Natural resources and minerals of central Africa. Africa's natural resource potential

home For a long time Africa was seen as a continent where one could have a good holiday (the largest and most interesting safaris take place here) and make good money selling forest resources. But at present, a comprehensive development of all types of resources is being carried out, and the carried out research papers

have proven that Africa has enormous potential, since rich mineral deposits are concentrated here and other types of natural resources have not yet been fully developed.

The abundance of warmth, a favorable climate and the slightly rugged terrain of Africa are the most important prerequisites for possible rapid economic growth.

Water resources The largest African rivers are located in the western and central parts

continent. These are rivers such as the Congo, Zambezi, Niger, and Orange. There are fewer rivers to the north and south. Moreover, most of them are located in deserts and do not have constant flow, filling only during the rainy season. Therefore, Africa is considered the continent least endowed with water reserves. There is only 2930 thousand cubic meters of fresh water here, and most of it fresh water located in underground reservoirs. If we take into account the average indicators, then the annual volume of water per person is 12 thousand cubic meters. This is enough to ensure a normal life. But certain areas of Africa are in dire need of water resources, as it is necessary to take into account equatorial climate with him abnormal heat

and the presence of large desert areas.

Africa's water resources are used mainly for urban water supply, land irrigation and industrial needs. But only 2% of the continent is irrigated. IN Lately

Hydraulic engineering has developed greatly. Thousands of dams and reservoirs have been built over several decades. More than 100 reservoirs have a volume of over 100 million cubic meters of water. Africa ranks second in the world in hydropower reserves (after Asia).

Land resources

But at the moment, no more than 20% of the land is cultivated. This is due to soil erosion, large areas of desert land and lack of water. In addition, a huge part of the continent is occupied by tropical forests and jungles and farming in these areas is impossible.

There is another danger threatening Africa's land resources - the spread of deserts across fertile soils. The situation is particularly dangerous in the countries of Central Africa.

Forest resources

In terms of forest area, Africa ranks third in the world after Russia and Latin America. Forests cover an area of ​​650 million hectares, which is 17% of all forests in the world. Dry climates predominate in the east and south rainforests, in the central and western parts- wet.

Unfortunately, deforestation and irrational use lead to the degradation of forest resources. For example, 80% of energy in the countries of Western and Central Africa is obtained by burning wood; in the south of the continent this figure is 70%. They cut down forests to get valuable species tree. While afforestation and distribution protected areas are not producing the desired results and Africa's forests are under threat of extinction.

Mineral resources

Africa has many mineral resources. Let us note only those for which this continent leads the world in production: gold (76% of world production), diamonds (96%), manganese ores (57%), uranium (35%), chromites (67%), cobalt (68%). ), phosphorites (31%).

The richest African country in minerals is South Africa. And in North Africa and the south of the continent large reserves of oil, graphite, and natural gas are concentrated.

One of the main problems in African countries that hinders the use of mineral resources is the lack of processing enterprises. Therefore, almost 80% of extracted minerals are exported to other countries.

Alternative energy sources

Africa is the hottest continent, and it would seem that it should lead in the use of alternative energy sources such as sun, wind and thermal springs. But all this remains in the project for now. Investors are in no hurry to invest in the development of African economies because, according to estimates World Bank, costs here increase by 20-40% compared to other developing countries.

So far, only a few projects have been implemented. The Abener gas-solar power plant with a capacity of 500 MW has started operating, and the Olkaria geothermal power plant in Kenya is also operating.

The northern part of the continent could become the richest source of wind energy, but projects to build such plants are still in the development stage.

Africa is the second largest continent in the world, washed by waters Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean And Atlantic Ocean. The equator line divides the continent almost equally, influencing climatic conditions. The northern part of Africa is drier and hotter, while the southern part is wetter and cooler.

