Module 8: Lesson 3: Eastern and Central Africa

Do Now-Can you name these Disney films? Extra challenge- which country were they set in? HINT- look at the map!

Module 8 Lesson 3

Eastern and Central Africa

subsistence farming

Click the button to preview the vocabulary word.

rift valley

tropical climate

savanna

tectonic plates

Vocab

• Describe the physical geography of Eastern and Central Africa
• Explain how the physical geography influence those who live there.

Goals

Hujambo Travelers! Welcome to Eastern and Central Africa.

The regions of eastern and Central Africa make up a large part of the African continent. Each region is home to many different groups of people and countries. Central Africa is mostly warm and wet, with a tropical climate. Eastern Africa is also warm and mostly tropical, and it lies on the coast of the Indian Ocean.

A rift valley is an area where the land is stretched by two tectonic plates that are drifting apart.

We love Science in Geography!- The Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley stretches through much of eastern Africa. It has two branches, the Eastern Rift Valley and the Western Rift Valley. This area has many deep lakes, including Lake Victoria in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, and Lake Tanganyika on the border of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These lakes are important sources of fish for the people of eastern Africa.

Let's talk about it!

Why would wilderness and wildlife be important to Tanzania's economy?

It's the Circle of Life- Serengeti Plain

The Serengeti Plain is a vast savanna located in the Great Rift Valley in northern Tanzania. A savanna is a grassy plain with few trees in a tropical or subtropical area. Part of the Serengeti Plain is preserved as the Serengeti National Park. It is home to significant populations of lions, elephants, wildebeests, and other large mammals. It serves as a major source of tourism for the region.

A Closer Look-Maasai People

The Maasai are an ethnic group that inhabitants parts of Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are one of the most famous tribes. Watch the video and get ready to explain how they adapt to their environment.

Congo Basin and the Congo River

The Congo Basin is one of the main geographic features of Central Africa. Much of the rain that falls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries eventually drains into the Congo River. The Congo River is 2,900 miles long and the second-longest river in Africa. Parts of the river are important for travel and shipping. In addition, lush rain forests grow in some areas around the river. These rain forests are among the largest in the world and are home to several endangered animals like chimpanzees and gorillas.

Snow in Africa? Mt. Kilimanjaro

Mt. Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano located on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. It is the tallest mountain in Africa, reaching a height of more than 19,000 feet. Even though Mt. Kilimanjaro is near the equator, its peak is tall enough to be covered in glaciers. However, these glaciers are rapidly shrinking because of changes in climate.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Click me for the key!

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Great Rift Valley

Congo Basin

Congo River

Locate it! Physical Map of Eastern and Central Africa

Label the numbered features dragging the name to its location on the map.

Fishing

Let's talk about it!

Fish provide an important source of food and income to people in some countries of eastern and Central Africa. Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Chad are central to fishing industries in several countries. The regions' rivers, including the Congo River and the southern portions of the Nile, are also rich with fish. Ocean fishing is important in a few areas, but most countries in these regions do not have large ocean fishing industries

Why would subsistence farming be a problem if there was a drought?

Farming

Farming is important to most economies of eastern and Central Africa. Major food crops include grains called sorghum and teff, a root called cassava, and a type of starchy banana called a plantain. Crops grown for sale in these regions include cotton, coffee beans, peanuts, spices, and cocoa beans for making chocolate. Herding animals are also common, especially cattle, goats, and sheep. People use large areas of land to graze their animals. Many people in both Central and Eastern Africa live by subsistence farming.

Natural Resources

Minerals

Many countries in Central and eastern Africa are sources of gold, iron, copper, and other minerals. Many of the world's diamonds come from these regions. In several countries, illegal diamond mining and environmental damage from mining have caused problems. A mineral called tantalum, used in electronics, is unusually common in eastern Africa. Rwanda is the largest producer of tantalum in the world. Kenya is a major producer of a mineral called soda ash, which is used for making glass.

Natural Resources

Poverty is common in both eastern Africa and Central Africa, especially in rural areas. But as in any large regions with a huge population, there are a mix of people both wealthy and poor. Poverty is a driving force for child labor.

Stop 4:58

Cobalt, Child Labor, and DRC

We have studied Northern Africa, Western Africa, and now Central and Eastern Africa. We know that these regions have valuable resources that continue to be sold all over the world. On your upcoming test, you will have Document Based Question(DBQ) where you will need to support your writing by using the provided resources. Alert- this cartoon is one of the documents. Let's examine this political cartoon together.

"Africa Today"

Check Your Knowledge

Check Your Knowledge

Rift valley- A place where Earth's surface has been stretched by shifting lands until it has broken.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Great Rift Valley

Congo Basin

Congo River

Kazi nzuri!- Great work!

Tectonic plates- The parts of Earth's crust that move beneath its surface.

Savanna- An area of tall grasses, with some trees and shrubs.

Subsistence farming- A type of farming in which people grow only enough crops to feed their families and do not sell crops to others..

Tropical climate- A type of climate that tends to be warm all year. Tropical climates are usually located near the equator. Some tropical climates are wet and home to rain forests, while others are grasslands that have dry and rainy seasons.