Our final topic this term is Amazing Africa!

As usual, this PDF is full of information about this topic but you may want to do some extra research of your own.

Some useful websites for this are:https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/cou

ntry-fact-file-kenya/https://www.ducksters.com/geography/africa.php

https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/earth/continents/africa/https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Africa/272745

Africa is a continent- a large area of land separated from others by water- which is south of Europe (the continent we live on). It is the second largest continent in the

world and covers approximately one fifth of the total land surface of the Earth.

Because it’s such a large continent, the physical geography of Africa is incredibly diverse (different).

A large part of Africa is desert: a barren landscape with little vegetation (plants) or rain which creates a hostile environment for plant and animal life.

The desert to the north is the Sahara Desert which is the largest hot desert in the world at 9.2 million km²- about the same as the whole of the United States.

Did you know that for several hundred

thousand years, the Sahara has alternated

between being a desert and being savanna

grassland? This happens in a 20,000 year

cycle and the desert is expected to become

green again in about 15,000 years.

The savanna is a grassland with widely-spaced trees which covers almost half of Africa. The climate is very warm and the Equator means that some parts are tropical while others have a

rainy season for six months of the year.The Serengeti Plains is the most well-known savanna region in Africa.

The Serengeti is home to many of the animals

people associate with Africa including lions,

hyenas, zebras, giraffes and elephants.

The steppe is a dry, grassy plain which receives enough water for grasses to grow but not enough for trees. It separates the savanna and desert and is almost a mix of the two areas: it

is hot and dry in the summer but cooler with some rain in the winter.

Many species of snakes and lizards live here

as do species of gazelle.

The Equator means that there are also rainforests in Africa: hot, humid areas of densely-packed trees. The trees are so close together that in some places it can take a drop of rain

10 minutes to reach the ground. Most of these rainforests are found in the Congo river basin. The Congo rainforest itself is famous for its gorillas, chimpanzees and elephants.

Over 8,000 plant species have been

discovered in the rainforest of Africa.

The Mediterranean parts of Africa have two seasons: hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. They are found along the coast in the north and south. Despite the long, hot summers and

long, wet winters, there are many types of trees, grasses and shrubs found here.

The seasonal changes here are due to

changes in ocean currents- the movement of

water we learnt about in the Under the Sea

topic.

Africa is a continent which is rich in natural resources including diamonds, salt, sugar, gold, iron, uranium, silver, petrol, cocoa, wood and tropical fruits. However,

Africa lacks water and it’s estimated that 300 million people (almost half of the continent’s population) do not have enough water, including safe drinking water.

To find water, some people must travel hours

to natural sources such as rivers or lakes.

They then have to carry containers weighing

up to 40 pounds (the same as a five year old

child) hours back to their home.

The people most affected by this water shortage are the poorest people and the lack of water means they cannot escape this poverty.

Many charities help build wells which give communities safe drinking water which is close to their homes. This allows children to return to school, adults to go to work, families to grow

food and means that everyone is much healthier as they’re no longer drinking dirty, dangerous water.

One reason water is so limited in Africa is that it’s often severely affected by droughts: long periods of time with unusually low rainfall which leads to water shortages. There is currently a drought in Southern Africa. Governments of different countries have been sending food and water aid to people affected by this and developing community water sources, purchasing drought-tolerant seeds (which are not as affected by drought) and creating food reserve

stocks.

Charities are also providing relief to the millions

of people affected by it.

Africa’s physical geographical diversity means that there are many species of animal living there. Some of them are

only found in Africa.

The Big Five are some of the most famous African animals. These animals were the five which big-game hunters found most difficult to hunt and so this is where the term Big Five originated. These

days, the term is used by tourists and safari tour operators.

The African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros, African Leopard, Cape Buffalo and African Lion are now iconic animals

which are well-loved and even feature on South Africa’s banknotes.

The African Elephant is the largest land animal on Earth and is a mammal.

Females, called cows, and young elephants live in matriarchal groups which are led by one female, the matriarch, which is usually the oldest, biggest elephant. Male elephants, called bulls, live alone.

The elephant’s famous trunk is actually a long nose which is used for smelling, breathing,

drinking, trumpeting and grabbing things: African elephants have two finger-like features on the end

which they can use to pick things up. The elephant’s large ears help to keep them cool and they can also spray themselves with water

using their trunk.

Elephants rarely sleep but they do spend a lot of time eating. They are herbivores (animals which

feed on plants) and so eat roots, grasses, fruit and bark consuming up to 300 pounds of food a day.

African elephants are a keystone species which means they play a vital

role in their ecosystem by shaping their habitat. For example, in the dry season, they use their tusks to dig up

dry riverbeds which creates waterholes for many animals and their

dung is full of seeds which helps plants spread.

The Black Rhinoceros, which is actually grey, is a mammal and is one of the heaviest land animals

weighing up to 3,000 pounds.Except for females, also called cows, and their young,

black rhinos are all solitary (living alone).