Africa's natural resources are the backbone of the continent's economy and continue to represent an important opportunity for developing the well-being of its people:

• Nearly 20 million people are employed in the fishing sector, which generates profits of more than $24 billion a year;
• For 90 million inhabitants, fishing is important means to existence;
• Africa is home to the second largest;
• More than 70% of sub-Saharan Africa's population is significantly dependent on forest resources;
• Land on the continent is an asset for economic development, as well as a social, cultural and ontological resource;
• Africa is the second driest inhabited continent in the world. However, in the center of the Congo Basin, the most a large number of precipitation;
• About 30% of the world's mineral reserves are located here (of which: oil makes up 10%, and natural gas - 8%). Africa has the world's largest deposits of cobalt, diamonds, platinum and uranium.

Water resources

Africa contains about 9% of the world's fresh water reserves. Sub-Saharan Africa faces numerous accessibility challenges that are holding back economic growth and threatening livelihoods. In African agriculture, less than 10% of arable land is irrigated.

African countries are home to hundreds of millions of people who suffer from a lack of fresh water. World organization World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than 40% of the world's water-stressed population lives in sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, only 44% of the population is urban and 24% rural residents have adequate sanitary conditions.

Women and children in Africa are forced to walk kilometers to collect water from streams and ponds, which often contains pathogens that cause acute illness. intestinal infections. It is estimated that almost 50% of all Africans suffer from water-related diseases, and 20% of child deaths worldwide are the result of diseases due to drinking poor water.

Lack of access to clean water is one of the main causes of poverty in Africa. Without quality fresh water, people cannot grow food and be healthy, go to school, and go to work.

Causes of water shortage

Water is distributed unevenly throughout Africa. About 75% of the continent's water resources are concentrated mainly in eight large river basins. Climatic and environmental changes water supplies were further reduced. Because of anthropogenic impact, including industrial, agricultural water pollution, etc., only a small portion of fresh water is available for human consumption.

Climate change and deforestation in Africa have led to an increase in desertification. With less rainfall than in the past, local people in some areas have found it difficult to continue traditional grazing and farming, with some people even resorting to cutting down and burning remaining trees to use them for fuel or for profit. Because Africa's people and economies are so dependent on rainfall, extreme climate conditions and droughts take a significant toll.

Africa's economic growth has been fueled by the exploitation of natural resources, leading to water pollution and increased demand for water resources. Removal of industrial waste to waterways, unregulated use of agrochemicals, oil spills, etc., have led to the pollution of inland water resources.

Water scarcity problems are exacerbated in areas with higher population densities where areas are undergoing rapid urbanization. As populations grow in urban areas and demand for water increases in already stressed regions, the problem of water scarcity becomes more acute.

Forest resources

Use and management - important economic activity Africa. On average, forest products account for 6% of Africa's gross domestic product (GDP), more than any other continent. This is a result of Africa's abundant forest cover with 0.8 hectares per capita compared to 0.6 hectares in on a global scale. Africa's total forest resources account for 17% of the world's reserves. In central and western Africa, where forests are more abundant, the forestry sector contributes more than 60% of GDP.

The export of forest products, especially high-quality wood species such as mahogany and okoume, generates significant income. These forests are mainly found in the Congo Basin countries, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, where there is dense tropical forest. Trees are typically exported to Japan, Israel and the European Union.

However, Africa's forestry sector is plagued by illegal logging and the excessive destruction of certain tree species. Many species of both redwood and okoume trees are at risk. Experts say over-logging will eventually destroy forest environments a habitat. The seedlings planted to replace trees that have been cut down do not grow fast enough, and the rainforests in which these trees grow are destroyed for use in agriculture and urban development.

Today, Africa is torn between developing forest resources, exploiting them and making a profit, and protecting them. natural landscapes from excessive exhaustion.

Land resources

Africa, with more than 200 million hectares of fertile land suitable for use in national economy, has extremely low agricultural productivity - only 25% of potential.

Some parts of the African continent experience cold temperatures, hence the plants that grow in these conditions have adapted to the cold. These include gladioli, freesia, clivia, ground cover plants, succulents, herbaceous perennials, etc.

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Africa is the hottest and poorest (if we take into account the standard of living of the population) continent on Earth. These facts about the Dark Continent are familiar to everyone. But few people know that this continent owns colossal reserves of diamonds, gold, bauxite and phosphorites. In this article we will talk in detail about the geological structure, topography and natural resources of Africa (forest, water and mineral).

