A Geographic Profile of SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Chapter 9

Sub-Saharan Africa

Second largest land area of all the major world regions Covers 17.4 million square miles (2x size of U.S.)

Population of 749 million (2007) Overpopulated in areas, yet much of region

is sparsely populated Average population density is slightly more

than that of the U.S. Rate of population increase is 2.5% per year

Preference for Large Families Extra hands to perform work Ability for parents to be looked after when old/sick In the case of girls, to receive “bride wealth” Large families convey status

Birth rates have been dropping in everycountry in region over the past two decades

9.1 Area and Population

Comparison in Area and LatitudeSub-Saharan Africa vs. Conterminous U.S.

Population Distribution

Population Cartogram

Homes Elevated to Minimize Risk of Flooding

9.1.1 Africa’s Population Prospects

Africa has the world’s youngest population 43% of the region’s people are under 15 years of age

Malthusian Scenario 1 Percent Gap

Population has had growth rate of about 3% since 1960s Food production has grown at only about 2% annually This is the only world region where per capita food production

is declining HIV/AIDS

Possibly a Malthusian “check” to population growth

9.2 Physical Geography & Human Adaptations

The Landscapes of Africa Africa’s Biomes and Climates Living off the Land Africa’s Wildlife

9.2.1 The Landscapes of Africa

Most of Africa is a vast plateau, or series of plateaus Typical elevation of more than 1,000 feet, though in

places elevation rises to 5,000 feet and higher The character of African rivers

Rapids and waterfalls block navigation a shortdistance inland Great potential for hydroelectric energy

Africa’s discontinuous inland waterways areinterconnected by railroads and highways

Africa’s High Volcanic Mountains

9.2.2 Africa’s Biomes and Climates

Equator bisects Africa, so about two-thirds of the region lies in the low latitudes, having tropical climates

Biomes of Sub-Saharan Africa Tropical Rain Forest Savanna Steppe Desert Mediterranean Humid Subtropical Marine West Coast

Precipitation in region is high, but unevenly distributed Drought is a persistent problem

Climates of Sub-Saharan Africa

Biomes of Sub-Saharan Africa

9.2.3 Living off the Land

Most productive lands are on river plains, in volcanic regions, and in some grassland areas of tropical steppes

To support growing populations, fallow periods have been shortened, and the lands pressed to yield more crops

Sub-Saharan Africa’s soils favor subsistence agriculture and pastoralism Half of the region’s population practices these livelihoods

Land Use in Sub-Saharan Africa

Mother and Child in Zimbabwe

Zebu Cattle in Madagascar

9.2.4 Africa’s Wildlife

Africa has the planet’s most spectacular and numerous populations of large mammals Tropical grasslands and open forests

Habitats of large herbivorous animals Elephant, Buffalo, Zebra, Giraffe, and many species of Antelope

Carnivorous and scavenging animals Lion, Leopard, and Hyena

Tropical rain forests Abundant species of insects, birds, and monkeys

Streams and rivers draining the forests and wetter savannas Hippopotamus, crocodile, and a great variety of fish

Home to some of the world’s most extraordinaryand successfully managed national parks International tourism to these parks is a major source

of revenue

Daggers as Dress Accessory in Yemen

9.3 Cultural and Historical Geographies

African continent was the original home of humankind After 5000 B.C.E., indigenous people were responsible for

agricultural innovation in four culture hearths: Ethiopian Plateau West African Savanna West African Forest Forest-Savanna Boundary of West Central Africa

Domestication of important crops Millet, sorghum, yams, cowpeas, okra,

watermelons, coffee, and cotton

9.3.1 The Languages of Africa

Peoples of this region speak more than 1,000 languages, which generally belong to one of four broad language groups: Niger-Congo Afro-Asiatic Nilo-Saharan Khoisan

The African Union, the continent’s supranational organization, uses 6 official languages English, French, Portuguese, Spanish,

Swahili, and Arabic

Languages of Sub-Saharan Africa

9.3.2 Africa’s Belief Systems

Spiritualism is extremely strong, but spiritual affiliations and practices are more interwoven and flexible than in most other world regions Not uncommon for family members to follow different faiths, or for

an individual to change religious beliefs and practices in the course of a lifetime

Dominant Religions of Africa Islam Christianity Indigenous African Religions (Animism)

Religions of Sub-Saharan Africa

9.3.3 The Origins and Impacts of Slavery

Over a period of 12 centuries, as many as 25 million people from sub-Saharan Africa were forced to become slaves, exported as merchandise from their homelands

The trade began in the 7th century, with Arab merchants using trans-Saharan camel caravan routes to exchange goods

Slave traffic Provided motivation for European commerce along African coasts Largest slave traffic was the European controlled slave trade Transatlantic slave trade peaked between 1700 and 1870

80% of an estimated 10 million slaves made the crossing More than 10 million others probably died

Slavery has not yet died out in the region Enslavement of children persists in West Africa

Slave Export Trade Routes

9.3.4 The Impact of Colonialism

European colonialism began to overshadow and inhibit the growth of indigenous African civilizations in 16th C.

