Geographical features of South Africa. Geography of Africa. Geographical description of Africa. Flora and fauna of Africa

Africa is a part of the world with an area of ​​30.3 million km 2 with islands, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the North and Eastern Hemisphere (most of), a small part in the South and West. Like all large fragments of the ancient continent, Gondwana has a massive outline, with no large peninsulas or deep bays. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, and from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical characteristics

Africa lies on an ancient platform, which causes its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. There are small lowlands on the coast of the mainland, the northwest is the location Atlas Mountains, Northern part, almost entirely occupied by the Sahara Desert - the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east - the Ethiopian Highlands, the southeast - the East African Plateau, the extreme south - the Cape and Drakensberg Mountains. The highest point in Africa is the Kilimanjaro volcano (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below ocean level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the largest fault in the world stretches earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

The following rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from the south to north (its sources are on the East African Plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). Rivers are characterized by high water content exclusively in the equatorial belt, due to the large amount of precipitation there; most of them are characterized by high flow rates and have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake Africa and the second largest area after Lake Superior ( North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, maximum depth - 83 m), the largest salt endorheic lake- Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern edge of the world's greatest desert, the Sahara).

Due to Africa's location between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in Al-Aziziya (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo basin), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannas and woodlands, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to In northern and southern Africa, savannas give way to semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). Located in southeastern Africa small area mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. Natural zones of mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided between 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic(SADR). For a long time, Asian countries were foreign colonies of various European states and only gained independence by the middle of the last century. Depending on the geographical location Africa is divided into five regions: Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is plain. Available mountain systems, highlands and plateaus. They are presented:

  • the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
  • the Tibesti and Ahaggar highlands in the Sahara Desert;
  • Ethiopian Highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
  • Drakensberg Mountains in the south.

The most high point country is the Kilimanjaro volcano, 5,895 m high, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the continent...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwest side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from there into the continent to the east there is the Kalahari Desert.

The savannah territory occupies the main part Central Africa. In area it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical of savannas, low bushes and trees. The height of herbaceous vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. These can be practically desert savannas or tall grasses, with a grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

The longest river in the world, the Nile, is located on the African continent. The direction of its flow is from south to north.

In the list of large water systems mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

Lakes

The list of large lakes on the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square km. Two more large lakes continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the world's oceans...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its shores are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part, the waters form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, the coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the outside Indian Ocean The currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in northern waters, and Agulhas, in southern...

Forests of Africa

Forests make up a little more than a quarter of the entire territory of the African continent. Here are the sub rainforests, growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees, grow high in the mountains.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests; in the tropical region, evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, with about 1000 species of various types of trees growing here: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, oil palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . Many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects live here, living right on the trees. On the ground live: brush-eared pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas...

40% of Africa's territory is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny bushes, milkweed, and isolated trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest concentration of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are herbivores such as: hartebeest (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-toed antelope, different kinds gazelles (Thomson's, Grant's), blue wildebeest, and in some places rare jumping antelopes - springboks - are also found.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness; these are small thorny bushes and separately growing tufts of herbs. The unique Erg Chebbi date palm grows in the oases, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and salt formation. In the Namib Desert, unique plants such as Welwitschia and Nara grow, the fruits of which are eaten by porcupines, elephants and other desert animals.

Animals here include various species of antelopes and gazelles, adapted to hot climates and capable of traveling vast distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among the mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, Dorcas gazelle, sabre-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian ass, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are resident and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in an area of ​​low pressure and receives sufficient moisture; the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climate zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoon) moisture and an arid desert climate. The far north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north has minimal precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all...

Resources

Natural Resources of Africa

By reserves water resources Africa is considered one of the least affluent continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only sufficient to satisfy primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible lands are cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of adequate water volume, soil erosion, etc.

African forests are a source of timber, including valuable species. The countries in which they grow, export raw materials. Resources are being used unwisely and ecosystems are being destroyed little by little.

In the depths of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely available on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investment...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, the following can be noted:

  • the mining industry, which exports minerals and fuels;
  • the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
  • chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
  • as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. Oil palm is grown in tropical regions of Africa.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total agricultural output. Livestock production indicators are also not high and the reason for this is the infection of livestock by tsetse flies...

Culture

Peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

There are approximately 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups living in 62 African countries, totaling approximately 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization; it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.

