical deserts, represented by two large deserts: the Namib in the south and the Sahara in the north. The Sahara Desert is a huge desert located in the northern part of the mainland. The dry trade winds that prevail here raise sand particles, so sandstorms are not uncommon for the desert, literally paralyzing all life. even in the shade it rises to +50°С, the sand heats up to +70°С. At night, the temperature drops sharply, can drop to 0°C. In this regard, survival is very difficult, people live exclusively in oases that arise due to the proximity of groundwater. Most animals are nocturnal, hiding in burrows during the day.

The zone of subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests stretches in two narrow strips on the northern and southern coasts of the mainland. Beeches, oaks, citrus fruits, many coniferous plants and shrubs grow here. Animals are mostly medium-sized: foxes, small deer, wild boars.

In the XIX-XX centuries, Europeans actively destroyed unique nature Africa, cutting down valuable forests, exterminating animals. Many species died out on their own due to the destruction of their natural habitat. This has led to the fact that the territories occupied by forests are sharply reduced, but the territories of deserts, on the contrary, are increasing. To preserve and increase the populations of wild animals are created, many of them have become world famous - Kruger, Serengeti.