The natural conditions of Africa are very peculiar. This continent is located in almost equal parts in the northern and southern hemispheres, and they lie mainly in tropical latitudes. But the combination of natural conditions Africa can be divided into several zones. In its central and western equatorial parts, along the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea and in the Congo Basin, tropical evergreen forests (hylaea) dominate. To the north and south of the hyla, “monsoon” forests grow, shedding their leaves during the dry season. These forests turn into savannah, which makes up about 30% of Africa's area. A significant part of the mainland is occupied by semi-deserts and typical deserts: in North Africa it is the Sahara Desert, in South Africa - the Kalahari and Namib semi-deserts. The natural conditions of Africa are conducive to agriculture. Africa is home to the banana, yam root, peanut (peanut), ground bean, African millet (sorghum), Ethiopian bread (teff), coffee tree, oil and date palms, rubber liana (landolphia). Cotton is grown on irrigated soils in a hot climate
Africa is also rich in minerals. The reserves of bauxite, copper, manganese, cobalt, uranium ores, diamonds, metals, gold, etc. are of world importance. through Zambia to East Africa (deposits of copper, uranium, cobalt, platinum, gold, manganese); Guinean part of West Africa (deposits of bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, oil); the zone of the Atlas Mountains and the coast of Northwest Africa (cobalt, molybdenum, lead, zinc, iron ore, mercury, phosphorites); Northern Africa (oil, gas of the Mediterranean coast and shelf). The leading place belongs to the mining and mining and metallurgical industries. Of the manufacturing industries - light and food. Promising industries are metallurgy, mechanical engineering and the chemical industry.
29) Socio-economic x-ka Sev. America. egp usa
North America is a continent located at the intersection of the Western and Northern hemispheres of planet Earth. The population of North America is 500 million people. North America covers the territory of two states - the USA and Canada.
Economic and geographical position very beneficial. This is due to the presence of a wide front of maritime boundaries, natural harbors and the position between three oceans. Land borders pass along conditional lines, rivers and lakes, contributing to the development of trade and economic ties. The longest river system on the globe is located there - the Mississippi with a tributary of the Missouri, and the largest accumulation of fresh water is located in the Great American Lakes region.
USA. About half of the main territory (adjacent states) - mountain ranges, plateaus and plateaus of the Cordillera; the eastern edge of the Cordillera belt is formed by the Rocky Mountain ranges with a height of more than 4000 m, the western - by the Coast Ranges, stretching along the Pacific coast. In the east of the country - the Appalachian mountains. Between the Cordillera and the Appalachians - vast inland plains (Central, Great). Along the coasts of the Atlantic and its Mexican Hall. - Atlantic and Mexican lowlands. The highest point in the country is Mount McKinley (6193 m) in Alaska. The climate is mostly temperate and subtropical continental. The main rivers are the Mississippi with tributaries of the Missouri and Ohio, Columbia, Colorado, Yukon. To the northeast is the Great Lakes system. Population 320 million people Many natural resources, including energy and raw materials. High-tech production. Developed scientific research. Well-developed service sector, competitive industry The world's largest exporter of goods. Transnational companies such as Ford, General Motors and Exxon. Leading software manufacturer. Good higher education system
CANADA It occupies the northern part of the mainland and the islands adjacent to it, including the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the islands of Newfoundland, Vancouver. It borders on the United States, there is a border with Russia along the Arctic Circle. The area is 9976 thousand km2 (in terms of territory it is the second country in the world after Russia). Capital Ottawa. Canada occupies almost half of the North American continent and is wide open to three oceans - the Arctic, Atlantic (in the east) and Pacific (in the west). The relief of Canada is diverse: the central and eastern regions are occupied by plains, in the west the powerful mountain system of the Cordillera extends. The country is covered with a dense and full-flowing river network. The hydropower potential of its rivers is one of the largest in the world. The real wealth of the country - forests, consisting of conifers and occupying almost half of the territory of Canada. In terms of wood reserves per capita, the country has no equal. The best soils (chernozems) are located in the south.
The video lesson is devoted to the topic "Natural resource potential and general characteristics of the economy of Africa." From the lesson, you will learn what resources the continent is rich in and what is the peculiarity of their use. The teacher will tell you in detail about the specifics of the economy of African countries. As additional material in the lesson, three topics are considered: “Monoculture”, “South Africa” and “Trans-African Highways”.
