Detailed solution paragraph § 27 in geography for students of grade 7, authors Korinskaya V.A., Dushina I.V., Shchenev V.A. 2017

Questions and tasks

1. Name the most significant geographical features of South Africa.

Zambezi, Kalahari Semi-Desert, Drakon and Cape Mountains.

2. On a comprehensive map, highlight the main types of economic activity in the countries of South Africa.

Agriculture and mining.

3. What are the main features of the nature and economy of South Africa.

South Africa is a country of diverse natural complexes and huge natural wealth. Most of the country is a flat plateau, which gradually rises in steps to the south and east, giving way to mountains. The country is dominated by savannas. Natural conditions, as in all of South Africa, change not only from north to south, but also from east to west.

South Africa, with its inherent diversity of landscapes, has a very rich fauna. In many areas, hunting and fishing is still the main occupation of the local population. But with the advent of Europeans, the number of wild animals decreased markedly and many of their species almost disappeared. Especially reduced the number of herbivores - antelopes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, large black buffalo, rhinos. Almost completely disappeared lions, leopards.

In order to save wild animals from complete extermination, as well as natural complexes in general, nature reserves and national parks have been created in South Africa. In the largest of them, national park Kruger - collected all kinds of animals found on the mainland.

Territories with fertile land in the country belong to white farmers - owners of private agricultural enterprises. Farms widely use machinery and fertilizers and therefore receive high yields. They grow corn, wheat, legumes, sugar cane, citrus fruits, cotton and other crops. Sheep and cattle farms are located on elevated plateaus with good pastures. Pasture animal husbandry occupies an important place in agriculture.

The bowels of South Africa are rich in various minerals. This country is called a geological wonder. South Africa occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and production of diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium and iron ores. The country's economy is dependent on British and American monopolists, who lead the development of minerals and receive huge profits.

There are many factories and factories in the country, industry is developing rapidly.

4. Compare nature, population and its economic activity North and South Africa. What are the similarities and differences? Explain the reasons for the differences.

North Africa is part of the Middle East and even sometimes included in it. Sev. Africa is an undoubted and inseparable part of the Muslim Arab world, mostly desert territories and it is inhabited mainly by Arabs, Berbers and other Semitic-Hamitic tribes along with the traditional African population of Africa. South Africa is classic Africa, except that it is more developed, along with North Africa, than other parts of Africa due to the greater presence of the white population there due to its mineral rich lands.

GENERALIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC

1. What are the main features of the structure of the surface of Africa. How are they explained?

According to the type of relief, Africa can be divided into two parts: low is located in the north and west, high in the east and south. The relief of the mainland is dominated by plains and plateaus with a height of 200 to 1000 m, the largest territory of which is occupied by East African and South African plateau. Elevated sections of the mainland alternate with basins, the largest of which are the Congo Basin and the Kalahari Basin. The highest parts of the mainland are the Ethiopian Highlands (up to 4500 m) and the Dragon Mountains (over 3000 m). Such features of the relief of Africa can be explained by the fact that most of the mainland was formed on the ancient Arabian-African platform, within the platforms the relief is represented by plains. The Atlas, Cape, and Dragon Mountains are associated with folded belts of different ages. In eastern Africa, there is a large fault in the earth's crust - the continental rift. In the rift zone, heat flows exit and matter rises from the mantle, the formed basins are occupied by lakes, along which volcano cones rise. It is here that the highest peak of Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m) is located.

The well-known statement "Africa is the hottest continent" can be explained by the fact that the continent is located in the warmest climatic zones of the Earth (equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical). Africa is located on both sides of the equator, within latitudes that receive a significant amount of solar radiation from 160 kcal / cm² to 200 kcal / cm². The temperature on the mainland is above +20⁰С throughout the year. The largest number Precipitation falls at the equator, because a belt of low atmospheric pressure is formed here, in which ascending air currents form clouds saturated with moisture. The least amount of precipitation occurs in the tropical zone, where, on the contrary, in the zone of high atmospheric pressure, cloud formation does not occur. The climate of the coasts of the mainland is influenced by warm and cold currents.

2. What are the features of Africa's climate? What do they depend on?

Features of the African climate were formed as a result of the action of a system of various factors. Most of the mainland is located between the tropics, and therefore the climate of Africa is characterized by high values ​​of total solar radiation. Accordingly, a significant part of the mainland has high temperatures, and therefore Africa is considered the hottest continent. There are areas where the air temperature sometimes exceeds 50 ° C.

