Knowledge organiser – Africa

Lesson Title and Key Terms What knowledge was in this lesson?
learning objectives
L1: Africa is NOT a country Development - The progress of a country in terms of Africa is a continent but often the media talks about Africa as if it is one
 To identify some misconceptions economic growth, the use of technology and human country and is all the same everywhere you go but this is not the only
surrounding Africa welfare problem, as a general rule, the media loves reporting ‘bad news’ and only
 To evaluate the extent to which Development gap - Difference in standards of living rarely reports ‘good news’.
Africa is misinterpreted as a and wellbeing between the world’s richest and
country poorest countries
 To assess the impact of this LIC - Low Income Country with a GNI per capita
misconception on the development lower than $1045
of Africa HIC - High Income Country with a GNI per capita
higher than $12746
L2: What is the Relief - the Africa, the second-largest continent, is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic
landscape of Africa shape of the land Ocean. It is divided in half almost equally by the Equator.
like? Natural resource
 Identify and - something that Africa’s physical geography, environment and resources, and human geography can be considered separately.
locate the key is found in nature
physical and and can be used  Africa has eight major physical regions: the Sahara, the Sahel, the Ethiopian Highlands, the savanna, the Swahili Coast, the rain
human by people. forest, the African Great Lakes, and Southern Africa. Some of these regions cover large bands of the continent, such as the
features of Earth’s natural Sahara and Sahel, while others are isolated areas, such as the Ethiopian Highlands and the Great Lakes. Each of these regions
Africa resources include has unique animal and plant communities.
 describe the light, air, water,  The Sahara is the worlds largest hot desert, covering 8.5 million square kilometers (3.3 million square miles), about the
physical plants, animals, size of the South American country of Brazil. Defining Africa's northern bulge, the Sahara makes up 25 percent of the
geography of soil, stone, continent.
Africa minerals, and  The Sahel is a narrow band of semi-arid land that forms a transition zone between the Sahara to the north and the
 Assess the fossil fuels. savannas to the south. It is made up of flat, barren plains that stretch roughly 5,400 kilometers (3,300 miles) across Africa,
impact of the from Senegal to Sudan.
physical  The Ethiopian Highlands began to rise 75 million years ago, as magma from Earths mantle uplifted a broad dome of
geography of ancient rock. This dome was later split as Africa's continental crust pulled apart, creating the Great Rift Valley system.
Africa on Today, this valley cuts through the Ethiopian Highlands from the southwest to the northeast. The Ethiopian Highlands are
human activity home to 80 percent of Africas tallest mountains
 Savannas, or grasslands, cover almost half of Africa, more than 13 million square kilometers (5 million square miles).
These grasslands make up most of central Africa, beginning south of the Sahara and the Sahel and ending north of the
continents southern tip. The Serengeti is home to one of the continents highest concentrations of large mammal species,
including lions, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, and elephants. Each year, more than 1 million wildebeest travel in a circular
migration, following seasonal rains, across the Serengeti Plains. Their grazing and trampling of grass allows new grasses to
grow, while their waste helps fertilize the soil.
 The Swahili Coast stretches about 1,610 kilometers (1,000 miles) along the Indian Ocean, from Somalia to Mozambique.
 The nearby coral reefs and barrier islands protect the coast from severe weather.
 Most of Africas native rain forest has been destroyed by development, agriculture, and forestry. Today, 80 percent of
Africas rain forest is concentrated in central Africa, along the Congo River basin.
 The Great Lakes are located in nine countries that surround the Great Rift Valley. As the African continent separated from
Saudi Arabia, large, deep cracks were created in the Earths surface. These cracks were later filled with water. This geologic
process created some of the largest and deepest lakes in the world.
 The region of Southern Africa is dominated by the Kaapvaal craton, a shelf of bedrock that is more than 2.6 billion years
old. Rocky features of Southern Africa include plateaus and mountains, such as the Drakensberg range.
Stuck? https://www.britannica.com/list/8-amazing-physical-features-of-africa
L3: What is the Climate - the The diverse climates of Africa range from scorching deserts to icy glaciers, from steamy
pattern of climate average weather rainforests to grassy plains. The amount of heat from the sun plays a major role in
and biomes across conditions in a determining climate. The equator receives more solar heat than any other part of the
Africa? particular earth, and the zones on either side of the equator are called the tropics.
 Describe the location based on
pattern of the average Africa, with the equator cutting across its centre, is the world's most tropical continent.
climate zones weather Only its northern edge and southern tip are outside the tropics. Half of Africa lies north
across Africa experienced of the equator and half to the south. This symmetry, or balance, produces matching
 Explain the link there over 30 belts of climate at approximately equal distances north and south of the equator.
between years or more.
climate zones Biome - a large The centre of the continent has a wet tropical climate, with extremely heavy rainfall.
and the community of To the north and south are belts of tropical climate with a dry season. Beyond lie belts
distribution of vegetation and Stuck? of tropical climate with longer dry periods and occasional droughts, such as those that
biomes across wildlife adapted https://geography.name/ecosystems/ have caused famines in the SAHEL. North of the Sahel lies the almost rainless SAHARA
Africa to a specific DESERT. Finally, north and south of the desert regions are belts of Mediterranean
climate climate, with hot dry summers and mild moist winters.