General information

Africa is the second largest continent on the planet. This is where the largest land mammals in the world live - elephants and hippos. This is where the most languages ​​and dialects are found. This is where the fastest and most resilient people on Earth are born. This continent has plenty of records! In this article we will concentrate on its natural resources.

Africa occupies a unique geographical position. This is the only continent on the planet that is located exactly between both subtropics - northern and southern. The equator line crosses it almost in the middle. Thanks to this, the nature of northern Africa almost mirrors natural features its southern part.

Covering an area of ​​29 million square kilometers, Africa covers approximately 6% of the Earth's surface (and about 20% of the Earth's landmass). The continent is washed by two oceans - the Atlantic and Indian. It is separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, and from Asia by the Red Sea. Within Africa there are 55 independent states. This is more than on any other continent on Earth.

Geological structure and relief of Africa

Africa is an extremely compact continent. It lies almost entirely within the ancient African lithospheric plate. Only the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Cape Mountains in the extreme south belong to fold zones. The foundation of this platform is composed of ancient rocks of Precambrian age. These are mainly gneisses, granites and crystalline schists.

Africa is a high continent. Average height its surface is 750 meters. This is explained by the fact that in the Cenozoic era the entire continent experienced uplift, which was especially active along its edges. About 70% of Africa's area is in plateaus and plateaus, another 20% is in mountains and highlands, and only 10% of the territory is occupied by lowlands. By features geological structure and relief Africa is usually divided into two parts:

• High (southern and eastern parts of the mainland).
• Low (northern and western regions).

Vast expanses of the continent are occupied by rocky and sandy deserts. Among them is the most big desert in the world - Sahara. Its monotonous and boring landscape is somewhat enlivened by the rocky ledges of the Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands. The highest point of the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m). It is located within the East African Plateau. The most low point- this is the level of Lake Assal (157 meters below the level of the World Ocean).

Mineral resources of the mainland

Africa's natural resources are extremely diverse. Especially mineral ones. How large is the list of mineral resources of the mainland?

Africa is the absolute leader on the planet in terms of gold production. About half of this metal ever mined from the depths of the Earth comes from one area - the Witwatersrand Mountains in South Africa. The mainland has been the world's main supplier of gold since ancient times. The main gold-mining countries in Africa: South Africa, Congo, Ghana and Mali.

North Africa is rich in oil and gas deposits. States such as Libya, Algeria and Nigeria are among the world leaders in the production and processing of hydrocarbons. It is important to note that African oil is different high quality and is appreciated all over the world. In the north of the Black Continent, phosphorites are also mined - a sedimentary rock widely used in chemical and metallurgical industry. About 50% of all phosphorites in the world are mined from deposits located between Libya and the Atlas Mountains.

Another wealth of Africa is diamonds. What can we say, even if the so-called kimberlite pipe was named after one of the provinces of South Africa. It was there that a pipe of this type was first discovered. The largest diamond deposits in Africa are developed in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

African subsoil is also rich in ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Thus, manganese, titanium, aluminum (bauxite), copper, lead, nickel, tin, and antimony are mined on the continent. Most of All these deposits are concentrated in two countries - the Republic of Congo and South Africa. But the famous island of Madagascar is famous for the world's largest graphite deposits.

African water resources

One of the most acute problems This continent is experiencing water shortages. On average, every African travels four kilometers every day to the nearest source of clean fresh water.

A relatively dense river network is typical only for the central (near-equatorial) and southern regions, where a sufficient amount of precipitation falls. atmospheric precipitation. Largest rivers continents are the Nile, Congo, Niger, Zambezi and Orange. But within the Sahara Desert, which occupies almost a third of the continent’s territory, there is not a single natural watercourse with a constant flow.

There are also few lakes in Africa. The largest bodies of water (Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa) are located in large tectonic faults.

