CH: - 13 (AFRICA).

Q/A:-
Q1) Write a note on Africa.

A) The salient features of Africa are following:-

1) Africa is the second largest continent after Asia. The total area is 30,244,000 Square Km.

2) Equator passes almost in the middle of the continent and it is located between 35 N to 35 S.

3) From North to South, it is 8050 Km and its maximum width is 7400 Km.

Q2) Write a note on physical features of Africa.

A) Most of the area of Africa is a vast plateau that is made up of old rocks. This plateau has 2 distinct
parts:-

1) The high plateau in South of Equator

2) The lower Plateaus in the North.

The sides of the higher plateau are steep and the areas near the coast are 1500 meters high. The surface
of the plateau is flat. The highest part of the plateau is Drakensberg, which is 3483 meters high and is
located in the South East.

On the Eastern part of the higher plateau is the famous Rift Valley that is named as African Rift valley.
Towards north, the height of the plateau decreases, it decreases to 600 to 300 meters elevation in North
West of Zaire River.

Q3) Tell about the Great Sahara Desert.

A) This is a plateau but its height is not greater than 300 Meters at any place; there are 2 important
highlands that are Ahagar Mountain and Tibesti Mountain. To the north, this low plateau reaches up to
the Atlas Mountains and in the East it touches the Ethiopian Highlands.

Q4) Tell about Fold Mountains.

A) The salient features of Fold Mountains are following:-

1) There are Fold Mountains located in 2 areas of the African Continent, the Atlas Mountains in the
north and Cape Ranges in the South. The Atlas Fold Mountains are considered of 2 ranges that are
separated by Shots Plateau.
2) The average height of these mountains is 1500 Meters but to the west constituted of old rocks.

3) These are older mountains as compared to Atlas Mountains. The height is more than 3300 Meters.

Q5) Tell about Internal flood plains.

A) The salient features of internal flood plains are following:-

1) The surface of Africa is not uniform. In the interior of the continent, many lowlands are commonly the
channels of rivers.

2) To the west of the Sahara Desert Al-Jauf is 130 Meters below sea level. To the south of it is the Niger
Basin that is approximately 150 Meters below sea level.

3) In the east of Niger Basin is the Chad Basin that is an area of inland drainage.

4) In Central Africa, the Zaire Basin is a large drainage system that drains the internal parts of the
continent.

Q6) Tell about Rift Valley of East Africa.

A) The salient features of Rift valet of East Africa are following:-

1) On the surface of the African Continent is a prominent feature that is called the Rift Valley and is a
greater interest. The origin of this valley is not defined. The most popular idea about its origin is that in
ancient times due to the Earth movements there occurred vast and deep faults on the surface.

2) The Land between the 2 faults subsided and formed a deep valley that formed the rift valley. The
series of these rift valleys make a great valley that covers an area from Syria, Aqba Gulf, Red Sea, Rudolf
Lake, and many other lakes to the Lake Malawi.

3) The western branch runs in northwest direction towards Lake Tanganyika, Lake Edward and Lake
Albert. The rift valley is 65 to 95 Meters wide and its average depth is 600 meters. The total length of it
is 8050 Km.

Q7) Tell about Rivers of Africa.

A) The salient features of Rivers of Africa are following:-

1) There are 5 large river systems in Africa that drain in the seas. These large rivers are Nile, Zaire, Niger,
Zambezi and Orange. The Nile, Niger, and Zambezi rivers make waterfalls on their long journeys to the
sea. Navigation is not possible in these rivers. Where there is a longer distance between two waterfalls
the rivers are used for transportation.

2) Some rivers of Africa are important for agriculture too. The 2/3 part of Africa is arid where rainfall is
less than 250 mm per year furthermore the most of the area is located in Torrid Zone. Therefore,
irrigation is necessary for agriculture.
3) The river water is used for irrigation. In this regard, Nile River is most important. It is called the Gift of
Egypt as the economy of Egypt depends upon its water, without this river, the land of Egypt would be as
barren desert.

Q8) Tell about Nile Valley.

A) The salient features of Nile Valley:-

1) Nile river is the largest and most famous river of the old world. This originates from Lake Victoria near
the Equator and flows to North through Sudan and Egypt and falls into the Mediterranean Sea. Its length
is almost 6670 Km.

2) The upper part of Nile River is called White Nile. It has 3 tributaries from east and one from the west.
The 3 eastern tributaries are Blue Nile, Atbara and Soyat, while the western tributaries are Behr ul
Ghazal. The eastern tributaries originate from Ethiopian mountains and add the melt ice and rainfall
water into the Nile River.

