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Historically, Africa is divided into two natural subregions: Tropical Africa and North Africa. But Tropical Africa also separately includes Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.
North Africa: characteristics and features
This region neighbors South-West Asia and Southern Europe and covers an area of about 10 million km2. North Africa has access to sea routes from Europe to Asia, and part of this region forms the sparsely populated areas of the Sahara Desert.
In the past, this region formed the ancient Egyptian civilization, and now North Africa is called Arab. This is due to the fact that most of the population speak Arabic and the main religion of the region is Islam.
The cities of North Africa are divided into two parts: the old part of the city is located on a hill and is surrounded by protective walls, and the new part of the city is modern and stylish buildings.
North Africa is a manufacturing hub, especially its coastal region. Therefore, almost the entire population of this part of Africa lives here. North Africa is also a subtropical farming area.
Tropical Africa: characteristics of a backward region
This region is called “black Africa”, since the bulk of the population belongs to the Negroid race. The ethnic composition of Tropical Africa is diverse, the population of Southern and Central Africa speaks closely related languages, but they still differ from each other. The most widely spoken language is Swahili.
The population of Tropical Africa is 650 million people, and the area is 20 million km2. This region is recognized as the most backward in the developing world, as it contains 29 countries that are considered the least developed in the world. .
This is due to the fact that the main industry is agriculture, which does not contribute to the development of such a large region in terms of area and population. It is noteworthy that the soil is cultivated without a plow, and agricultural activities are carried out by women and children.
Livestock farming is not very developed, but there are regions where hunting and fishing are practiced, mainly in equatorial forests. Most of the population of Tropical Africa lives in rural areas, as people work either on plantations or on peasant farms.
The life of the population is connected with subsistence farming, which is the basis of their life. In addition to Christianity and Islam, traditional beliefs in tropical Africa include belief in nature spirits, fetishism and the cult of ancestors. This region of Africa is called the least industrialized and least urbanized.
Only eight countries have million-dollar cities: Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Luanda in Angola, Dakar in Senegal and Nairobi in Kenya. This region is characterized by environmental degradation, desertification, depletion of flora and fauna and deforestation.
In one of the desert regions of Tropical Africa, the “Sahel tragedy” occurred - due to the lack of rainfall for ten years, the Sahel became a scorched earth zone. Since 1974, droughts began to recur, subsequently killing millions of people and reducing livestock numbers.
Countries of Tropical Africa
Negro-African civilization. The existence of this civilization is often questioned. The diversity of African peoples, languages and cultures south of the Sahara gives reason to assert that here, they say, there is no single civilization, but only “dissimilarities.” This is an extreme judgment. Traditional black African culture is an established, fairly clearly defined system of spiritual and material values, i.e. civilization. According to L. Senghor (former President of Senegal, philosopher, one of the authors of African ideology "negritude"), the main factors that determined the development of African civilization are “emotionality, intuition, close connection with nature.” Similar historical and natural-economic conditions determined much in common in the social structures, art, and mentality of Negroid peoples Bantu, Mande and etc.
Already in the Neolithic era, famous rock paintings were created in the Sahara. In the IV-VI centuries. reached its peak Aksumite state on the Abyssinian Highlands (the culture of which was closely related to the South Arab one). In the territory of modern Nigeria and Chad in VIII-XIX centuries The states of the Hausa peoples (in particular, the Kano Sultanate) successfully developed. In the XIV-XVII centuries. a number of large states emerged in the river basin. Kongo, of which the kingdom of Kongo is the most famous. In the Middle Ages, an outstanding culture flourished in the Zambezi-Limpopo interfluve Zimbabwe, characterized by monumental stone structures and advanced metallurgy. Its creators - farmers and pastoralists of the Bantu peoples - formed a powerful early class power - Monomotapu, which had a huge influence on the development of the culture of the peoples of modern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, etc. A noticeable mark in the history of Negro-African civilization was left by the art of the peoples of Ashanti, Yoruba and other ethnic groups and
States formed in the late Middle Ages on the Guinea coast of Africa.
