Democratic Republic of the Congo• Where is it?

– Large country in central Africa with a small coastline on the Atlantic Ocean

• What’s it like there?– Rich in natural resources including copper, cobalt,

diamonds, and the Congo River

– Tropical rainforest with rich plant and animal life

– Has had a troubled history, with European colonialism and civil war

– Political situation remains unstable, which hinders the country’s economic development

Democratic Republic of the Congo• Environmental Concerns:

– Water pollution: Congo River provides water to villages and towns, water for irrigation, and a fishing industry. It serves as a major transportation route for goods and people. Some people in Africa face the problem of water-borne diseases.

– Deforestation: In the 1800s, Europeans discovered the riches in the rainforests and land was cleared for great plantations.

– Rainforests continue to be destroyed, but now the cause is commercial logging.

– Poaching

Democratic Republic of the Congo• Where do people live?

– Near the coast, near Kinshasa• How do they travel?

– Dense rainforest makes road building difficult

– Boats• Types of work:

– Mining, subsistence farming, logging

Egypt• Where is it?

– Large North African country located along the banks of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean coast

• What’s it like there?– Nile River runs the length of Egypt

– Most is desert, Sahara is the largest desert in the world.

– Hot, arid climate

– Despite its harsh environment, the Sahara is home to plants that can tolerate desert conditions.

– Oasis, well-watered spot in the desert, can be found, but are rare.

Egypt• Environmental Concerns:

– Water pollution: Nile River, longest river in the world, is used for water and transportation. Overpopulation and poor sanitation regulations has caused diseases and have made life more difficult. People are concerned about the water’s contamination with human and industrial wastes.

– Desertification: destruction of vegetation continues to be a problem

– Aswan High Dam: no longer allows the river to flood and farmers are using more expensive fertilizers that contribute to the river’s contamination; heavy irrigation demands.

– Water wars: “sharing of rivers” causing supply issues

Egypt• Where do people live?

– Third most populated country in Africa

– Most densely populated places in the world, Nile River Valley

– Most live in urban areas

– Nomads live in the Sahara; Tuareg is one nomadic tribe who live in the Sahara Desert

• How do they travel?– Cars, airplanes, boats, camels (desert “Cadillac”)

• Types of work:– Farming, herding animals, tourism, industry,

service