Five Themes of Geography (pp.1-7)

1. Location-

-equator runs through the middle of Africa

-30 degrees north - 30 degrees south

-climates in Africa are generally warmer than climates in United States

2. Regions-

-Africa is three times the size of the United States

-where is GeoCleo? _________________________________

3. Place-

-four African lakes: Chad, Victoria, Tanganikya, Nyasa

-interior means "inside" part of continent

-exterior means "inland" part of continent

4. Movement-

-landlocked means no access to the ocean

-cuts down on trade possibilities

5. Interaction-

-people create desert by allowing animals to over graze and by cutting away trees for firewood

6. Oasis-

-area of a desert where water has reached the surface

-the site of farming and villages

7. Mt. Kilimanjaro-

-highest point above sea level in Africa

-even though it is close to the equator (4 degrees south latitude), it is covered in snow and ice all year

-volcanic mountain

8. Escarpment-

-a very steep and very high cliff along the coast

9. Serengeti Plain-

-located in the countries of Kenya and Tanzania

-Serengeti Nation Park in Kenya is one of the worlds largest game preserves

10. Great Rift Valley-

-formed during pre-historic time

-a 4,000 mile long area of land dropped 2,000 feet (300 miles at widest point)

-created Nile River, Red Sea, Lake Victoria and other west African lakes

11. Lake Victoria-

-named by European explorers for Queen Victoria of England

-largest lake in Africa (second largest in the world)

-rain filled, borders three countries, equator runs through it

12. Nile River-

-longest river in the world (4,000) miles long

-provides irrigation water for farming

-white and blue Nile

13. Cataracts-

-rock filled rapids creating natural blockages in the river

14. Aswan High Dam-

-built to stop the flooding of the Nile River

-used to create hydroelectric power

-Lake Nasser is formed as the reservoir

15. Nile River Valley-

-narrow area of land along the Nile containing some of the world's best farmland

-nearly 90% of Egypt's population live on 10% of the land

16. Niger River-

-important west African river

-shallow (poor for transportation) used for irrigation.

17. Victoria Falls-

-located on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe

-one mile wide, falls drop 350 feet

18. Lake Chad-

-located in north central Africa

-size and depth of lake will vary greatly with amount of rain many miles away

Climate, Vegetation and Natural Resources (pp. 15-25 & 5)

19. Mediterranean-

-area of poor soil, short grasses, small trees and shrubs

-climate is warm with less than average rainfall: usually found near ocean (not marine climate)

-wheat, tropical fruits, grapes

20. Sahel-

-area of transition from grassland and desert

21. Desertification-

-term used to describe the expanding desert

-nature and humans are responsible for desertification (see term 5, interaction)

22. Desert-

-area receiving less than 10 inches of precipitation each year

23. Savanna-

-area of grassland

-usually has two seasons: wet and dry

-wildlife and grazing animals

24. Substance Farming-

-crops are used directly by the people who grow them

25. Cash Crop Farming-

-crops will be (used indirectly) sold by the people who grow them

26. Cacao Trees-

-cash crop from which cocoa comes from

27. African Animals-

-have provided an income for the African nations through photography, safaris and hunting

-many of Africa's animals endangered

28. Poaching-

-the illegal killing of animals

-many of Africa's endangered animals are poached

29. Rain Forest-

-area, near the equator, receiving over 70 inches of precipitation each year

30. Deforestation-

-cutting away of the rain forest in order to create farm land

-rain forest vegetation is impossible to replace : many plants are endangered

-much of Africa's rain forests have been destroyed

31. Tsetse Fly-

-insect that carries sleeping sickness

-kills animals and humans

32. River Blindness-

-caused by the black fly

-effects the nervous system and sight in humans and animals

33. Malaria-

-carried by mosquitoes

-caused serious illness and possibly death in humans

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Africa's First People (pp. 30-34)

1. Traditional-

-culture which has been done the same way for many centuries

-without modernization

-little contact with other cultures

2. Hunting and Gathering-

-making a living by hunting animals and gathering plants

3. Tribe-

-traditional social organization

Kingdoms of Africa (pp. 34-40)

