Africa
What comes into your mind when you hear the word Africa?
Wildlife?
Safari?
Misery?
Famine?
Introduction to Africa
Physiography of Africa
What comes into your mind when you hear the word Africa?
Wildlife?
Safari?
Misery?
Famine?
Introduction to Africa
Physiography of Africa
Africa lies at the center of the land hemisphere, surrounded in all directions by other land masses
Africa accounts for 1/5 of the earth’s entire land surface
Much of Africa lies far from maritime source of moisture
arge part of the landmass lie in latitude where global atmospheric circulation systems produce arid conditions: Ex. The Sahara in the North, and the Kalahari in the south
The Geographic Realm of AfricaContains 2 geographic realms
1.Sub-Sahara Africa
2.The Western flanks denominated by the Muslim faith and Islamic culture.
Sub Sahara AfricaIn 19th Century, Europe and the Americas refer to it as Black Africa or Dark Africa,
Why?
Sub-Saharan Africa is, one of the poorest regions in the world with a few exceptions, like Mauritius and South Africa. Water supply, Africa's great problem
Nations
Made of forty-eight nations.
Four island nations namely;
Madagascar,
The Comoros,
Mauritius, and
Seychelles
The Boundary framework of Africa is a colonial legacy
Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Central Africa
East Africa
Southern Africa
West Africa
Natural environmentAfrica is described as the plateau continent and almost the entire continent lies above 1000 feet in elevation
ClimateAfrica’s climatic regions are distributed symmetrically about the equator. It’s climate is predominantly tropical with the exception of the southernmost tip of the continent and the highlands in Kenya and Ethiopia have moderating effect on temperature.
Major landformsSAHARA DESERT The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. It is approximately 3,500,000 sq. miles (9,065,000 sq. km) in total
Kalahari Desert
It Covers much of Botswana, the southwestern region of South Africa and all of western Namibia.
The SahelThis is the transition zone between the dry areas of the north and the tropical areas of the south.
Atlas MountainThis mountain system runs from southwestern Morocco along the Mediterranean coastline to the eastern edge of Tunisia. The highest peak is Mt. Toubkal in western Morocco at 13,671 ft. (4,167m
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro includes the highest peak in Africa at 5,895m. It is located in Tanzania
Africa accounts for 1/5 of the earth’s entire land surface
Much of Africa lies far from maritime source of moisture
arge part of the landmass lie in latitude where global atmospheric circulation systems produce arid conditions: Ex. The Sahara in the North, and the Kalahari in the south
The Geographic Realm of AfricaContains 2 geographic realms
1.Sub-Sahara Africa
2.The Western flanks denominated by the Muslim faith and Islamic culture.
Sub Sahara AfricaIn 19th Century, Europe and the Americas refer to it as Black Africa or Dark Africa,
Why?
Sub-Saharan Africa is, one of the poorest regions in the world with a few exceptions, like Mauritius and South Africa. Water supply, Africa's great problem
Nations
Made of forty-eight nations.
Four island nations namely;
Madagascar,
The Comoros,
Mauritius, and
Seychelles
The Boundary framework of Africa is a colonial legacy
Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Central Africa
East Africa
Southern Africa
West Africa
Natural environmentAfrica is described as the plateau continent and almost the entire continent lies above 1000 feet in elevation
ClimateAfrica’s climatic regions are distributed symmetrically about the equator. It’s climate is predominantly tropical with the exception of the southernmost tip of the continent and the highlands in Kenya and Ethiopia have moderating effect on temperature.
Major landformsSAHARA DESERT The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. It is approximately 3,500,000 sq. miles (9,065,000 sq. km) in total
Kalahari Desert
It Covers much of Botswana, the southwestern region of South Africa and all of western Namibia.
The SahelThis is the transition zone between the dry areas of the north and the tropical areas of the south.
Atlas MountainThis mountain system runs from southwestern Morocco along the Mediterranean coastline to the eastern edge of Tunisia. The highest peak is Mt. Toubkal in western Morocco at 13,671 ft. (4,167m
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro includes the highest peak in Africa at 5,895m. It is located in Tanzania
Congo River Basin
Dominates the landscape of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It stretches into Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Zambia. It Contains 20% of the world's rain forest. The congo river is the second longest river in Africa,
The NileThe longest river in the world (flows north). It rises from the highlands of southeastern Africa
ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
Medical Geography: The branch of geography that studies human health in spatial context.