Theme: Africa
Lesson: Natural resource potential and general characteristics of the African economy
Africa is exceptionally rich in minerals, although they are still poorly understood. Among other continents, it ranks first in the reserves of the following natural resources:
1. Manganese ore.
2. Khromitov.
3. Bauxites.
4. Gold.
5. Platinum.
6. Cobalt.
7. Diamonds.
8. Phosphorites.
The resources of oil, natural gas, graphite, and asbestos are also great. Africa's share in the world mining industry is 1/4. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries.
Rice. 1. Diamond mining in Africa ()
In the central part of Africa there are large reserves of forest and water resources.
In addition, African land resources are also significant. There is more cultivated land per inhabitant than in Southeast Asia or Latin America. In total, 20% of the land suitable for agriculture is cultivated. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This, in turn, exacerbates the problem of hunger, which is very relevant for Africa.
Rice. 3. Desertification map of Africa ()
The agro-climatic resources of Africa are determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent, lies entirely within the average annual isotherms of +20 °C. But at the same time, precipitation is the main factor determining differences in climatic conditions. 30% of the territory - arid areas occupied by deserts, 30% - receive 200-600 mm of precipitation, but are subject to droughts; the equatorial regions suffer from an excess of moisture. Therefore, in 2/3 of the territory of Africa, sustainable agriculture is possible only through land reclamation work.
After gaining independence, African countries began to make efforts to overcome centuries of backwardness. The restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy began. The greatest success along this path has been achieved in the mining industry, which now accounts for 1/4 of the world's output in terms of production.
Despite some progress, most regions of Africa are still characterized by a colonial type of economy.
The main features of the colonial type of economy:
1. The predominance of small-scale agriculture.
2. Weak development of the manufacturing industry.
3. Strong backlog of transport.
4. Restriction of the non-productive sphere only to trade and services.
5. Monocultural specialization.
Africa exports bananas, coffee, tea, dates, citrus fruits and other agricultural products.
In total, seven main mining regions can be distinguished in Africa. Three of them are in North Africa and four are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Rice. 4. Map of the mining regions of Africa ()
Mining regions of Africa:
1. The region of the Atlas Mountains stands out for its reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).
2. The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron, titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.
3. The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by the largest oil and gas fields.
4. The West Guinean region is characterized by a combination of gold, diamonds, iron ores, and graphites.
5. The East Guinean region is rich in oil, gas, and metal ores.
6. Zaire-Zambian region. On its territory there is a unique "Copper Belt" with deposits of high-quality copper ores, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, silver. Congo (former Zaire) is the world's leading producer and exporter of cobalt.
7. The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of the inclusion of oil, gas and bauxite.
Africa is divided into 5 regions or 2 large regions (North Africa and Tropical Africa).
Rice. 5. Map of African regions ()
Each region differs in the composition and distribution of the population, natural and climatic conditions, resources, and specialization of the economy. Tropical Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa) is the least industrialized, least urbanized region of the world and the most backward region of the world.
Rice. 6. Map of Tropical Africa ()
monocultural specialization- narrow specialization of the country's economy in the production of one, as a rule, raw material or food product, intended mainly for export.
Rice. 7. Monocultures of African countries ()
Republic of South Africa. This country ranks first in Africa in many indicators of economic development. South Africa accounts for the lion's share of Africa's GDP, manufacturing and vehicle fleet. South Africa is distinguished by the development of the mining industry, the extraction of gold, diamonds, iron ores, etc.
Trans-African Highways: Maghreb, which connects all the countries of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt (Rabat - Cairo) and runs along the Mediterranean coast; Trans-Sahara Highway Algiers (Algeria) - Lagos (Nigeria); Trans-African highway Lagos - Mombasa (Kenya), or highway West - East, etc.
Homework
Topic 8, P. 1, 2
1. What resources are Africa richest in?
2. What is monoculture?
Bibliography
Main
1. Geography. A basic level of. 10-11 cells: Textbook for educational institutions / A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim. - 3rd ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2012. - 367 p.
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Additional
1. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: Bustard, 2001. - 672 p.: ill., cart.: tsv. incl.
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections
1. Geography: a guide for high school students and university applicants. - 2nd ed., corrected. and dorab. - M.: AST-PRESS SCHOOL, 2008. - 656 p.