4. Nile River-

-where one of the world's oldest civilizations began

-predictable flooding created fertile soil

5. Pharaohs-

-name of the leader of ancient Egypt

-thought to be a god-king by his followers

6. Mummies-

-specially preserved body of the dead pharaohs

-religious belief that the body is needed in the next life to hold a persons soul

7. Pyramids-

-stone tombs for the pharaoh

8. Spinx-

-monument with the body of a lion and the head of a man

9. Howard Carter-

-British archeologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922

-tomb had not been robbed like others

10. Tutankhamen-

-King Tut or the Boy King

-ruled Egypt for age 9-19

-most famous because his tomb was not robbed

11. Hieroglyphics-

-picture and symbol language used in ancient Egypt

12. Niger River-

-west African river by which the great kingdoms of Africa began

13. Ghana-

-name given to the great king of west Africa

-eventually became the name of the empire

-controlled the trade of gold, silver, salt and slaves

14. Mali-

-took over control from Ghana

-brought Islam to northern Africa

15. Timbuktu-

-great trading city and center of learning in the Sudan

-rivaled any of the great European cities

-"where camels meet canoe"

16. Mansa Musa-

-great king of Mali

-known for his power and great wealth

17. Songhai-

-eventually took over power from Mali

-weakened and eventually taken over because of American slave trade

Changes In Africa (pp. 41-57, 168-173 )

18. Slave Trade-

-trading of African people for products

-weakened and destroyed west African culture

19. Colonization-

-European nations taking over control of areas of Africa

20. David Livingston-

-Scottish missionary sent to explore Africa

-was not heard from for a long time

21. Henry Stanley-

-sent by the New York Times to find Dr. Livingston

-eventually found him near Lake Tanganyika in the city of Ujiji

22. Albert Switzer-

-European doctor who went to Africa to help with health problems in the continent

-won the Nobel Peace Prize and used the money to help pay for more hospitals

23. Independence-

-African nations gaining freedom from colonizing European nations

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Problems Facing Africa Today (pp. 81-83 & 168-173)

1. Apartheid-

-official policy of South African government that separated whites and blacks in that nation

-ended in 1994

2. Nelson Mandella-

-fought for equal rights for blacks in South Africa

-imprisoned for thirty years

-released and became South Africa's first black president

3. Famine-

-large scale starvation

-usually caused by drought and war

4. Gross National Product

- GNP

- total economic value of produced goods in a country divided by the total population of that

country

- also called Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

5. Developed Nations-

- countries with a strong economy and strong industrial system

- the "haves"

6. Developing Nations-

- countries with a medium to weak economy and a poor industrial system

- the "have nots"

7. World Divisions

-first world: possesses an excess of luxury items and an excess of necessities

-second world: possesses few luxury items and sufficient necessities

-third world: possesses no luxury items and very few necessities

8. Commercial Farming-

- farmers will sell the crop which they produce

- usually associated with developed nations

- rely on modern technologies, not run by single family but by a corporation

9. Subsistence Farming-

- also called Traditional Farming

- farmers will use crop as a food supply for family and for seed for the next growing season

- usually associated with developing nations

- entire family does the work, few modern tools

10. Foreign Aid-

- loans, gifts or donations for developing countries from developed nations

- sometimes has political reason

11. Aids-

-illness which began in Africa

-is spreading faster in Africa than any other area of the world

12. Orphans-

-African children who's parents have died, usually due to AIDS, war or famine

13. Refugees-

-people forced to flee their homes and have no place to live

Countries of Africa (pp. 99-103, 109-119, 121-125 & 148-153)

14. Berbers-

-nomadic group of people that live around Algeria

-follow the Islamic religion

15. Nigeria-

-Africa's most populated country

-one of Africa's poorest counties

-presently controlled by a military dictatorship

16. Mozambique-

-east African country who's bitter civil war has ended

-becoming more productive during peace time

17. Mali-

-poor African nation that is loosing valuable farm land to the desert

-once was the economic center of Africa

18. Kenya-

-country where much of Africa's wildlife lives

-has been able to remain peaceful despite corruption in the government

-where the Masi tribe lives.

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