V Lately ratings have become very popular. On the one hand, they look conceived somehow primitive, PR and subjective. On the other hand, in my opinion, they help to structure large amounts of information and squeeze out a lot of water and informational noise. I also decided to take a swing at our William Shakespeare.
It was possible, of course, to yellow the topic with a catchy headline like “10 places in Africa that you must visit” or something like that. But I will not be like top bloggers :)
Naturally, the concept of "interesting" hints at the subjectivity of the list: what is interesting to one person may be absolutely not interesting to another. Therefore, this is the most subjective, but unbiased list of African interesting things :)
The reasons why people go to Africa can be divided into 3 components - animals, people and nature. For me, this is an axiom, which formed the basis of the list.
A unique place in Africa, and, possibly, on the entire planet, where original tribes still remain, minimally affected by civilization. Mursi, Surma, Erbore, Hamer... Each tribe is unique in its way of life, traditions, decorations of its own body. In the Omo Valley, you seem to be moving in a time machine for many centuries, or even millennia, back to the primitive communal system.
Of course, the proximity to the benefits of civilization had an impact on the tribes of this part of Ethiopia. The war that continued here for a considerable time also has an effect. Many men instead of spears and bows carry Kalashnikovs, for example. The local population has already become accustomed to the fact that tourists are regularly brought to them, and even learned to benefit from this. Do not expect that you will be able to photograph the exotic appearance of these proud sons of Africa for free. Each frame counts and payment is inevitable :)
Perhaps the most popular national park in Africa, an icon of the tourism industry in Kenya, one of best parks continent. The Masai Mara is often written in superlatives and, it should be noted, deservedly so.
The park is like a continuation of the Serengeti, only in Kenya.
Masai Mara is known for its prides of lions, and in general this is one of the best places in Africa to watch the big three cats: lions, leopards and cheetahs.
And, of course, do not forget about the great migration that takes place in the Masai Mara from July to October, when millions of wildebeest herds arrive in the park from Tanzania. at this time the most spectacular.
In general, it can be said that none safari in kenya
cannot be considered complete without the Masai Mara.
Kilimanjaro is as much a symbol of Africa as the Victoria Falls or the Cape. Good Hope, and, despite the fact that the mountain itself is located in Tanzania, the best and most picturesque view of it opens from national reserve Amboseli (Kenya). That is why even many Tanzanian travel sites and offline guides do not hesitate to illustrate articles about Kilimanjaro with photographs taken in Amboseli.
Elephants and Kilimanjaro, giraffes and Kilimanjaro, Masai and Kilimanjaro, African acacias and Kilimanjaro ... If you want to replenish your portfolio with these stories, then you are at.
The park is good in itself, there are all the big five here, but it is Kilimanjaro that makes it special and unique.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Tanzania
The highest concentration of wild animals in the world in their natural habitat. This argument immediately gives a head start and increases the attractiveness of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The animals here are separated from the rest of the world by the high slopes of the crater of an ancient volcano. As one client said: “Where will they go on a submarine” :)
Ngorongoro boasts the Big 5, and its relatively small size and enclosed space make it one of the most exciting safari experiences in Africa.
national park Vulkanov. Rwanda
Ranked among the top three big waterfalls the world and that says it all.
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 mainland 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 northeast coast is washed by 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 are the Atlas Mountains.
In the north of the mainland is the largest 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. by the most big lake considered 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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Africa Objects of geographical nomenclature. Grade 7 Authors-compilers: Team "Astyr" (Astyrovskaya secondary school), team "Researchers" (secondary school 118), team "Seeker" (Siberian secondary school), team "Pozitiff" (Sherbakul secondary school 1), organizers of the project "Fascinating toponymy"
List of nomenclature objects Seas: Mediterranean, Red.MediterraneanRed Gulfs: Guinea, Aden.GuineanAden Straits: Gibraltar, Bab el-Mandeb, Mozambique, Suez Canal.GibraltarBab el-Mandeb MozambiqueSuez Canal Islands: Madagascar, Canary.MadagascarCanary Peninsula: Somalia. Somalia Landforms: mountains: Atlas, Draconian, Cape; East African Plateau, Ethiopian Highlands; Volcanoes: Kilimanjaro, Kenya. Atlas Draconic Cape East African Plateau Ethiopian Highlands Kilimanjaro Kenya Rivers: Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Orange, Limpopo, Senegal.