In the latitudes of Africa, constant winds dominate the ocean - the Trade Winds, which significantly affect the distribution of precipitation. The southeast trade wind blows from the Indian Ocean, so it brings humid air masses. The northeast trade wind is from Eurasia and causes dry weather. The southwestern ones delay the Cape Mountains, which affect the redistribution of precipitation: coastal areas receive a large amount of them, there is little precipitation beyond the mountains.

Sea currents play a significant role in shaping the climate of the coast of Africa. Therefore, low humidity is typical for the northwestern coast (due to the cold Canary Current), southwestern, eastern (Somalia). On the contrary, the western and southeastern coasts are well moistened due to warm currents (Guinean and Mozambique, respectively).

In the central part of the mainland, the air warms up evenly throughout the year. Temperature fluctuations are clearly manifested only in tropical and especially in subtropical latitudes. The climate differs mainly in the amount and pattern of precipitation. Their greatest number falls on the Equatorial regions: the Congo River basin (Zaire) and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea - 2000-3000 mm per year, and on the slopes of the mountains - up to 9000 mm. North of 20° Mon. sh. and south of 18°S sh. The climate of Africa is tropical, in the Northern Hemisphere it is desert, very dry. In the Sahara, precipitation decreases to 100 mm or less per year; Eastern Sahara is the driest region in Africa (10–20 mm of precipitation per year).

Africa lies within seven climatic zones. Due to the fact that the equator crosses the mainland in half, climatic conditions are mirrored from the equator to the edges of the mainland. On the territory of Africa, the Equatorial, two subequatorial and two tropical belts are distinguished. The extreme southern and northern parts of the mainland are located in subtropical zones.

The equatorial belt extends in a narrow strip along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and further inland to the eastern coast of Lake Victoria. In this belt all year round constantly moist and uniformly hot equatorial air reigns. The air temperature during the year is high here: 26°С - +28°С. The total annual precipitation is more than 2000 mm, which is distributed evenly throughout the year.

3. List the main features of the rivers of Africa. Which of them depend on the relief, which - on the climate?

The longest river in the world is the Nile (6671 km). It begins on the East African Plateau and flows through Lake Victoria. In the upper reaches, the river, rushing down the gorges, forms rapids and waterfalls. Having entered the plain, it flows slowly and calmly and is called the White Nile. Near the city of Khartoum, the river merges with the waters of the largest tributary - the Blue Nile, flowing from the Ethiopian highlands. After the confluence of the White and Blue Nile, the river becomes twice as wide and gets the name Nile. In the middle reaches, the Nile cuts through a plateau composed of hard rocks, so there were rapids that interfered with navigation. Now, thanks to the dam built near Aswan, navigation conditions have been improved. Downstream, the river flows calmly. When it flows into the Mediterranean Sea, it forms a large delta, on the site of which several tens of thousands of years ago there was a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The deepest and second longest river in Africa is the Congo (Zaire) (4320 km). In terms of water abundance and basin area, it is second only to the Amazon. The river crosses the equator in two places and is full of water all year round. The Congo (Zaire) flows along ledges of plateaus, so it has many rapids and waterfalls. Navigation is possible only in certain areas. The river, in contrast to the Nile, does not form a delta, its muddy fresh waters go far into the Atlantic Ocean in a wide stream. The third longest and largest river in Africa is the Niger. In the middle course it is a flat river, and in its upper and lower reaches there are many rapids and waterfalls. In a significant part, the river crosses arid territories, therefore it is of great importance for irrigation, for this purpose dams and irrigation canals have been built on the river. The Zambezi is the largest river in Africa flowing into the Indian Ocean. Here is one of the largest waterfalls in the world - Victoria. The river falls in a wide stream (1800 m) from a ledge 120 m high in a narrow gorge that crosses its channel.

