Chapter 13 - Africa: Location, Area, Political and Physical Features
Introduction:
General Facts:
• Africa is called the ‘Dark Continent’, ‘Hottest Continent’, ‘Plateau Continent’ and ‘Last Explored Continent’
• It is the second largest continent, after Asia
• It occupies more than one-fifth of the earth’s total land area
Physical Features:
A major part of Africa is a plateau composed of ancient rocks → hence called ‘Plateau Continent’
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The equator passes through the middle of the continent. Most of Africa lies within the tropics → making it the hottest
continent
Difficulties in Exploration:
1. The Sahara Desert (world’s largest desert) has severe 2. Africa has undulating plateaus, making the interior
heat and dry conditions difficult to reach
An undulating plateau is a high land area with
uneven, rolling surface (small hills and dips
instead of being completely flat).
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3. Rivers have rapids and waterfalls, not suitable for navigation
Rapids = fast-flowing, rough water Waterfalls = water falling from a height
4. Dense equatorial forests and swampy lands with tsetse flies and poisonous insects discouraged explorers
Dense equatorial forests Swampy lands
Tsetse flies Poisonous insects
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Exploration of Africa:
David Livingstone discovered Victoria
Falls (1855)
Mungo Park explored the River Niger
Henry Morton Stanley traced the River
Congo from Lake Tanganyika to its mouth
Location:
• Africa occupies a central position on the world map and is the only continent which is divided into almost two
equal parts by the equator running through its centre.
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• There is more land mass in the north. The Prime Meridian passes through Accra, the capital of Ghana.
• Africa is bound by the Indian Ocean in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The Mediterranean Sea
in the north and the Strait of Gibraltar in the north-west separate Africa from Europe.
• In the north-east, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. This canal was constructed
across the Isthmus of Suez, which previously connected Asia and Africa in the north-east.
Canal - an artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland or to convey water for
irrigation.
• The southernmost tip of Africa is called the Cape of Good Hope. The Southern Ocean lies to the south of
Africa.
Physical Features:
A major part of Africa is a plateau composed of ancient rocks. Towards the narrow coasts, the plateau descends in the
form of steps. In general, the plateau of Africa is lower in the north and higher in the south. Africa is divided into these
physical divisions:
• The Atlas Mountains lie in north-western Africa. They are young fold mountains consisting of three parallel
ranges—the Tell Atlas in the north, the High Atlas in the middle and the Sahara Atlas in the south. The highest
peak in the Atlas Mountains is Mt Toubkal, which remains snow-capped most of the year.
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• The Sahara Desert forms a part of this plateau. This desert extends from the Atlantic in the west to the Red Sea
in the east, and covers an area of 8.6 million sq. km. Oases, areas with water and trees in a desert, provide respite
to travellers in this vast desert. The Tibesti Mountain and the Ahaggar Plateau are located in this region.
• The Great Rift Valley of Africa is a special physical feature of the southern plateau. It is a long narrow valley
formed as a result of vertical cracks that developed because of the movements within the earth. The Rift Valley
extends for a total distance of 5,000 km from Lake Malawi to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead
Sea in Jordan. Many freshwater lakes, such as Malawi, Tanganyika and Turkana are found here. Lake Victoria,
the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, lies along the rift valley.
• The high plateau of the south is divided into the Ethiopian or Abyssinian Plateau, the central lake plateau
and the South African Plateau. This plateau ends with the Drakensberg Mountains, which form the high,
eastern edge of the plateau. The Namib and Kalahari Deserts are parts of this plateau. The Namib Desert runs
along the western coast in south-west Africa. The Kalahari Desert lies in the southern part of Africa.
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• Mt Kilimanjaro, a snow-capped mountain near the equator, lies in this plateau. The Nile and Congo basins
have been built by these two big rivers of Africa. The Nile Basin is a flat dry region that borders the river Nile
and its tributaries in north-eastern Africa. In addition to the fertile farmland along the Nile, the region has deserts
in the north and a huge swamp called the Sudd in the south. The Congo Basin in west-central Africa includes
most of the land drained by the river Congo and its tributaries. Tropical rainforests cover much of the Congo
Basin.
What is a Basin?
A drainage basin is an area of land where all the water from rain, rivers, and streams flows into one main river. In the
picture, the green land represents the basin. Water starts from a spring, flows through small streams called tributaries,
and joins the main river channel. These rivers meet at points called confluences and finally empty into a sea or lake at
the mouth of the river. The edges of the basin are called the drainage divide, which separates it from other basins. In
simple terms, a basin is like a natural area where all water collects and drains into one river system.
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• The coastal plains are found along the margins of the plateaus, particularly in the northern and
western parts. The coastal plains are narrow as the plateaus drop down to the sea abruptly.
Rivers And Lakes:
1. General Features of African Rivers:
▪ The rivers of Africa mostly flow over the plateau in their upper courses, where they are navigable.
▪ In their lower courses, as they descend to the coastal plains, they form rapids and waterfalls, making
navigation difficult.
2. The Nile River System:
• The River Nile is the world’s longest river.
• It has two main tributaries: the Blue Nile and the White Nile.
Blue Nile
• Originates from Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands. Also known as the Abbay River.
• Flows through steep and rugged terrain.
• Has a distinctive blue colour due to high sediment content.
White Nile
• Begins from Lake Victoria.
• Flows through flat and swampy terrain.
• Its waters are clear and silty.
Meeting Point and Course
• The two rivers meet at Khartoum (Sudan’s capital).
• They form the main Nile River.
• The Nile flows northwards into the Mediterranean Sea.
• It flows through a desert, but has water all year because of its source in the rainy equatorial
region.
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3. Other Important Rivers of Africa:
• The Congo (Zaire) is the second longest river.
• The Niger is the third longest river.
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• Both rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
• The Limpopo and Zambezi rivers flow into the Indian Ocean.
• Victoria Falls is a major feature of the Zambezi River.
4. Inland Drainage and Special Rivers:
• The Chari River flows into Lake Chad, forming an inland drainage basin.
• The Okavango River flows through the Namib Desert.
• It is fed by rains in Angola.
• It is a perennial river and flows through tropical forests.
5. Lakes of Africa:
• Most large lakes (except one) lie in the Great Rift Valley (East Africa).
Lake Victoria:
• Largest lake in Africa.
• Second-largest freshwater lake in the world.
• Area: 69,490 sq. km.
Other Important Lakes:
• Lake Tanganyika → one of the longest freshwater lakes.
• Other lakes: Malawi, Mobutu, Edward, Turkana.
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