2. Africa // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
Literature for preparing for the GIA and the Unified State Examination
1. Thematic control in geography. Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.M. Ambartsumova. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2009. - 80 p.
2. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.
3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified State Exam 2012. Geography: Textbook / Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2012. - 256 p.
4. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.
5. Geography. Diagnostic work in the format of the Unified State Examination 2011. - M .: MTSNMO, 2011. - 72 p.
6. USE 2010. Geography. Collection of tasks / Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 272 p.
7. Tests in geography: Grade 10: to the textbook by V.P. Maksakovskiy “Economic and social geography of the world. Grade 10 / E.V. Baranchikov. - 2nd ed., stereotype. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2009. - 94 p.
8. Unified state exam 2009. Geography. Universal materials for the preparation of students / FIPI - M .: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 240 p.
9. Geography. Answers on questions. Oral exam, theory and practice / V.P. Bondarev. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 160 p.
10. USE 2010. Geography: thematic training tasks / O.V. Chicherina, Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Eksmo, 2009. - 144 p.
11. USE 2012. Geography: Standard exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2011. - 288 p.
12. USE 2011. Geography: Standard exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2010. - 280 p.
Materials on the Internet
1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ( ).
2. Federal portal Russian Education ().
3. Electronic version of the journal Geography ().
The African continent is rich in various types of natural resources. Some people believe that you can have a good rest here by going on a safari, while others make money on mineral and forest resources. The development to the mainland is carried out comprehensively, therefore, all types of natural benefits are valued here.
Water resources
Despite the fact that a significant part of Africa is covered by deserts, many rivers flow here, the largest of which are the Nile and the Orange River, the Niger and the Congo, the Zambezi and the Limpopo. Some of them flow in deserts and are fed only by rainwater. The most famous lakes of the continent are Victoria, Chad, Tanganyika and Nyasa. In general, the continent has small reserves of water resources and is poorly supplied with water, therefore it is in this part of the world that people die not only from numerical diseases, hunger, but also from dehydration. If a person gets into the desert without water supplies, most likely, he will die. The exception will be the case if he is lucky enough to find an oasis.
Soil and forest resources
Land resources on the hottest continent are quite large. Of the total amount of soil that is available here, only a fifth is cultivated. This is due to the fact that a huge part is subject to desertification and erosion, so the land here is infertile. Many territories are occupied by tropical forests, so it is impossible to engage in agriculture here.
In turn, forest areas are of great value in Africa. The eastern and southern parts are covered with dry tropical forests, while wet ones cover the center and west of the mainland. What is worth noting is that here the forest is not valued, but cut down irrationally. In turn, this leads not only to the degradation of forests and soil, but also to the destruction of ecosystems and the emergence of environmental refugees, both among animals and among people.
Minerals
A significant part of Africa's natural resources are minerals:
fuel - oil, natural gas, coal;
metals - gold, lead, cobalt, zinc, silver, iron and manganese ores;
non-metallic - talc, gypsum, limestone;
precious stones - diamonds, emeralds, alexandrites, pyropes, amethysts.
Thus, Africa is home to the world's vast wealth of natural resources. These are not only fossils, but also wood, as well as world-famous landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and lakes. The only thing that threatens the exhaustion of these benefits is anthropogenic influence.
GENERAL ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNTRIES OF AFRICA
Table 11. Demographic and socio-economic indicators of the world, Africa and South Africa.
General review. Geographical position.
The mainland occupies 1/5 of the earth's land mass. In size (30.3 million km 2 - with islands) of all parts of the world it is second only to Asia. It is washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Figure 14. Political map of Africa.
The region includes 55 countries.
Almost all African countries are republics (with the exception of Lesotho, Morocco and Swaziland, which are still constitutional monarchies). The administrative-territorial structure of states is unitary, with the exception of Nigeria and South Africa.
There is no other continent in the world that would suffer as much from colonial oppression and the slave trade as Africa. The collapse of the colonial system began in the 50s in the north of the continent, the last colony, Namibia, was liquidated in 1990. In 1993, a new state appeared on the political map of Africa - Eritrea (as a result of the collapse of Ethiopia). Under the auspices of the UN are Western Sahara (Saharan Arab Republic).
