Africa: Physical and Human Geography
Africa is a diverse continent with deserts, rainforests and savanna, and with rapidly growing cities and populations.
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Africa is a diverse continent with deserts, rainforests and savanna, and with rapidly growing cities and populations.
- The Sahara is the largest hot desert
- The Nile is one of the longest rivers
- Many countries have fast-growing economies
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Africa: Physical and Human Geography?
Within Geography, which covers maps, landforms, weather, climate, population and settlements: understand how our planet and people connect, this topic explains Africa: Physical and Human Geography. Geography explains how places, people and natural processes connect, so each topic here combines a clear definition with a visual model.
Check that you can explain Africa: Physical and Human Geography in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Africa: Physical and Human Geography helps you explain patterns on maps and in the news, and make reasoned decisions about places and environments.
Africa: Physical and Human Geography in detail
Africa is the second-largest continent. It has diverse physical features, including the Sahara Desert, the Nile (the longest river), the Congo rainforest, the savanna, the Great Rift Valley and Mount Kilimanjaro. The Equator crosses the middle, so climates are mostly tropical, with deserts to the north and south.
It has 54 countries and over 1.4 billion people, the youngest population of any continent and fast urban growth. Resources such as oil, diamonds and minerals are important to economies, but many countries face poverty, conflict and the effects of colonial history. Strong growth, young populations and technology offer opportunities.
How the interactive helps you understand Africa: Physical and Human Geography
Watch the globe in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the globe responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Africa: Physical and Human Geography.
Real-life uses and examples
- Interpret a graph or map that shows Africa: Physical and Human Geography and say what it suggests.
- Describe a real place where Africa: Physical and Human Geography can be seen, using a map or photograph.
- Explain how Africa: Physical and Human Geography affects people, jobs and land use in a region.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing up cause, effect and consequence when you explain Africa: Physical and Human Geography.
- Writing general statements without a named place or example.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Africa: Physical and Human Geography
What is Africa: Physical and Human Geography?
Africa is a diverse continent with deserts, rainforests and savanna, and with rapidly growing cities and populations.
What are the most important points about Africa: Physical and Human Geography?
The main points are: The Sahara is the largest hot desert; The Nile is one of the longest rivers; Many countries have fast-growing economies.
Why is Africa: Physical and Human Geography useful?
Understanding Africa: Physical and Human Geography helps you explain patterns on maps and in the news, and make reasoned decisions about places and environments.
How can I practise Africa: Physical and Human Geography?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Africa: Physical and Human Geography?
Related topics in Geography include North America: Physical and Human Geography, The United Kingdom, Brazil.