Most peoples in Africa can number several thousand people or several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 nations, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with a population of more than 5 million people, 1/3 are peoples with a population of more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

  • West Africa. Peoples speaking the Mande languages ​​(Susu, Maninka, Mende, Vai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zaghawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages ​​(Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, Nupe, Gbari, Igala and Idoma, Ibibio, Efik, Kambari, Birom and Jukun, etc.);
  • Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandans), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Como, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
  • South Africa. Rebellious peoples and speakers of Khoisani languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
  • East Africa. Bantu, Nilotes and Sudanese people groups;
  • Northeast Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra), Cushitic (Oromo, Somali, Sidamo, Agaw, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages ​​(Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
  • Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the southern European minor race, mainly professing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

Etymology of the names of physical and geographical objects of Africa
Gulf of Aden. Indian Ocean Gulf. It got its name from the city of Aden in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. According to one version, the toponym is based on an Arabic root meaning “settled life.” According to another interpretation, the name was formed by a term from the ancient Semitic-Hamitic languages ​​edinu - plain, steppe, which clearly reflects natural features.

Azores. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese named Ilhas dos Azores - “islands of hawks” for the abundance of these birds off the coast and on the archipelago.

Amirant Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Discovered by Admiral Vasco's expedition to Gama and named after him llhas de Almitante - "admiral's islands".

Annobon. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Named by the Portuguese Anno Bon - "Good Year" ( New Year), because They first set foot on the island on January 1, 1474.

Atlas. Atlas Mountains. In northwest Africa. The name has a direct connection with the name of the mythical titan Atlas, who holds the earth's firmament on his mighty shoulders. The ancient Greeks deified these mountains, worshiping the mountain spirit in the form of a petrified giant supporting the Earth. So says the legend. Apparently, this was facilitated by a possible primary source from (the Berber word "adrar", which means "mountain"

Augrabis. Waterfall on the river Orange. The name comes from the Hottentot aukrebis - "big noise".

Afar. Tectonic basin in Djibouti. The lowest place in Africa (-153 m sea level). The name is given by the name of the Afar people living in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Ahaggar. mountain range in Central Sahara. The name comes from the name of the Tuareg tribe Kel-Ahaggar. The ethnonym is apparently based on the Arabic term “akhgar” - cave, i.e. "ahaggar" - "dwellers of caves", "spirits of caves".

Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Separates Africa and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The name comes from the Arabic words “bab” - gate, “mandib” - tears, i.e. means "gate of tears". The toponym-metaphor reflects the difficult navigation conditions in the strait.

White Nile. The name of the middle course of the Nile before the confluence of the Blue River. The Arabic name of the Bahr el-Abyad river is " white river"According to experts, the definition of "white" refers either to the cloudy color of the water, or corresponds to an unknown color orientation.

Benguela Current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. The name is given from the city of Benguela in Angola: in one of the Bantu languages, benguela means “land of reeds.”

Benue. Leyy tributary of the river Niger. The name comes from the Batta language, where be - “water”, nue - “mother”, i.e. means
"mother of waters"

Bioko. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. The Portuguese, having discovered Bioko, called it Formosa - "Beautiful" for the abundance of lush vegetation and the presence fresh water. Later, the island was called Fernando Po in honor of the Portuguese discoverer, and in the 70s of the 20th century - Macias Nguema Biogo and the honor of the president Equatorial Guinea. Bioko is a modified name, so it is difficult to call the true meaning.

Bush. The general name for the bush formations of South Africa. The Dutch and English geographical term bush is "shrub".

Vaal. River, right tributary of the river. Orange, The name was given by the Dutch Boer colonists for the color of the water: vaal - “muddy”, “gray”. The toponym is included in the name of one of the provinces of South Africa - Transvaal - “beyond the Vaal”.

Wadi, wadi. The general name for the channels of temporary watercourses in North Africa, filled with water only during the rainy season. The Arabic geographical term "wadi", "wedd" - dry riverbed, valley.

Veld. The name of the arid plateaus in southern Africa. In Dutch and Afrikaans (the language of the Afrikaners), veld is a folk geographical term meaning "field".

Victoria. Lake in East Africa, the largest on the mainland. Unlike Victoria Falls, named by D. Livingston in honor of the Queen of Great Britain, the name of Lake Victoria was given by the traveler D. Speke. Therefore, at present, in young African countries located on the shores of the lake, other names are proposed: Umoja - “unity”, Uhuru - “freedom”, Shirikisho - “unification”, Uhuru na Umoja - the state motto of Tanzania, inscribed on the state coat of arms.

