Geography of Africa. Geographical description of Africa. Natural objects of the earth. Africa: geographical nomenclature and guidelines Etymology of the names of physical and geographical objects of Africa

Continent Africa is the second largest on the planet after Eurasia. It occupies more than twenty percent of the total landmass and is located almost entirely in the southern hemisphere.

The continent is washed by several oceans: the Atlantic and Indian. The territory is divided among fifty-five countries.

African countries and their capitals

African countries are usually divided into five groups. The list looks like this:

In terms of economic indicators, the most developed and wealthy is South Africa, located in the south of the mainland. At the same time, residents of many states, in particular the central part of the continent, are below the poverty line, in particular the Central African Republic, DRC, Burundi - the poorest countries in Africa.

The largest state in terms of territory is Algeria, and the smallest is Mayotte. The most populous is Nigeria, and the lowest population on the islands is the Seychelles.

African states gained their sovereignty in the mid-twentieth century. Majority modern names appeared at the same time.

For example, until 1985, Côte d'Ivoire was called the Ivory Coast, and until 1977 Djibouti had the official status and name as the French Territory of the Afars and Issa. Similar changes affected almost half of the mainland's territorial units.

Characteristics of Africa

The area is twenty-nine million square meters. km. The distribution from the north downwards is eight thousand kilometers, and from the west to the left - seven and a half.

Physical map of Africa (click to enlarge)

There are several options for the origin of the name. The most common ones are:

  1. Afri - people who lived near Carthage; later the Romans began to call this the entire region, and then the continent Africa.
  2. From the Latin aprica - sunny.
  3. From the Greek afrkn - without cold.

Note: Africa is considered to be the ancestral home of Homo sapiens; it is there that the remains of the most ancient ancestors, in particular hominids and Sahelanthropus, were discovered.

The continent has long attracted Europeans; as the history of discovery has shown, active study began in the fifteenth century, when Vasco da Gama circled Africa on his way to India.

From the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the continent was divided among the great powers:

  • the north is part of the Ottoman Empire;
  • south - Spain, Portugal and other colonialists.

After World War II, the map changed as the wave of independence began. Today there are several territories on the African mainland under European control, in particular Canary Islands, Madeira, Chagos Archipelago.

Extreme points of Africa

The following image tells well which point is the northernmost, the southernmost, which is the easternmost, and where the westernmost is located:

Population

More than one billion people live on the mainland today. Along with this, the greatest increase in numbers and life expectancy is observed. Demographic estimates predict that the population will double over the next thirty years.

There are two main races in Africa:

  • Negroid - in the center;
  • Caucasoid - mainly in the north and in the Republic of South Africa.

The most common nationality are Arabs. Population density is low compared to Europe and Asia. Today, interethnic conflicts continue.

It is worth noting: The level of urbanization in the countries is low, but its rate is the highest in the world.

As for religion, the leading world ones are mainly widespread, but all other religious movements are also represented. Traditional beliefs are still common in the central part.

Climate zones

Africa is considered the warmest continent, and the warmest place is located here - Dallol. The entire territory is distributed in warm climate zones.

The main ones and their characteristics:

  1. Equatorial - heavy rains and virtually no change of seasons, here it is constant summer.
  2. Subequatorial - two main seasons, rainy summer, winter characterized by dry trade winds.
  3. Tropical - almost no precipitation, deserts are common.

Minerals

Africa is rich in minerals, which have a high price.

In particular, the main ones include:

  • gold;
  • oil.

North coast also rich in manganese, iron ores and phosphorites.

Flora and fauna

The organic world of Africa is characterized by exceptional diversity.

In tropical areas there are a variety of large animals, in particular rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, zebras, monkeys and others.

The continent is also home to large birds, such as flamingos and ibises.

The north is predominantly inhabited by lizards and snakes that have adapted to the Saharan climate. The hallmark of the south of the mainland is the “big five”: buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros.

The climatic conditions of northern Africa have contributed to the adaptation of many plant species. In the south there are over two and a half thousand flowering plants - this is almost ten percent of the world's wealth.

Geographical objects

Atlas Mountains

The main objects of African geography include:

  • Atlas Mountains;
  • Basins of the Congo ( nadir) and Nile;
  • Rift Valley;
  • Ethiopian and Ahaggar highlands;
  • deserts - Kalahari, Namib and Sahara.

In addition to the oceans, the continent is washed by one sea - the Red and Suez Canal.

Rivers and seas

One of the longest rivers in the world is located in Africa.

The length of the Nile is almost seven thousand kilometers.

Other major rivers include:

  • Niger;
  • Congo;
  • Zambezi, Limpopo and Orange.