Forests of Africa

Compared to other continents of the planet (for example, Eurasia or South America), forest resources Africa is also not very rich. The most extensive arrays virgin forests are located in the Congo River basin. These are the so-called evergreen forests equatorial belt. Their total area is over 170 million hectares. About 40 species of plants with unusually valuable wood grow here (kaya, ebony, red and santalwood, avodira and others).

For North Africa Characterized by rare subtropical forests growing on the Mediterranean coast and the slopes of the Atlas. The most common tree species This region includes holm and cork oak, wild olive, strawberry tree, pistachio and Aleppo pine.

South Africa also has subtropical forests. They preserve a number of endemics of the Cape flora - bearded todea, laurel olive, Haeckel's podocarpus and other types of woody vegetation.

It should be noted that in most African countries, logging is carried out solely to meet the needs of the local population. In countries such as Angola, Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Cameroon and Ghana, valuable species timber is harvested for export.

Finally

This continent has the richest and most diverse natural resources. Africa produces oil, gas, diamonds, gold, bauxite, manganese, iron, phosphorites, chromites, tin, and dozens of other minerals. The relief of the Black Continent is also quite diverse. It is dominated by highlands, elevated plateaus and plateaus.

Among other continents, Africa ranks first in reserves of diamonds, gold, platinum, manganese, chromites, bauxites and phosphorites. There are large reserves of coal, oil and copper, iron, uranium, and cobalt ores. Besides mineral raw materials Africa is often characterized by high quality and low production costs. The richest in minerals - it has almost the full range of known fossil resources, with the exception of oil, natural gas, and bauxite.

However, mineral reserves are unevenly distributed. Among the countries in the region, there are countries that are very poor in resource reserves (CAR, CAR, etc.), which significantly complicates their development.

Africa's significant land reserves are due to the predominance of flat land (the Atlas, Fouta Djallon, Cape and Drakensberg mountains are located only on the outskirts of the continent), as well as the presence of (red-yellow, black, brown soils) equatorial forests, brown soils of the subtropics, alluvial soils of river valleys), vast natural pastures (areas of savannas, steppes and semi-deserts occupy about half the area of ​​Africa) favorable for various types agricultural activities.

A favorable condition is a high supply of thermal resources (the sum of active temperatures is 6,000-10,000 °C).

However, moisture conditions significantly limit development opportunities Agriculture in this region. In almost 2/3 of Africa, sustainable agriculture is possible only with... In the equatorial region of Africa, where the amount of precipitation is 1500 mm or more per year, there is an excess of moisture, in the semi-deserts and deserts of the northern and southern hemisphere( , Namib, ), - on the contrary, its disadvantage. Most favorable for agriculture natural conditions windward slopes of the Atlas and Cape Mountains, Mediterranean regions, eastern marginal regions, where precipitation amounts to 800-1000 mm per year.

Africa has significant . By total area It is second only to Russia in forests. But the average is much lower. In addition, deforestation has recently become rampant due to increased tree felling.

Africa has certain . On the one hand, these are resorts on sea ​​coast(primarily the coast of the Mediterranean and Red Seas), on the other - monuments of world culture (the cradle of ancient Egyptian civilization). In this regard, it stands out especially. In addition, Africa is creating National parks, in which you can see a wide variety of flora and fauna. First of all, this applies to where international tourism In terms of income, it is second only to coffee exports.

The video lesson is dedicated to the topic “ Natural resource potential and general characteristics of the African economy." From the lesson you will learn what resources the continent is rich in and what is special about their use. The teacher will tell you in detail about the specifics of the economy of African countries. How additional material The lesson covers three topics: “Monoculture”, “South Africa” and “Trans-African Highways”.

Topic: Africa

Lesson: Natural resource potential and general characteristics African economies

Africa is exceptionally rich in mineral resources, although they are still poorly studied. Among other continents it ranks first in reserves of the following natural resources:

1. Manganese ore.

2. Khromitov.

3. Bauxite.

4. Gold.

5. Platinum.

6. Cobalt.

7. Almazov.

8. Phosphorites.

There are also great resources of oil, natural gas, graphite, and asbestos. Africa's share of the world mining industry- 1/4. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries.