Victoria. Waterfall on the river Zambezi. It was discovered by the outstanding English traveler David Livingston and named by him in honor of the Queen of Great Britain. Locals call the waterfall Mosi-oa-Tunya - “thundering smoke”, or Seongo - “place of the rainbow”.

Virunga. Volcanic mountains in East Africa. The name means "volcano" in the Nyoro language.

Volta. River in West Africa. The name Rio-da-Volta - "river of return" was given by the Portuguese, because... in the 15th century Their ships stopped at the mouth of the river before returning to their homeland. In Ghana on the river. Volta, a reservoir of the same name was created - one of the largest in the world (8480 km 2).

Guardafui. Cape in the east of the Somali Peninsula. Scientists believe that the name is derived from the Arabic corruption of the Portuguese word guardafu - “beware”, which is associated with dangerous navigation conditions. There has long been a legend that there is a magnetic mountain at the very eastern tip of the Somali peninsula, which attracts the iron parts of ships approaching it. As a result, ships approaching it crashed against the rocks. In fact, this is the narrowest shelf zone. In strong winds, high wave Due to poor visibility, ships were often carried onto the peninsula, and they crashed on the coastal reefs. The word "guardafuy" was a warning to sailors who sailed past this cape.

Gulf of Guinea. Gulf of the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Africa. Named after the historical and geographical region of Guinea, washed by it. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym Guinea. According to one of them, the name is based on the name of the Berber tribe Kinawa (the Arab scientist Ibn-Yakut mentioned the Kinawa region in the 13th century). Another point of view is based on the fact that the toponym was formed by the Berber words “agvinau” - “black” or “iguaven” - “mute” (i.e., those who do not know the Berber language) and referred to the territory inhabited by black tribes. Later Europeans corrupted the original word into Gunua, Ginua and finally Guinea.

Strait of Gibraltar. Separates Africa from the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Named after the Rock of Gibraltar on the European side of the strait. The modern form of the name of the rock arose as a result of centuries of use and transformation of the primary Arabic Jebel el-Tariq - “mountain of Tariq”.

Blue Nile. The largest tributary of the Nile. In Ethiopia the river is called Abbay - "father of waters", and in Arab countries Bahr el-Azraq - "blue river". The color name, according to some scientists, reflects the color of the water in the river, carrying bluish silt.

Good Hope . Cape in southern Africa. It was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator B. Dias and named by him Cabo Tormentoso - “Cape of Storms”. King João II of Portugal did not like the name and, at his behest, the cape was renamed Cabo da Bona Esperanza - “Cape of Good Hope”, meaning the hope of achieving a fabulously rich and attractive India for Europeans. Some historians believe that B. Dias immediately named the cape after Good Hope, and the above version is only a historical legend. However, this hypothesis cannot be proven or refuted due to the lack of sources contemporary with Dias’ voyage.

Drakensberg Mountains. Located in South Africa. It is assumed that the mountains are named after one of the European colonialists, Harrow Drakenstein. Etymologically, the surname consists of two words: draken - “dragon”, stein - “stone”.

Zambezi. River in South Africa. Previously, the name of the river on maps was conveyed in a variety of ways; Ambezi, Luambezi, Liambey, etc. According to modern toponymists, the primary form of the name is Ambezi (or Ambey), which in local Bantu languages ​​means “big river”. The name of the river in the middle reaches in the Tonga language - Murongo-Mucuri, which is a tracing paper of the main toponym, has the same meaning.

Zanzibar. Island in the Indian Ocean eastern shore Africa. The toponym comes from the Persian term “bar” - “shore”, “edge” and the ethnonym “zinj”, which is based on the Arabic or Persian “zang”, “zeng” - “black”. Zinji is a collective name for the Negroid tribes of East Africa in medieval Muslim literature.

Cape Verde. Located on the peninsula of the same name east of Cape Almadi. Named in 1445 by the Portuguese D. Dias Cabo Verde - “Cape Verde”, because. was the first land that sailors saw covered with tropical flora, which contrasted sharply with the sands of the Sahara.

Cape Verde Island. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after metro Zeleny, opposite which it is located. The transfer of the name of the islands into other languages ​​is accepted in the form of translation, in contrast to the name of the state located on them.

