Everyone remembers that Africa is the hottest continent on the planet. But few people know that Africa is also the "highest" of the continents, since it has the highest average altitude. The relief of Africa is very diverse and complex: there are mountain systems, plateaus, large plains, active and extinct volcanoes.
The relief of any region, as is known, is closely connected with the tectonic and geological structure of the territory. The relief of Africa and minerals of this continent are also associated with the tectonics of the mainland. Let us consider this question in more detail.
Plan for describing the relief of the territory of Africa
The characteristic of the relief of any continent is given according to a specific plan. The relief of Africa is described by the following algorithm:
- The characteristic of the tectonic structure of the continent.
- Analysis of the history of the development of the earth's crust.
- Characterization of external and internal (exogenous and endogenous) relief formation factors.
- Description of the general features of the relief of the continent.
- Highlighting the maximum and minimum heights.
- Minerals and their distribution on the territory of the mainland.
Low and High Africa
The description of the relief of Africa should start with the fact that the mainland, from an orographic point of view, is divided into two parts: High and Low Africa.
Low Africa occupies more than 60% of the entire continent (geographically it is the northern, western and central parts of Africa). Here heights of up to 1000 meters prevail. High Africa covers the southern and eastern parts of the mainland, where average altitudes are 1000-1500 meters above sea level. Here are also the highest points - Kilimanjaro (5895 meters), Ruvenzori and Kenya.
General characteristics of the African relief
Now consider the main features of the relief of Africa.
The main feature is that the relief of the mainland is mostly flat. Ridges border the mainland only in the south and northwest. In East Africa, the relief is predominantly flat mountainous.
The following African landforms prevail: plateaus, plains, highlands, plateaus, remnant peaks, and volcanic massifs. At the same time, they are very unevenly located across the mainland: inside it are mostly flattened surfaces - plains and plateaus, and along the edges - elevations and mountain ranges. This feature is associated with the tectonic structure of Africa, most of which lies on the ancient platform of the Precambrian age, and folding areas are located at its edges.
Of all the mountain systems in Africa, only the Atlas is young. In the east of the mainland stretches more than 6,000 kilometers in length, a huge East African rift valley. In the places of its faults, grandiose volcanoes formed, and in the depressions very deep lakes formed.
It is worth listing the largest landforms of Africa. These include the Atlas, Dragon and Cape Mountains, the Ethiopian Highlands, the Highlands of Tibesti and Akhaggar, and the East African Plateau.
Atlas Mountains
The mountainous landforms of Africa are, as already mentioned, only in the south and northwest of the mainland. One of the African mountain systems is the Atlas.
The Atlas Mountains arose 300 million years ago as a result of the collision of the Eurasian and African plates. Later they were raised to considerable heights due to the neotectonic movements that took place at the end of the Paleogene. It is worth noting that earthquakes are occurring in this area now.
The atlas is composed mainly of marls, limestones, and also ancient volcanic rocks. The bowels are rich in metal ores, as well as phosphorites and oil.
This is the largest mountain system in Africa, which includes several almost parallel mountain ranges:
- High Atlas.
- Air Reef.
- Tel Atlas.
- Middle Atlas.
- Sahara Atlas.
- Anti-atlas.
The total length of the mountain range is about 2,400 kilometers. Maximum heights are on the territory of the state of Morocco (Mount Tubkal, 4165 meters). The average heights of the ranges range between 2000-2500 meters.
Dragon mountains
This mountain system in the south of the mainland is located on the territory of three states - Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland. The highest point of the Dragon Mountains is Mount Tabana-Ntlanyana with a height of 3482 meters. Mountains formed 360 million years ago, in the Hercynian era. They got such a formidable name due to their inaccessibility and wild appearance.
The territory is rich in minerals: platinum, gold, tin and coal. The organic world of the Dragon Mountains is also unique, in which there are several endemic species. The main part of the mountain range (Drakensberg Park) is a UNESCO site.
The Dragon Mountains are a watershed border between the Indian Ocean basin and the upper reaches of the Orange River. They have a unique shape: their peaks are flat, table-shaped, separated by erosion processes into separate plateaus.
Ethiopian Highlands
The relief of Africa is strikingly diverse. Here you can find high mountain ranges of the alpine type, hilly plateaus, vast plains and deep depressions. One of the most famous landforms of the mainland is the Ethiopian Highlands, within which not only Ethiopia, but also 6 other African states are located.
This is a real mountain system with average heights of 2-3 kilometers and the highest point of 4,550 meters (Mount Ras Dashen). Due to the specific features of the relief, the highlands are often called the "roof of Africa." In addition, this “roof” is often shaken; seismicity here remains high.
The highlands formed only 75 million years ago. It consists of crystalline schists and gneisses, overlain by volcanic rocks. Quite picturesque are the western slopes of the Ethiopian Highlands, cut by the canyons of the Blue Nile River.
Within the highlands there are rich deposits of gold, sulfur, platinum, copper and iron ore. In addition, it is also an important agricultural area. Ethiopian Highlands are considered the birthplace of coffee, as well as some varieties of wheat.
Kilimanjaro Volcano
This volcano is not only the highest point of the mainland (5895 meters), but also a peculiar symbol of all of Africa. The volcano is located on the border of two states - Kenya and Tanzania. From the Swahili language, the name of the volcano is translated as "sparkling mountain."
Kilimanjaro rises above the Masai plateau 900 meters high, so visually it seems that the volcano is unrealistically high. Scientists do not predict the activity of the volcano in the near future (except for possible gas emissions), although it has recently been found that lava is 400 meters from Kibo Crater.
According to local legends, the volcano erupted about two centuries ago. Although there is no documentary evidence of this. The highest point of Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Peak - was first conquered in 1889 by Hans Meyer. Today, the practice of speeding the conquest of Kilimanjaro is practiced. In 2010, the Spaniard Kilian Burgada set a kind of world record, climbing to the top of the volcano in 5 hours and 23 minutes.
African relief and minerals
Africa is a continent with huge economic potential, which is characterized by huge reserves of various mineral raw materials. In addition, a more or less even, slightly dissected relief of the territory contributes to the development of industry and the construction of roads and other means of communication.
Africa is rich in minerals, on the basis of which metallurgy and petrochemicals can develop. Thus, the continent holds the world absolute superiority in the total reserves of phosphorites, titanium ores, chromites and tantalum. In Africa, there are also large deposits of manganese, copper and uranium ore, bauxite, gold and even diamonds. On the mainland, they even distinguish the so-called "copper belt" - a belt of high mineral potential, stretching from Katanga to the Republic of Congo (DRC). In addition to copper itself, gold, cobalt, tin, uranium and oil are also mined here.
In addition, such areas of Africa as the Atlas Mountains, North Africa and West Africa (its Guinean part) are considered very rich in mineral resources.
So you got acquainted with the features of the relief of the hottest continent of the Earth. The relief of Africa is unique and diverse, here you can find all its forms - mountain ranges, plateaus and plateaus, highlands, highlands and depressions.