Weather and climate:

Weather is the temperature and conditions {rain , wind , ect} are like on a particular day E.g the weather could be cold and windy today.

Climate is what it is like over a long period of time E.g the climate could be hot throughout the year when talking about climate we look at temperature and rain fall.

World climate zones:

Polar zones{cold climates}: - polar climates and sub arctic climates.

Temperatures are low for most of the year. Some places experience temperatures as low as -20.c . The lowest recorded temperature in the world is -89.c in Antartica.

TROPICAL ZONES{HOT climates: wet and humid - areas between the equator and the 30. north and south lines of latitude are hot and tropical. These regions have high temperatures all year around . Rain falls throughout the year in tropical zones mostly in summer during heavy thunderstorms.

Subtropical zone(hot climates-humid or dry)

These areas are roughly located between 23.5 and the temperate zones, north and south of the equator. Many of the worlds deserts are located in this region.

TEMPERATE ZONES(Mild climates) - Temperatures are not too warm and not too cold for most of the year . Usually characterized by warm summers and cold winters. Snow can fall for short periods of time during winter. Rainfall varies according to summer and winter, but mostly in winter.

Wet and dry areas of the world:

Wet areas = above 1000mm of rain per year

Dry areas = less than 250mm per year

Tropical rainforests (wet areas):

• Grow in hot areas with a lot of rain and humidity

• Most rainforests occur along the equator

• Largest occur: Central and South America, Central and west Africa and South-East Asia

• The hot and wet climate of rainforests allows a variety of vegetation to grow.

• There are plants that grow low on the ground , tall trees, and plants that grow and climb on other plants.

• Also home to many different and exotic animals.

Global Warming:

Global warming is said to be an abnormal increase in average global temperatures. It is caused when carbon dioxide (co2) and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Normally , this radiation would escape into space but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere , trap the heat and cause the planet to get hotter. This is what is known as the greenhouse effect .

Deforestation:

Deforestation happens when forests are cut down and cleared away. Large parts of rainforests are cut down or burnt because of logging, farming, mining and road - building.pg 59

logging - cutting down of tress for wood

Deforestation - the clearing of forest land

Tropical rainforests:

There are different kinds of forests across the world. Tropical rainforests are forests the grow in hot areas where there is a lot of rain.

(the heat and rain allow the plants and trees in a tropical rainforest to grow very well. The air in a rainforest feels humid.)

Humid - when the air in an area feels hot and wet

Hot deserts:

Deserts are dry areas that receive less than 250mm of rain in a year. Some deserts are hot and others like Antarctica are cold.

How People Live in a Desert:

1. Desert Living Challenges:

   • Deserts are harsh environments, yet some people have adapted and made them home for thousands of years.

   • Survival in deserts relies on unique lifestyles adapted to the environment.

2. The Tuareg of the Sahara:

   • The Tuareg people are nomadic herders in the Sahara Desert.

   • They herd sheep, goats, and camels, moving with the seasons to find pasture and water.

   • Their nomadic lifestyle has developed over hundreds of years, and they know the routes they need to travel.

Resource Utilization:

• Tuareg use their animals for sustenance and materials.

• They consume the meat and milk from their animals.

• Animal hides are used to make tents and other goods, essential for desert life.

Key Terms and Definitions

1. Population - All of the people living in a place or country.

2. Population Density - The number of people in an area.

3. Settle - To live permanently in a location.

4. Population Distribution - The way people are spread across an area.

5. Urban - A place like a town or city where people live close together.

6. Rural - Areas such as farms or the countryside where people live further apart.

7. Subsistence Farmer - A person who grows only enough food for their own use.

8. Trade Route - The route taken by trade ships.

9. Resident - A person who lives in a place permanently.

10. Slave - A person who is "owned" by another person and works without pay.

11. urban - an area with many buildings such as a town or city and where people live close together.

12. Rural - Countryside areas where there are farms and small villages and people live further apart than in cities.

Population and Settlement Notes

1. Population in South Africa:

   • Estimated population: around 63 million people.

   • Population refers to the total number of people living in an area.

   • Estimated means "about" or "approximately."

2. Population Distribution:

   • Population is spread or distributed across the entire country.

   • Distribution in South Africa is uneven, with some areas having higher populations than others.

     1. Population Density:

        • Population density describes the number of people living in an area and how closely they live together.

     2. Factors Affecting Settlement:

        • Positive (Pull) Factors: Encourage people to settle in an area.

          • Good medical care

          • Employment (more jobs)

          • Better access to shops

          • Better entertainment

          • Better schooling

          • Better housing

          • Better government services

          • Better infrastructure (buildings)

          • Less crime

          • Less pollution

        • Negative (Push) Factors: Discourage people from settling in an area.

          • Poor medical care

          • Fewer employment opportunities

          • Fewer shops

          • Less entertainment

          • Poor education

          • Poor housing

          • Fewer government services

          • Poor infrastructure

          • More crime

          • More pollution

          • Conflict or wars

            Why people live where they do

        • Reasons for location of settlement

          The population of south Africa is unevenly distributed.

          More people live in some parts of the country then in other’s.

        • Concepts of rural and urban areas

          Many people in south africa live in urban areas.

          Urban areas are Cities and towns. People that live in urban areas can have many different kinda of jobs for example, some work in offices and others may work in hospitals or factories.

          Other people live in small villages or on farms. They are called rural areas. Less people live in rural areas than urban areas. Therefore rural areas are more thinly populated than urban areas.

        • Desert Adaptations:

          • Barrel Cactus (North American deserts):

            • Has spines to protect it and conserves water.

          • Sturt's Desert Pea (Australian deserts):

            • Remains as seeds for most of the year and sprouts during the rainy season.

          • Dromedary Camel (Arabian deserts):

            • Stores fat in its hump and can survive without water for days.

          • Meerkats (Kalahari desert):

            • Strong claws for digging, protection from snakes and scorpions.

          • Jerboa (Deserts worldwide):

            • Survives in extreme hot or cold conditions.

          • Scorpions (North America):

            • Venomous stingers offer protection.

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          Deforestation:

          Reasons:

          • Logging: For paper, furniture, and fuel.

          • Urban Sprawl: Expansion of urban areas.

          • Agriculture: Clearing land for crops and livestock.

          • Mining and Road construction.

          Effects:

          • Animal Extinction and habitat loss.

          • Increased CO2 in the atmosphere.

          • Reduced oxygen production.

          • Soil Erosion: Roots no longer hold soil, leading to flooding.

          • Human displacement.

          ---

          Rainforest Characteristics:

          • Location: Near the equator.

          • Temperature:

            • Morning: 23°C

            • Afternoon: 33°C

          Rainforest Layers:

          1. Emergents: Tallest trees.

          2. Canopy: Tree tops block sunlight; most animal life resides here.

          3. Understorey: Small trees and shrubs.

          4. Forest Floor: Lowest layer, minimal sunlight.

          Facts:

          • Continents: Africa, Central and South America, Asia.

          • Largest rainforest: Amazon.

          • Resources from rainforests:

            • Oxygen

            • Cocoa beans

            • Shelter (for animals and humans)

            • Medicine

            • Timber (paper)