Different criteria can be used to evaluate the GWP of African countries. One of the main criteria is separating countries by the presence or absence of access to the sea. Due to the fact that Africa is the most massive continent, no other of them has so many countries located far from the seas. Most of the inland countries are the most backward.
Natural conditions and resources.
The continent is crossed almost in the middle by the equator and lies completely between the subtropical belts of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The peculiarity of its shape - the northern part is 2.5 times wider than the southern one - determined the difference in their natural conditions. In general, the mainland is compact: 1 km of coastline accounts for 960 km 2 of territory. The relief of Africa is characterized by stepped plateaus, plateaus, and plains. The highest uplifts are confined to the outskirts of the mainland.
Africa is exceptionally rich minerals, although they are still poorly studied. Among other continents, it ranks first in reserves of ores of manganese, chromite, bauxite, gold, platinum, cobalt, diamonds, and phosphorites. The resources of oil, natural gas, graphite, and asbestos are also great.
Africa's share in the world mining industry is 1/4. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries, which makes its economy more dependent on the world market.
In total, seven main mining regions can be distinguished in Africa. Three of them are in North Africa and four are in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The region of the Atlas Mountains stands out for its reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, and phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).
- The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron, titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.
- The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by the largest oil and gas fields.
- The West Guinea region is characterized by a combination of gold, diamonds, iron ores, and graphites.
- The East Guinean region is rich in oil, gas, and metal ores.
- Zaire-Zambian region. On its territory there is a unique "Copper Belt" with deposits of high-quality copper ores, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, silver. Congo (former Zaire) is the world's leading producer and exporter of cobalt.
- The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of the inclusion of oil, gas and bauxite.
Africa's minerals are unevenly distributed. There are countries in which the lack of a raw material base hinders their development.
Significant land resources Africa. There is more cultivated land per inhabitant than in Southeast Asia or Latin America. In total, 20% of the land suitable for agriculture is cultivated. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This, in turn, exacerbates the problem of hunger, which is very relevant for Africa.
Agro-climatic resources Africa is determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent, lies entirely within the average annual isotherms of + 20 ° C. But at the same time, precipitation is the main factor determining differences in climatic conditions. 30% of the territory - arid areas occupied by deserts, 30% - receive 200-600 mm of precipitation, but are subject to droughts; the equatorial regions suffer from an excess of moisture. Therefore, in 2/3 of the territory of Africa, sustainable agriculture is possible only through land reclamation work.
Water resources Africa. In terms of their volume, Africa is significantly inferior to Asia and South America. The hydrographic network is distributed extremely unevenly. The degree of use of the huge hydropower potential of the rivers (780 million kW) is low.
forest resources In terms of reserves, Africa is second only to the resources of Latin America and Russia. But its average forest cover is much lower, besides, as a result of logging, deforestation has assumed alarming proportions.
Population.
Africa stands out worldwide with the highest rates of population reproduction. In 1960, 275 million people lived on the continent, in 1980 - 475 million people, in 1990 - 648 million, and in 2000, according to forecasts, there will be 872 million. Kenya stands out in terms of growth rates - 4, 1% (first place in the world), Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda. Such a high birth rate is explained by centuries-old traditions of early marriages and large families, religious traditions, as well as an increased level of healthcare. Most countries of the continent do not pursue an active demographic policy.
The change in the age structure of the population as a result of the demographic explosion also entails great consequences: in Africa, the proportion of children's ages is high and still growing (40-50%). This increases the "demographic burden" on the able-bodied population.
The population explosion in Africa exacerbates many of the problems of the regions, the most important of which is the food problem. Despite the fact that 2/3 of Africa's population is employed in agriculture, the average annual population growth (3%) significantly outpaces the average annual growth in food production (1.9%).
Many problems are connected with the ethnic composition of the population of Africa, which is very diverse. 300-500 ethnic groups stand out. Some of them have already formed into large nations, but most are still at the level of nationalities, and remnants of the tribal system are also preserved.
According to the linguistic principle, 1/2 of the population belongs to the Niger-Kordofan family, 1/3 to the Afro-Asiatic family, and only 1% are residents of European origin.
An important feature of African countries is the mismatch of political and ethnic boundaries as a result of the colonial era of the development of the continent. As a result, many united peoples found themselves on opposite sides of the border. This leads to inter-ethnic conflicts and territorial disputes. The latter cover 20% of the territory. Moreover, 40% of the territory is not demarcated at all, and only 26% of the length of the borders pass along natural boundaries, partially coinciding with ethnic boundaries.