L4&5: What are Desertification - Desertification is the process of land turning into desert as the quality of the soil declines over time. The main causes of
the challenges and the process by desertification include:
opportunities which fertile land  Population growth - the population in some desert areas is increasing. In places where there are developments in mining and
facing Africa as a becomes desert, tourism, people are attracted by jobs. An increased population is putting greater pressure on the environment for resources
result of typically as a such as wood and water.
desertification? result of drought,  Removal of wood - in developing countries, people use wood for cooking. As the population in desert areas increases, there is
 Explain the deforestation, or a greater need for fuel wood. When the land is cleared of trees, the roots of the trees no longer hold the soil together so it is
causes of inappropriate more vulnerable to soil erosion.
desertification agriculture.  Overgrazing - an increasing population results in larger desert areas being farmed. Sheep, cattle and goats are overgrazing the
vegetation. This leaves the soil exposed to erosion.
and why it is
 Soil erosion - this is made worse by overgrazing and the removal of wood. Population growth is the primary cause of soil
likely to get erosion.
worse  Climate change - the global climate is getting warmer. In desert regions conditions are not only getting warmer but drier too.
 Assess the
 challenges On average there is less rain now in desert regions than there was 50 years ago.
faced by parts Strategies to reduce desertification
of Africa Desertification can be reduced by adopting the following strategies:
 Planting more trees - the roots of trees hold the soil together and help to reduce soil erosion from wind and rain.
suffering from
 Improving the quality of the soil - this can be managed by encouraging people to reduce the number of grazing animals they
the effects of have and grow crops instead. The animal manure can be used to fertilise the crops grown. Growing crops in this way can
desertification improve the quality of the soil as it is held together by the roots of plants and protected from erosion. This type of farming is
 Evaluate to more sustainable.
what extent  Water management - water can be stored in earth dams in the wet season and used to irrigate crops during the dry season.
the This is an example of using appropriate technology to manage water supplies in the desert environment
management
of The Thar Desert is located in northwest India. It is one of the major hot deserts of the world with the highest population density.
desertification Many people living in this desert are subsistence farmers but with increasing development opportunities, the human population is
can present also growing. Due to population pressures this environment is increasingly under threat.
opportunities Stuck? https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/causes-of-desertification-population-growth-6mw3et,
https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/causes-of-desertification-soil-erosion-6cwpct,
https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/strategies-to-reduce-the-risk-of-desertification-cgv66d
L6: What impact Ebola – an Levels of development are closely linked to health. LICs are unable to invest in good-quality health care. The main cause of death
does disease have infectious and in LICs is infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis however in HICs the main causes of death are chronic diseases
on affected frequently fatal such as heart and lung disease, cancer and dementia.
countries in Africa? disease marked
 Explain the by fever and Diseases can spread more quickly in some LICs in Africa due to a lack of investment in healthcare which can result in fewer
causes and severe internal preventative measures (for example vaccinations) and cures (treatments for diseases) being available. There can also be a lack of
distribution of bleeding, spread investment in education which means that
Ebola through contact  People might be less aware of how to make sure that they stay healthy and
 Analyse the with infected  People may not know the signs and symptoms of certain diseases so they do not seek the right treatment
social and body fluids  People may not know how to prevent diseases from spreading to others.
economic
impacts of All of this can mean that more people are infected which means that they are unable to go to school or work. This means that the
diseases like workforce is less productive and less money is made for the country, which leads to even less investment in vital services like
Ebola healthcare and education. This is a how a prevalence of a disease Ebola can have social and economic impacts that trap people in
 Assess to what a circle of poverty and limit the development of a whole country/area.
extent diseases Stuck? https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/immersive-story/2020/02/06/tackling-worlds-deadliest-diseases-can-boost-healthy-
like Ebola can workforce-and-economic-growth
limit economic
development
in affected
countries
L7: What are the Migration – The Causes and rates of population change
challenges and movement of The three main causes of population change
opportunities of people  Births - usually measured using the birth rate (number of live births per 1,000
population change Natural increase of the population per year).
in Africa? – The difference  Deaths - usually measured using the death rate (number of deaths per 1,000 of
 Understand between the the population per year).
the population birth rate and the  Migration - the movement of people in and out of an area.
distribution of death rate of a Rate of change
Africa country or place Births and deaths are natural causes of population change. The difference between the
 Explain the birth rate and the death rate of a country or place is called the natural increase. The
reasons for natural increase is calculated by subtracting the death rate from the birth rate.
population
change in The population of most countries in Africa continues to grow due to high birth rates
Africa caused by a lack of contraception and family planning, the need for more workers,
 Assess the because infant mortality rates remain high, to look after an ageing population and a
opportunities lack of education for women.
and challenges
presented by  Large and increasing populations can provide more workers, which means
this population more tax and income generated for the government which can lead to
change investment in vital services and ultimately development.
 Large and increasing populations can however also lead to overpopulation
which is occurs when there are too many people for the services available, this
puts too much pressure on education, healthcare and housing etc. it can also
lead to huge environmental damage due to over-cultivation, over-abstraction
of water and waste and pollution.