Needle. Cape, the southernmost tip of Africa. Discovered in 1488 by B. Dias and named by him Cabo Sao Brandao - Cape St. Brandan, because. the discovery took place on this saint's day. However, the name was soon changed, and the cape was put on maps under the name Agulhas - Agulhas. The word agulha in Portuguese means "needle", "arrow". Modern toponymists see the basis of the name as the Portuguese metaphorical term agulha meaning “peak”, “peak”. Based on this, the toponym is interpreted as “Cape of Peaks,” and the reason for the nomination was the sharpness of the rocky cape.

Idi-Amin-Dada; Edward. Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. and named Edward after the Crown Prince of Great Britain. In 1971, President Idi Amin Dada came to power in Uganda, and the lake was named after him. To this day, both names have been preserved for the reservoir.

Kabarega. Waterfall and national park on the river Victoria Nile in Uganda. The waterfall was discovered in the 19th century. and named Murchison in honor of Rodrick Murchison, an eminent geologist and president of the Royal Geographical Society of London. In 1962, it was renamed in honor of the national hero of Uganda, the fighter against the British colonialists Kabarega Chwa II.

Kalahari. Semi-desert region in South Africa. The toponym is based on a geographical term from the Hottentot language karaha - “terrain of sand and stone”. The interpretation of the name from the Tswana language, which was widespread in the past, where karri-karri - “thirst-tormented” or “tormenting”, is now recognized by toponymists as unlikely. The Dutch Boer settlers called the semi-desert Bosjeveld - “field of thorny bushes”, which reflected the specifics of the vegetation.

Cameroon. Volcanic massif in Equatorial Africa. The Portuguese merchant-slave trader Fernand Gomiz, sailing past the coast of Africa in the equatorial waters of the Gulf of Guinea, noticed high mountain, which he wanted to know more about. He sent a detachment of daredevils into the interior of the mainland. On the way they encountered an obstacle in the form of a small river with clean, transparent water, which was very useful, since they needed to replenish supplies drinking water. Having filled the barrels with tasty water, the sailors saw an abundance of crabs in the river, after which, for fun, they caught crabs and shrimp and brought them to the ship. And the river flowing in close proximity to the mountain was named Rio des Camaroеs (Camarues), which is translated from Portuguese as “river of crabs.” At the same time, Mount Cameroon received this name, and later the state was named this way. Locals have long had a superstitious fear of Cameroon's snowy volcanic peak and call it "Maongo ma Loba", which means "heavenly mountain" or "god's mountain".

Canary Islands. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Spain. The islands were known in ancient times under the Latin name Insulas Fortunatae. The Spaniards who visited the archipelago at the beginning of the 15th century called them islas Canarias - “islands of dogs”. According to one version, the sailors saw on the shores of the islands a large number of dogs, which was the reason for the appearance of the toponym. According to another version, the archipelago was named after the main island of Gran Canaria. and the island - by fairyland Canaria, mentioned in medieval European legends.

Canary Current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after the Canary Islands.

Cape Mountains. Located in southern Africa. They are named after the Cape Colony founded by the Dutch, which received its name from its original location on the Cape of Good Hope (Dutch Kaar - “cape”). With the expansion of the colony, the name extended to the mountains. Folk etymology connects the toponym with the Dutch kaar - “profit”, i.e. the colony was allegedly named so because it brought a lot of income to the treasury. However scientific evidence no to this interpretation.

Karoo. The general name for semi-desert plateaus and intermountain depressions in South Africa. The name is based on the Hottentot geographical term karusa - “dry”, “waterless”, modified by the Boers, which clearly reflects the natural conditions.

Kenya. Volcanic massif in East Africa. Toponymists see the Maasai term “kee-niyya” as the basis for the toponym. white mountain", which is due to the presence of glaciers and snow on the top of the mountain.

Kilimanjaro. Volcanic massif in East Africa. The highest point of the continent. Scientists associate the origin of the name Kilimanjaro with a word from the Swahili language distorted by Europeans, meaning “mountain of the god of cold,” or, according to another version, “mountain that shines.”

Comoros Islands. Archipelago in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. The islands have been known to the Arabs since the 8th century; it was they who named the archipelago Jezair al-Komr - “Islands of the Moon”, which was associated with the spread of the cult of this luminary. The Portuguese borrowed the Arabic name in a distorted form, Compos, which was fixed on European maps.