The legacy of the past is that the official languages of most African countries are still the languages of the former metropolises - English, French, Portuguese.
The average population density in Africa (24 people / km 2) is less than in foreign Europe and Asia. Africa is characterized by very sharp contrasts in settlement. For example, the Sahara contains the largest uninhabited territories in the world. Rare population and in the zone of tropical rainforests. But there are also quite significant clumps of population, especially on the coasts. The population density in the Nile Delta reaches 1000 people/km2.
In terms of urbanization, Africa still lags far behind other regions. However, the rate of urbanization here is the highest in the world. Like many other developing countries, Africa is experiencing "false urbanization".
General characteristics of the economy.
After gaining independence, African countries began to make efforts to overcome centuries of backwardness. Of particular importance were the nationalization of natural resources, the implementation of agrarian reform, economic planning, and the training of national personnel. As a result, the pace of development in the region accelerated. The restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy began.
The greatest success along this path has been achieved in the mining industry, which now accounts for 1/4 of the world's output in terms of production. In the extraction of many types of minerals, Africa holds an important, and sometimes even a monopoly, place in the foreign world. The main part of the extracted fuel and raw materials is exported to the world market and provides 9/10 of the region's exports. It is the extractive industry that primarily determines Africa's place in the MGRT.
The manufacturing industry is poorly developed or non-existent. But some countries in the region are distinguished by a higher level of manufacturing industry - South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco.
The second branch of the economy, which determines Africa's place in the world economy, is tropical and subtropical agriculture. It also has a pronounced export orientation.
But in general, Africa is still far behind in its development. It ranks last among the regions of the world in terms of the level of industrialization and crop productivity.
Most countries are characterized by a colonial type of sectoral structure of the economy.
- It is defined:
- the predominance of low-commodity extensive agriculture;
- underdeveloped manufacturing industry;
- a strong backlog of transport - transport does not provide communications between the hinterland, and sometimes - foreign economic relations of states;
- the non-productive sphere is also limited and is usually represented by trade and services.
The territorial structure of the economy is also characterized by general underdevelopment and strong disproportions remaining from the colonial past. On the economic map of the region, only separate centers of industry (mainly metropolitan areas) and high-commodity agriculture stand out.
The one-sided agrarian and raw material development of the economy of most countries is a brake on the growth of their socio-economic indicators. In many countries, one-sidedness has reached the level of monoculture. monocultural specialization- narrow specialization of the country's economy in the production of one, as a rule, raw material or food product, intended mainly for export. The emergence of such specialization is associated with the colonial past of countries.
Figure 15. Monoculture countries in Africa.
(click on image to enlarge image)
Foreign economic relations.
Monocultural specialization and the low level of economic development of African states are manifested in an insignificant share in world trade and in the great importance that foreign trade has for the continent itself. Thus, more than 1/4 of Africa's GDP goes to foreign markets, foreign trade provides up to 4/5 of government revenues to the budget of African countries.
About 80% of the trade turnover of the continent falls on the developed countries of the West.
Despite the huge natural and human potential, Africa continues to be the most backward part of the world economy.
Africa is the hottest and poorest (if we take into account the standard of living of the population) mainland of the Earth. These facts about the Black Continent are familiar to everyone. But the fact that this continent owns colossal reserves of diamonds, gold, bauxite and phosphorites is known to few. In this article, we will talk in detail about the geological structure, relief and natural resources of Africa (forest, water and mineral).
General information
Africa is the second largest continent on the planet. It is here that the largest land mammals in the world - elephants and hippos - live. It is here that there are most languages and dialects. It is here that the fastest and most enduring people on Earth are born. This continent has plenty of records! We will focus on its natural resources in this article.
Africa occupies a unique geographical position. This is the only continent on the planet that is located exactly between both subtropics - northern and southern. The equator line crosses it almost in the middle. Thanks to this, the nature of the northern part of Africa almost mirrors the natural features of its southern part.
Covering an area of 29 million square kilometers, Africa covers approximately 6% of the Earth's surface (and about 20% of the Earth's land mass). The mainland is washed by two oceans - the Atlantic and the Indian. It is separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, and from Asia by the Red Sea. There are 55 independent states within Africa. This is more than on any other continent on Earth.