Africa is also rich in large lakes: Victoria, Nyasa, Tanganyika and Chad. The latter is the largest salty body of water located inland.

Plains

Plains in Africa are represented by plateaus (East African) and basins (Chad, Congo, Kalahari).

The plateaus are high plains, along with them the pits are low.

African mountains

Mostly Africa is a continent on plains, it has enough mountains:

  • Atalas - in the north;
  • Ahagar and Tibeste - in the Sahara Desert;
  • Ethiopian Highlands - in the east;
  • Capsian and Draconian - in the south.

The highest point is the Kilimanjaro volcano, its height is five thousand nine hundred meters.

In conclusion, I would like to focus on the concepts of “mainland” and “continent”. There are only six continents on Earth, all of them are well known. But there are only four continents.

"Continent" means "continuous" in Latin. Since Eurasia and Africa are connected together by the Suez Canal, they are not separated from each other, therefore they are not separate continents.

Africa is a unique continent that combines the diversity of flora and fauna. Most of the states are at the stage of economically developing countries, partly due to the long colonization of the region.

Africa Objects of geographical nomenclature. 7th grade Authors and compilers: Team “Astyr” (Astyrov Secondary School), team “Researchers” (Secondary School 118), team “Seeker” (Siberian Secondary School), team “Positiff” (Sherbakul Secondary School 1), organizers of the project “Fascinating Toponymy”


List of objects of nomenclature Seas: Mediterranean, Red.MediterraneanRed Gulfs: Guinea, Aden.GuineaAden Straits: Gibraltar, Bab el-Mandeb, Mozambique, Suez Canal.GibraltarBab el-Mandeb MozambiqueSuez Canal Islands: Madagascar, Canary.MadagascarCanary Peninsula : Somalia. Somalia Landforms: mountains: Atlas, Drakensberg, Cape; East African Plateau, Ethiopian Highlands; volcanoes: Kilimanjaro, Kenya.AtlasDraconic CapeEast African PlateauEthiopian HighlandsKilimanjaro Kenya Rivers: Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Orange, Limpopo, Senegal.NileCongo NigerZambezi Victoria FallsOrangeLimpopoSenegal Lakes: Victoria, Nyasa, Tanganyika, Chad.V VictoriaNyasaTanganyika Chad




Red Sea Sea of ​​the 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 South side indicated in red. For ancient Assyria and Babylon, the south was all West Side Indian Ocean, which was called Rubrugi, i.e. "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 Gibraltar in Spanish - “Mount Tariq”, and in Russian - Gibraltar. The strait is named after her. Content






































The Orange River in southern Africa flows into the Atlantic Ocean. He examined the river and put it on the map in 1777 - 1779. Scottish officer R. Gordon. He also assigned the name in honor of the Dutch Oran dynasty - “Oran River”, but the Dutch oranje also means “orange”. Therefore, when translating the name into Russian, a mistake was made. This name has taken root in Russia. Content













Africa is a part of the world with an area of ​​30.3 million km 2 with islands, 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 of it), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient continent, Gondwana has a massive outline, with no large peninsulas or deep bays. 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 of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west - Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, and from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical characteristics

Africa lies on an ancient platform, which causes its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are small lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost entirely occupied by the Sahara Desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian Highlands, the southeast is the East African Plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Drakensberg mountains The highest point in Africa is the Kilimanjaro volcano (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below ocean level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the largest fault in the world stretches earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

The following 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 the south to north (its sources are on the East African Plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). Rivers are characterized by high water content exclusively in the equatorial belt, due to the large amount of precipitation there; most of them are characterized by high flow rates and have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest lake in area after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, maximum depth - 83 m), the largest salty endorheic lake is Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern edge of the world's largest desert, the Sahara).

Due to Africa's location 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 Al-Aziziya (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 basin), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannas and woodlands, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to In northern and southern Africa, savannas give way to 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 there is 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 between 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, Asian countries were foreign colonies of various European states and only gained independence by the middle of the last century. Depending on the geographical location Africa is divided into five regions: Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is plain. There are mountain systems, highlands and plateaus. They are presented:

  • the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
  • the Tibesti and Ahaggar highlands in the Sahara Desert;
  • Ethiopian Highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
  • Drakensberg Mountains in the south.

The most high point country is the Kilimanjaro volcano, 5,895 m high, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the continent...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwest side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from there into the continent to the east there is the Kalahari Desert.

The savannah territory occupies the bulk of Central Africa. In area it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical of savannas, low bushes and trees. The height of herbaceous vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. These can be practically desert savannas or tall grasses, with a grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

The longest river in the world, the Nile, is located on the African continent. The direction of its flow is from south to north.