Diseases.
Rural Africans are exposed to a wide range of diseases spread by insects and other organism
Endemic disease:
- an infectious disease that is present in the community at all times but normally at low frequency. People affected may not die immediately, but their health deteriorates, energy level falls and the quality of life of deteriorates e.g.. Malaria ,hepatitis, venereal diseases, and hookworm
MalariaApproximately 300 million people worldwide are affected by malaria. 1 and 1.5 million people die from it every year. Malaria is now mainly confined to Africa, Asia and Latin America. Malaria parasites are transmitted from one person to another by the female anopheline mosquito.The males do not transmit the disease as they feed only on plant juices.
Hepatitis disease
Hepatitis is a liver disease that does not discriminate. Hepatitis A virus spread from person to person. Infection is by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the stool of an infected person. The virus spread in places with poor sanitary conditions. Unprotected sex with an infected partner
EPIDEMIC DISEASES
Any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people. It may claim thousands of lives, but it remains confined to a certain area, perhaps one defined by the range of its vector. Ex. Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
TrypanosomiasisThis disease is vectored by the tsetse fly.Approximately ten million km2 of lands in Africa are infested with tsetse flies
PANDEMIC DISEASESA pandemic is an outbreak of an infectious disease that spreads worldwide, or at least across a large region. Malaria, and Yellow fever- It is prevalent in Africa, South and Middle America and the United States. HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDSAIDS became a pandemic during the 1990s with Africa worst affected by far. The most severely affected Africa countries are in Southern Africa: Zimbabwe, Botswana ( 25% of persons aged 15 to 49 are affected
Diseases Transmission in Africa: Factors
Vectors- carriers of diseases: mosquitoes, tsetse fly
Cultural beliefs and practices
Personal hygiene
Human Geography of Africa
Population (people)
Land and Farming
History
PopulationApproximately 15 percent of the total world population lives in Africa as of 2009. It is growing a rate of 3 percent per year, which is faster than any other region of world. This growth rate is associated with an increase in the population younger than 15 years of age. There is a wide variations in population density from country to country in Africa. For example Nigeria is the most populated country with over 140million people.
Population densityPopulation density gives an estimate of how crowded an area is.
It may also indicate what type of living conditions exist there.
Population distributions are dependent upon many factors including climate, vegetation, and political boundaries.
History
PopulationApproximately 15 percent of the total world population lives in Africa as of 2009. It is growing a rate of 3 percent per year, which is faster than any other region of world. This growth rate is associated with an increase in the population younger than 15 years of age. There is a wide variations in population density from country to country in Africa. For example Nigeria is the most populated country with over 140million people.
Population densityPopulation density gives an estimate of how crowded an area is.
It may also indicate what type of living conditions exist there.
Population distributions are dependent upon many factors including climate, vegetation, and political boundaries.
The People of AfricaNorth of the Sahara
The inhabitants are a mixture of Arab stock with indigenous peoples such as the Berbers. Arab influence is also strong in East Africa. Hamito-Semitic peoples are found in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Somalia), as well as in Egypt
People of Southwestern AfricaThe extreme Southwestern part of Africa is the home of certain Khoisan peoples--the Bushmen and Hottentots
People of sub Sahara Africa
Most of the rest of the continent is dominated by black peoples of various ethnic groups. 3,000 different ethnic speaking approximately 1,000 different languages.
Other People in AfricaLebanese, Syrians, Indians, Palestinians. Asians still live in a number of African countries and are still employed as shopkeepers and traders.
Europeans in Africa
The Dutch arrived in South Africa as early as the mid-17th century.The British also settled in South Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) and in the Eastern Highlands. The Germans in Namibia and the Portuguese in Angola and Mozambique
In most parts of Africa, people of different races have learned to live together peacefully.
Traditional Society
Six major types of societies developed in Africa before colonial rule in the 19th century. They were:
Hunting and gathering societies;
Cattle-herding societies;
Forest dwellers;
Fishermen;
Grain-raising societies; and
City, or urban societies.
Hunting and Gathering SocietyFew of the hunting society exist; Khoisan of the Kalahari desert. Cattle herders: the Fulani of northern Nigeria, the Maasai of Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa
Contemporary African SocietyFrom 1950 to 1990, as much as 15 to 20 percent of the rural populations moved to cities and towns.In Zambia, more than 40 percent of the population now lives in urban areas and mining towns. In the United States about 75 percent of the people live in cities and towns.