Geological structure and relief of Africa
Africa is an extremely compact continent. It lies almost entirely within the ancient African lithospheric plate. Only the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Cape Mountains in the extreme south are classified as folding zones. The foundation of this platform is composed of ancient rocks of the Precambrian age. These are mainly gneisses, granites and crystalline schists.
Africa is a high continent. The average height of its surface is 750 meters. This is explained by the fact that in the Cenozoic era the entire continent experienced uplift, which was especially active along its edges. About 70% of Africa's area falls on plateaus and plateaus, another 20% - on mountains and highlands, and only 10% of the territory is occupied by lowlands. According to the features of the geological structure and relief, Africa is usually divided into two parts:
- High (southern and eastern parts of the mainland).
- Low (northern and western regions).
The vast expanses of the continent are occupied by rocky and sandy deserts. Among them is the largest desert in the world - the Sahara. Its monotonous and boring landscape is somewhat enlivened by the rocky ledges of the Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands. The highest point on the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m). It is located within the East African Plateau. The lowest point is the level of Lake Assal (157 meters below sea level).
Mineral resources of the mainland
Africa's natural resources are extremely diverse. Especially the minerals. How big is the list of minerals on the mainland?
Africa is the absolute leader on the planet in terms of gold production. About half of this metal ever mined from the bowels of the Earth comes from one locality - the Witwatersrand mountains in South Africa. The mainland has been the main supplier of gold in the world since ancient times. The main gold mining countries in Africa: South Africa, Congo, Ghana and Mali.
North Africa is rich in oil and gas deposits. Such states as Libya, Algeria and Nigeria are among the world leaders in the extraction and processing of hydrocarbon raw materials. It is important to note that African oil is of high quality and is valued all over the world. Phosphorites are also mined in the north of the Black Continent - a sedimentary rock widely used in the chemical and metallurgical industries. From deposits located between Libya and the Atlas Mountains, about 50% of all phosphorites in the world are mined.
Another wealth of Africa is diamonds. What can we say, even if the so-called kimberlite pipe was named after one of the provinces of South Africa. It was there that a pipe of this type was first discovered. Africa's largest diamond deposits are being developed in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
African bowels are also rich in ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. So, manganese, titanium, aluminum (bauxite), copper, lead, nickel, tin, antimony are mined on the territory of the continent. Most of all these deposits are concentrated in two countries - the Republic of the Congo and South Africa. But the famous island of Madagascar is famous for the world's largest deposits of graphite.
Water resources of Africa
One of the most acute problems of this continent is water scarcity. On average, each African daily overcomes four kilometers to the nearest source of clean fresh water.
A relatively dense river network is typical only for the central (equatorial) and southern regions, where a sufficient amount of precipitation falls. The largest rivers of the mainland are the Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi and Orange. But within the Sahara desert, which occupies almost a third of the continent, there is not a single natural stream with a constant flow.
There are also few lakes in Africa. The largest reservoirs (Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa) are located in large tectonic faults.
Forests of Africa
In comparison with other continents of the planet (for example, Eurasia or South America), Africa is also not very rich in forest resources. The most extensive tracts of virgin forests are found in the Congo Basin. These are the so-called evergreen forests of the equatorial belt. Their total area is over 170 million hectares. About 40 species of plants grow here with extremely valuable wood (kaya, ebony, red and sandalwood, avodira and others).
North Africa is characterized by rare subtropical forests growing on the Mediterranean coast and the slopes of the Atlas. The most common tree species in this region are holm oak, cork oak, wild olive, strawberry tree, pistachio and Aleppo pine.
Subtropical forests also grow in South Africa. They preserved a number of endemics of the Cape flora - bearded todea, bay leaf olive, Haeckel's podocarpus and other types of woody vegetation.
It should be noted that in most African countries, logging is carried out exclusively to meet the needs of the local population. In countries such as Angola, Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Cameroon and Ghana, valuable types of timber are harvested for export.
Finally
This continent has the richest and most diverse natural resources. Africa produces oil, gas, diamonds, gold, bauxites, manganese, iron, phosphorites, chromites, tin, and dozens of other minerals. The relief of the Black Continent is also quite diverse. Highlands, elevated plateaus and plateaus dominate here.