Of course, the development of the culture of sub-Saharan countries was significantly influenced by colonization, the slave trade, racist ideas (especially those deliberately implanted in the south of the continent), mass Islamization and Christianization of the local population. The active mixing of two civilizational types, one of which was represented by the traditional community (a centuries-old form of organizing peasant life), the other by Western European missionaries who instilled Euro-Christian norms, began around the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. At the same time, it turned out that the old norms and rules of life are being destroyed faster than new, market ones are being formed. Difficulties were discovered in the cultural adaptation of Africans to Western values.
Of course, most of the Negroid peoples of Africa before the 20th century. did not know writing (it was replaced by oral and musical creativity). “High” religions (like Christianity, Buddhism or Islam) did not develop independently here, technical creativity and science did not appear, market relations did not arise - all this came to Africans from other regions. However, it would be a mistake to underestimate African culture and its “connecting threads”. There is no people without culture, and it is not synonymous with European standards.
Thus, the basis of African civilization is the harmonious coexistence of people with nature. African civilization is not at all similar to Western culture, where individualism, competition and material success are strongly expressed. The ideology of African civilization is, as noted above, Negrshpyud, absolutizing the characteristics of the Negroid race.
The connections between nature and society in Africa led to the creation of conditions for the sustainable dominance of such extensive forms of adaptation of the population to the natural environment, such as gathering (together with hunting) and slash-and-burn agriculture. These types of activities fit into the surrounding world, almost without changing it, and at the same time prevented the territorial concentration of the population and the formation of complex civilizational structures. At the same time, Africans have always been able to quickly adapt to a dynamic natural situation and change their lifestyle depending on the state of natural conditions.
Rivers had a great influence on the content and appearance of African civilizations. Their role in the development of the region is constantly becoming more complex. During the colonization of Africa by European powers, rivers became the routes for colonialists to penetrate deep into the continent. It is no coincidence that the territories of many modern African states
countries are stretched along rivers and often bear their names (Sene-2 Gambia Ghana, Zambia, Congo, etc.). Rivers in Africa also played a large role in the economic life of the countries of the region. I mean the use of water in irrigation, which is becoming increasingly developed, especially in the conditions of the advance of the desert into the savanna and the savanna into the forest. Agriculture in many countries of the region is entirely or largely associated with artificial irrigation. At the same time, the utilization of water and rivers for irrigation is increasingly combined with their energy use. Complex guide construction has become quite epic for many African countries. The use of rivers for shipping and fishing has been declining in recent decades.
The rivers of Africa, as before, play a very important role in the processes of consolidation and expansion of various racial types of ethnic groups and confessions. As the economy develops, the attraction of the population to the river banks increases noticeably. Often these areas become the main centers of population explosion. These same territories are turning into urbanized spaces where foreign and local capital are consolidated.
The deep connection of man with nature determined the typological features of African civilization. Its basis remains ojoana and the multiplication of natural sources of livelihood (T e natural environment). Africans, in the course of civilization, developed the structure and methods of conducting traditional farming that best suited the natural characteristics of the region. Environmental conditions directly affected humans. Specific features of the African character are highlighted - sociability, good nature, natural rhythm, but also impulsiveness. This also explains phlegmatism, indifference and a weakly expressed desire for innovation. Meanwhile, the undoubted value of African civilization is the community of people. Man in African conditions is given an equal place along with traditional realities and other images of civilization*.
* Towards the end of the original African civilization, primary social partnership gradually gave way to a special type of community - secret title community. Secret ritual corporations were and remain an important part of the social structure of African society. They are a kind of counterbalance to all other types of power. With their help, “traditional justice” is carried out, and also strict observance of customs is ensured. Classic examples in this sense are Sierra Leone. Kameoun Nigeria, riddled with numerous and diverse secret societies. Modern African secret organizations also include the Kree -minimal branch In the conditions of intensive settlement of Africans in the countries of Western Europe (and in Russia), there is no guarantee that sprouts or even eagle owls of these secret ritual communities will not penetrate there.