The continent of Africa has a population of 1.1 billion people, with an uneven
distribution. It is the second most populated continent, comprising 15% of the world’s
population. Africa's population has been increasing has been on the increase over the
past 50 years and now 60% of Africa’s population are younger than 25.
Opportunities presented by a youthful population - there are more people to work
and make goods, which can be sold. It also means that there are more taxpayers
generating money for the government.
Challenges presented by a youthful population A youthful population does mean that
the population is likely to continue to grow and, with increasing life expectancy, it can
lead to an ageing population in the future

Stuck? Watch this video to help https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zrskjxs

L8: What are the Urbanisation - The world's population is growing rapidly and reached 7.3 billion people in 2011. The highest rates of population growth are
challenges and An increase in occurring in low income countries (LICs), such as Zimbabwe, Malawi and Niger in Africa.
opportunities of the proportion of Causes of urban growth: The population of cities usually changes in one of two ways:
urbanisation in people who live
Africa? in cities  Natural increase (or decrease) - this is the difference between the number of births and the number of deaths.
 Understand Slum - A heavily  Migration - this is the movement of people into or out of the city.
the scale of populate
urbanisation in informal More and more people are leaving rural areas and moving to cities. This is called rural to urban migration. People move because
Africa settlement of push and pull factors. Push factors are things that make people want to leave rural areas and pull factors are the things that
 Explain the Urban growth - attract people to the city.
reasons for The increase in
urbanisation in the area covered Possible push factors Possible pull factors
Africa by cities  unemployment  more jobs
 Assess the Natural increase  lower wages  higher wages
opportunities - Where the birth  crop failure  better living conditions
and challenges rate is higher  poor living conditions  better education and health services
presented by than the death  poor health and education services  better facilities
urbanisation rate  few facilities  less chance of natural disasters
Rural-urban  natural disasters
migration - The  civil war
movement of A problem of rapid rural to urban migration is the development of squatter settlements. In Lagos, Nigeria the squatter
people from the settlement of Makoko is now home to up to 300 000 people. The area known to outsiders as Makoko is actually six distinct
countryside into “villages” spread across land and water: Oko Agbon, Adogbo, Migbewhe, Yanshiwhe, Sogunro and Apollo. The first four are the
towns and cities floating communities, known as “Makoko on water”; the rest are based on land.The squatter settlement is unplanned and has
Push factors - the following characteristics:
Reasons for
leaving an area  overcrowded and noisy
Pull factors -  houses are made from cardboard, wood, corrugated iron, plastic sheeting and metal from oil drums
Reasons for  lack of sanitation, clean drinking water and open sewers
moving to  pollution and disease are common
another area  thousands of workshops and people employed in the informal job sector