The list of major water systems of the mainland includes the Limpopo, Zambezi and Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through Central Africa.

Located on the Zambezi River famous waterfall Victoria, 120 m high and 1,800 meters wide...

Lakes

The list of large lakes on the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square km. Two more large lakes continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in faults of 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 world's oceans...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its shores are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part, the waters form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, the 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 northern waters, and Agulhas, in southern...

Forests of Africa

Forests make up a little more than a quarter of the entire territory of the African continent. Here are the sub rainforests, growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and 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 region, 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, with about 1000 species of various types of trees growing here: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, oil palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . Many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects live here, living directly on the trees. On the ground live: brush-eared pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas...

40% of Africa's territory is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny bushes, milkweed, and isolated trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest concentration 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 herbivores such as: hartebeest (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-footed antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson's, Grant's), blue wildebeest, and in some places rare jumping antelopes - springboks - are also found.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness; these are small thorny bushes and separately growing tufts of herbs. In the oases grows a unique date palm Erg Chebbi, as well as plants resistant to drought conditions and salt formation. In the Namib Desert, unique plants such as Welwitschia and Nara grow, the fruits of which are eaten by porcupines, elephants and other desert animals.

Animals here include various species of antelopes and gazelles, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling vast distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among the mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, Dorcas gazelle, sabre-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian ass, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are resident 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 climate zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoon) moisture and an arid desert climate. Far North and the 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 minimal precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount of precipitation is minimal , in some areas it does not fall out at all...

Resources

Natural Resources of Africa

By reserves water resources Africa is considered one of the least affluent continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only sufficient to satisfy 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 lands are cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of adequate water volume, soil erosion, etc.

African forests are a source of timber, including valuable species. The countries in which they grow, export raw materials. Resources are being used unwisely and ecosystems are being destroyed little by little.

In the depths 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 available on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investment...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, the following can be noted:

  • the mining industry, which exports minerals and fuels;
  • oil refining industry, widespread mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
  • chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
  • as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

Main products Agriculture are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. Oil palm is grown in tropical regions of Africa.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total agricultural output. Livestock production indicators are also not high and the reason for this is the infection of livestock by tsetse flies...

Culture

Peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

There are approximately 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups living in 62 African countries, totaling approximately 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 peoples in Africa can number several thousand people or several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 nations, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with a population of more than 5 million people, 1/3 are peoples with a population of 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. Peoples speaking the Mande languages ​​(Susu, Maninka, Mende, Vai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zaghawa, 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 (Fernandans), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
  • South Africa. Rebellious peoples and speakers of Khoisani languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
  • East Africa. Bantu, Nilotes and Sudanese people groups;
  • Northeast Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra), Cushitic (Oromo, Somali, Sidamo, Agaw, 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 southern European minor race, mainly professing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

S. I. RUNKOV

NATURAL OBJECTS OF THE EARTH. AFRICA:

GEOGRAPHICAL NOMENCLATURE AND METHODOLOGICAL INSTRUCTIONS

Saransk 2010

AFRICA

CAPES

NEEDLE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image003_1.jpg" align="left" width="125" height="120 src="> S, 19°59" E. d.). It is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa, 155 km southeast of the Cape of Good Hope.

RAS HAFUN

Hafun, a cape on the Somali Peninsula, the easternmost point of the African continent (10°26" north latitude and 51°23" east longitude).

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image012_0.jpg" align="left" width="100" height="64 src="> Cape Verde is a peninsula on the African coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Senegal The westernmost point of continental Africa, the city of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is located at the southern tip of Cape Verde.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image014.gif" width="19" height="40">.gif" alt=" Signature:" align="left" width="316" height="130 src=">.jpg" align="left" width="94" height="64"> Эль-Абьяд, мыс на побережье Средиземного моря, в 13 км к северо-западу от г. Бизерта (Тунис). Самая северная точка Африки (37° 21° с. ш. и 9° 45° в. д.).!}

BAYS AND COVES

SIDRA (GREAT SIRT)

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image021_0.jpg" align="left" width="106" height="83 src="> Sidra (east of Greater Sirte) - a large bay of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, up to 1374 m deep, up to 465 km wide (at the entrance to the bay).

GABES

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image023.jpg" align="left" width="136" height="112 src="> Gabes is a bay of the Mediterranean Sea off the northern coast of Africa, in ancient times called Little Sirte. It washes the territory of Tunisia. It extends over more than 100 km and has a depth of about 50 m. In the southern part of the entrance to the bay is the island of Djerba, and in the northern part is the island of Kerkennah

TUNISIAN

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image029.jpg" align="left" width="232" height="96 src="> The Gulf of Tunisia is a large bay of the Mediterranean Sea off the northern coast of Africa, washes the territory of Tunisia. south coast The bay, where the capital of Carthage was previously located, is now the city of Tunis.

