35 Africa Geography - Interesting, Cool African Geographic Facts

Africa geography facts are unbelievably interesting! The Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean surround Africa, the world’s second-largest continent. The Equator divides it approximately evenly in half. This article will reveal many more geographic facts about the African continent.

Africa straddles the equator, with about equal lengths to the south and north. Because of the equator’s separation of Africa into almost two equal portions (lengthwise), the climatic and physical conditions in the north repeat themselves in the south. The Kalahari Desert, for example, is in the south’s response to the Sahara; the Karoo is similar to the Maghreb, and the Cape region’s characteristics are nearly equivalent to those of the Mediterranean region.

Africa is the tropics’ most tropical continent. From equatorial rainforests, tropical deserts, and savanna grassland to the Mediterranean, the climate and plants are diverse. The Sahara Desert, the world’s biggest of its sort, covers about 10.4 million km2 and spans 1800 km north to south and 5600 km east to west.

The physical geography, environment, and resources of Africa, as well as the human geography of the continent, may all be addressed independently. Some of these zones, such as the Sahara and the Sahel, encompass significant swaths of the continent, while others, like the Ethiopian Highlands and the Great Lakes, are isolated locations. The animal and plant communities in each of these areas are distinct.

Africa geography facts

Let’s learn below 35 very interesting Africa geography facts, African interesting geographic facts!

1. The majority of the highlands and mountains in East Africa (for example, the Kilimanjaro -19,340 ft (5895 m); Kenya 17,058 ft (5200 m); Meru -4569 m and Elgon 4053 m; and the Ethiopian highlands Ras Dashen is roughly 15,000 ft) are the product of recent volcanic activity (4,573 m).

2. The physical geography, environment, and resources of Africa, as well as the human geography of the continent, may all be addressed independently. The Sahara, the Sahel, the Ethiopian Highlands, the savanna, the Swahili Coast, the rain forest, the African Great Lakes, and Southern Africa are the continent’s eight primary physical areas.

3. The Nile River, the world’s longest river; Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain; Victoria Falls, Africa’s biggest cascade; Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake and the world’s largest tropical lake; and the Sahara are just a few of Africa’s incredible natural wonders.

4. Africa is made primarily of extremely hard crystalline, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks that are hundreds of millions of years old (together known as the ‘basement complex’). The continent of Africa is made up of a single tectonic plate (some geographers attempt to separate the Rift Valley system from the rest of the continent).

5. Africa, despite how it appears on certain maps, is the world’s second-biggest continent, covering around 11.7 million square miles.

6. There is a territory in Africa called Bir Tawil that belongs to neither government due to a dispute about boundary recognition between Egypt and Sudan. Over the years, several people have attempted to claim it as their own, but none of their claims have been regarded seriously.

7. Africa is the world’s second most populated continent, after Asia, and it has the most sovereign countries of any continent, with 54.

8. Lesotho is one of just three countries in the world that is fully landlocked by another. It is located in South Africa, one of the cool geography facts about Africa.

9. The Sahara desert, which covers most of North Africa, is the world’s biggest hot desert and the third largest desert after Antarctica and the Arctic. It is equivalent in size to China or the United States, with a total area of 3,600,000 sq mi.

10. Africa’s Great Lakes (Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Kivu, Lake Malawi, and Lake Turkana) are located primarily along the East African Rift and contain more water than either Lake Baikal or the North American Great Lakes. They account for about 25% of the planet’s unfrozen surface freshwater.

11. Its surface is nearly always made up of a geologically stable landmass made up of pre-Cambrian foundation rock overlain in part by the later-period sedimentary cover, one of the unbelievable African geography facts.

12. Lake Victoria is Africa’s biggest lake and the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, with more fish species than any other freshwater system on the planet.

13. Africa may claim to be in the Western, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Hemispheres, thanks to the Prime Meridian and the Equator slicing through the continent. Africa is also the only continent that stretches from the northern to the southern temperate zones.

14. Africa’s coastline is extraordinarily straight, with no indentations that would provide for suitable natural ports.

15. Evergreen trees and shrubs suited to the hot dry season and mild rainy season make up Mediterranean Woodland. Evergreen bushes with hard, typically tiny leaves are prevalent because they grow slowly yet steadily all year. The vegetation in the southwest corner is comparable to that in the northeast.