The source of the river is located in the black swamp region in northwestern Zambia, among forested hills at an altitude of about 1500 meters above sea level. To the east of the source is a belt of uplands with rather steep northern and southern slopes, lying between 11 and 12 degrees south latitude. The watershed between the Congo and Zambezi river basins runs along this belt. It clearly separates the basin of the Luapala River (the main tributary of the upper Congo) from the Zambezi. In the vicinity of the source, the watershed is expressed implicitly, however, these two river systems not connected. The Zambezi is a powerful river. Although the length of the Zambezi ranks only fourth in Africa, but in terms of annual flow, it comes in second place and is second only to the Congo River. The Zambezi mainly receives food from abundant summer rains (in these latitudes, summer lasts from November to March). At other times of the year, the river is much less full-flowing. The regime of the river is characterized by a rapid decrease in the water level in March and a subsequent rise in November. In order to prove the relationship between inland waters and relief, it is necessary to trace the nature of the flow of rivers and the shape of lakes. Mountain rivers are different from lowland rivers. fast current, high banks, the presence of rapids and waterfalls. Lake Tanganyika, located along the line of the Great African Rift, has a shape elongated in the meridional direction. The length of the lake is almost 10 times its width. The full flow of rivers and lakes, the mode of their filling with water depends on the nature of the climate. One of the main sources of food for rivers and lakes is precipitation. Therefore, we can safely say that rivers and lakes located in the equatorial climate are more full-flowing compared to rivers and lakes located within the tropical desert climate. The shallow Lake Chad, located within the subequatorial climatic zone, periodically changes its shape, increasing and decreasing by half. Such a transformation is associated with the periodicity of the incoming water from the rivers flowing into the lake. Thus, we see a clear relationship that exists between the relief, climate and inland waters.

Full water all year (Congo), or dependence on rains in the lower reaches and high floods (Nile).

4. What natural areas prevail in Africa? What are their features and how are they explained? Which areas are the most favorable for agriculture?

Africa is predominantly a flat continent. Mountain systems occupy only the northwestern (Atlas Mountains) and southern (Cape Mountains) outskirts of the mainland. East End Africa ( High Africa) is occupied by the highly uplifted and fragmented shifts of the earth's crust by the East African Plateau. Here are the highest peaks of the mainland - giant extinct and active volcanoes Kilimanjaro, Kenya and others. Features of the development of Africa determined the main features of the structure of its surface. Most of the mainland is characterized by a flat relief with a wide development of leveling surfaces from Permian-Carboniferous and Triassic to Neogene and even Quaternary, with separately protruding blocky and volcanic mountains among them. Thanks to his geographic location(mostly in the hot zone of illumination) Africa - is the hottest continent of the Earth. Due to its geographical position (mostly in the hot zone of illumination), Africa is the hottest continent on Earth. It receives more solar heat and light than any other continent. It is the only continent that extends roughly the same distance from the equator into the northern and southern hemispheres. The sun throughout the year between the tropics is high above the horizon, and twice a year at any point is at its zenith. The main features of the climate are determined primarily by the position of the main part of the mainland in tropical and equatorial latitudes. Against the background of constantly high air temperatures, the main differences in the climate of individual regions are determined by the amount of precipitation and the duration of the rainy season. In tropical latitudes there are huge deserts, closer to the equator - areas of summer rains, in the equatorial zone precipitation falls throughout the year. Vast areas experience an acute lack of moisture. The continentality of the climate is especially pronounced in the northern part of Africa due to its large size and the close proximity of Eurasia. The western shores of the continent in tropical latitudes are washed by cold currents - the Canary and Benguela ones, which cool the air above them so much that its lower layers, up to a height of about 500 m, become noticeably colder than the overlying ones. This eliminates the possibility of the development of ascending currents and precipitation. Therefore, coastal deserts lie along the western coasts in tropical latitudes. The southeast coast, on the contrary, is washed by the warm Mozambique current, which increases the instability of air masses and contributes to precipitation on the mountain slopes of East and South Africa. Most of Africa is under the influence of the trade wind circulation of both hemispheres. The northern hemisphere trade winds coming from the land carry continental air with low relative humidity. The trade winds of the southern hemisphere, coming from the Indian Ocean, carry masses of humid, unstable air to the eastern margin of the mainland. The distribution of the river network and runoff across the continent is extremely uneven, which depends mainly on the difference climatic conditions, relief and nature of the rocks of certain areas. Along with areas with a dense hydrographic network and large lakes, the vast expanses of Africa are almost or completely devoid of a local river network. Many rivers do not reach the ocean and end in inland drainless depressions. Almost all rivers of the continent are fed by rain. Only in deserts and semi-deserts their food is ground, and on high peaks the Atlas Mountains and East Africa, the sources of the rivers are also fed by the melt waters of snows and glaciers. In the extreme north and south, there are zones of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, followed by zones of semi-deserts and deserts, savannahs, variable and permanently humid forests. The latitudinal zonality is violated only in the mountains and highlands, but there are few of them on the mainland.

The nature of the savannas is most favorable for agriculture. A distinctive feature of the savannas is the alternation of dry and wet seasons, which take about half a year, replacing each other.

5. Name some of the most outstanding natural objects in Africa.

Sahara, Mount Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, Nile River.

