Landforms and Bodies of Water

Central Africa

Landforms and Bodies of Water

The Central African Republic is the only landlocked country in the region.

The islands off the Atlantic coast are very important in the region. Two of them make up the country of Sao
Tome and Principe.

The great rift borders the region on the eastern side.

No other river system in Africa offers as many miles of navigable waterway as the Congo river and its tributaries. A navigable river is one on which ships and boats can travel.

The cataracts (waterfalls) and rapids prevent the uninterrupted passage of ships from one end to the other. They also prevent seagoing ships from traveling father inland.

Estuary (where fresh water meets salt water) System on the river

Importance of the Congo River

*The Congo river is important to Central Africa

*Agriculture depends on the water to irrigate crops

*People fish the river for food

*Is a vital means of transportation in the region

*Dams on the river generate large amounts of hydroelectric power.

Climate of the Region

*Equator region

*Warm, wet climate

*This zone experiences little seasonal variation in weather and length of daylight

*Daytime temperatures are always high

*Abundant rainfall with total greater than 80 inches a year.

*Tropical rain forest covers more than half of Central Africa

*A rain-soaked realm

*Trees soar as high as 15 story buildings

*Tremendous variety of plants, some used in medicines

*Dense canopy made by the trees leaves the area gloomy

*The forest floor has few of the small plants found in other types of forests.

*North and South of the equator lies the tropical wet-and-dry climate zones

*Rainy and dry seasons predominate these zones

*The dry season varies from 4 months to 7 months depending on how far the zone is from the equator.

*Typically referred to as the Savannah

*Rain forests give way to savannas

*Areas with a mixture of trees, shrubs, and grasslands

*Slash and burn agriculture is when trees and shrubs are cut down and burned in order to make the soil more fertile.

*Experts believe this policy is increasing the size of the savannahs in Africa

*This policy harms biodiversity (the wide variety of life on Earth), causes pollution, and shrinks tropical rainforests around the world.

Natural Resources

Democratic Republic of the Congo has the largest abundance of mineral resources in the region.

*Cobalt, diamonds, uranium, copper, limestone, iron ore, gold

Gabon

*Produces one-tenth of the world’s supply of manganese which is used in the manufacture of iron and steel

*Magnesium, diamonds, uranium, and gold

Equatorial Guinea

*Uranium, gold, iron ore, and manganese

Detriments to the development of NaturalResources

*Political instability of the region

*Civil conflict

*High cost of investment to mine

*Lack of good transportation networks to move the products

History of the Region

*1400s, Europeans came and began the slave trade. They needed a large work force for plantation work in the Americas.

*Gabon, slaves gathered from the interior and taken to the coast.

*Sao Tome – Portuguese established a colony to grow sugar on the islands.

*Became a busy hub for the slave trade to Brazil.

Europeans brought

*Maize

*Cassava – used to make flour, breads, and tapioca

Colonialism

*“the political and economic rule of one region or country by another country, usually for profit.”

*The difficult in transportation and tropical diseases delayed European colonization of Central Africa.

Justification of economic exploitation:

*Promoted civilization

*Spread Christianity. Missionaries – people sent to Africa in order to convert the native people.

Problems that Arose from Economic Exploitation

*African workers treated harshly

*Small revolts against colonial rule were common

*Due to harsh treatment in the area the Belgium parliament took over control of the area.

Independence

1960

*Gabon

*The Republic of the Congo

*The Central African Republic

*Cameroon

*Democratic Republic of the Congo

*Experienced hard times after Independence

*Ethnic Conflict

*Harsh Rule

*Human Rights Abuses

Failures after Independence

*Central African Republic

*Jean Bedel Bokassa – Military Officer

*Staged a Coup – when an individual or group seizes control of a government

* Established himself as Emperor and ruled as a dictator of the region.

Successes After Independence

*Gabon

*Good management of plentiful natural resources

*Lead to them becoming one of the wealthiest and most stable countries in Africa.

Other Countries

1968

Equitorial Guinea won independence from Spain

1973

*1st president

1979

*Overthrown by his nephew

1975

Sao Tome and Principe

*Gained independence from Portugal

*Great instability and corruption has plagued the country since independence

The People of Central Africa

*105 million people live in the region

*DRC – most populous country

*Compared to other parts of the world, central Africa does not have a large population density

*High population growth rate in the region

*Median age is 20 – children and teenagers make up about half of the population

*Life expectancy varies greatly in the region from 50 to 63 years.

*Varied and diverse set of ethnic groups

*Central Africa’s population has many refugees – displaced people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war or injustice.

*DRC – 1997 to 2003 brutal civil war that led to many refugees fleeing the conflict.

Economics

*Subsistence Farming

*People move from rural areas to urban areas

*More than ½ of the people live in cities

*Gabon

*Central African Republic

*Cameroon

Languages

Multiple languages spoken across the region.

Trade languages – a common language required to conduct trade across the region.

French – the most common trade language spoken in the region.

Religion

Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant religions dominate the region.

Kimbanguist Church or traditional African religions also predominate.

How People Live

Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant religions dominate the region.

Kimbanguist Church or traditional African religions also predominate.

Rural

*Subsistence Farming – growing crops and raising livestock on small plots of land to feed themselves and their family.

*Any surplus is sold or traded for cash.

Homes

Made of: Mud, Sundried mud bricks, Wattle-and-daub house, Wood, Bark, cement

Family

Men and Women have distinct roles in the family

*Women: gather, produce, and prepare the food

*Men: hunt, trap, or fish for food

*Men and women eat in different rooms in the house

Crops

*Coffee, Cotton, Cocoa

Foods

*Okra, Cassava, Yams, Peanuts, Rice, Game, Fish

*Generosity and hospitality are so deeply ingrained. Hosts might offer guests an abundance of food while remaining hungry themselves.

Arts and Music

Yaka – decorated masks and figurines

Kongo – statues embedded with pieces of metal

Luba – carvings that show women and motherhood

Mangbetu – sculpture and pottery

Fulani – decorate leather items and gourds with elaborate designs.

Music

African Jazz, called OK jazz – Originated in the DRC

Drumming and flute music are also popular.

Regional Issues

What are the greatest challenges confronting Central Africa?

*Economic growth is using up more resources than before

*Produce more pollution and waste

*Destruction of biodiversity by activities such as logging and mining

*Should profits from economic activities go to the foreign corporations and investors, or should they remain with the national governments?