West Africa includes varied vegetation zones of desert, semidesert, savanna, and forest . The Sahara spreads across approximately 3.5 million square miles in North Africa and the northern part of West Africa. Sand dunes cover one-quarter of the Sahara, but this desert also has bare, rocky plains, and even mountains.
How did geography influence West Africa?
How did geography affect trade in West Africa? Geography affected trade because there are so many regions in Africa with different resources. The different areas had to trade to get what they needed . ... Most communities grew or made everything they needed, and traded with other to get what they needed and hadn’t grown.
Why is the geography unique in West Africa?
Geology. West Africa is remarkable for its geological variety . Like most of Africa, the region is largely composed of ancient Precambrian rocks (at least 541 million years old; the oldest rocks may be about 3 billion years old), which have been folded and fractured over hundreds of millions of years.
What are the 4 main geographic regions of West Africa?
From north to south — from the Sahara to the humid southern coast — West Africa can be subdivided into five broad east-west belts that characterize the climate and the vegetation. These are the bioclimatic zones known as the Saharan, Sahelian, Sudanian, Guinean, and Guineo-Congolian Regions , shown in the map above.
What is the geography of Africa like?
Africa is the most tropical of all continents. Climate and vegetation range from equatorial rainforests, tropical deserts and savanna grassland to Mediterranean . The Sahara Desert, the largest of its kind anywhere in the world, is over 10.4 million km2 n North to south is approx. 1800 kms and east-west is 5600km.
What is West Africa known for?
West Africa is famous for its cultural diversity and rich history . Unique mud architecture and landscapes dominate Niger and Mali’s major sights. Slave forts on Goree Island and along Ghana’s coast attract many visitors.
What is it in West Africa?
western Africa, region of the western African continent comprising the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire , Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
What were the main kingdoms of West Africa?
The development of such major Sudanic kingdoms and empires as Ghana, Mali, Songhai, the Hausa states, and Kanem-Bornu along the southern fringes of the Sahara had a number of important consequences for the history of western Africa as a whole.
How did trade influence West Africa?
Over time, the slave trade became even more important to the West African economy. Kings traded slaves for valuable good, such as horses from the Middle East and textiles and weapons from Europe. The transSaharan slave trade contributed to the power of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai.
How did kingdoms develop in West Africa?
Using trade to gain wealth , Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were West Africa’s most powerful kingdoms. 1. West Africa developed three great kingdoms that grew wealthy through their control of trade.
How many countries are in the West Africa?
Western Africa ( 17 ) – Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Which country is the best in West Africa?
The Gambia
Despite being the smallest country in Africa, The Gambia is regarded as West Africa’s best-kept secret. Surrounded by golden beaches backed by swaying palms sprinkled with scenic lagoons, an abundance of wildlife, vibrant history and culture, it offers visitors an opportunity to get in touch with nature.
What is the environment like in West Africa?
The lowland climates of West Africa are characterized by uniformly high sunshine and high temperatures throughout the year ; mean annual temperatures are usually above 18°C. Areas within 10° of the equator have a mean annual temperature of about 26°C with a range of 1.7 – 2.8°C; the diurnal range is 5.6 – 8.3°C.
What are 3 major geographical features?
Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are the four major types of landforms. Minor landforms include buttes, canyons, valleys, and basins. Tectonic plate movement under the Earth can create landforms by pushing up mountains and hills.
What are 3 physical features?
Landforms include hills, mountains, plateaus, canyons, and valleys , as well as shoreline features such as bays, peninsulas, and seas, including submerged features such as mid-ocean ridges, volcanoes, and the great ocean basins.
What are 4 physical features?
Their physical characteristics include landforms, climate, soils, and hydrology .