6. What natural resources Africa has?

Crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, copper, diamonds, gold. chrome ore, tungsten, mica, silver, hydropower resources, fish, salt.

7. Give examples of changes in the nature of Africa by man. What would you suggest to stop the advance of deserts on the savannas.

Back in the 19th century Africa was presented as a continent of virgin nature. However, even then the nature of Africa was significantly changed by man. The area of ​​forests, which have been uprooted and burned for arable land and pastures for centuries, has decreased. Particularly great damage to the nature of Africa was caused by European colonialists. Hunting, carried out for profit, and often for sport, led to the mass extermination of animals. Many animals are completely destroyed (for example, some species of antelopes, zebras), while the number of others (elephants, rhinos, gorillas, etc.) has been greatly reduced. Europeans exported expensive timber to their countries. Therefore, in a number of states (Nigeria, etc.) there is a danger of complete disappearance of forests. Territories on the site of reduced forests were occupied by plantations of cocoa, oil palm, peanuts, etc. Thus, savannahs formed on the site of equatorial and variable-moist forests (Fig. 59). Significantly changed the nature and primary savannas. There are huge areas of plowed land and pastures. Due to mismanagement of agriculture (burning, overgrazing, and cutting down trees and shrubs), savannahs give way to deserts for many centuries. In the last half century alone, the Sahara has moved significantly southward and increased its area by 650,000 km2. The loss of agricultural land leads to the death of livestock and crops, to starvation of people.

Stop cutting down forests, start planting vegetation, watering deserts, streamline economic activity.

8. What do you think will happen to the boundaries of natural areas if measures are not taken to protect the nature of Africa?

The zone of savannahs and equatorial forests will decrease, and deserts, including the Sahara, will expand.

9. What maps will you use to describe the nature of Madagascar? What data can be obtained from each card?

Physical (relief), climatic (precipitation, average January and July temperatures, currents), map of natural zones (vegetation, animals).

10. What peoples inhabit Africa and how are they distributed on the mainland?

Africa is inhabited by a variety of peoples. Over a long history, other peoples have been added to the indigenous people, whose roots of origin are not connected with this mainland. The colonization of Africa contributed to the migration of peoples living in the countries of Asia, Europe, and America. Arab peoples inhabit the north of the mainland. The central and southern regions are inhabited by peoples of the Negroid race. In the north and south of the mainland live the descendants of Europeans: the French, the British, the Dutch.

11. What changes have occurred on political map Africa over the past 40-50 years? What do these changes indicate?

Many of the countries have gained sovereignty. This indicates that the peoples got a chance to build their own states.

12. Name the states of Africa known to you and their capitals.

Algiers, capital of Algiers. Ghana, capital Accra. Nigeria, capital Abuja. Ethiopia, capital Addis Ababa. Republic of South Africa, capital Pretoria. Egypt, capital Cairo, Tunisia, capital Tunis.

13. Select among the countries of Africa those that are located on the plains and those that lie in the mountains.

On the plains are located: Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Sudan, Algeria. In the mountains are located: Namibia, Botswana, South Africa.

14. Which parts of Africa would you like to travel to? Why?

I would like to travel all over the continent of Africa to see with my own eyes all the features, similarities and differences.

Ratings have become very popular lately. 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 Africa, an icon of Kenya's tourism industry, one of the best parks on the 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.

Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda

It is one of the three largest waterfalls in the world and that says it all.

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".

Annobon. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Named by the Portuguese Anno Bon - "Good Year" ( New Year), because they first set foot on the island on January 1, 1474.

Atlas. Atlas mountains. In northwest Africa. The name has a direct connection with the name of the mythical titan Atlas, who holds the earth on his mighty shoulders. The ancient Greeks deified these mountains, worshiping the mountain spirit in the form of a petrified giant supporting the Earth. So says the legend. Apparently, this was facilitated by a possible primary source from (the Berber word "adrar", which means "mountain"

Augrabis. Waterfall on the river Orange. The name comes from the Hottentot aukrebis, "great noise".

Afar. Tectonic depression in Djibouti. The lowest place in Africa (-153 m above sea level). The name is given by the name of the Afar people living in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

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. Leyy 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 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 and the honor of the President of Equatorial Guinea. Bioko is a modified name, so it is difficult to call the true meaning.

Bush. General name for shrub formations in South Africa. The Dutch and English geographic term bush is "bush".