Red Sea Sea indian ocean, between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The name is associated with the color orientation of the peoples of the East, according to which the southern side was designated in red. For ancient Assyria and Babylon, the entire western part of the Indian Ocean, which was called Rubrugi, was in the south. "Red Sea". Content
Strait of Gibraltar Strait between the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern part of Africa, connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Phoenicians were known as the "pillars of Hercules." In the 8th century the rock on the shore of the strait began to be called in Spanish Hibraltar - "Mount Tariq", and in Russian - Gibraltar. In honor of her and the name of the strait. Content
The Orange River in South Africa flows into the Atlantic Ocean. He surveyed the river and put it on the map in 1777 - 1779. Scottish officer R. Gordon. He also appropriated the name in honor of the Dutch Oran dynasty - "Oran River", but the Dutch oranje also has the meaning "orange". Therefore, when translating the name into Russian, a mistake was made. This name has taken root in Russia. Content
People who lived not far from ancient Carthage, the inhabitants of the city called the word "afri". From the Phoenician word afar means "dust", it is to this language that this name is attributed. When the Romans conquered Carthage, they named this province Africa. Later, they began to call the regions that were known on this continent. And then the whole continent.
Another version says that the word has the roots of the Berber word ifri, i.e. cave. This meant the cave dwellers, the Afri people. Also, the Muslim province called "Ifriqiya", which later arose in this place, also had the same root in the name.
I. Efremov, a well-known writer and scientist, believed that the word "Africa" has roots in the ancient language of Ta-Kem ("Afros" - a foamy country, Egypt). This is due to the fact that when approaching the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea, several currents collide.
Etymology of the names of physical and geographical objects in Africa
Gulf of Aden. Gulf of the Indian Ocean. The name was given to the city of Aden in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. According to one version, the toponym is based on the Arabic root in the meaning of "settlement". According to another interpretation, the name was formed by the term from the ancient Semitic-Hamitic languages \u200b\u200bedinu - plain, steppe, which clearly reflects natural features.
Azores. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese called Ilhas dos Azores - "islands of hawks" for the abundance of these birds off the coast and in the archipelago.
Amirant Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They were discovered by the expedition of Admiral Vasco to Gama and named after him llhas de Almitante - "The Admiral's Islands".
Augrabis.Waterfall on the river Orange. The name comes from the Hottentot aukrebis, "great noise".
Ahaggar.Mountain range in the Central Sahara. The name comes from the name of the Tuareg tribe Kel-Ahaggar. The ethnonym, apparently, is based on the Arabic term "Akhgar" - a cave, i.e. "ahaggar" - "cave dwellers", "cave spirits".
Bab el Mandeb Strait. Separates Africa and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The name comes from the Arabic words "bab" - gate, "mandib" - tears, i.e. means "gate of tears". The toponym-metaphor reflects the difficult conditions of navigation in the strait.
White Nile.The name of the middle course of the Nile to the confluence of the Blue. The Arabic name for the Bahr el-Abyad river is "white river". According to experts, the definition of "white" refers either to the cloudy color of the water, or corresponds to an unknown color orientation.
Benguela current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. The name is given after the city of Benguela in Angola: in one of the Bantu languages, benguela means "country of reeds".
Benue.Left tributary of the river. Niger. The name comes from the Batta language, where be is "water", nue is "mother", i.e. means"mother of waters"
Bioko.Island in the Gulf of Guinea. The Portuguese, having discovered Bioko, called it Formosa - "Beautiful" for the abundance of lush vegetation and the presence of fresh water. Later, the island was called Fernando Po in honor of the Portuguese discoverer, and in the 70s of the XX century, Macias Nguema Biyogo in honor of the President of Equatorial Guinea. Bioko is a modified name, so it is difficult to call the true meaning.
Vaal. River, right tributary of the river. Orange, The name was given by the Dutch Boer colonists for the color of the water: vaal - "muddy", "gray". The toponym is included in the name of one of the provinces of South Africa - Transvaal (Transvaal) - "beyond the Vaal".
wadi, oueddy. The general name of the beds of temporary watercourses in North Africa, filled with water only during the rainy season. The Arabic geographical term "wadi", "wedd" - a dry channel, a valley.