Rice. 1. Diamond mining in Africa ()

Central Africa has large reserves of forest and water resources.

In addition, significant and land resources Africa. There is more cultivated land per inhabitant than in South-East Asia or Latin America. In total, 20% of the land suitable for agriculture is cultivated. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This, in turn, aggravates the problem of hunger, which is very relevant in Africa.

Rice. 3. Map of desertification in Africa ()

The agroclimatic resources of Africa are determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent and lies entirely within the average annual isotherm of +20 °C. But at the same time, the main factor determining the differences in climatic conditions, are precipitation. 30% of the territory is arid regions occupied by deserts, 30% receives 200-600 mm of precipitation, but is subject to droughts; equatorial regions suffer from excess moisture. Therefore, on 2/3 of Africa, sustainable agriculture is possible only through reclamation work.

After gaining independence, African countries began to make efforts to overcome centuries of backwardness. The restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy began. The greatest successes along this path have been achieved in the mining industry, which now accounts for 1/4 of the world's production volume.

Despite certain successes, most regions of Africa are still characterized by a colonial type of economy.

Main features colonial type farms:

1. The predominance of small-scale agriculture.

2. Poor development of the manufacturing industry.

3. Significant backlog of transport.

4. Limitation of the non-productive sphere to trade and services only.

5. Monocultural specialization.

Africa exports bananas, coffee, tea, dates, citrus fruits and other agricultural products.

In total, there are seven main mining regions in Africa. Three of them are in North Africa and four are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rice. 4. Map of mining areas in Africa ()

Mining areas of Africa:

1. The Atlas Mountains region is distinguished by reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, and phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).

2. The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron, titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.

3. The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by its largest oil and gas fields.

4. The Western Guinea region is characterized by a combination of gold, diamonds, iron ores, graphites.

5. The East Guinea region is rich in oil, gas, and metal ores.

6. Zaire-Zambian region. On its territory there is a unique “Copper Belt” with deposits of high-quality copper ores, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, silver. Congo (formerly Zaire) is the world's main producer and exporter of cobalt.

7. The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of oil, gas and bauxite.

Africa is divided into 5 regions or 2 large regions (North Africa and Tropical Africa).

Rice. 5. Map of African regions ()

Each region differs in the composition and distribution of the population, natural and climatic conditions, resources, and economic specialization. Tropical Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa) is the least industrialized, least urbanized region of the world, and the most backward region of the world.

Rice. 6. Map Tropical Africa ()

Monocultural specialization- narrow specialization of the country’s economy in the production of one, usually raw material or food product intended mainly for export.

Rice. 7. Monocultures of African countries ()

Republic of South Africa. This country ranks first in Africa in many indicators of economic development. South Africa accounts for the lion's share of Africa's GDP, manufacturing output and vehicle fleet. South Africa is distinguished by the development of the mining industry, the extraction of gold, diamonds, iron ores, etc.

Trans-African highways: Maghreb, which connects all the countries of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt (Rabat - Cairo) and runs along the Mediterranean coast; Trans-Saharan Railway Algiers (Algeria) - Lagos (Nigeria); Trans-African highway Lagos - Mombasa (Kenya), or the West - East highway, etc.

Homework

Topic 8, P. 1, 2

1. What resources is Africa richest in?

2. What is monoculture?

Bibliography

Main

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Additional

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Literature for preparing for the State Exam and the Unified State Exam

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2. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.

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4. The most complete edition of standard versions of real Unified State Examination tasks: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyova. - M.: AST: Astrel, 2010. - 223 p.

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8. Unified State Exam 2009. Geography. Universal materials for preparing students / FIPI - M.: Intellect-Center, 2009. - 240 p.

9. Geography. Answers on questions. Oral examination, theory and practice / V.P. Bondarev. - M.: Publishing house "Exam", 2003. - 160 p.

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12. Unified State Exam 2011. Geography: Standard exam options: 31 options / Ed. V.V. Barabanova. - M.: National Education, 2010. - 280 p.

Materials on the Internet

1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ( ).

2. Federal portal Russian Education ().

3. Electronic version of the journal Geography ().