Congo; Zaire. River in Equatorial Africa. The mouth of the river was discovered in the 15th century. Portuguese D. Kahn and named it Rio da Padrao - “padran river” (padran - stone pillar, which the Portuguese erected in honor of their discoveries, carving on it the coat of arms, the name of the king and the discoverer). The name was not fixed, and the river was renamed Congo - that was the name of the country and the people who lived in it before the arrival of Europeans. Local residents call the river differently in different parts of its course: Nzadi or Nzari - “river that absorbs all others” or “great river” (the distorted form Zaire appeared from this name), Zembere - “mother of waters”; Kulla means "great water", and in the upper reaches Lualaba means "great rea".

Red sea. The sea of ​​the Indian Ocean between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. IN Ancient Egypt was called the Great Green, later - the Arabian Gulf, among the Greeks Pelagos Erythre ("erythros" - "red"), from where it came into European languages ​​in translated form. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym. According to one of them, the name was given for the red tint of the water in the sea. Another version is based on the ancient color orientation of the peoples of the East, where the south was designated red. Another variant of interpretation of the toponym was noted - from the ethnic name of the ancient Hamarite tribe, which meant “red”.

Kruger. National park in South Africa. Named in honor of Stefanus Kruger - President of the Boer Republic of Transvaal: commander of the Boer army in the war with Great Britain 1899-1902.

Libyan desert. Located in the Sahara. The name is given from the ancient name of Africa - Libya, which comes from the ethnonym "libu".

Livingston Falls. Located in the lower reaches of the river. Congo (Zaire). Named in honor of the outstanding explorer of Africa, a Scotsman by birth, D. Livingston.

Limpopo. River in South Africa. The etymology of the name is unknown. Dutch Boer colonists called the river Krokodil River - “Crocodile River” for the abundance of these reptiles in its waters.

Mauritius. Island in the Indian Ocean. The Dutch, having captured the island, named it Mauritius - Mauritius in honor of the Dutch prince Mauritius (Mauritius; Maurice) of Orange.

Maghreb. The common Arabic name for north-west Africa since the early Middle Ages: "Maghreb" - west.

Madagascar. Island in the Indian Ocean. Known to Arab sailors as Jezira al-Komr - “the island of the Moon”, which is associated with the cult of this luminary. In the 16th century The Portuguese named the island Sao Lourenzo - St. Lawrence, because saw the land of Madagascar on the day of this saint. The French, having conquered the island in the 19th century, called it Ile Dauphine - “the island of the Dauphin” (i.e., the heir to the throne). The Malagasy call their homeland Nossi Damba - "island of wild boars" or Tani-Be - "great". The toponym Madagascar in the distorted form Madeigaskar was first found by Marco Polo (13th century). According to scientists, it is based on the ethnic name Malagasy, as the inhabitants of the island are now called.

Madeira. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. Named by the Portuguese Maderia - Forest, because. was indeed covered with forests, which were later completely cut down. The earliest names for the archipelago: among the Carthaginians Al-Agnam - “island of goats” (for the abundance of these animals), among the Romans Insulae Purpurinae - “islands of purple” (for the dye mined there).

Manyara. National park in Tanzania. Named after the lake. Manyara, around which it is located. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Mascarene Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Opened in the 16th century. by the Portuguese expedition of Pedro de Mascarenhas (Mascarenhas) and named in his honor.

Mobutu-Sese-Seko. Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. by the British and named Albert in honor of the husband of Queen Victoria. In 1973, it was renamed in honor of the President of Zaire, Mobutu Ssse Seko. Locals call the pond Mbutan Nzighe - "pond of dead shells" for the abundance of shellfish on the banks, or Nyasa - a geographical term for "lake" in Bantu languages. Perhaps one of these names will become the new official one, due to the death of President Mobutu.

Mozambique Channel. Divides Africa and Fr. Madagascar. Named after the state of Mozambique. The name of the warm Mozambique Current in the Indian Ocean has a similar origin.

Nakuru. National park in Kenya. Named after the lake. Nakuru, within the limits of which it was created. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Namib. Desert in southwest Africa. There are two versions of the origin of the toponym from the languages ​​of the Hottentot tribes. According to one of them, namib means “shield”; on the other - “that which is bypassed” (dangerous, lifeless). The second interpretation reflects the complexity natural conditions in a desert,

Nasser. Reservoir on the river Nile in Egypt. Named after Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, during whose reign the reservoir was created and the Aswan Dam was built.

Ngorongoro. Reserve in Tanzania. Named after the volcano. Ngorongoro, in whose crater it is located. Etymology unknown.