Q9) Write a note on Climate of Africa.

A) Africa is extended on the both sides of the equator, therefore, when there is summers season in
North Africa, then there is winter season in South Africa and when North Africa has winter then South
has summer.

.) Seasonal conditions from November to April:-

1) In this season the sun is at the tropic of Capricorn. In January the sun is over head in South Africa bur
southern part of plateau is cold due to height of 1200 meters from sea level.

2) The hottest parts of South Africa are low lands of East Africa. In these months temperature decreases
towards the north and coldest area stands in the surroundings of North East lands. During this period
the north coastal land. During this period there is winter in North Arica and most of its parts come under
the high pressure system where the trade winds flows which are dry winds and cause for no rainfall.

3) The equatorial part of Africa receives conventional rainfall throughput the year. In the southern
equatorial region there is heavy rainfall in eastern coastal of South Africa due to south eastern trade
winds. It decreases towards west in the interior areas.

4) During these months the extreme southern parts of the continent comes under the influence of high
pressure system, where the dry trade winds flow so there is no rainfall.

.) Seasonal conditions from May to October:-

1) During this season the sun is vertically overhead on the North of equator at the tropic of cancer. Most
of the parts of North Africa remain dry due to dry trade winds.

2) In the south of equator the trade wind latitudes shifted towards the north. The extreme south
western part of Africa comes under the influence of North-western winds and receives heavy rainfall.
3) In this season, the Sahara becomes very hot and comes under low pressure system. Therefore,
moisturize laden winds flow from the equatorial ocean of the West Africa to southern Sahara. Infect
there are monsoon winds and cause for rain fall on the coast of Guinea.

Q10) Write a note on Climate regions.

A) Generally the climate regions of North and South Africa are similar.

1) The equatorial climate region:-

It is warm and wet climatic region and based upon Zaire basin and some
coastal areas of gulf of Guinea.

2) Tropical climate region:-

In this region rainfall occurs in summer and winter remains dry. It is located on both
sides of the equator and also known as Sudani region.

3) The desert climatic region:-

It is a high pressure zone in the north and south of the Equator. It is usually remain dry. It
occurs from west to east in the North and on the western coasts of the south of continent.

4) Eastern coastal region of warm temperature zone:-

It consists upon eastern coastal areas of South Africa. It receives rainfall from
trade wins of the Indian Ocean.

5) The Mediterranean region:-

It consists upon Eastern and South western coastal areas of Africa. Where rainfall occurs in
winter and summer remain dry.

6) South African plateau region:-

It is a region of grass lands of central latitudes in South Africa. As it is based

upon mountains, therefore there is change in climate. It is not very hot.

Q11) Write a note on Population of North Africa.

A) The salient features of population of North Africa are following:-

1) According to an estimate of 2016, the total population of Africa is 1.2 Billion and average density is 41
people per km square. On the whole, the continent is thinly populated. It is due to great desert which
consist ¼ of the continent.
2) Secondly, equatorial thick forests and unfavorable climatic conditions, the most density populated
region in Africa is Nile valley (especially Egypt). The density of population in Nile valley and deltaic area
of Nile is 770 people per Km square.

3) Other density populated areas are following:-

North Western African countries (especially Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone),

mountains of East Africa (lake areas), some parts of South Africa (especially coastal areas) surrounding
areas of Johannesburg, eastern coastal area (Natal province, Cape Town and a small surrounding area of
Port Elizabeth.

4) The people of Africa live mostly in rural areas less than 10% of people live in cities and towns. Over all
Africa is thinly populated continent especially comparing with south and East Asia. It has low density.

5) Most of people of Africa consist upon black races which are original people of continent. They mostly
settled in south of great dessert. They belong to Bantu and as they are near about 10 Crore (100
Million).

6) Small short heighted traditional Africans called as Pygmies which are nomads and stay upon hunting
in equatorial forests. In spite of these other nations such as Hottentots and Bushmen are Nomads and
earn from forests.

7) But now they are decreasing due to immigrants from other countries. The Arabs in the North and
Eastern part of Africa, Asians especially Malaysians in Malagasy, Indians and Pakistan are settled in
South East cities of Africa. The European settled in those parts continent where climate conditions are
favorable for their settlement. The French and English in West Africa and the British in the east Africa.
People of Belgium in Zaire, the Italians and Spanish in North West and portages in western and eastern
coastal areas are settled. The people of white races are increasing in South Africa.