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, located on the shores of the lake, young African countries other names are proposed: 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 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 of the 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 Abbay - "father of the waters, and in 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 João II of Portugal did not like the name and, at his behest, 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 for the nomination was the sharpness of the 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.

Cabarega. Waterfall and national park on the river. Victoria Nile in Uganda. The waterfall was discovered in the 19th century. and named Murchison in honor of Rodrik Murchison, eminent geologist, president of the Royal Geographical Society of London. In 1962, it was renamed in honor of the national hero of Uganda, the fighter against the British colonialists Kabarega Chwa II.

Kalahari. A semi-desert region in South Africa. At the heart of the toponym is a geographical term from the Hottentot language karaha - "area of ​​sand and stone." The popular interpretation of the name from the Tswana language in the past, where karri-karri - "tormented by thirst" or "painful", is now recognized by toponymists as unlikely. The Dutch Boer settlers called the semi-desert Bosjeveld - "field of thorny bushes", which reflected the specifics of vegetation.

Cameroon. Volcanic massif in Equatorial Africa. The Portuguese slave merchant Fernand Gomizh, sailing past the coast of Africa in the equatorial waters of the Gulf of Guinea, noticed a high mountain, about which he wanted to know more. He sent a detachment of daredevils deep into the mainland. On the way, they met an obstacle in the form of a small river with clean clear water, which was very useful, since they needed to replenish their drinking water supplies. Having filled the barrels with delicious water, the sailors saw an abundance of crabs in the river, after which, for fun, they caught crabs and shrimp and delivered them to the ship. And the river flowing in close proximity to the mountain was called Rio des Camaroes (camarues), which means "river of crabs" in Portuguese. At the same time, Mount Cameroon also received this name, and later the state was named that way. Locals have long had a superstitious fear of the snowy volcanic peak of Cameroon and call it "Maongo ma Loba", which means "mountain of heaven" or "mountain of God".

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 fairyland Canaria, mentioned in medieval European legends.

Canary Current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after the Canary Islands.

Cape Mountains. Located in southern Africa. They are named after the Cape Colony founded by the Dutch, which received its name from its original location on the Cape of Good Hope (Dutch. Kaar - "cape"). With the expansion of the colony, the name spread to the mountains. Folk etymology connects the toponym with the Dutch kaar - "profit", i.e. the colony was supposedly so named for the fact that it brought a lot of income to the treasury. However, there is no scientific evidence for this interpretation.

Carr. General name for semi-desert plateaus and intermountain depressions in South Africa. The name is based on the Hottentot geographical term karusa, modified by the Boers - "dry", "anhydrous", which clearly reflects the natural conditions.

Kenya. Volcanic massif in East Africa. Toponymists see the Masai term "kee-niya" as the basis of the toponym - " white mountain", which is associated with the presence of glaciers and snow on the top of the mountain.

Kilimanjaro. Volcanic massif in East Africa. The highest point of the mainland. Scientists associate the origin of the name Kilimanjaro with a word distorted by Europeans from the Swahili language, which means "mountain of the god of cold", or, according to another version, "mountain that shines".

Comoros. Archipelago in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. The islands have been known to the Arabs since the 8th century, and it was they who named the archipelago Jezair al-Komr - "Islands of the Moon", which was associated with the spread of the cult of this luminary. The Portuguese borrowed the Arabic name in a distorted form of Somoges, which was fixed on European maps.

Congo; Zaire. River in Equatorial Africa. The mouth of the river was discovered in the 15th century. the Portuguese D.Kan called it Rio da Padrao - "padran river" (padran - a stone pillar that the Portuguese erected in honor of discoveries, carving on it a coat of arms, the name of the king and discoverer). The name did not stick, and the river was renamed Congo - that was the name of the country and the people who lived in it before the arrival of Europeans. Locals call the river differently in different parts of the course: Nzadi or Nzari - "the river that absorbs all others" or " great river"(a distorted form of Zaire appeared from this name), Zembere - "mother of waters"; Kulla - "great water", and in the upper reaches of Lualaba - "big rea".

Red sea. Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. IN Ancient Egypt it was called the Great Greens, later - the Arabian Gulf, among the Greeks Pelagos Eritre ("erythros" - "red"), from where it came into European languages ​​in a translated form. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym. According to one of them, the name is given for the red hue of the water in the sea. Another version is based on the ancient color orientation among the peoples of the East, where the south was indicated by red. Another interpretation of the toponym was noted - from the ethnic name of the ancient tribe of the Khamarites, which meant "red".

