Sub Sahara Africa Leading countries of the area

Sub - Sahara Africa

Leading countries of the area § GDP: Gross Domestic Product: The total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year § South Africa § Gabon § Botswana

Leading countries of the area cont. § Land size § Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) § Sudan § Chad § Mozambique § Madagascar

Leading countries of the area cont. § Population § Nigeria § Ethiopia § Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) § Tanzania § Kenya

Physical characteristics § Continent composed of a huge plateau and escarpment § River transportation is impeded by waterfalls and rapids § Smooth coastline provides few natural harbors

§ Plateau--raised area of land with a generally level surface. At least one side of the plateau rises steeply above the surrounding area § Escarpment--a steep cliff that separates two level areas of differing elevations

Central Africa § The location of the equator in the middle of the region provides similar climate patterns on both the North and South sides of the equator. Climate zones § 1. Rainforest § 2. Tropical Wet and Dry § 3. Semi Arid § 4. Arid

Central Africa § The region has a large number of landlocked countries. § landlocked--a country which is completely cut off from a sea and surrounded by land or other countries

Central Africa § The area is a storehouse of minerals such as gold and diamonds. § The land of the rainforest has limited fertility in the soil because the rainforest leaches the nutrients out. § Two main deserts-- Kalahari and the Namib § The region has many preserves and national parks.

Economic Characteristics § Large percentage of the population is engaged in agriculture (primary activity). § Mainly subsistence agriculture and nomadic herding. § They use slash and burn agriculture

§ Slash and burn agriculture-cutting down trees and vegetation to clear a field for planting. The field is only good for a few years before you have to do it again. The land you leave is useless because you have depleted it of nutrients.

§ There is some plantation agriculture where cash crops and food crops are raised. § Cash crops—coffee, tea, sugar, peanuts, cocoa § Food crops—millet, sorghum, wheat, corn

Challenges & Advantages: § Poorly developed infrastructure. § Large numbers of landlocked countries. § Makes it difficult to trade with the rest of the world

§ The area does have substantial mineral wealth. § EX: diamonds, gold, alloys § The region is a major exporter of raw materials, but this leads to a high trade deficit.

§ There is a wide range of per capita income in the region. § Production of products lags behind the growing population of the area and many goods have to be imported.

§ The area is suffering from desertification. § Desertification--the process of destroying the grassland other vegetation regions and having them turn into desert

§ Demographics are typical of a developing nation § low per capita GDP § low life expectancy § High population growth rates § High infant mortality § large percentage of the population under the age of 15 § low literacy rates

Cultural Characteristics § Uneven population distribution § large numbers of refugees due to constant conflict in many countries § Many conflicts are caused by the many ethnic groups with different languages and customs

§ There are very few cities with populations over one million § There knowledge of their history is based on an oral tradition § Many of the country names today are based on historical empires such as Mali, Ghana & Zimbabwe