Africa Study Guide
How many different languages are spoken in Africa?
1,000 languages
Does Africa have a high or low literacy rate. What does this mean and how does literacy rate affect the standard of living in Africa?
Africa has a low literacy rate. Less than half of people in Africa can read and write. If many people can't read and write then it means they can't further their education and learn skills and information that will help them to get better paying jobs and take better care of themselves and their families.
Name three of Africa's natural resources.
Africa's great natural resources include vast reserves like gold, silver, and copper. Gemstone deposits include diamonds, and huge rainforests produce mahogany. Energy resources include oil and coal.
What is Africa's largest industry?
Agriculture.
What five European powers colonized almost the entire continent of Africa by 1900?
Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy
Name some of the destructive insects found in Africa.
Colonies of ants build huge anthills. Termites and locusts plague many areas. Certain mosquitoes carry diseases, including malaria. The tsetse fly transmits sleeping sickness, which affects both humans and animals.
Name the 5 climate regions found in Africa.
Desert, Rainforest, Savannah, Steppe and Mediterranean.
What is an import?
Goods that are brought into a country.
What is an export?
Goods that are sent out of a country.
Name three industries that are just starting to grow in Africa?
Hydroelectric power, manufacturing and transportation.
What are the two major religions practiced in Africa?
Islam and Christianity
What is a Kente cloth and how was it used in Africa culture?
Kente cloth is a brightly colored cloth with gold threads woven into its design. It was a special design that indicated that the person wearing it had the status of royalty.
What rare wood is found in Africa and is used in furniture and cabinets?
Mahogany
Name three major crops grown and or livestock raised in Africa?
Major crops include bananas, cacao, coffee, tea, tobacco, barley, citrus fruits, corn, dates, oats, olives, wheat, corn (maize), cotton, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, peanuts, sorghum, and soybeans. Herds of camels, cattle, pigs, poultry, goats and sheep.
Where is the highest point in Africa?
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
What are the benefits of setting up national parks in Africa?
National parks protect animals from extinction. The national parks have also encouraged tourists to visit to observe animals in their native habitats which helps provide jobs and grow local economies. National parks also help scientists to study and learn more about animal behavior in their natural habitats.
Europe is in what direction from Africa?
North
What three factors contribute to Africa having the highest death rate of any continent?
Poor health care, poor diets, and lack of sanitation contribute to the high death rate in Africa.
Gold and diamond mining are the largest industry in what African country?
South Africa
Describe the Mediterranean climate zone of Africa.
The Mediterranean climate zones in Africa have mild temperatures, wet winters, and dry summers and are found in the northwest and southwest regions of Africa.
What river in Africa is also considered the longest river in the world?
The Nile River. The Nile river is about 4, 145 miles long.
What desert in Africa is also the largest desert in the world?
The Sahara Desert
What climate region is home to most of Africa's wildlife?
The Savannah region.
Explain why the numbers of wildlife in Africa have decreased considerably in recent years?
The hunting and poaching (the illegal killing of animals to sell skins or tusks) have lowered the animal population. Also Increased deforestation and farming has decreased the numbers of wildlife in their natural habitats. As more land is cleared and used for farming, less is available as a habitat for animals.
Besides being pleasing in appearance, explain how African art serves a useful purpose. Give at least two examples.
The items that are considered beautiful works of art are also often serve a practical function in daily life and religious ceremonies. Baskets are used to carry things, pottery and eating utensils are used in the cooking, storing and serving of food, and textiles (woven or knitted cloths) are used for clothing and to indicate the social status of the person wearing the cloth. Masks and headdresses are also used in religious ceremonies and other rituals.
When is the rainy season in Africa's regions that are north of the equator? South of the equator, the rainy season is from October to March. Regions near the equator have year-round rain.
The rainy season for regions north of the equator is from April to September
When is the rainy season in African regions that are south of the equator?
The rainy season for regions south of the equator is from October to March.
True or False: Africa is the home to a greater variety of animal life than any other continent.
True
True or False: There are over a billion people living in Africa and it is considered one of the world's fastest growing continents.
True
True or False: Africa is the second largest continent of all seven continents.
True.
True or False. Africa has more countries than any other continent.
True. Africa has 54 countries.
One of the world's most beautiful waterfalls is located in Africa. What is the name of these waterfalls and in what country are they found?
Victoria Falls. They are found in the country of Zimbabwe.
North America is in what direction from Africa?
West
Which instruments are an important part of African music? a. drums and other percussion b. piano and clarinet c. violin and harmonica d. banjo and fiddle
a. drums and other percussion
Describe what happens to the landscape and environment of Africa as the demand for rare wood like Mahogany for furniture and cabinet making increases and for other wood to burn for fuel increases. (We discussed in class)
deforestation of forests of Africa, displaces some people groups, damages plant and animal ecosystems, brings air and land pollution from heavy machinery used in the process of cutting down trees.
What are the major forms of art found in African culture?
masks, pottery, textiles, beadwork, and sculpture.