GUINEA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image031_0.jpg" align="left" width="126" height="86 src=">

The Gulf of Guinea is a gulf of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Equatorial Africa. It juts out into the land between the capes of Palmas in the northwest (Liberia) and Palmeirinhas (Angola) in the southeast. The Gulf of Guinea is composed of the Gulf of Benin (in the north) and the Gulf of Biafra (in the east).

BENIN

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image034.jpg" align="left" width="131" height="102 src="> Benin is a bay in the Atlantic Ocean on south coast West Africa, part of the Gulf of Guinea. It extends 640 km east from Cape St. Paul (Ghana) to the mouth of the Niger River. The waters of the Bay of Benin wash the coasts of Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.

BIAFRA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image037_1.jpg" align="left" width="104" height="81 src="> Biafra is a gulf in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the Gulf of Guinea. Waters The bay washes the coasts of Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Giveni and Gabon.

ADENSKY

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image039.jpg" align="left" width="298" height="169 src=">

Gulf of Aden is part of the Arabian Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean. Length 890 km. The northern shore of the bay forms the Arabian Peninsula (the state of Yemen). The southern and western shores of the bay make up the African continent (the states of Somalia and Djibouti). In the west, the Gulf of Tadjoura is distinguished; in the southeast, the bay is separated from the rest of the Indian Ocean by the Socotra Islands (Yemen). The bay is connected to the Red Sea by the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

STRAITS

GIBRALTAR

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image042.jpg" align="left" width="148" height="102 src=">The Strait of Gibraltar is an international strait between the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and the north -the western coast of Africa, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. Length 65 km, width 14-44 km.

BAB EL-MANDEB

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image045.gif" align="left" width="186" height="165 src="> Bab el-Mandeb Strait - a strait between the southwestern the tip of the Arabian Peninsula (the state of Yemen) and Africa (the states of Djibouti and Eritrea). Connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden of the Arabian Sea. The smallest width is 26.5 km, the smallest depth in the fairway is 182 m.

MOZAMBICAN

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image048_0.jpg" align="left" width="123" height="102 src=">

OCEAN CURRENTS

CANARY

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image051_0.jpg" align="left" width="172" height="161 src="> The Canary Current is cold and, subsequently, moderately warm sea ​​current in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The Canary Current draws most of its water from the Azores and Portuguese Currents, as well as from mineral-rich waters rising from the depths. Initially, it flows in a southern and southwestern direction along the northwestern coast of Africa and past the Canary Islands.

BENGUELA

Benguela Current, cold current of the Atlantic Ocean, northern branch of the Western Winds Current. It passes off the western coast of South Africa from south to north and further to the northwest, turning into the South Trade Wind Current.

MOZAMBIQUE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image059.gif" width="20" height="112">.gif" width="19" height="75">.gif" width= "64" height="115">

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image065.jpg" align="left" width="294" height="198 src="> The Amirant Islands are an archipelago in the western part of the Indian Ocean to the north east of the island of Madagascar, approximately 300 km southwest of the Seychelles. Part of the Republic of Seychelles. Area 83 square kilometers.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image067.jpg" align="left" width="88" height="69 src=">.jpg" align="left" width="148 " height="115 src=">

O. Ascension

Ascension Island is a volcanic island located in the Atlantic Ocean 1600 km west of the African coast. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, from which it is located 1287 kilometers to the northwest.

CANARY

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image072.jpg" align="left" width="112" height="76 src=">.jpg" align="left" width="100 " height="76 src=">

CAPE GREEN

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image076.jpg" align="left" width="100" height="76 src=">.jpg" align="left" width="100 " height="76 src="> Islands Cape Verde are a cluster of 10 large and 8 small islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal, divided into Leeward and Windward groups.

MADEIRA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image081.gif" align="left" width="142" height="172 src=">Employees" href="/text/category/sluzhashie/ " rel="bookmark">serving as a haven for seabirds - Desertash Islands and Selvagens Islands.

NE. ELENA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image084.jpg" align="left" width="98" height="69 src=">148" height="40" style="vertical- align:top"> St. Helena Island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 2800 km west of Africa and belongs to Great Britain. Also, Saint Helena is an overseas possession of Great Britain, which, in addition to Saint Helena itself, includes the Ascension Islands and the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, as well as small islands and rocks.