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When characterizing African civilization, it should be noted that
the northern part of the continent and its eastern coast belongs to
towards the Islamic world. Ethiopia represents a special culture
In the south of the continent, a European culture of knowledge was formed
highly fragmented by regional tribal composition
nentom. It is important to note that Europeans introduced Christianity
also in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, it is still
this part of Africa is dominated by various tribal identities
ties, paganism. Based on tribalism* there are many happening
ongoing intra- and interstate armed conflicts
The famous Kenyan scientist A. Mazrui characterizes the
temporary condition on the African continent south of Sakha
ry: “A significant part of modern Africa is in pro
process of extinction and decay. Even the relative level of dependent
modernization achieved under colonial rule
the feather is lost. The subsequent collapse of statehood in
one after another African country in the early 90s. prompting
There is a hitherto incredible solution: recolonization. For more and more
THE KYANPKL OF THE FRICANS THIS ° s T becomes the g ° hard truth. If African
free^ ? Ma USP 6 ShN 0 united in the fight for national
freedom, then obviously we failed to unite in the name of eco
nomic development and political stability War of Go
Lod and devastation have become a post-colonial reality for too many
many Africans. As a result, the question arises about recolondi
from outside, this time under the banner of humanism" ionization
NATURAL CONDITIONS "R e s UR sy - The African continent is a classic platform region of tropical land, the only one of its kind on the globe (Fig. 8.1). It is distinguished by weak orographic contrast and the antiquity of the modern peneplanated relief. The specificity of Africa, as the most massive block of tropical land, is reflected in the climatic uniqueness of this sector of the tropics: aridity, extreme unevenness of the territorial distribution of hydro resources and lower average water availability compared to other areas of tropical land and so-^TGG 5 ^ 3 "™ XERO F I -th plant types over
Rice. 8.1. Countries of Tropical Africa:
/ - Gambia, 2 - Guinea-Bissau, 3 - Sierra Leone, 4 - Liberia, 5 - Togo, 6 - Equatorial Guinea, 7 - Eritrea, I? - Djibouti, 9 - Rwanda, 10 - Burundi, // - Malawi, 12 - Swaziland, 13 - Lesotho
makes African shores inconvenient for modern seaports.
Africa is one of the most elevated continents. The average surface height above sea level is 750 m. According to this indicator, Africa is second only to Antarctica (2,040 m, counting the thickness of the ice sheet) and Asia (950 m). At the same time, Africa is characterized by weak vertical dissection, which significantly distinguishes it from Europe, Asia and America, where vast lowlands stretch next to powerful mountain ranges.
Nosti. The relief of Africa is dominated by monotonous elevated plains, above which in some places isolated massifs and single mountains rise. Lowlands in Africa, compared to other regions, occupy a small area, located in narrow strips along the sea coast.
Sub-Saharan Africa almost completely “fits” within the hot zone of the Earth and the adjacent subtropics. This has an important consequence: high temperatures for most of the year. In the equatorial and constantly humid subequatorial regions of the region, multi-tiered rain forests grow, dark and difficult to traverse. In such forests, the crowns of trees, reaching several tens of meters, are intertwined so densely that the sky is completely invisible. The forests are stuffy, gloomy, there is no grass, no clearings, only a layer of fallen, wet, rotten leaves, sometimes forming a viscous mess. The forests are extremely diverse in the composition of tree species (the region accounts for 17% of the world's forest land with valuable tree species).
On both sides of the equatorial strip there are areas of tropical open forest, or savanna forests, and tropical forest-steppe - savanna. Its most humidified areas are characterized by very high (up to 2-3 m) grass cover. Scattered among the grass and herbaceous plants are isolated trees. Savannah areas abound in pastures, cultivated lands, and there are quite large rural settlements.
In the north of the region, between the savannah and the Sahara, there is a vast and steadily expanding Sahel zone(Sahel means coast, in this case it means the edge, the coast of the desert). The process of desertification here has become catastrophic. In the south are the Namib Desert and the Kalahari Semi-Desert. There are no permanent surface waters in them, but in some areas there is a significant network of temporary watercourses that fill for a short period of time (they are called “omu-rambo”).
The abundance of rivers and lakes makes sub-Saharan Africa rich in water resources. The equatorial regions are best provided with water. With distance from the equator, the provision of moisture and surface water resources decreases, reaching minimum levels in deserts. Water resources in Africa are a source of artificial irrigation in arid areas, a source of energy resources, and transport arteries. Inland fish stocks are important.