16. The intertidal flats of the tropics’ coasts are home to mangrove Swamps vegetation.

17. The Savanna or Tropical Grassland stretches from the Lake Plateau over the Zambezi to the Drakensberg, then dries out in the thorny scrubs of the Bushveld as it approaches the Kalahari. Millet, sorghum, peanuts, and cotton are the main crops grown in the Savanna.

18. The Zaire River is broken by 32 rapids and cataracts (which make up the Livingstone Falls) in a 214-kilometer plunge of around 200 meters, one of the amazing Africa geography facts.

19. Despite being barriers to transportation, most rivers have a lot of potential for hydroelectric power generation. Africa, more than any other continent, has the most potential.

20. Africa was connected to Asia in 1869 by an isthmus that was carved into a canal (Africa’s location between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as its large latitudinal expanse, posed a commercial barrier between Europe and Asia).

21. Plains of the pediplain and etchplain types cover most of Africa, frequently in the form of steps. Laterite soil and inselbergs are frequent features of the etchplains. Inselberg-dotted plains may be found throughout Africa, including Tanzania, Morocco’s Anti-Atlas, Namibia, and Angola’s interior.

22. Africa holds around 30% of the world’s remaining mineral resources. With over 40% of gold deposits, over 60% of cobalt reserves, and 90% of platinum reserves, Africa is the continent with the most precious metal reserves.

23. Africa includes a number of islands that are structurally similar to the continent. Madagascar, Zanzibar, and Pemba are major islands; the Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion, and Seychelles (all in the Indian Ocean); Cape Verde, Fernando Po, Principe, Sao Tome, and Annobon are minor islands (all in the Atlantic).

24. The veld, or temperate grassland, is found in South Africa’s veld districts. Short grass and vegetation suited to a short growing season characterize this region, however, altitude causes significant changes. It is not suited to agriculture everywhere, although maize, tobacco, and temperate grains are cultivated.

25. The Savanna transitions from semi-arid to desert as it moves further north. The Sahel’s habitat includes thorny, forested grassland, tussocky grasses, and wide barren stretches of bare ground in between.

26. Tropical Low-lying locations with year-round precipitation support rain forest flora. It stretches over the Congo (Zaire) basin and along Africa’s west coast, widening in Sierra Leone. It can also be found in a limited strip south of the equator along the Southeastern coast.

27. Madagascar boasts a distinct rain forest with unique wildlife and plants not found anywhere else on the planet. The rain forest is characterized by a dense canopy of vegetation with lianes and epiphytes. It occurs when high temperatures are paired with heavy precipitation in some areas.

28. In Africa, temperate forest vegetation is underrepresented. It can only be found on the lower slopes of Ethiopia’s highlands, as well as other highlands with significant height and rainfall, one of the cool Africa geography facts.

29. In Africa, rainfall is the most important climatic component. Because of the continent’s proximity to the Equator, temperatures are high throughout. The temperature range is narrow, and the wind is absent in comparison to temperate regions.

30. The African continent does not extend far beyond the equator’s 35o latitude. The consequence is that the variety of climatic variables is restricted, and that wind travel is generally directed towards the equator.

31. Grasslands cover the majority of central Africa’s 5 million square miles, starting south of the Sahara and the Sahel and finishing north of the continent’s southern tip. The Serengeti, in Tanzania, is possibly the best-known grassland habitat, with one of the largest densities of big animal species on the continent, including lions, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, and elephants.

32. The Y-shaped integrated Rift Valley system, which is thought to have been formed by continental plate movement, is a distinctive characteristic of Africa’s physiography. The Rift Valley runs from the Red Sea to the Lake Victorian area, passing through Ethiopia’s highlands.

33. The ground surface is VERY COOL at night and in the winter. These climates are referred to as Continental Climates, as opposed to Maritime Climates, which are found on land near coasts in Africa.

34. Alluvial deposits found in large river valleys provide the finest soils. With a few exceptions, most soils are difficult to cultivate, while natural fertility can be increased through modifications.

35. The Nile, the world’s second-longest river, starts south of the Equator and runs northward across northeastern Africa, eventually draining into the Mediterranean Sea.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed these amazing Africa geography cool fun interesting facts.

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35 Africa Geography – Interesting, Cool African Geographic Facts

Africa geography facts

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35 Africa Geography – Interesting, Cool African Geographic Facts

Africa geography facts

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