Weld.The name of an arid plateau in southern Africa. In Dutch and Afrikaans (the language of Afrikaners), veld is a vernacular geographic term meaning "field".
Victoria.Lake in East Africa, the largest on the mainland. Unlike the Victoria Falls, named by D. Livingston in honor of the Queen of Great Britain, the name of Lake Victoria was given by the traveler D. Speke. Therefore, at present, in the young African countries located on the shores of the lake, other names are offered: Umoja - "unity", Uhuru - "freedom", Shirikisho - "unification", Uhuru na Umoja - the state motto of Tanzania, inscribed on the coat of arms of the state.
Victoria.Waterfall on the river Zambezi. It was discovered by the outstanding English traveler David Livingston and named after the Queen of Great Britain. locals They call the waterfall Mosi-oa-Tunya - "thundering smoke", or Seongo - "place of the rainbow".
Virunga.Volcanic mountains in East Africa. The name in the language of the Nyoro people means "volcano".
Volta.River in West Africa. The name Rio-da-Volta - "river of return" was given by the Portuguese, because. in the 15th century their ships stopped at the mouth of the river before returning to their homeland. In Ghana, on the Volta created the reservoir of the same name - one of the largest in the world (8480 km 2 ).
Guardafuy.Cape in the east of the Somali Peninsula. Scientists believe that the name is derived from the Portuguese word guardafu, distorted by the Arabs - "beware", which is associated with dangerous navigation conditions. There has long been a legend that, as if at the easternmost tip of the Somali peninsula, there is a magnetic mountain that attracts the iron parts of ships approaching it. As a result, the ships, approaching it, crashed against the rocks. In fact, here is the narrowest shelf zone. With strong winds, high waves, poor visibility, the ships were often carried out to the peninsula, and they crashed on the coastal reefs. The word "Guardafui" was a warning to sailors who sailed past this cape.
Gulf of Guinea.gulf Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Africa. It is named after the historical and geographical region of Guinea, washed by it. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym Guinea. According to one of them, the name is based on the name of the Berber tribe Kinava (the Arab scientist Ibn-Yakut mentioned the region of Kinava in the 13th century). Another point of view is based on the fact that the toponym is formed by the Berber words "agvinau" - "black" or "iguaven" - "mute" (i.e. not those who know the language Berbers) and belonged to the territory inhabited by black tribes. Later Europeans corrupted the original word into Gunua, Ginua and finally Guinea.
Strait of Gibraltar.Separates Africa from the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Named after the rock of Gibraltar on the European side of the strait. The modern form of the name of the rock arose as a result of the centuries-old use and transformation of the primary Arabic Jebel el-Tariq - "mountain of Tariq".
Blue Nile.The largest tributary of the Nile. In Ethiopia, the river is called Abbai - "father of waters", and in the Arab countries Bahr el-Azraq - "blue river". The color name, according to some scientists, reflects the color of the water in the river, which carries bluish silt.
Good Hope. Cape in southern Africa. Discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator B. Dias and named by him Cabo Tormentoso - "Cape of Storms". King Joao II of Portugal did not like the name and at his command the cape was renamed Cabo da Bona Esperanza - "Cape of Good Hope", referring to the hope of reaching a fabulously rich and attractive India for Europeans. Some historians believe that B. Dias immediately named the cape after Good Hope, and the above version is only a historical legend. However, it is impossible to prove or disprove this hypothesis due to the lack of sources contemporary to Dias' voyage.
dragon mountains. Located in South Africa. It is assumed that the mountains are named after one of the European colonizers, the harrow Drakenstein. Etymologically, the surname consists of two words: draken - "dragon", stein - "stone".
Zambezi.River in South Africa. Previously, the name of the river on the maps was transmitted in various ways; Ambezi, Luambezi, Liambey, etc. According to modern toponymists, the primary form of the name is Ambezi (or Ambey), which means "big river" in the local Bantu languages. The name of the river in the middle course in the Tonga language, Murongo-Mucuri, has the same meaning, which is a tracing paper of the main toponym.
Zanzibar.Island in the Indian Ocean east coast Africa. The toponym comes from the Persian term "bar" - "shore", "edge" and the ethnonym "zinj", which is based on the Arabic or Persian "zang", "zeng" - "black". Zinji is the collective name for the Negroid tribes of East Africa in medieval Muslim literature.