LAND AND FARMING
60% of the active population in Africa depend on land for their livelihood. Land tenure is the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to "hold" the land.
Types of land ownershipsCommunal tenure
A system in which an individual obtain land rights by residence
People of Southwestern AfricaThe extreme Southwestern part of Africa is the home of certain Khoisan peoples--the Bushmen and Hottentots
People of sub Sahara Africa
Most of the rest of the continent is dominated by black peoples of various ethnic groups. 3,000 different ethnic speaking approximately 1,000 different languages.
Other People in AfricaLebanese, Syrians, Indians, Palestinians. Asians still live in a number of African countries and are still employed as shopkeepers and traders.
Europeans in Africa
The Dutch arrived in South Africa as early as the mid-17th century.The British also settled in South Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) and in the Eastern Highlands. The Germans in Namibia and the Portuguese in Angola and Mozambique
In most parts of Africa, people of different races have learned to live together peacefully.
Traditional Society
Six major types of societies developed in Africa before colonial rule in the 19th century. They were:
Hunting and gathering societies;
Cattle-herding societies;
Forest dwellers;
Fishermen;
Grain-raising societies; and
City, or urban societies.
Hunting and Gathering SocietyFew of the hunting society exist; Khoisan of the Kalahari desert. Cattle herders: the Fulani of northern Nigeria, the Maasai of Kenya, the Zulu of South Africa
Contemporary African SocietyFrom 1950 to 1990, as much as 15 to 20 percent of the rural populations moved to cities and towns.In Zambia, more than 40 percent of the population now lives in urban areas and mining towns. In the United States about 75 percent of the people live in cities and towns.
LAND AND FARMING
60% of the active population in Africa depend on land for their livelihood. Land tenure is the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to "hold" the land.
Types of land ownershipsCommunal tenure
A system in which an individual obtain land rights by residence
Land holding under the control of lineages
Access to agriculture land is exclusively reserved for the use by members who trace their heritage from a common ancestry. Ex. The Luvale of North western Zambia and Ethiopia,
Societies in which chiefs exercised direct control
Aallocation of land with a descending hierarchy of estates. Chiefs assigned land rights to their subjects who includ serfs, slaves, etc. This is associated with the emergence of the centralized pre-colonial kingdom. Ex The Mossi society in Burkina Faso
The feudal system with landlords and tenantsLand could be leased, mortgaged or sold Land owner pay taxes and also collect rent from tenants- Here tenants paid rents in various kinds depending on the landlord- e.g. Abunu and Abusa system in Ghana. Ex Prevalent in parts of Bunyoro in Uganda,
Individualized land tenure under commercial productionThis developed during the colonial era where the European settlers were given individual freehold or leasehold tenants on what became state or crown land. This is prevalent in European commercial farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Historical AfricaLittle is known about Africa from 5000 to 500 years ago before the onset of European colonialism. This is because during the Colonial era many African traditions and artifacts were destroyed. The absence of written history also contributed to the little knowledge about Africa
Early TradesSalt was the major trading commodity in the desert region but scarce in the forest area.
Early trade. The forest area had abundant supply of spices, ivory and gold that was in high demand in the desert region. This led to Regional complimentary trade
Aallocation of land with a descending hierarchy of estates. Chiefs assigned land rights to their subjects who includ serfs, slaves, etc. This is associated with the emergence of the centralized pre-colonial kingdom. Ex The Mossi society in Burkina Faso
The feudal system with landlords and tenantsLand could be leased, mortgaged or sold Land owner pay taxes and also collect rent from tenants- Here tenants paid rents in various kinds depending on the landlord- e.g. Abunu and Abusa system in Ghana. Ex Prevalent in parts of Bunyoro in Uganda,
Individualized land tenure under commercial productionThis developed during the colonial era where the European settlers were given individual freehold or leasehold tenants on what became state or crown land. This is prevalent in European commercial farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Historical AfricaLittle is known about Africa from 5000 to 500 years ago before the onset of European colonialism. This is because during the Colonial era many African traditions and artifacts were destroyed. The absence of written history also contributed to the little knowledge about Africa
Early TradesSalt was the major trading commodity in the desert region but scarce in the forest area.
