Theory question 109
Geography of Africa(a) Draw a sketch map of Africa and on it show and name: (i) Nile Basin; (ii) Zaire (Congo) Basin; (iii) Mediterranean region in North Africa. (b) Write geographical notes on any two of the following: (i) Irrigation agriculture in the Nile Basin. (ii) Lumbering in Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo). (iii) Fruit farming in North Africa.
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(a) Nile Basin from Lake Victoria/Ethiopia to the Mediterranean; Congo Basin in central Africa astride the equator; Mediterranean coastlands of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
(b) Irrigation in the Nile Basin: low rainfall makes it necessary; basin and perennial methods; dams (Aswan, Sennar); schemes such as Gezira; crops cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane; problems of salinity, silting and bilharzia.
Lumbering in the Congo: huge equatorial forest; hardwoods such as mahogany, ebony, limba; trees felled, floated on the Congo and its tributaries or carried by rail to Matadi/Boma for export; problems: scattered species, dense undergrowth, poor roads, rapids, heavy logs.
Fruit farming in North Africa: Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild wet winters; citrus, grapes, olives, dates, figs; irrigation in summer; markets in Europe; problems of drought, pests, price changes.
Choose two topics and cover location, methods, products and problems.