In Africa, as nowhere else, latitudinal landscape zoning is clearly manifested, which is “corrected” only in the south (the influence of the Indian Ocean and orography) and in the east (a consequence of tectonic activation). In general, within the continent there are
four large physiographic parts: North Africa, Central, Eastern and Southern. Part Central (orEquatorial) Africa includes two physical-geographical areas:
1) Guinea coast, which means broadly
which coastal strip of the Gulf of Guinea, as well as North Guinea
the Ney upland and the Cameroon massif. Most of the territory
ria of this area is influenced by the southwestern equator
torial monsoon, bringing heavy rainfall. Natural
the specifics of the area are largely due to its transitional nature
from the savannas of Sudan to the equatorial forests of the river basin. Congo;
2) Congo Basin and outlying mountains- territory, extends-
located on both sides of the equator from the Atlantic to East Africa
Kansk highlands, characterized by an equatorial climate and
covered with dense humid forests. Typical equatorial
The precipitation regime is typical for the flat part of the river basin. Con
go, however, this particular area is the least favorable for
life activities of people.
East Africa form two physical-geographical regions:
1) Abyssinian Highlands And Somalia(Absomals), shared
the vast Afar depression. Due to the nature of the relief and climate, this
the area is more complex than its neighbors. If the Abyssinian Highlands
and the Harar plateau are an area with fairly humid
ny and cool climate, then it is surrounded by dry and hot
plateaus, which are reflected in the Somali peninsula and the
Red Sea region;
2) East African Highlands, located approximately
the same latitudes as the physiographic region of the basin
Congo and outlying mountains. However, local natural features
are quite specific, which is associated with mountainous terrain (Chris
The tallic base of the highlands is broken by huge faults -
grabens, the bottoms of which are occupied by large lakes). If for
internal territories are characterized by a typical equatorial
precipitation regime, then the eastern part of the region adjacent to In
Indian Ocean, located in the zone of trade winds.
South Africa characterized by a predominance of plateaus in the relief, a relatively dry climate, as well as a predominant change in zonal landscapes in the direction from east to west. The following physiographic regions are distinguished here:
1) South African plateau, occupying 3/4 of the entire territory of the region and characterized by a generally hot climate and relatively scanty precipitation. Only closer to the waters of the World Ocean does humid tropical air make “corrections” to the climate regime;
2) Cape Mountains, representing the most “tiny”
physical-geographical region of the African continent. Her
the allocation is due to the position on the shore, washed by the ho
the low Benguela Current, and the specific subtropical
kim climate with dry summers;
3) Madagascar Island, distinguished known apart
ity and characterized by a tropical climate, hot on
lowlands and moderate on high plateaus. Southeast
trade winds bring heavy rainfall to the island. Gentle tempera
Island tours set Madagascar apart from the sweltering heat
east coast of the continent.
African subsoil contains a large amount minerals(Table 8.1). The region is especially rich in ores of non-ferrous (bauxite, copper, manganese), rare and precious metals. There are significant reserves of resources for ferrous metallurgy. Energy resources include large reserves of oil, natural gas, uranium ores and coal deposits.
Mineral resources are distributed unevenly throughout the region. The southeast of Congo (Kinshasa) and adjacent areas of Zambia, and the eastern half of South Africa are very rich in mineral resources. There are large reserves of mineral raw materials in South, West and Central Africa. The east of the region is less rich, but as geological exploration expands, proven mineral reserves there also increase.
The region's land fund is significant. However, the quality of African soils varies widely. Many of their types, when natural vegetation is cleared and used in agriculture, quickly lose their natural fertility and are subject to erosion. With artificial irrigation they are at risk of secondary salinization.
1. Using the map of peoples, determine the ethnic composition of the population of Tropical Africa.
In terms of ethnic diversity, the African region in question is second only to Asia. There are several hundred peoples here belonging to the large Negroid race. The largest of them are the Yoruba, Hausa, Fulbe, Ibo in West Africa, Amhara in Ethiopia, etc. Closely related Bantu peoples live in Central Africa.
2. What is the past of the countries of Tropical Africa?
In the recent past, all countries in this subregion were possessions of European powers (France, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy). The process of decolonization of Africa began after the Second World War. Only since the 60s. XX century the formation of their state sovereignty began. 1960 was declared the Year of Africa - the year the largest number of colonies were liberated.