Black rhinos have two horns made from keratin- the same protein that makes hair and fingernails- not bone.

The front is much longer; they have been known to grow up to five feet long! Their horns are used for

protection or during fights. Unfortunately, many rhinos are killed by poachers for their horns as some countries

use them in medicines.

Black rhinos are herbivores which feed by browsing: eating high-growing vegetation like leaves and bark.

They feed at night and during the day, they take cover from the sun by lying in the shade. Rhinos are also wallowers: they roll in the mud of water holes which coats their skin with a natural bug repellent and sun

block.

Both black and white rhinos are actually grey. The difference between

them is the shape of their lips: the white rhino has a squared lip while

black rhinos have a pointed upper lip which allows them to pluck leaves and

fruit from branches.

The African Leopard is a mammal which is recognisable by its distinctive, dark spots which are called rosettes

because they are similar to a rose shape. Leopards are nocturnal (active at night), solitary animals which spend the majority of the day resting in caves or trees and so

are notoriously difficult to find.

Leopards are smaller than lions or tigers but are still very powerful. They are carnivores (animals which eat other animals) which often feed on antelope, deer and

pigs. They are strong swimmers which are very comfortable in water so they sometimes eat crabs or

fish too.

Leopards spend a lot of time in trees and they are so strong that often drag their kills up into the branches; this stops other predators from taking their kills. They also hunt from trees as their spotted coats mean they

are well camouflaged to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

Like many other big cats, leopards communicate through distinctive calls. They even purr when they are happy.

The Cape Buffalo is the most common subspecies of African Buffalo. They are unpredictable and

temperamental creatures which are able to survive in many habitats so they’re found in a variety of African

countries. Buffalo are herbivores which spend the majority of their day feeding on grass.

Cape buffalo live in herds of anywhere from 50 to 500 individuals. During the rainy season, they can gather in

their thousands which protects them from predators.

The Cape Buffalo is seven feet from its tip to tail and its curved horns make it even more imposing. Adult males have horns which meet in the middle of their heads to create a helmet while female horns are smaller and

narrower. The buffalo’s horns are often used for defence and to determine dominance (power over others) as buffalos live in a hierarchy where some

individuals have authority over the rest.

Buffalo are often observed covered in mud with a bird on their back. The

mud helps the buffalo to get rid of ticks and fleas which stick onto their skin and the birds eat these parasites.

The African Lion is the second largest big cat which is famous for its loud roar (sometimes heard from up to five miles away) and the male lion’s mane: a fringe of

long hair which circles its head.

These mammals are the only cats that live in groups which are called prides. Prides are family groups of

anywhere from two to forty lions in which the females raise the cubs together. All of the lionesses (females) are related as female cubs stay within their pride so young males must leave to establish their own pride

when they grow old enough.

Lions are carnivores which often prey on antelopes, zebras, wildebeest and other large herbivores. The

lionesses are the primary hunters and leaders and they hunt as a team to take down their prey. Lions also live in a hierarchy so the head male feeds first, followed by

the females and then the cubs.

Lions are the only known cat species which roar together with even young

cubs joining in with their mews. A pride’s calling sequence usually lasts about 40 seconds and is used to mark

their territory.

Africa is famous for its artistic patterns which have been influenced by the wide variety of natural patterns in the

continent. There are two groups of patterns: geometric and symbolic. Geometric patterns are those that use spirals, circles, zigzags and curved lines which symbolic patterns use images

which have a meaning for the artist such as stars, flowers, trees or animals. These patterns can be seen on clothes, jewellery,

baskets, rugs and even houses.

The different regions and countries of Africa mean that traditional music is rich and diverse and many countries have distinct musical traditions. Music is often played at gatherings and special occasions and is very important when it comes to religion: songs and music are used in

rituals and religious ceremonies to pass down stories from generation to generation as well as to sing and dance to.

Traditional African music is highly rhythmic and uses a wide array of

musical instruments including drums, rattles, harps and xylophones.

You can listen to some traditional African music using the video

Traditional African Music on the class page.

Fair trade is an agreement which helpings people working in developing countries by ensuring they are paid a fair wage for

their work and they have safe working conditions. Many products can be fair trade including all of the ones you see below.

Africa exports (sends to another country for sale) lots of food and drink items we enjoy every day including cocoa, tea, bananas, pineapples,

mango and coffee. Copy and paste this link: https://schools.fairtrade.org.uk/resource/samuel/ to watch Samuel’s

Fairtrade Story: a film about the life of Samuel Maina who is a fair trade coffee farmer living in Kenya. The video has been filmed with a 360 degree

camera which means you can explore the video using your mouse.

Sometimes when people think of Africa, they think of the tribal people who follow

traditional African culture. We will look at life in these traditional tribes in more

detail than life in towns and cities but it is really important to know that this is not

life for everyone in Africa.

