Africa Physical Features

Sahara Desert

the largest desert in the world, covering most of northern Africa

Rainforest

Densely wooded area in Central Africa that creates a humid climate that receives large amounts of rain.

Sahel

Belt south of the Sahara where it transitions into savanna across central Africa. It means literally 'coastland' in Arabic.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

Africa's highest mountain

Savanna

makes up 40% of Africa, a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees and pronounced dry seasons

Cape of Good Hope

Southern tip of Africa; first circumnavigated in 1488 by Portuguese in search of direct route to India.

Great Rift Valley

lowland region in East Africa that formed where Earth's tectonic plates moved apart

Lake Victoria

the largest lake in Africa and the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world

Nile River

The world's longest river, which flows northward through East Africa into the Mediterranean Sea

Horn of Africa

a peninsula of northeastern Africa (the easternmost part of Africa) shaped like a horn that includes Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia

Strait of Gibraltar

Narrow waterway that separates Europe from Africa by 8 miles

Red Sea

This body of water separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa.

Atlas Mountains

a mountain range in northern Africa between the Mediterranean and the Sahara Desert

Namib Desert

a desert in southwestern Africa

Kalahari Desert

Large desert in southern Africa