Stuck? Watch these videos to help https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/global-urban-change-c9h68t,

https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/factors-affecting-the-rate-of-urbanisation-cdj38d
L9: What Primary - The Economic development in Africa is partly due to its move from agricultural production to manufacturing. Many manufactured
opportunities and primary sector goods that we buy in the UK come from countries in Africa. The growth of manufacturing in these countries is due to many
challenges are involves reasons, including:
presented by the extracting raw
growth of the materials, rearing  Improvements to infrastructure.
manufacturing animals and  Financial incentives
sector in Africa? growing crops.  A good supply of highly-skilled labour as education improves.
 Understand Secondary - A  There are lower labour costs involved - there is no national minimum wage.
how Nigeria’s type of industry  A growing domestic market for goods because of its large population.
economy is where raw  A reputation of a strong work ethic, and workers are used to long working hours.
changing materials are  Health and safety laws are sometimes not heavily enforced which means companies do not have to spend money on
 Assess the made into meeting health and safety standards.
impact of a something. Often The growth of the manufacturing sector has facilitated development and improved Quality of Life in the countries that have been
more balanced called able to attract countries however not all countries/regions have benefitted as they cannot attract the manufacturing countries in
economy 'manufacturing'. the first place. This has led to an uneven distribution of wealth and access to basic needs.
 Evaluate the Tertiary - Stuck? https://www.coolgeography.co.uk/gcsen/EW_Nigeria_Industrial_Structure.php
extent to Providing
which services and
manufacturing includes retail,
has stimulated tourism,
economic education, health
development and banking.
uneven Quaternary - The
development section of
employment that
is knowledge-
based, eg ICT and
research.
Manufacturing -
any industry that
makes products
from raw
materials by the
use of manual
labour or
machinery
L10: What TNC – TNCs are companies that operate in more than one country. They often have factories in countries that are not as economically
opportunities and transnational developed because labour is cheaper. Offices and headquarters tend to be located in the more developed world. Unilever,
challenges are company - large McDonalds and Apple are all examples of TNCs. The US fast-food chain McDonald's is a large TNC - it has over 34,000
presented by businesses that restaurants in 119 countries.
transnational operates in Characteristics of a Transnational company (TNC)
corporations in several countries  Operate on a large scale (big)
Africa? Opportunities –  International
 Describe the the good/positive  Make huge amounts of money
main features things about a  Make well known, luxury and frequently used products
of a TNC situation  Headquarters tend to be found in HICs
 Assess the Challenges – the  Factories tend to be found in LICs and NEEs (because of cheap and available labour, cheap land, fewer health and safety laws,
advantages problems that a fewer environmental and land restrictions, cheaper raw materials)Air Masses – There are 5 major air masses that affect the
and situation might weather of the UK. Depending on where the air comes from it will change the temperature, or produce more precipitation.
disadvantages cause
of TNCs Opportunities and challenges presented by TNCs
 Evaluate the
a) TNCs can help improve the roads b) Most of the money made by c) Local people are poorly paid for
extent to
and transport in the LIC. TNCs doesn’t stay in the country. their jobs.
which TNCs
could help to
stimulate d) TNCs don’t consider the needs of e) They can help improve f) They can provide jobs for poor
industrial a country. education for people in poor people that would otherwise not
development countries. have any money.
across Africa,
using examples g) They provide new technology for h) The create pollution in the LIC. i) Companies can leave the country
poor countries. at any moment meaning people
are left poor and jobless.

j) They pay taxes and help the k) They develop trade links with l) Many of the products made are
governments make money. other countries. too expensive or of no use to the
people in the LIC.

Stuck? Watch this video to help https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/strategies-to-reduce-the-development-gap-part-

1-cru38t