Africa's Geography
Africa is a giant land mass. It is 3x as large as the US.
North Africa
The north has rocky mountains and the world’s largest desert, the Sahara
West Africa
West Africa is the most populated and has fertile soil that is good for farming.
East Africa
East Africa consists of plateaus and grasslands
Central and South Africa
Central and South Africa are grasslands and rainforests. The vast area of grassland is known as the Savanna.
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a huge trench that was created when Africa and Asia pulled apart over millions of years ago.
4 Major Rivers
There are 4 major rivers in Africa; however they are blocked by cataracts, or rock-filled rapids. This blocks transportation from the interior of Africa to the coast. This creates a transportation barrier. The Nile River is the longest and flows north. Every year it floods and leaves behind silt that makes for very fertile land. The Congo River flows through the rainforest. The Niger is the third longest river in Africa. Source of fish for those who live near it. The Zambezi River is the border of six nations in Africa. This river is the site of the picturesque Victoria Falls.