Portugal was earliest colonial power to build an African empire

Conference of Berlin in 1884-1885 European powers carved up Africa Modern national boundaries do not correspond with ethnic

boundaries Nigeria as the “Mistake of 1914”

European colonization had both positive and negativeimpacts on the region

Most countries still have important links with theirformer colonial powers

Colonial Rule in 1914

9.4 Economic Geography

Sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by great poverty 25 of the world’s 30 poorest countries are located there All economies except South Africa’s are underindustrialized

Africa’s place in the commercial world is mainly that of a producer of primary products Cash Crops Raw Materials

Social and structural problems contribute to the region’s underdevelopment Most African societies lack a substantial middle class

and the prospect of upward economic mobility

Coffee as Kenya’s Cash Crop

9.4.1 Agriculture

Per capita food output in most of Sub-Saharan Africa has declined or remained flat since independence Malnutrition afflicts almost half the region’s children Rapid population growth and drought are responsible Many regimes have invested more in their militaries than in

getting food to their citizens Governmental preference for cash crops over subsistence food

crops Export Crops

Grown on small farms rather than on plantations / estates Most valuable export crops are:

Coffee, Cacao, Cotton, Peanuts & Oil Palm Products Secondary Cash Crops

Sisal, Pyrethrum, Tea, Tobacco, Rubber, Pineapples, Bananas, Cloves, Vanilla, Cane Sugar & Cashews

9.4.2 Mineral Resources

Notable Mineral Exports Precious metals and precious stones Iron alloys Copper Phosphate Uranium Petroleum High-grade iron ore

Destined principally for Europe, the U.S., and China Mining has attracted far more investment capital to Africa

than any other economic activity

Minerals, Oil Pipelines and Transportation Links

9.4.3 Africa’s Fragile Infrastructure

Poor Transportation Hindering Development Few countries can afford to build extensive new road or rail

networks, and much of colonial infrastructure has deteriorated Contributes to famine, with the inability to transport crop

surpluses to parts with chronic food shortages Contributes to high costs of agricultural inputs (i.e., fertilizers)

Bridging the Digital Divide Critical shortage of telephone, fax, e-mail, and other

communication technologies Internet Cafés Mobile Phones

Ferries for River Crossings Without Bridges

9.4.4 Africa in World Markets & Economics

Commodities boom brought annual economic growth rates of about 5% to 16 Sub-Saharan African countries

Many countries outside the region have effectively closed their doors to African imports Subsidies, high tariffs, and/or low quotas imposed on

agricultural products or manufactured goods Africa’s Debt

Forgiveness of $40 billion of debt by G-8 China’s engagement with the region

Pledge of $20 billion in infrastructure and trade financing

9.4.5 A Legacy of Failed States

Failed-State Syndrome Pernicious process of economic and political decay that is

eating away at some African countries Some countries are little more than “shell states” 9 of world’s 15 most corrupt countries are in this region Donor Democracy

Leaders make just enough concessions to winoutside aid without instituting real reform

9.5 Geopolitical Issues

Sub-Saharan Africa is often judged as marginal in world affairs, but the region deserves and is receiving increased international attention Humanitarian problems Global implications of its public health and environmental

situations Problems in the management of Africa’s natural resource

wealth, its oil reserves, and concerns over terrorism Terrorism Hot Spots

Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Niger, Chad, and Mali HIV/AIDS

Link between U.S. and Africa via air traffic routes Potential AIDS-related political instability or civil wars

9.6.1 The Sahel

The Sahel Extends eastward from the Cape Verde Islands to the Atlantic shore

nations of Mauritania, Senegal, and the Gambia, and inland to Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and South Sudan

Ecosystems of Sahel have high resilience to cope with droughts Desertification is the destruction of that resilience

It is an unnatural, human-induced condition It has afflicted the Sahel greatly since the late 1960s Successful changes have been made to reverse desertification

(1977 United Nations plan)

9.6.2 West Africa

West Africa Extends from Guinea-Bissau to Nigeria, comprised of nine countries

making up about 800,000 square miles Nigeria is the spatial, demographic, political, and economic giant

Africa’s largest oil producer, ranks 10th in world’s proven reserves Most oil production is concentrated in the Niger River Delta

Home to 12 million mostly Christian people of many ethnic groups They have derived few benefits, and have suffered greatly from oil

development in their homeland Oil spills have tainted croplands and water, and flaring off natural gas

has polluted their air and caused acid Very little of the oil revenue returns to the area Living conditions, educational opportunities, and medical care are poor

Natives becoming more militant in defending their rights to oil revenue This militancy has sent shockwaves through the world economy Cuts down on oil production, resulting in shortages on world markets

9.6.3 East Africa

East Africa is made up of 5 countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi Subregion is roughly the size of Texas Population (143 million) nearly half of the U.S.