COMOROS

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image088.jpg" align="left" width="208" height="88 src="> Comoros, Union of the Comoros (UCO) on the archipelago of -vov (Anjouan (Njuani) - 424 sq. km, Grande Comore (Ngazija) - 1146 sq. km, Mayotte (Maore), Moheli Island state off the southeastern coast of Africa. Located in the Mozambique Strait of the Indian Ocean between east coast Africa and northwestern islands. Madagascar.

SEYCHELLES

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image091.jpg" align="left" width="89" height="100 src="> Republic Seychelles - Island state in the western Indian Ocean, slightly south of the equator, approximately 1600 km east of the African mainland, north of Madagascar. The republic includes more than 100 islands and islets, only 33 are inhabited. big Island- Mahe (142 sq. km.). The capital of the state, Victoria, is located on it. Other large islands are Silhouette, Praslin, La Digue.

MASCHARENE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image093.jpg" align="left" width="124" height="84 src=">.gif" width="43" height="137 "> PEMBA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image098.jpg" align="left" width="100" height="76 src="> Pemba, coral island in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa, separated from the mainland by the Pemba Strait. Area 984 sq. km. Part of Tanzania. Height up to 99m. The climate is equatorial-monsoon. Precipitation up to 1000mm per year. Clove tree and coconut palm are cultivated.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image102.jpg" align="left" width="132" height="89 src="> Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania, which and belongs to The largest islands are Pemba and Unguja, commonly also called Zanzibar.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image104.gif" width="96" height="78">.jpg" align="left" width="112" height="85 src= ">.gif" width="31" height="106"> Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, located in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa, separated from it by the Mozambique Strait. The area of ​​the island is 590 thousand square meters. km. Length - about 1600 km, width - over 600 km. The island is home to the Republic of Madagascar.

SOCOTRA

Socotra is a small archipelago of six islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia, about 350 km south of the Arabian Peninsula.

GULF OF GUINEA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image116.jpg" align="left" width="184" height="116 src="> The largest islands are Bioko, Sao Tome, Principe, Annobon. Bioko is an island in the Gulf of Biafra (part of the Gulf of Guinea) of the Atlantic Ocean, the largest of the islands belonging to the Equatorial

Guinea; ocean.

PENINSULA

SOMALIA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image118.jpg" align="left" width="125" height="107 src="> Somalia (Horn of Africa) is a peninsula in the east of the African continent. It is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Aden from the north, and by the Indian Ocean from the east. The territory of the peninsula is part of the state of Somalia, part of it is part of Ethiopia. The area is about sq. km.

RIVERS

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image120.gif" width="97" height="59"> NILE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image123.jpg" align="left" width="92" height="63 src="> The Nile is a river in Africa, one of the two largest in length rivers in the world. The river originates on the East African plateau and flows into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a delta. In the upper reaches it receives large tributaries - Bahr el-Ghazal (left) and Achwa, SOBAT, Blue Nile and Atbara (right). Below the mouth of the right tributary of the Atbara, the Nile flows through a semi-desert, having no tributaries for the last 3000 km. The length of the Nile (with Kagera) is about 6700 km (the most often used figure is 6671 km), but from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea it is approximately 5600 km. The area of ​​the basin, according to various sources, is 2.8-3.4 million square meters. km. (fully or partially covers the territories of Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt).

ATBARA

Atbara (Arabic: Bahr el-Asuad) is a river in Africa (in Sudan and Ethiopia), a right tributary of the Nile (flowing into the Nile River near the city of Atbara in Sudan). The source is located near Lake Tana in Ethiopia. It flows mainly along the Sudanese Plateau.

BLUE NILE

The Blue Nile is much shorter than the White Nile, but it plays a much larger role in the formation of the Nile regime below Khartoum. The Blue Nile originates from the Abyssinian Highlands, flowing from Lake Tana.

WHITE NILE

Below Sobat, the river receives the name White Nile (Bahr el-Abyad), leaves behind an area of ​​swamps, and then flows calmly in a wide valley through a semi-desert area to Khartoum, where it merges with the Blue Nile. From here to the Mediterranean Sea the river is called the Nile (El-Bahr). The distance from Khartoum to the Nimule Gorge is approximately 1800 km; to Lake Victoria - about 3700 km.

KAGERA

Kagera - river in East Africa, flows through the territory of Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as partially along the borders between them. It is the longest tributary of the Nile. It is formed at the confluence of the Nyavarongo and Ruvuvu rivers near Lake Rweru, from where its length to the mouth is 420 km; If we count from the source of the Rukarara River, which is located in Burundi near the northern edge of Lake Tanganyika and is the point of the Kagera river system farthest from the mouth, then its length is about 800 km.