Niger. River in West Africa. The name is a distortion by the Portuguese and other Europeans of the Berber name of the river N "Egiren - "river". In different parts of the flow it has different names in local languages: in the upper reaches of Jolib - "big water"; in the middle and lower Kuara - "river", Issa Bari - "great river"; Mayo - "river". The explanation of the name from the word niger in the meaning of "black" from European languages ​​is considered incorrect by modern toponymists.

Nile. The most long river Africa and the whole world. The oldest form of the name of the river Aur is “hidden” (i.e., with an unknown source). The Egyptians called it Hapi in honor of the god of fertility and harvest. Modern Arabs call the river El-Bahr - "the river". The toponym Nile in the form Neilos was first found among the ancient Greeks. The Romans borrowed it as Nilus. According to one version, the toponym is based on the ancient Semitic term “nagal” - “river”, modified by the Greeks. According to another version, the Greeks borrowed the word lil - “water” from the Libyan tribes, distorting it into nil. Philologists note the possibility of such a transformation.

Nubian desert. Located in northeast Africa. Named after historical region Nubia, located between the Nile rapids. The toponym is based on the ancient Egyptian word “nuba” - “gold”. In ancient times, there were the largest mines here, from where gold came to the palace of the pharaohs.

Nyasa; Malawi. Lake in East Africa. The toponym is formed by folk geographical term from the Bantu languages ​​nyasa - "lake". In the Republic of Malawi, the lake is officially called Malawi after the main people of this country.

Orange. River in South Africa. The Hottentots called her Kai Garib - Big river, Dutch Boer settlers of Groat River with the same meaning. At all times, people often named objects (rivers, lakes) based on the color of the water or shore. But the name of the Orange River has nothing to do with color. This name was given to it by settlers from the Netherlands (Holland), the Boers, in honor of the Princes of Orange - the then rulers of the Netherlands. With someone's light hand, and perhaps through transformation, the name Oranskaya turned into Orange.

Principe. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Opened in the 15th century. Portuguese expedition and named Principi - “first”, because. was the first island discovered by this expedition. According to another version - "prince".

Reunion. Island in the Indian Ocean. Named at the end of the 18th century by the French Reunion - “Connection”, because the inhabitants of the island decided to unite with Fr. Mauritius into a single administrative district. The name changed several times: in the 16th century. Portuguese Santa Apollonia (in honor of St. Apollonia), in the 19th century. - Bonapart (in honor of Napoleon), Ile de Bourbon - “Bourbon Island” (in honor of the dynasty of kings). Since 1848 - Reunion again.

Rwenzori. Mountain range in East Africa. The height of the mountains is reflected in their name: in local Bantu languages ​​ruwenzori - “lord of the clouds”. The national park in Uganda is also named after the mountains.

Savannah. Borrowed by the Spaniards at the end of the 15th century. from the language of the Carib (or Arawak) Indians, where sabana means “high grass plain”, “open space”. General name for the zonal type of landscape.

Sao Tome. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. It was discovered by the Portuguese on the day of St. Thomas (St. Thomas) and named Sao Tome in his honor.

Sahara. Desert in North Africa. The name is formed by the Arabic geographical term "sahara" - "desert" in the plural form, i.e. Sahara - "desert". According to philologists, the term is based on the Arabic “askhar” - “reddish”, which reflects the dominant color and color background of the desert.

Sahel. A strip of semi-deserts and deserted savannas in North Africa. The name was given by the Arabs in the Middle Ages; "Sahel" - "coast", "edge", "border", or more precisely - "desert coast".

Saint Helena Island. Located in the Atlantic Ocean. Opened by the Portuguese on St. Helena and named after her. It gained worldwide fame as the place of exile and death of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Seychelles. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Named in the 18th century. by the French in honor of the Minister of Finance Moreau de Setelle (Seychelles)

Senegal. River in West Africa. According to one version, the toponym is based on the name of the Berber tribe Senega, go Sankhaya. Other toponymists believe that the name ancient city Senegana moved to the river. In the past, the toponym was explained as “navigable”, but due to the lack of evidence, modern scientists do not consider this option.

Serengeti. National park in Tanzania. Named after the Serengeti plateau, within which it is located. The toponym is based on the term from the Maasai language serenget - “space”, which fully corresponds to geographical realities - vast savannas on the plateau.

Socotra. Island in the Indian Ocean. The name of the island was given by Indian sailors: Dwipa Sakhadara - “the island of the harbinger of good luck.” Later this name reflected the importance of the island as the most important junction point in the ancient sea ​​routes from India to the west, transformed under the influence of Arabic into Socotra.