Kruger. National park in South Africa. Named in honor of Stephanus Kruger - President of the Boer Republic of Transvaal: commander of the Boer army in the war with Great Britain 1899-1902.

Libyan desert. Located in the Sahara. The name is given by the ancient name of Africa - Libya, which comes from the ethnonym "libu".

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.

Mauritius. Island in the Indian Ocean. The Dutch, having captured the island, named it Mauritius - Mauritius in honor of the Dutch prince Mauritius (Mauritius; Maurice) of Orange.

Maghreb. The common Arabic name for the northwest of Africa since the early Middle Ages: "Maghrib" - West.

Madagascar. Island in the Indian Ocean. Known to Arab sailors as Jezira al-Komr - "island of the moon", which is associated with the cult of this luminary. In the XVI century. The Portuguese named the island Sao Lourenzo - St. Lawrence, because saw the land of Madagascar on the day of this saint. The French, having conquered the island in the 19th century, called it Ile Dauphine - "the island of the Dauphin" (ie the heir to the throne). Malagasy call their homeland Nossi Damba - "island of wild boars" or Tani-Be - "great". The toponym Madagascar in the distorted form Madeigaskar is first found in Marco Polo (XIII century). According to scientists, it is based on the ethnic name Malagasy, as the inhabitants of the island are now called.

Madeira. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese called Maderia - Forest, because. indeed was covered with forests, later completely cut down. The earliest names of the 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).

Manyara. National park in Tanzania. Named after the lake Manyara, around which is located. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Mascarene Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Opened in the 16th century. Portuguese expedition of Pedro de Mascarenhas (Mascarenhas) and named after him.

Mobutu-Sese-Seko. Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. The British named Albert in honor of Queen Victoria's husband. In 1973, it was renamed in honor of the President of Zaire, Mobutu Ssse Seko. The locals call the reservoir Mbutan Nzighe - "the reservoir of dead shells" for the abundance of shellfish on the shores, or Nyasa - the geographical term for "lake" in the Bantu languages. Perhaps one of these names will become the new official, which is associated with the death of President Mobutu.

Mozambique Channel. Divides Africa and about. Madagascar. Named after the state of Mozambique. A similar origin of the name of the warm Mozambique Current in the Indian Ocean.

Nakuru. National park in Kenya. Named after the lake Nakuru, within the limits of which he was created. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Namib. Desert in southwestern Africa. There are two versions of the origin of the toponym from the languages ​​of the Hottentot tribes. According to one of them namib - "shield"; on the other - "that which is bypassed" (dangerous, lifeless). The second interpretation reflects the complexity natural conditions in a desert,

Nasser. Reservoir on the river. Nile in Egypt. It is named after the President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, during whose reign the reservoir was created and the Aswan Dam was built.

Ngorongoro. Reserve in Tanzania. Named after vol. Ngorongoro, in the crater of which it is located. The etymology is unknown.

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 and the whole world. 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. named after historical area 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.

Nyasa; Malawi. Lake in East Africa. The toponym is formed by a popular geographical term from the Bantu languages ​​nyasa - "lake". In the Republic of Malawi, the lake is officially called Malawi after the main people of this country.

Orange. River in South Africa. The Hottentots called her Kai Garib - big river, the Dutch settlers of the Groat River Boers 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.

Principe. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Opened in the 15th century. Portuguese expedition and named Principi - "first", because. was the first island discovered by this expedition. According to another version - "Prince".

Reunion. Island in the Indian Ocean. Named at the end of the 18th century by the French Reunion - "Connection", because. the inhabitants of the island decided to unite with Fr. Mauritius into a single administrative region. The name has changed several times: in the XVI century. Portuguese Santa Apollonia (in honor of St. Apollonia), in the 19th century. - Bonapart (in honor of Napoleon), Ile de Burbon - "Bourbon Island" (in honor of the dynasty of kings). Since 1848 - again Reunion.

Rwenzori. Mountain range in East Africa. The height of the mountains is reflected in their name: in the local Bantu languages ​​ruwenzori means "lord of the clouds". A national park in Uganda is also named after the mountains.

Savannah. Borrowed by the Spaniards at the end of the 15th century. from the language of the Carib Indians (or Arawaks), where sabana is "high-grass plain", "open space". General name for a zonal landscape type.

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.

Sahara. Desert in North Africa. The name is formed by the Arabic geographical term "sahara" - "desert" in the plural form, i.e. Sahara - "deserts". According to philologists, the term is based on the Arabic "ashar" - "reddish", which reflects the dominant color and color background of the desert.