Many people live in large cities which are some of the most vibrant,

cultured and fun cities in the world.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Nairobi, Kenya Cairo, Egypt

Did you know there are 55 different countries

in Africa? As it is such a large place and the

physical geography is so diverse, life in

different countries is very different too.

Unfortunately, we don’t have time to learn

about all of them so we will be focusing on just one: Kenya.

Kenya is a country on Africa’s east coast with a

population of approximately 48 million people. Almost

¾ of Kenyans are Christian and there are two official

languages of Kenya: English and Bantu Swahili.

Scientists believe that the ancestors of modern

humans came from Africa; the oldest human footprint,

dating back 1.5 million years, has been in found in

Kenya.

Kenya is famous for its capital city, Nairobi, Maasai Mara game

reserve and some of the most beautiful beaches in Africa. It is a great

country for us to look at because it shows us how diverse life in Africa

is even in just one country.

Life in urban Kenya is very similar to life in any other town or city. Watch

the BBC video called Life in Kenya on the class page to see what a day

is like for a child living in Kenya (the video is 10 years old but daily life is

not so different now).

One big difference about living in Kenya is the wildlife. Only twenty minutes outside of

Nairobi, you can find Nairobi National Park which is the only protected area in the world to

be found so close to a nation’s capital. This 113 km² of grass plains, cliffs and forest is

home to herds of buffalo, zebra and giraffes which live alongside rhino, cheetah and lions.

Imagine living on the edge of the city and having a national park in your back garden.

One of the things Kenya is most well-known for is the Maasai Mara game reserve (a game

reserve is a protected area for animals). The Maasai Mara is one of the most famous and

important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa and is world-renowned for its

exceptional populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs and elephants. It also hosts the Great

Migration in July each year: one of the most impressive natural events worldwide involving

some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson’s gazelles and 200,000 zebras migrating

north from the Serengeti plains.

It is a very popular attraction for tourists going on safari due to the wealth of animals living

there and the beautiful scenery. Watch the video African Safari on the class page to learn

more about safaris and see some of the animals.

The Maasai Mara is named after one of the many tribes in Kenya: the Maasai

are the indigenous people that first lived there. There are over 1.5 million

Maasai living in Tanzania and Kenya however the majority still live in the

Maasai Mara. They have maintained their traditional lifestyle which sets them apart from other Kenyan tribes.

The Maasai Mara are recognisable by their

colourful beaded necklaces and the shuka

cloth: a predominantly red, thick cloth which they wrap around their body.

The Maasai are semi-nomadic which means

they have no permanent homes and instead

move from place to place with the seasons and

build temporary homes. The Maasai women are

responsible for building the Inkajijik, a traditional

hut, made from a mixture of mud, cow dung,

sticks and grass.

They are known for their courage and their

singing and dancing particularly the Maasai

adamu or jumping dance. The men jump with

the highest jumper being seen as the best

while the women shake their necks and shoulders which rattles their thick necklaces.

While many Maasai live according to their semi-nomadic lifestyle and traditions,

there are modern Maasai who have moved away from this. These are educated,

successful individuals working modern jobs in businesses and roles such as

doctors, teachers, police officers and politicians. This is particularly common

amongst younger Maasai which means some people have wondered whether the

Maasai way of life may die out one day.

There are many Africans who have made amazing achievements and discoveries but we do not have time to look

at them all. Instead, we’re going to focus on one man who fought for people to be treated equally and for everyone to be

treated fairly: Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela lived in South Africa. When he was growing up, there was a huge racial divide in which white people led more privileged lives with good jobs, education, nice homes and access to healthcare. Black people did not have these

things and also had fewer rights; they were not even allowed to vote. In 1948, a system called apartheid was introduced in South Africa which was made up of racist rules. Black people

had to live separate lives from white people: they were not allowed to live in the same areas, share a table in a

restaurant, attend the same schools or even sit together on a train or bus.

Nelson Mandela knew that people deserve to be treated the same, regardless of their skin colour. He protested against apartheid and was arrested and held in prison for 5 years. While he was in prison, the government banned anti-apartheid groups. Nelson Mandela continued to protest after he left prison and he formed a secret military group with others who also knew that racism is wrong. In 1963, he was arrested and charged

with plotting to try and overthrow the government. He spent the next 27 years in prison.

Over time, Nelson Mandela became a famous prisoner, and there were protests around

the world to free him. Other countries had pressured South Africa to end apartheid but

Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment led to more support than ever. In 1990, the president of

South Africa set Nelson Mandela free. They then worked together to end apartheid and

give equal rights to everyone which resulted in them winning the Nobel Peace Prize in

1993 for their outstanding contributions to peace.

In the 1994 general election, everyone was allowed to vote and Nelson Mandela became

South Africa’s first Black president. He worked hard to further improve standards and to

create equality for all people. He was only president for five years but he continued to be

an important figure for peace and civil rights. He passed away in December 2013 but his

values are still very much alive today. The 18th July, his birthday, is now officially Nelson

Mandela Day. Every year, people remember his courage and determination to do what he

knew was right.