CONGO

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image130.gif" width="13" height="62"> Lualaba is the local name for the upper reaches of the Congo River, and is described by foreign researchers as the main tributary of the Congo. It flows from its source on the Shaba Plateau to Stanley Falls in the Congo. The length is about 2100 km. A hydroelectric power station was built in the upper rapids. In the middle course the river is navigable (644 km).

LUAPULA

Upper "href="/text/category/verhovmze/" rel="bookmark">upper reaches of the Congo River). Some researchers consider it the main source of the Congo River (Zaire). Length (from the source of Chambeshi) over 1500 km, basin area 265.3 thousand sq. km It originates south of Lake Tanganyika, flows through several branches into Lake Bangweulu, then flows through Lake Mweru, below which it is called Luvua.

LOVOIA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image134.gif" width="186" height="12">

LUKUGA

WITH CROWBARS

Lomami is a river in Africa, on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a left tributary of the Congo. Length 1450 km, basin area about 110,000 sq. km. The river originates on the Katanga plateau and flows north, forming numerous waterfalls and rapids.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image139.jpg" align="left" width="256" height="255 src="> UBANGI

Ubangi, a river in Central Africa, the largest right tributary of the river. Congo (Zaire); flows along the borders of the Republic of Zaire with the Central African Republic and the People's Republic of the Congo. Formed by the confluence of the river. Knotle and Mbomou. The length from the source of the Uzle is about 2300 km (according to other data, about 2500 km), the basin area is 772.8 thousand square meters. km.

QUANGO

Quangor River in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Kwango River is a left tributary of the Kassai River. Its length is 1,100 kilometers. The sources are in the highlands of central Angola, the river flows mainly to the north. In its middle course, the Kwango forms the state border between Angola and the Congo, overcomes the Shute-Tembo waterfall, then flows through the territory of the Congo and below the city of Bandundu flows into the Kasai.

KASAI

Kasai, river in the Center. Africa, the largest left tributary of the river. Congo, the flow is 20% of the Congo flow. Length 2153 km, basin area 880.2 thousand square meters. km. It originates on the Lunda plateau and descends from its northern slope, forming picturesque rapids and waterfalls; divides Angola and Congo. The main tributaries on the right are Lulua, Sankuru, Fimi-Lukeni, on the left - Kwango.

RUFIJI

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image145.gif" align="left" width="208" height="165 src="> Rufiji is a river in Tanzania. The river is formed at the confluence of the Kilombero rivers and Luwegu, originating in the mountains east of Lake Nyasa (Malawi). Length is about 600 km, the source is in the southwestern part of Tanzania. In the upper reaches it is a typical mountain river. Below the Shuguli Falls it flows through the lowlands in a wide valley. Flows into Indian Ocean near Mafia Island about 200 km south of Dar es Salaam. The pool area is 178 thousand square meters. km. The main tributary is the Great Ruaha.

RUVUMA

Interstate structures" href="/text/category/mezhgosudarstvennie_strukturi/" rel="bookmark">between the states of Tanzania and Mozambique. Length about 800 km, basin area 145 thousand sq. km. Originates in the mountains to the east of the lake Nyasa (Malawi), flows into the Indian Ocean.The largest tributary is the Lujenda River (on the right).

ZAMBEZI

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image149.gif" width="125" height="55"> The Zambezi is the fourth longest river in Africa. Basin area - 1 sq. km, length - 2,574 km The source of the river is in Zambia, the river flows through Angola, along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it flows into the Indian Ocean.

QUANDO

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image152.gif" width="172" height="38"> LUANGWA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image154.gif" width="100" height="31"> LIMPOPO

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image156.jpg" align="left" width="220" height="162 src="> Limpopo is a river in South Africa. Flows through the territory of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Originates on the slopes of the Witwatersrand ridge, flows into the Indian Ocean. The length of the river is 1600 km, the basin area is sq. km. Large tributaries: Shashe, Ulifants, Shangane.

ORANGE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image158.jpg" align="left" width="160" height="147 src=">.gif" width="116" height="47 "> Shari, a river in Central Africa (CAI, Republic of Chad and along the latter’s border with Cameroon). Formed by the confluence of the river. Uam and Gribings; flows into the lake Chad. The length, according to various sources, is 1400-1500 km (from the source of the Uam River), the basin area is about 700 thousand square meters. km.

NIGER

The Niger is the most important river in West Africa. Length 4,180 km, basin area 2,118 thousand square meters. km, the third according to these parameters in Africa after the Nile and Congo. The source is in Guinea, then the river flows through Mali, Niger, along the Benin border, then flows through Nigeria and flows into the Gulf of Guinea. The main tributaries of the Niger: Milo, Bani (right); Sokoto, Kaduna and Benue (left).