Rwanda and Burundi have had tragic disputesbetween their majority and minority populations Hutu (Bahutu) make up about 85% of the

population in Burundi and 90% in Rwanda This majority was poorer and often treated unfairly by wealthier minority

Tutsi (Watusi) make up most of the remainder of the two populations This is the wealthier minority

The Hutu and Tutsi speak the same language and share a common culture; their only difference is their level of wealth

Violent clashes between these two groups have resulted in genocide unchecked by outside influences

Rwanda now has a national unity plan aimed at reconciling Hutus and Tutsis Burundi now rotates its presidency between Hutus and Tutsis for power sharing

9.6.4 West Central Africa

West Central Africa is comprised of seven countries: Cameroon Gabon Central African Republic Congo Republic Democratic Republic of Congo São Tomé and Príncipe Equatorial Guinea

9.6.5 Colonialism & Modern Strugglesin the Congo Basin

The Congo Basin was a virtual possession of Belgium during last quarter of the 19th century Exploited by King Leopold II (rubber, ivory, tropical products) Formally annexed by Belgium in 1908 Took the name Zaire (meaning “river”) in 1971 Following the overthrow of the government in 1997, the country was

renamed Democratic Republic of Congo

Trouble in region has had ties to events in neighboring East Africa Unrest in the region led to “Africa’s First World War”

This dispute involved 9 countries and 20 rebel movements It resulted in more than 5 million deaths Most of these deaths were a result of starvation, disease, or

widespread massacres of ethnic groups Since 1998, most fighting has been over control of areas rich in minerals Peace has been negotiated, but war could easily break out again

9.6.6 The Horn of Africa

Comprised of a great volcanic plateau that rises steeply from the desert and protects the African continent from the Indian Ocean

Extreme NE section of Sub-Saharan Africa includes 4 countries: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti Ethiopia is the country with the most

ethnic / cultural diversity Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity Cultural / historical links with Egypt,

Fertile Crescent & Arabia Before Marxist coup in 1970s, Ethiopian

rulers were always Christian “The Galápagos Islands of Religion”

because it has long served as an isolated refuge for unique religious groups, including Falashas (Ethiopian Jews) and Rastafarians

9.6.7 Southern Africa (former colonial statuses in parentheses)

Zambezi River Basin Angola (Portuguese Colony)

Mozambique (Portuguese)

Zimbabwe (British Colony)

Zambia (British Colony)

Malawi (British Colony)

Still further south are the following five countries: South Africa Botswana (British Colony)

Swaziland (British Colony)

Lesotho (British Colony)

Namibia (German Colony)

Has a very Europeanized cultural landscape, but this does not reflect the racial background of the majority of the population Blacks (79%), Whites (10%), Mixed Origin (9%), Asians (2%) Economic gulf separates impoverished black Africans from wealthy whites Racial segregation characterized South Africa from 1652 onward

Apartheid (Afrikaners put into place in 1948) A law that imposed racially based restrictions and prohibitions on everyone,

but weighed heaviest on black Africans and denied them political power Many blacks transferred to “homelands Black unrest became so widespread and violent

that government declared a state of emergency Most of fighting took place between rival factions:

African National Congress (ANC)led by Nelson Mandel

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)led by Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi

During Nelson Mandela’s presidency (1994-1999),South African apartheid laws became null and void

9.6.8 South Africa

Indian Ocean Islands Madagascar, The Comoro Islands, Reunion, Mauritius & The Seychelles African, Asian, Arab, European & Polynesian ethnic and cultural influences Home to many endemic species of plants and animals Theory of Island Biogeography

The number of species found on an individual island correlates with the island’s area, with a 10-fold increase in area normally resulting in a doubling of the number of species

Madagascar 4th largest island in the world 1,000 miles long / 350 miles wide 21 million inhabitants Distinctive flora and fauna

Deforestation has reached 90% Theory of island biogeography

suggests that half of the island’sspecies have become extinct

9.6.9 The Indian Ocean Islands