Geography unit 4

Nile River

The world's longest river, flowing northward through East Africa into the Mediterranean Sea.

Sahara Desert

The world's largest desert located in northern Africa, covering 31% of the African continent.

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert, occurring in the Sahel.

Congo River

The 2nd largest river in Africa, located in Central Africa, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Savanna

A tropical grassland with sparse trees, covering much of Central Africa.

Lake Victoria

The largest lake in Africa and the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world, serving as a source for the Nile River.

Arab Spring

A series of protests and uprisings across the Arab world beginning in 2010.

Islam

A religion based on the teachings of Muhammad that spread across North Africa.

Animism

An ancient belief system where nature has divine powers, practiced in various traditional societies.

Bantu

An ethnic/language group from West Africa known for migration and iron-working skills.

Deforestation

The removal of trees faster than forests can replace themselves, affecting wildlife habitats.

Drought

A long period without rain, leading to famine and poverty.

Famine

A severe shortage of food resulting in hunger, starvation, and death.

Urbanization

A population shift from rural areas to urban areas.

Authoritarian government

A government with concentrated power that limits civil rights and political participation.

Push factors

Conditions that drive people to leave their country.

Pull factors

Conditions that attract people to a new country.

Great Rift Valley

An area in Eastern Africa experiencing tectonic plate movement that creates new valleys and lakes.

Irrigation

Humans supplying water to land that does not receive enough rainfall naturally.

Subsistence farming

Farming that produces only enough food to feed one’s family.

Slash and burn agriculture

A farming technique involving cutting down and burning trees to clear and fertilize land.

South African Apartheid

Policies of racial segregation enforced by the National Party in South Africa.

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another with the intention of settling.

Refugee

A person forced to leave their country due to war, persecution, or natural disaster.

Supernationalism

When multiple countries collaborate for a common goal.

Climate impact on disease

The relationship between tropical climates and the prevalence of diseases like malaria.

White Man's Burden

The European belief in their responsibility to 'civilize' indigenous people.

Environmental issues in Africa

Includes water scarcity, unsafe drinking water, deforestation, and desertification.

Population density attractors

River valleys and rainier regions which are arable and good for farming.

Rapid urbanization causes

Economic hopes for jobs, social conditions like poverty and famine, and political persecution.

Impact of Mugabe's policy

Negative effects on Zimbabwe's agricultural output leading to famine and reduced life expectancy.