Geography of the West of Africa
West Africa Geography
By Princedip Lidhar
November 8th, 2012
West Africa has a wide variety of different environments. The environments range from tropical rainforests to deserts to modern cities and tropical islands. As you travel to the south, the climate gets wetter. Similarly, as you travel to the north, the climate gets drier. The reason this happens is because Africa is split right through the middle by the equator. Above the equator lies the tropic of cancer. Most of West Africa that is sheltered by the northern tropic is a tropical rainforest. As a result, vegetation in West Africa is unevenly distributed. Some regions are very dry, which makes farming difficult, while other regions are full of fertile soil. This uneven distribution of vegetation clearly impacts the people that live there. Many people in West Africa are farmers. They depend on rainfall for their livelihood and survival. Some regions vary in terms of annual rainfall, causing droughts or poor harvests. This annual variation is a big problem in the region called the Sahel, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east.
Another source of water other than rainfall is rivers. There are a handful of rivers in West Africa including the Senegal River and the Niger River. Since rainfall varies and can’t always be trusted, rivers are the best option for a water source. People in West Africa are more likely to live near these rivers instead of relying on rainfall. Due to this common belief, the population around these rivers is higher than the population around deserts.
There are many environmental issues in West Africa such as drought, soil erosion, desertification, and deforestation. All of these problems are present because of the impact of geography. West Africa’s geography has caused a lack of necessary natural resources for people’s daily lives such as water, food, and firewood. Some regions in West Africa suffer a lot more from these problems than others, particularly the Sahel region. The Sahel experienced widespread starvation during the years 1968-1974. It also experienced widespread starvation during the years 1984-1985. Generally, rainfall has decreased since the 1960’s; however, population has grown. This has made it difficult to produce enough food locally to feed everyone. As desertification and deforestation continue in West Africa, the environment is slowly becoming more desert-like in the Sahel.
By Princedip Lidhar
November 8th, 2012
West Africa has a wide variety of different environments. The environments range from tropical rainforests to deserts to modern cities and tropical islands. As you travel to the south, the climate gets wetter. Similarly, as you travel to the north, the climate gets drier. The reason this happens is because Africa is split right through the middle by the equator. Above the equator lies the tropic of cancer. Most of West Africa that is sheltered by the northern tropic is a tropical rainforest. As a result, vegetation in West Africa is unevenly distributed. Some regions are very dry, which makes farming difficult, while other regions are full of fertile soil. This uneven distribution of vegetation clearly impacts the people that live there. Many people in West Africa are farmers. They depend on rainfall for their livelihood and survival. Some regions vary in terms of annual rainfall, causing droughts or poor harvests. This annual variation is a big problem in the region called the Sahel, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east.
Another source of water other than rainfall is rivers. There are a handful of rivers in West Africa including the Senegal River and the Niger River. Since rainfall varies and can’t always be trusted, rivers are the best option for a water source. People in West Africa are more likely to live near these rivers instead of relying on rainfall. Due to this common belief, the population around these rivers is higher than the population around deserts.
There are many environmental issues in West Africa such as drought, soil erosion, desertification, and deforestation. All of these problems are present because of the impact of geography. West Africa’s geography has caused a lack of necessary natural resources for people’s daily lives such as water, food, and firewood. Some regions in West Africa suffer a lot more from these problems than others, particularly the Sahel region. The Sahel experienced widespread starvation during the years 1968-1974. It also experienced widespread starvation during the years 1984-1985. Generally, rainfall has decreased since the 1960’s; however, population has grown. This has made it difficult to produce enough food locally to feed everyone. As desertification and deforestation continue in West Africa, the environment is slowly becoming more desert-like in the Sahel.