BENOUE

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image165.jpg" align="left" width="80" height="88 src=">.gif" width="96" height="50 "> The Senegal is a river in West Africa and forms a natural border between the states of Senegal and Mauritania. The length of the river is about 1970 km. The area of ​​the river basin is 419,575 square meters. km. Main tributaries: Falem, Karakoro and Gorgol.

GAMBIA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image173.jpg" align="left" width="158" height="151 src=">

LAKES

VICTORIA

Victoria is a lake in East Africa, in the territory of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. Area 68,870 thousand square meters. km, length 320 km, maximum width 275 km. The high-water Kagera River flows in and the Victoria Nile River flows out. The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator.

RUDOLF

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image180.gif" width="78" height="58"> Kyoga is a large shallow lake, or rather a complex of lakes, in Uganda, with an area of ​​about 1720 sq. km, Located at an altitude of 914m above sea level, the White Nile flows into Kyoga on its way from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert.

RUKVA

Rukva, endorheic shallow water salt Lake in East Africa, in the southwest. Tanzania. It lies in a tectonic depression at an altitude of 792m.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image185.gif" width="16 height=16" height="16">

NYASA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image188.jpg" align="left" width="220" height="112 src="> Malawi (Nyasa) is a lake in Central-Eastern Africa. The lake runs from north to south, length 560 km, depth 706 m.

BANGWUEULU

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image191.gif" width="137" height="66"> .jpg" align="left" width="148" height="132 src="> Mveru - mountain fresh lake on the border of Zambia and DR Congo. Located at an altitude of 917m above sea level southwest of Lake Tanganyika. The maximum length is 110 km, width 45 km, depth up to 27 m. Navigable. The lake is home to bream and tilapia. Described by David Livingston.

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image196.gif" width="19" height="123"> .gif" width="275" height="34"> TANA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image201.jpg" align="left" width="315" height="78 src="> Tana, Tsana, Dembea, lake in Ethiopia, in Ethiopian highlands, at an altitude of 1830 m. Length 75 km, width up to 70 km. Area 3100-3600 sq. km. Depth up to 70 m.

CHAD

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image204.jpg" align="left" width="127" height="86 src="> The surface of the lake is not constant: usually occupying about 27 thousand square meters . km, the lake in the rainy season overflows to 50 thousand, and in the dry season it is reduced to 11 thousand sq. km. From the south, the rivers Shari with a wide and shallow delta and Mbulu flow into the lake, from the west - Komadugu-Vaube, and from the east - low-water Bar el-Ghazal.

ASSAL

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image206.jpg" align="left" width="122" height="100 src="> "Livingston Falls" - a system of rapids and rapids in downstream Congo River, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in western equatorial Africa. Named after the Scottish explorer Livingstone, the “falls” system is a 350km long rapids section of the river with a total drop of 270m.

VICTORIA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image208.jpg" align="left" width="122 height=94" height="94"> STANLEY Stanley Falls, waterfalls in the upper reaches of the river. Congo (Zaire), between the cities of Ubundu and Kisangani, on the territory of the Republic of Zaire. 7 significant rapids, separated by stretches, at a distance of about 150 km; the total drop is about 40m.

MURCHISON

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image210.jpg" align="left" width="222" height="155 src="> Atlas Mountains, mountain system in the north. Africa; to the west. parts of Morocco - three parallel. chains: middle (High Atlas or Idrar-in-Deren with the peak of Jebel Ayashi. 4500 m, southern Anti-A. and northern Er-Rif; in Algeria and Tunisia two chains: in the north of Mal. Atlas or Tell , on the south of the Great Atlas (2300m.), between them is the Shotto plateau (1100m.).

SUGAR ATLAS

Saharan Atlas, a system of mountain ranges and massifs in the south of the Atlas mountain country within Algeria. Height 1200-1500 m, individual peaks over 2000 m (Aisa mountain up to 2336 m).

ANTIATLAS

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image223.jpg" align="left" width="124" height="89 src="> Ethiopian (Abyssinian) Highlands - a mountain system in the northeast Africa in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and northern Somalia. Average height m. The highest point is Mount Ras Dashen 4533m, the fourth highest in Africa.

MITUMBA, MOUNTAINS

Mitumba, mountain range in the center. part of the East African Plateau, in the southeast. and V. Congo (formerly Zaire). It is composed of young volcanic and ancient crystalline rocks. Length from N to S approx. 400 km, altitude up to 3305 m. Flat tops predominate at several levels. North Part of the ridge extends along the tectonic depression occupied by lakes Edward, Kivu and Tanganyika.