Sahel. A band of semi-deserts and desertified savannahs in North Africa. The name was given by the Arabs in the Middle Ages; "sahel" - "coast", "edge", "border", or rather - "coast of the desert".

Saint Helena island. Located in the Atlantic Ocean. Discovered by the Portuguese on St. Helena and is named after her. Received worldwide fame as a place of exile and death of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Seychelles. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Named in the 18th century. French in honor of the Minister of Finance Moro de Setelle (Seychelles)

Senegal. River in West Africa. According to one version, the toponym is based on the name of the Berber tribe Senega, go Sankhaya. Other toponymists believe that the name of the ancient city of Senegana was transferred to the river. In the past, the toponym was explained as "navigable", but due to lack of evidence, modern scientists do not consider this option.

Serengeti. National park in Tanzania. It is named after the Serengeti plateau, within which it is located. The toponym is based on the term from the Maasai language serenget - "open space", which fully corresponds to geographical realities - vast savannahs on the territory of the plateau.

Socotra. Island in the Indian Ocean. The name of the island was given by Indian sailors: Dvipa Sakhadara - "the island of the harbinger of good luck." Later, this name, reflecting the importance of the island as the most important junction on the ancient sea routes from India to the west, was transformed under the influence of the Arabic language into Socotra.

Africa is the second largest continent, located in all four hemispheres. The area of ​​Africa is 30 million km2.

Extreme points of Africa:

• northern: Cape Ras-Engela (38°N, 10°E);
• southern: Cape Agulhas (35° S, 20° E);
• western: Cape Almadi 1 (5°N, 17°W);
• eastern: Cape Ras Hafun (11°N, 51°E).

From the west, Africa is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, from the east - by the Indian Ocean, from the north - by the waters, from the northeast - by the Red. Previously, it was connected by an isthmus 120 km wide, now the Suez Canal passes through it. It is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Gibraltar.

The coast of Africa is relatively weakly indented, there is a large Gulf of Guinea in the west and Aden in the east, a large peninsula - peninsula. Location: Madeira, Cape Verde, etc. East of the mainland is large island- besides it, there are clusters of small islands - Comoros, etc.

The specificity of the relief of Africa lies in the large number of plains and plateaus. Most of the north of the mainland is occupied with the highlands of Ahaggar and Tibesti. There are two noticeable mountain ranges: the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Cape Mountains in the south. The East African Plateau is located in eastern Africa. This relief structure is explained by the fact that most of the mainland is located on a single ancient African-Arabian platform, which separated in ancient times from the common continent - Gondwana. The northern and southern mountain ranges are formed in the collision zone of this platform with other large plates.

Lakes in Africa are quite large, formed in the faults of the rock and therefore very narrow, long and deep: (maximum depth - 1400 m), (700 m). Lake, on the contrary, is shallow, fed mainly by precipitation, during dry periods its area is greatly reduced.

Since most of the mainland is located in tropical, subequatorial and belts, it is warm here. Summer and winter average monthly temperatures differ slightly, seasons differ in the amount of precipitation: summer is the rainy season, while drought occurs in winter. There are tropical forests - a pool, East Coast Africa, where falls up to 3000 mm. precipitation. There are dry areas - savannahs, deserts.

The natural zones of Africa are expressed quite clearly and are arranged accordingly. At the equator and in the Congo, a zone of humid equatorial forests has formed. Here there is a huge variety of trees and shrubs, layering is well expressed. Reds are forming. Monkeys, medium-sized ungulates, and many birds live in the forests.

Equatorial forests almost immediately turn into savannahs - a special species with single trees encountered. This natural zone in Africa occupies a vast area. There are many herbs here, acacias, baobabs are found from trees. Soils are formed red-brown. There are many large ungulates (giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras, rhinos), there are also predators (lions, cheetahs, hyenas).

An equally large natural zone is tropical deserts, represented by two large deserts: the Namib in the south and the Sahara in the north. The Sahara Desert is a huge desert located in the northern part of the mainland. The dry trade winds that prevail here raise sand particles, so sandstorms are not uncommon for the desert, literally paralyzing all life. even in the shade it rises to +50°С, the sand heats up to +70°С. At night, the temperature drops sharply, can drop to 0°C. In this regard, survival is very difficult, people live exclusively in oases that arise due to the proximity of groundwater. Most animals are nocturnal, hiding in burrows during the day.

The zone of subtropical hard-leaved evergreen forests stretches in two narrow strips on the northern and south coast mainland. Beeches, oaks, citrus fruits, many coniferous plants and shrubs grow here. Animals are mostly medium-sized: foxes, small deer, wild boars.