Early trade. The forest area had abundant supply of spices, ivory and gold that was in high demand in the desert region. This led to Regional complimentary trade
Kingdoms and State FormationThe process of state formation spread throughout Africa and was still in progress when the first European contacts occurred in the late fifteen century.
The Colonial TransformationThis bean in the 15th century. Portuguese were the first to set foot in Africa along the west coast to the Cape of Good hope. West Africa was most affected due to its nearness to European sphere in Middle and South America
Impact of Europeans in Africa
Slave trade
Colonization
Neo-colonization
The Atlantic slave tradeOver 60 million Africans were carried in bondages as slaves and over 10 million lost their lives through the process. The continent was depleted of its human and natural resources. Africa has not yet recovered from slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism.
Colonization
When one group of people claims ownership of the territory already occupied by another group of people. Africa was completed colonized with the participation of 14 states including the United States in Berlin in 1884. The boundaries of colonial territories forged a map that would become a permanent African liability
The major Colonial Contestants for Africa
The British,
French
Portuguese,
King Leopold II of Belgium and
The Colonial TransformationThis bean in the 15th century. Portuguese were the first to set foot in Africa along the west coast to the Cape of Good hope. West Africa was most affected due to its nearness to European sphere in Middle and South America
Impact of Europeans in Africa
Slave trade
Colonization
Neo-colonization
The Atlantic slave tradeOver 60 million Africans were carried in bondages as slaves and over 10 million lost their lives through the process. The continent was depleted of its human and natural resources. Africa has not yet recovered from slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism.
Colonization
When one group of people claims ownership of the territory already occupied by another group of people. Africa was completed colonized with the participation of 14 states including the United States in Berlin in 1884. The boundaries of colonial territories forged a map that would become a permanent African liability
The major Colonial Contestants for Africa
The British,
French
Portuguese,
King Leopold II of Belgium and
Germany
The British Colonial Form of ruleIndirect rule: thus they used the traditional leaders as puppets to rule
Portugal and Spain Colonial Rule of Africa
Direct rule control,Very harsh
The French ruleThey sought to create culturally assilimilated elite that would represent French ideals in the colonies
King Leopold II of Belgium
n the Congo, was ruthless as many as 10million Congolese were murdered. His reign of terror was Africa’s most severe demographic disaster
African Resistance
The Ashanti of Ghana.
n They fought the British relentlessly, until 1957 when Ghana finally gained independence from the British rule
African Cultural Patterns
Language
Religion
Urbanization
Economy ( formal and Informal)
Language
LanguagesThere are an estimated 1800 languages spoken in Africa. Most predominant are; Swahili Hausa, and Yoruba
Language families
Most African languages belong to one of four language families:
Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan Niger-Congo, and Khoisan. Other non-African languages associated with the continents: Indo-European or Austronesian
Sub-Saharan – dominant language is Niger-Kordofanian family. This consist of two subfamilies
Kordofanian- dominant is North eastern Sudan
Niger-Congo family- extensively used across the realm of west Africa to east and southern Africa e.g.. Bantu, Yoruba and Akan-widely spoken in west Africa
Nilo -Sahara family : widely spread to the Maasai in Kenya northwest to Teda in Chad The Khoisan family: spoken among the Khoi and San people of the Kalahari. Indo-European: Spoken by the white minority in South Africa. Malay-Polynesian: prevalent in Madagascar-populated by south east Asian before African reached it.
Predominant African LanguagesHausa ( 50million)-common in west Africa
Yoruba (23million)
Swahili ( widely used in East Africa
Ibo, Lingala, Zulu
Pidgin (mixed African and European languages) widely used in West Africa
Religion in AfricaTraditional Religions of AfricaBelief in spirits
Supreme Being
Smaller gods
Ancestors
Christianization
Christian churches invasion in Africa began at the onset of colonialism. Roman Catholicism was introduced by the Belgians in equatorial Africa. The British introduced Anglicanism in their colonies
Christianization
There is a blend of Christianity and African traditional religion. Ex. drumming and dancing, prophecy, healing etc
The British Colonial Form of ruleIndirect rule: thus they used the traditional leaders as puppets to rule
Portugal and Spain Colonial Rule of Africa
Direct rule control,Very harsh
The French ruleThey sought to create culturally assilimilated elite that would represent French ideals in the colonies
King Leopold II of Belgium
n the Congo, was ruthless as many as 10million Congolese were murdered. His reign of terror was Africa’s most severe demographic disaster
African Resistance
The Ashanti of Ghana.