DRAGON MOUNTAINS

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image229.gif" width="113" height="77">

CAPE MOUNTAINS

Cape Mountains, mountains in southern Africa, in South Africa, between Port Elizabeth in the east and the mouth of the river. Olifants in the west. The length is about 800 km. Consist of several parallel ridges. The average height is 1500m, the highest is 2326m.

RAS DASHAN, MOUNTAIN

Ras Dashan, most high peak in the Semien Mountains in the Ethiopian Highlands. Height 4620m.

KENYA

Kenya is the most high mountain Kenya and the second highest mountain in Africa (after Kilimanjaro). The most high peaks are Batianm), Nelionm) and Point Lenanam). The mountain is located in the central part of the country slightly south of the equator, 150 km north-northeast of Nairobi.

KILIMANJARO, VOLCANO

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image234.jpg" align="left" width="173" height="120 src="> Somalia is a plateau bordered in the southeast and north by coastal lowlands. Rivers - Jubba, Webi-Shebeli. Most of the territory is desert.

DARFUR, PLATEAU

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image238.gif" width="98" height="51"> High plateaus are the general name for intermountain semi-desert plateaus in the Atlas. Height m in the west, 700-800m in the east. Located between the Tel Atlas ridges in the north and the Saharan Atlas in the south.

BATTLES

BODEL

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image241.jpg" align="left" width="115" height="80 src="> Qattara is a waterless depression in Egypt in the north of the Libyan Desert in Africa Area sq. km.

KALAHARI

Kalahari, a depression in the central part of South Africa, coinciding with the syneclise of the same name on the African Plate. Located in Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Southern Rhodesia and South Africa. Area about 630 thousand square meters. km.

DESERT

ARABIA

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image243.gif" width="44" height="70"> Arabian desert, north-east. part of the Sahara (Egypt) between the Nile Valley and the ridge. Etbay, stretching along the Red Sea. To the south (at 22° N) it becomes the Nubian Desert. The plateau descends from east to west towards the Nile valley from 1000 to 200 m, and is intensively dissected by valleys with dry riverbeds (wadis).

https://pandia.ru/text/78/225/images/image246.jpg" align="left" width="149" height="114 src="> NUBIAN

Nubian Desert, in Africa, for the most part on the territory of Sudan, between the river. Nile and the Red Sea, from which it is separated by the Etbai ridge.

LIBYAN

Libyan Desert, a desert in Africa, in the northeast of the Sahara, west of the river. Nile, within eastern Libya, western Arab Republic of Egypt and northern Sudan. Area about 2 million square meters. km.

The second largest continent on planet Earth is the continent of Africa. The first in size is the continent of Eurasia. There is another part of the world that is also called Africa. This article will look at Africa as the continent of the planet.

In terms of area, Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the planet's total land surface. The continent of Africa is washed Mediterranean Sea on the north coast, West Coast washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the northeastern coast is washed by the Red Sea. There are 62 states in 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 the full list of 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) The northernmost point of this continent is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Tunisian Republic.

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 southernmost point of continent Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa (RSA).

Relief of Africa

Most of the continent is made up of plains. Prevail following forms relief: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. The continent is conventionally divided into High Africa(where the heights of the continent reach a size of over 1000 meters - the southeast of the continent) and Low Africa (where the heights reach a size mainly less than 1000 meters - the northwestern part).

The highest point of the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the continent there are the Drakensberg and Cape Mountains, in the east of Africa there is the Ethiopian Highlands, and to the south of it there is the East African Plateau, in the northwest of the continent there are the Atlas Mountains.

In the north of the continent is located the most large desert on the planet there is the Sahara, in the south there is the Kalahari Desert, and in the southwest of the continent 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.

African climate

The climate of Africa can be ranked first among all continents in terms of warmth. This is the hottest continent, since it is completely located in the hot climate zones of planet Earth and is intersected by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and a complete absence 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 with high air temperatures. If you follow further to the south and north after the subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern tropical zones 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 most long river- this is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6852 km), and the deepest river is the Congo River (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are also lakes on the mainland. The largest lake is 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 largest freshwater lake on planet Earth in terms of area.

30% of the landmass of continent Africa is deserts, in which bodies of water can be temporary, that is, at times they dry up completely. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions groundwater can be observed, which is located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The continent of Africa is famous for its diversity as flora, and the animal. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which give way to open forests and savannas. In the subtropical zone you can also find mixed forests.

The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palms, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in savannas you can most often find thorny bushes and small trees. The desert is characterized by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are herbs, shrubs or trees in oases. Many desert areas have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is considered to be the Velvichia amazing plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it produces 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 areas of the savannah, 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 may seem uninhabited at first glance, but in fact there live many reptiles, insects, and birds that hunt mainly at night.

Africa is famous for such animals as the elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, sand cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinoceroses and much more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.

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