3. What are the features of the nature of the countries in the region?
The natural conditions of the region are so diverse that they cannot be assessed unambiguously. Thus, the relief is generally favorable for the economic development of the territory, but in most of its part, climatic conditions and uneven distribution of water resources negatively affect the lives of people and their economic activities. Large areas are occupied by arid regions, and vast areas are subject to periodic droughts (the Sahel zone south of the Sahara, some areas in Southern and Eastern Africa). In the equatorial belt, the amount of precipitation is so high that excessive moisture complicates the economic development of the territory. The nature of Africa is characterized by increased environmental vulnerability. Unlike the Asian and American tropics, where intensive agricultural systems developed, ultimately leading to the formation of stable cultural landscapes, in Tropical Africa the centuries-old practice of fallow farming and pastoralism led to extremely negative anthropogenic changes in local landscapes.
4. What demographic problems are facing the countries of Tropical Africa?
In terms of the rate of natural population growth, Tropical Africa is ahead of all other regions of the world. The population dynamics of Tropical Africa is characterized by an exceptionally high birth rate - sometimes more than 30%. Only in the second half of the 20th century. Africa's population has more than tripled, which has led to a sharp worsening of food and other social problems.
Many countries in Tropical Africa inherited from colonial times a discrepancy between state and ethnic borders; many closely related peoples found themselves “cut off” by state borders. The region ranks first in the world for illiteracy, has the highest infant mortality rate and the shortest life expectancy.
5. What are the specific features of the economies of the countries in the region?
In terms of economic structure, most countries are agricultural, some have developed mining industries, and only a few are developing manufacturing industries. Speaking about the geography of the economy, one should keep in mind a few relatively developed territories - metropolitan regions, places of extraction and export of mineral raw materials.
The leading branch of agriculture is farming, which in many countries is monocultural in nature, associated with specialization primarily in one crop. Livestock farming, occupying one of the first places in the world in terms of livestock numbers, is characterized by extensiveness, low productivity and low marketability.
One of the reasons for the backwardness of agriculture is archaic agrarian relations. Communal land tenure and subsistence farming are preserved here, which are slowly transforming into small-scale peasant farming.
6. Why is agriculture in the countries of Tropical Africa monocultural?
The monocultural nature of agriculture in the countries of Tropical Africa is a direct consequence of their colonial past, in which it met the specific food needs of the metropolises.
7. What explains the diversified nature of the South African economy?
The development of a diversified industry was facilitated by the exceptional wealth of mineral resources (gold, diamonds, uranium ore, platinum, etc.). Only 15% of South Africa's area is suitable for agriculture. However, it can be said that, unlike most other countries in Africa, where soil erosion occurs, this 15% is used wisely - in order to protect soils and efficiently conduct agriculture, advanced agricultural technologies from South Africa and leading countries of the world are used. Compared to other African countries, South Africa has a developed transport network. External transportation is carried out through major seaports - Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, which are connected by railways.
8. The national composition of the countries of Tropical Africa is different:
a) relative homogeneity; b) extreme diversity.
9. Determine which statements apply to the countries of Tropical Africa:
1) The region includes most of the world's least developed countries.
2) The leading industry is the automotive industry.
3) Large areas are occupied by arid regions.
4) The region is rich in mineral resources.
5) Rail transport is developed in the region.
b) The food problem is pressing for the countries of the region.
All except 2 and 5.
11. Give the economic and geographical characteristics of South Africa. To do this, use the text of the textbook, atlas maps, and periodical materials.
The Republic of South Africa is a state in the southern part of the African continent. In the north it borders with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the northeast - with Mozambique and Swaziland. Inside the territory of South Africa there is the enclave state of Lesotho.
South Africa is the most developed on the African continent and at the same time the only country that is not classified as a Third World country. GDP in 2009 amounted to $505 billion (26th place in the world). GDP growth was at 5%, in 2008 - 3%. The country is still not among the developed countries of the world, despite the fact that its market is actively expanding. In terms of purchasing power parity, it ranks 78th in the world according to the IMF (Russia 53rd), according to the World Bank 65th, according to the CIA 85th. It has a huge reserve of natural resources. Telecommunications, electricity, and the financial sector are widely developed.
Main import items: oil, food, chemical goods; exports: diamonds, gold, platinum, machinery, vehicles, equipment. Imports ($91 billion in 2008) exceed exports ($86 billion in 2008).
Member of the international organization of ACP countries.