Cape Green. It is located on the peninsula of the same name to the east of Cape Almadi. Named in 1445 by the Portuguese D. Diasem Cabo Verde - "Green Cape", because. was the first dry land covered with tropical flora, which contrasted sharply with the sands of the Sahara.
Cape Verde Island.Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after m. Green, against which it is located. The transfer of the name of the islands into other languages is accepted in the form of a translation, in contrast to the name of the state located on them.
Needle.Cape, the southernmost tip of Africa. Discovered in 1488 by B. Dias and named by him Cabo Sao Brandao - St. Brandan's Cape, because. the discovery took place on the day of this saint. However, the name was soon changed, and the cape was mapped under the name Agulhas - Agulhas. The word agulha in Portuguese means "needle", "arrow". Modern toponymists see the Portuguese metaphorical term agulha as the basis of the name, meaning "peak", "top". Proceeding from this, the toponym is interpreted as "cape of peaks", and the reason is a rocky cape.
Go-Amin-Dada; Edward.Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. and named Edward in honor of the Crown Prince of Great Britain. In 1971, President Idi Amin Dada came to power in Uganda, and the lake was named after him. To this day, both names have been preserved behind the reservoir.
Canary Islands.Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Spain. The islands were known in ancient times under the Latin name Insulas Fortunatae. The Spaniards, who visited the archipelago at the beginning of the 15th century, called them islas Canarias - "dog islands". According to one version, the sailors saw a large number of dogs on the shores of the islands, which was the reason for the appearance of the toponym. According to another version, the archipelago was named after the main island of Gran Canaria. and the island - according to the fabulous country of Canaria, mentioned in medieval European legends.
Kenya.Volcanic massif in East Africa. Toponymists see the Masai term "kee-niya" - "white mountain" as the basis of the toponym, which is associated with the presence of glaciers and snow on the top of the mountain.
livingstone waterfalls. Located in the lower reaches of the river. Congo (Zaire). Named after the outstanding explorer of Africa, a Scot by origin, D. Livingston.
Limpopo.River in South Africa. The etymology of the name is unknown. The Dutch Boer colonists called the Crocodil River - "Crocodile River" for the abundance of these reptiles in its waters.
Madeira.Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese called Maderia - Forest, because. indeed was covered with forests, later completely cut down. Most early titles archipelago: among the Carthaginians Al-Agnam - "island of goats" (for the abundance of these animals), among the Romans Insulae Purpurinae - "islands of purple" (for the paint mined there).
Niger. River in West Africa. The name is a Berber name of the river N "Egiren - "river" distorted by the Portuguese and other Europeans. In different parts of the course it has different names in local languages: in the upper Jolib - "big water"; in the middle and lower Kuara - "river", Issa Bari - "great river" Mayo - "river" The explanation of the name from the word niger in the meaning of "black" from European languages is considered incorrect by modern toponymists.
Nile.The longest river in Africa. The oldest form of the name of the river Aur is "hidden" (i.e., with an unknown source). The Egyptians called her Hapi in honor of the god of fertility and harvest. Modern Arabs call the river El-Bahr - "river". The toponym Nile in the form of Neilos is first found among the ancient Greeks. The Romans borrowed it as Nilus. According to one version, the toponym is based on the ancient Semitic term "nagal" - "river", changed by the Greeks. According to another version, the Greeks borrowed from the Libyan tribes the word lil - "water", distorting it into nil. Philologists note the possibility of such a transformation.
Nubian desert. Located in northeast Africa. It is named after the historical region of Nubia, located between the Nile rapids. The toponym is based on the ancient Egyptian word "nuba" - "gold". In ancient times, the largest mines were located here, from where gold came to the palace of the pharaohs.
Orange.River in South Africa. The Hottentots called it Kai Garib - Big River, the Dutch settlers of the Boers Groat River with the same meaning. At all times, people often gave names to objects (rivers, lakes) according to the color of the water or the coast. But the name of the Orange River has nothing to do with color. This name was given to her by settlers from the Netherlands (Holland) Boers in honor of the princes of Orange - the then rulers of the Netherlands. With someone's light hand, and perhaps through transformation, the name Oranskaya turned into Orange.
San Tome.Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Opened by the Portuguese on the day of St. Tome (Thomas) and named Sao Tome in his honor.