In the XIX-XX centuries, Europeans actively destroyed unique nature Africa, cutting down valuable forests, exterminating animals. Many species died out on their own due to the destruction of their natural habitat. This has led to the fact that the territories occupied by forests are sharply reduced, but the territories of deserts, on the contrary, are increasing. To preserve and increase the populations of wild animals are created, many of them have become world famous - Kruger, Serengeti.

Geography of Africa
Click to enlarge

In the south, Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast Sinai peninsula it is washed by the waters of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, in the east and southeast the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and in the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Geographical features of Africa

Atlas

The Atlas Mountains system extends from southwestern Morocco along the Mediterranean Sea to the eastern border of Tunisia. It includes several smaller mountain ranges, namely: the High Atlas, the Middle Atlas, and the Primorsky Atlas. The highest point is Mount Toubkal, located in the western part of Morocco, with a height of 4,167 meters.

Basin of the Congo River

The Congo Basin, located in central Africa, is located in most of the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the neighboring Republic of the Congo. In addition, it extends to the territory of Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Zambia. The area of ​​this fertile basin is approximately 3,600,000 sq. km., and about 20% of all tropical forests in the world grow on its territory. The Congo River is the second largest river in Africa, and its network of tributaries and streams serves as a transport function for the population of the interior of Africa.

Great Rift Valley

A sharp depression in the Earth's surface, approximately 6,400 km long, extending from the Red Sea, near the border with Jordan in the Middle East, south to Mozambique. In essence, this valley is the result of a series of geological faults caused by large volcanic eruptions many centuries ago. The result of these faults were numerous sheer cliffs, mountain ranges, rocky valleys, and very deep lakes located throughout the considerable length of this valley. In close proximity to the valley are many of Africa's highest mountains, including Kilimanjaro, Kenya, and Stanley.

Ahaggar Highlands

Ahaggar is a high-mountainous region in the central part of the Sahara, in the southern part of Algeria - 1,500 km. south of the country's capital, and west of the city of Tamanrasset. The region is mostly rocky desert, with an average altitude of over 900 m above sea level. The most highest point- Mount Tahat (3003 m.).

Kalahari Desert

The desert area is about 259,000 square kilometers, it covers most of Botswana, the southwestern part of South Africa, and the entire western part of Namibia. On this desert plateau there are many mouths of dry rivers, and dense shrubs grow in abundance on it. There are several small mountain ranges in this area, including Karas and Hans. The Kalahari-Gemsbok National Park, located in South Africa, on the border with Namibia, is home to large herds of wild animals.

Namib Desert

The Namib is a coastal desert in the southern part of the African continent, stretching over 2,000 km along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The desert begins in Angola, runs through Namibia, and ends at the Olifants River in the Western Cape in South Africa. To the east of the Atlantic coast, the desert is gradually gaining height, up to 200 km. at the foot of the Great Ledge Mountains.

Annual precipitation is from 2 mm. in the driest areas of the desert up to 200 mm. in the highlands, which is why the Namib can be considered the only true desert in southern Africa. The Namib is also the world's oldest desert, geologically consisting of dune (sand) seas in coastal areas, while inland areas are dominated by gravel plains and rocks.

Sand dunes of the desert, some of which reach 300 m in height and 32 km. in length, are the second largest in the world, second only to the dunes of Badyn Jaran in China.

Sahara Desert

Covering nearly one-third of the entire African continent, the Sahara is the largest desert in the world, with an approximate with total area in 9,065,000 sq. km. Topographically, the desert includes rock-strewn flat areas, shifting sand dunes, and numerous dune (sand) seas.

The height of the desert varies from 30 m below sea level to 3,350 m above sea level ( Mountain peaks in Ahaggar and the Tibesti). Regionally, the Sahara is divided into the Libyan Desert, the Nubian Desert, and the Western Desert in Egypt, west of the Nile.

Precipitation in the Sahara is practically absent, but several underwater rivers flow through its territory, originating in the Atlas Mountains, which help irrigate isolated oases. In the east, the waters of the Nile help fertilize small areas of the desert.

Sahel

The Sahel is a wide strip of land that stretches across the entire width of northern central Africa, southern edge the ever-expanding Sahara desert. This border region is a transition zone between the dry regions of the north and the tropical regions of the south. The area receives very little rainfall (15 - 20 cm per year), and the vegetation here is represented mainly by sparse grass cover and shrubs.

Nile river system