Recently, ratings have become very popular. On the one hand, they seem to be conceived somehow primitive, PR and subjective. On the other hand, in my opinion, they help to structure large amounts of information and squeeze out a lot of water and information noise. I, too, decided to take aim at our William Shakespeare.

You could, of course, lighten up the topic with a catchy title like “10 must-see places in Africa” or something similar. But I won’t be like top bloggers :)
Naturally, the concept of “interesting” hints at the subjectivity of the list: what is interesting to one may be absolutely not interesting to another. Therefore, this is the most subjective, but unbiased list of African interesting things :)

The reasons why people travel to Africa can be divided into 3 components - animals, people and nature. For me, this is an axiom, which formed the basis of the list.


A unique place in Africa, and perhaps on the entire planet, where original tribes still remain, minimally affected by civilization. Mursi, Surma, Erbore, Hamer... Each tribe is unique in its way of life, traditions, and decorations of its own body. In the Omo Valley, it is as if you are traveling in a time machine many centuries, or even millennia, back to the primitive communal system.
Of course, the proximity to the benefits of civilization had an impact on the tribes of this part of Ethiopia. The war that lasted here for a considerable time also took its toll. Many men carry Kalashnikov assault rifles, for example, instead of spears and bows. Local population has already gotten used to the fact that tourists are regularly brought to them, and has even learned to benefit from it. Don't expect to be able to photograph the exotic appearance of these proud sons of Africa for free. Every frame is taken into account and payment is inevitable :)

Perhaps the most popular national park in Africa, an icon of the Kenyan tourism industry, one of the best parks on the continent. The Masai Mara is often written in superlatives and, it should be noted, quite deservedly.
The park is like a continuation of the Serengeti, only on the territory of Kenya.
The Masai Mara is famous for its prides of lions, and in general it is one of best places in Africa to observe the big cat trio: lions, leopards and cheetahs.

And, of course, we should not forget about the great migration that takes place in the Masai Mara from July to October, when millions of wildebeest herds arrive in the park from Tanzania. at this time the most spectacular.
In general, we can say that none safari in Kenya cannot be considered complete without the Masai Mara.

Kilimanjaro is the same symbol of Africa as Victoria Falls or the Cape of Good Hope, and, despite the fact that the mountain itself is located in Tanzania, the best and most scenic view opens onto it from national reserve Amboseli (Kenya). That is why even many Tanzanian travel websites and offline guides do not hesitate to illustrate articles about Kilimanjaro with photographs taken in Amboseli.
Elephants and Kilimanjaro, giraffes and Kilimanjaro, Masai and Kilimanjaro, African acacias and Kilimanjaro... If you want to add these subjects to your portfolio, then you are in .
The park is good in itself, there are all the big five, but it is Kilimanjaro that makes it special and unique.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Tanzania

The world's highest concentration of wild animals is in natural environment their habitat. This argument immediately gives a head start and increases the attractiveness of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Animals here are separated from the rest of the world by the high slopes of the crater of an ancient volcano. As one client said: “Where will they go in a submarine” :)
Ngorongoro boasts the Big Five, and its relatively small size and confined space make the safari one of the most exciting in Africa.

Volcanoes National Park. Rwanda

Among the top three big waterfalls peace and that says it all.

The second largest continent on planet Earth is the continent of Africa. The first in size is the continent of Eurasia. There is another part of the world that is also called Africa. This article will look at Africa as the continent of the planet.

In terms of area, Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the planet's total land surface. The continent of Africa is washed Mediterranean Sea on the north coast, West Coast It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and the northeastern coast is washed by the Red Sea. There are 62 states in Africa, of which 54 independent states, and the population of the entire continent is about 1 billion people. By following the link you can see full list African countries in the table.

The size of Africa from north to south is 8,000 kilometers, and when viewed from east to west, it is approximately 7,500 kilometers.

Extreme points on mainland Africa:

1) The easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Ras Hafun, which is located on the territory of the state of Somalia.

2) The most northern point This continent is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Tunisian Republic.

3) The westernmost point of the continent is Cape Almadi, which is located on the territory of the Republic of Senegal.

4) And finally, the most southern point mainland Africa is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa (RSA).

Relief of Africa

Most of the continent is made up of plains. The following landforms predominate: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. The continent is conventionally divided into High Africa (where the heights of the continent reach a size of over 1000 meters - the southeast of the continent) and Low Africa (where the heights reach a size mainly less than 1000 meters - the northwestern part).