n They fought the British relentlessly, until 1957 when Ghana finally gained independence from the British rule
African Cultural Patterns
Language
Religion
Urbanization
Economy ( formal and Informal)
Language
LanguagesThere are an estimated 1800 languages spoken in Africa. Most predominant are; Swahili Hausa, and Yoruba
Language families
Most African languages belong to one of four language families:
Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan Niger-Congo, and Khoisan. Other non-African languages associated with the continents: Indo-European or Austronesian
Sub-Saharan – dominant language is Niger-Kordofanian family. This consist of two subfamilies
Kordofanian- dominant is North eastern Sudan
Niger-Congo family- extensively used across the realm of west Africa to east and southern Africa e.g.. Bantu, Yoruba and Akan-widely spoken in west Africa
Nilo -Sahara family : widely spread to the Maasai in Kenya northwest to Teda in Chad The Khoisan family: spoken among the Khoi and San people of the Kalahari. Indo-European: Spoken by the white minority in South Africa. Malay-Polynesian: prevalent in Madagascar-populated by south east Asian before African reached it.
Predominant African LanguagesHausa ( 50million)-common in west Africa
Yoruba (23million)
Swahili ( widely used in East Africa
Ibo, Lingala, Zulu
Pidgin (mixed African and European languages) widely used in West Africa
Religion in AfricaTraditional Religions of AfricaBelief in spirits
Supreme Being
Smaller gods
Ancestors
Christianization
Christian churches invasion in Africa began at the onset of colonialism. Roman Catholicism was introduced by the Belgians in equatorial Africa. The British introduced Anglicanism in their colonies
Christianization
There is a blend of Christianity and African traditional religion. Ex. drumming and dancing, prophecy, healing etc
Islam in AfricaIslam spread through the conversion of African leaders who in turn converted their subjects
Northern Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’ivore. From Senegal to Somalia the population is virtually 100% Muslim
Northern Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’ivore. From Senegal to Somalia the population is virtually 100% Muslim
Population And Urbanization
UrbanizationThe process by which a country's population changes from primarily rural to urban.
It is caused by the migration of people from the countryside to the city in search of better jobs and living conditions.Africa, is the least urbanized world realm. But the fastest growing urban in the world. Currently about 200million people live in urban area
Challenges of African Urbanization?Unemployment
Homelessness
Congestion
Pollution
Traffic congestion
Social vices ( Prostitution, crime, drug use)
Shanty towns in Africa Cities
UrbanizationThe process by which a country's population changes from primarily rural to urban.
It is caused by the migration of people from the countryside to the city in search of better jobs and living conditions.Africa, is the least urbanized world realm. But the fastest growing urban in the world. Currently about 200million people live in urban area
Challenges of African Urbanization?Unemployment
Homelessness
Congestion
Pollution
Traffic congestion
Social vices ( Prostitution, crime, drug use)
Shanty towns in Africa Cities
Economy
Formal and Informal Sector
Formal employment is the percentage of the working population in an area who are employed within the formal economy. These people often have access to workers rights and are protected by government laws.
Informal employment
Informal employment is the percentage of the working population in a geographical area who work for an unregistered business. Often self-employed. The informal sector dominates many African cities. It is made up of jobs that people have found for themselves. Ex.Beach vendors,
shoe shiners and other businesses set up to serve shanty town dwellers. Most of them cannot afford decent accommodation and so many are found living in shacks
Supranationlism
Examples: OAU- established in 1963, superseded by AU in 2001. ECOWAS established in 1975, by 15 West African countries. South African Development Community (SADC) established in the 1994
Formal and Informal Sector
Formal employment is the percentage of the working population in an area who are employed within the formal economy. These people often have access to workers rights and are protected by government laws.
Informal employment
Informal employment is the percentage of the working population in a geographical area who work for an unregistered business. Often self-employed. The informal sector dominates many African cities. It is made up of jobs that people have found for themselves. Ex.Beach vendors,
shoe shiners and other businesses set up to serve shanty town dwellers. Most of them cannot afford decent accommodation and so many are found living in shacks
Supranationlism
Examples: OAU- established in 1963, superseded by AU in 2001. ECOWAS established in 1975, by 15 West African countries. South African Development Community (SADC) established in the 1994
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