Somalia.Peninsula in East Africa. Named after the Somali people living in a large part of it. The ethnonym comes from the Cushitic languages and means "dark", which is associated with the skin color of the people. In Ptolemy (II century), the peninsula is called the Southern Horn (now the Horn of Africa is sometimes found). According to the peninsula, the cold current in the Indian Ocean is named Somali.
Tristan da Cunha.Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Discovered by the Portuguese navigator Tristan da Cunha and named after him.
Africa is a part of the world with an area of \u200b\u200bwith islands of 30.3 million km 2, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.
Geographical position
Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland Gondwana, it has a massive outline, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters mediterranean sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.
Main geographical features
Africa lies on an ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, Northern part, almost completely occupied by the Sahara desert - the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east - the Ethiopian highlands, the southeast - the East African plateau, the extreme south - the Cape and Drakensberg mountains. The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the world's largest fault stretches earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.
Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger ( West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi ( South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African Plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). The rivers are characterized by high water only in the equatorial zone, due to the fallout there a large number precipitation, most of them are characterized by a high flow rate, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake Africa and the second largest after Lake Superior ( North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salt drainless lake- Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts of the world's greatest desert, the Sahara).
Due to the location of Africa between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).
On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannahs and light forests, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevre and southern Africa savannas are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. natural areas mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.
African countries
The territory of Africa is divided among 62 countries, 54 - independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest - unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, Saharan Arab Democratic Republic(SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Depending on the geographical location Africa is divided into five regions such as North, Central, West, East and South Africa.
List of African countries
Nature
Mountains and plains of Africa
Most of the African continent is a plain. Available mountain systems, uplands and plateaus. They are presented:
- the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
- the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands in the Sahara Desert;
- Ethiopian highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
- Dragon Mountains in the south.
The highest point in the country is Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5,895 m, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...
Deserts and savannas
The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it, inland to the east, is the Kalahari Desert.
The territory of the savanna occupies the main part of Central Africa. In terms of area, it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical for savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of grassy vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. It can be almost desert savannas or tall grasses, with grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...
Rivers
On the territory of the African continent is the longest river in the world - the Nile. Its direction of flow is from south to north.
In the list of major water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through the territory of Central Africa.
On the Zambezi River is famous waterfall Victoria, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...
lakes
In the list large lakes The African continent has Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. Two more large lakes continents: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of the lithospheric plates.
There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the oceans ...
Seas and oceans
The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its coast are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the water form the deep Gulf of Guinea.
Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the Indian Ocean, the currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in the northern waters, and Needle, in the southern ...
Forests of Africa
Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants grow high in the mountains, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.
Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests, in the tropical area evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...
Nature, plants and animals of Africa
The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, there are about 1000 species of various tree species: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, olive palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects living right on the trees. On earth live: bush pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas ...
40% of the territory of Africa is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and stand-alone trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).
Here there is the largest accumulation of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-fifth antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, and in some places there are rare jumping antelopes - springboks.
The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. In the oases, the unique Erg Chebbi date palm grows, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and the formation of salts. In the Namib Desert, unique velvichia and nara plants grow, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other animals of the desert.
Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, gazelle dorcas, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are permanently living and migratory birds.
Climatic conditions
Seasons, weather and climate of African countries
The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in an area of low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoonal) moisture and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north has the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of the trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount Precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...
Resources
African Natural Resources
In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the least prosperous continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.
Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of the proper volume of water, soil erosion, etc.
The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including species of valuable varieties. The countries in which they grow, the raw materials are exported. Resources are misused and ecosystems are slowly being destroyed.
In the bowels of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.
Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investments...
Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, one can note:
- the mining industry that exports minerals and fuels;
- the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
- chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
- as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.
The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, oil palm is grown.
Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total volume of agriculture. The indicators of animal husbandry are also not high, and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse flies ...
culture
The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions
About 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups live on the territory of 62 African countries, which in total is about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.
Most of the peoples in Africa may number from several thousand people to several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with more than 5 million people, 1/3 - peoples with more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...
There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:
- West Africa. The peoples speaking the Mande languages (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Wai), Chadic (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
- Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandese), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
- South Africa. Rebellious-speaking peoples, and speaking Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
- East Africa. Bantu, Nilotic and Sudanese groups of peoples;
- North East Africa. The peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra.), Cushitic (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages (Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
- Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.
In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the South European minor race, mainly practicing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.