The highest point of the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the continent there are the Drakensberg and Cape Mountains, in the east of Africa there is the Ethiopian Highlands, and to the south of it there is the East African Plateau, in the northwest of the continent there are the Atlas Mountains.

In the north of the continent there is the largest desert on the planet - the Sahara, in the south there is the Kalahari Desert, and in the southwest of the continent there is the Namib Desert.

At the same time, the lowest point of the mainland is the bottom of the salt lake Assal, the depth of which reaches 157 meters below sea level.

African climate

The climate of Africa can be ranked first among all continents in terms of warmth. This is the hottest continent, since it is completely located in the hot climate zones of planet Earth and is intersected by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and a complete absence of seasons. To the south and north of the equatorial belt there are subequatorial belts, which are characterized by a rainy season in summer and a dry season in winter. high temperatures air. If you follow further to the south and north after the subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern tropical zones follow, respectively. Such belts are characterized by low precipitation at fairly high air temperatures, which leads to the formation of deserts.

African inland waters

The inland waters of Africa are uneven in structure, but at the same time vast and extended. On the mainland, the longest river is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6852 km), and the deepest river is the Congo River (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are also lakes on the mainland. The most big lake Lake Victoria is considered. The area of ​​this lake is 68 thousand km2. The greatest depth in this lake reaches 80 m. The lake itself is the second largest freshwater lake on planet Earth in terms of area.

30% of the landmass of continent Africa is deserts, in which bodies of water can be temporary, that is, at times they dry up completely. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions groundwater can be observed, which is located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The continent of Africa is famous for its diversity of both flora and fauna. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which give way to open forests and savannas. In the subtropical zone you can also find mixed forests.

The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palms, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in savannas you can most often find thorny bushes and small trees. The desert is characterized by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are herbs, shrubs or trees in oases. Many desert areas have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is considered to be the Velvichia amazing plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it produces 2 leaves that grow throughout the life of the plant and can reach a length of 3 meters.

Diverse in Africa and animal world. In areas of the savannah, grass grows very quickly and well, which attracts many herbivorous animals (rodents, hares, gazelles, zebras, etc.), and, accordingly, predators that feed on herbivorous animals (leopards, lions, etc.).

The desert may seem uninhabited at first glance, but in fact there live many reptiles, insects, and birds that hunt mainly at night.

Africa is famous for such animals as the elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, sand cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinoceroses and much more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.

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Africa Objects of geographical nomenclature. 7th grade Authors and compilers: Team “Astyr” (Astyrov Secondary School), team “Researchers” (Secondary School 118), team “Seeker” (Siberian Secondary School), team “Positiff” (Sherbakul Secondary School 1), organizers of the project “Fascinating Toponymy”


List of objects of nomenclature Seas: Mediterranean, Red.MediterraneanRed Gulfs: Guinea, Aden.GuineaAden Straits: Gibraltar, Bab el-Mandeb, Mozambique, Suez Canal.GibraltarBab el-Mandeb MozambiqueSuez Canal Islands: Madagascar, Canary.MadagascarCanary Peninsula ditch: Somalia. Somalia Landforms: mountains: Atlas, Drakensberg, Cape; East African Plateau, Ethiopian Highlands; volcanoes: Kilimanjaro, Kenya.AtlasDraconic CapeEast African plateauEthiopian highlandsKilimanjaro Kenya Rivers: Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Orange, Limpopo, Senegal.NileCongo NigerZambezi Victoria FallsOrangeLimpopoSenegal Lakes: Victoria, Nyasa, Tanganyika, Chad. VictoriaNyasaTanganyika Chad




Red Sea Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean, between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The name is associated with the color orientation of the peoples of the East, according to which the southern side was designated red. For ancient Assyria and Babylon, in the south was the entire western part of the Indian Ocean, which was called Rubrugi, i.e. "Red Sea". Content






Strait of Gibraltar Strait between the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern part of Africa, connects the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The Phoenicians were known as the “pillars of Hercules.” In the 8th century The rock on the shore of the strait began to be called Gibraltar in Spanish - “Mount Tariq”, and in Russian - Gibraltar. The strait is named after her. Content






































The Orange River in southern Africa flows into the Atlantic Ocean. He examined the river and put it on the map in 1777 - 1779. Scottish officer R. Gordon. He also assigned the name in honor of the Dutch Oran dynasty - “Oran River”, but the Dutch oranje also means “orange”. Therefore, when translating the name into Russian, a mistake was made. This name has taken root in Russia. Content















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