East Africa. East African plateau East African plateau geographical location

Geographical position

Note 1

The East African Plateau is a territory located on both sides of the equator, between the Somali Peninsula, the Ethiopian Highlands, Eastern Sudan in the north and the lower Zambezi in the south and between the Indian Ocean in the east and the Congo Basin in the west. The plateau lies from 5° N. w. to 17° south w.

The East African Plateau is a tectonically active, mobile part of the African Plate. This is where they are highest points continent of Africa and the largest rift system. The platform consists of Precambrian crystalline rocks, mainly granite. The foundation is covered by Mesozoic and Paleozoic continental sediments.

Figure 1. East African plateau. Author24 - online exchange of student work

The plateau has been elevated for a long time. Rifts and tectonic faults arose in the Cenozoic. They are a continuation of the Ethiopian Highlands, the Red Sea grabens, to the south of Lake Rudolph they branch and form three fault systems: central, western and eastern.

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Rifts are narrow depressions with steep stepped slopes. Along their periphery there are high mountain systems: the Rwenzori massif, volcanoes Kenya, Kilimanjaro, Elgon, etc. Currently, volcanic activity continues along the faults.

Areas not affected by faults have the appearance of a peneplain with island mountains.

On the East African Plateau there are vast basins, one of which contains Lake Victoria.

Fault systems of the East African Plateau

The following fault systems are distinguished in the East African Plateau:

The western fault system stretches along the western regions of the plateau. It consisted of deep grabens occupied by lakes Edward, Albert (Mobutu-Sese-Seko), Tanganyika, Kivu, and the Albert Nile River valley. From Tanganyika, this fault system stretched through the tectonic basin of the island. Nyasa, the depression with Lake Rukwa, the valley of the Shire River, the lower reaches of the Zambezi. This territory is one of the most seismically active zones of the continent. The grabens of lakes Edward and Albert separate the Rwenzori massif. The massif includes crystalline schists, gneisses, and intrusions of basic rocks. Rwenzori has glacial forms of Quaternary and modern glaciation (circles, cirques, terminal moraines, trough valleys). Between the grabens of lakes Kivu and Edward is the Virunga volcanic region, which is home to seven volcanoes. Currently, new volcanic cones continue to form. Between the depressions of lakes Tanganyika and Kivu there is a tectonic trough covered with ancient lavas. At the bottom of lakes Nyasa and Kivu, constant volcanic eruptions occur. Between lakes Victoria, Albert, Edward and the White Nile basin there is the Lake Plateau (1000-1500 m), composed mainly of crystalline rocks. In the central part of the plateau is Lake Kyoga and a swampy valley.
The central fault system is an extension of the Ethiopian Graben, which runs north to south from Lake Rudolph to Lake Nyasa, where it joins the western fault system. In the northern regions within the boundaries of the Kenyan volcanic plateau, volcanic relief is clearly visible. Along tectonic cracks covered with tuffs and basalts rise extinct volcanoes Elgon, Kenya, Kilimanjaro, a group of giant craters (Ngorongoro volcano).
The eastern fault system is characterized mainly by unilateral faults, which limit the narrow coastal lowland to the west with scarps. The lowland is composed mainly of limestones and tertiary sandstones.

Between the central and western fault systems, between lakes Nyasa and Victoria, the Unyamwezi plateau is located. The plateau is heavily swamped and composed of granites. To the east are the Masai and Nyasa plateaus.

Climatic conditions

The climate of the East African Plateau is subequatorial. It is variably humid, hot, with a clearly defined zonality at high mountain ranges. On the Lake Plateau and in the vicinity of Lake Victoria, the climate is close to equatorial, which is proved by the precipitation regime, its quantity, and the even temperature variation.

The plateau is dominated by equatorial monsoons and trade winds. In winter (in the Northern Hemisphere), the northeast trade wind blows, which over the Kalahari is drawn into a pressure depression. Passing from South-East Asia to Africa over the ocean, it releases small amounts of precipitation. In summer, the southeast wind intensifies, the south trade wind, which passes through the equator, takes on the character of a southwest monsoon.

High temperatures observed along the coast Indian Ocean and at low altitudes. The average temperature in January (the warmest month) is +28 °C, in August (the coldest month) - +23 °C. Temperatures decrease with altitude, but annual rates remain uniform. At an altitude of more than 2000 m, temperatures can drop below 0 ° C, and above 3500 m snow falls. There are small glaciers on the highest mountain ranges - Kilimanjaro, Kenya and Rwenzori.

Precipitation on the territory of the East African Plateau falls unevenly:

2000-3000 mm - high mountain areas;
from 1000 to 1500 mm - the coast of the Indian Ocean, northwest and southwest of the plateau;
750-1000 mm – central areas plateaus;
500 mm and less – closed depressions and the territory of the extreme northeast.

The driest region of the East African Plateau is Kenya. Here periods without precipitation can last up to 7-9 months.

The equatorial precipitation regime can be observed between 5°N. w. and 5° S. w. For these territories, there are two rainy seasons (November-December, March-May) and two periods of decreased precipitation. In the southern regions there is one rainy season, lasting from October to April, followed by long, dry weather.

The East African Plateau separates the basins Mediterranean Sea and the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

In the north-west of the plateau, the Nile River originates, the system of which includes lakes Kyoga, Victoria, Edward and Albert. Lakes Kivu and Tanganyika belong to the Congo system, and Lake Nyasa drains into the Zambezi. In the central part there are many endorheic lakes: Rukwa, Rudolph, Baringo, etc. In terms of their size, depth, influence on the climate and flow of the lakes, the plateaus can be compared with the Great Lakes of North America.

The diversity and diversity of landscapes is determined by: diversity of relief, tectonic fragmentation, diversity climatic conditions. In the interior there are many typical savannas, with large tracts of shrubs and woodlands that shed their leaves in the dry season. The vegetation is represented by cereals, mimosas, acacias, tamarisks, baobabs, etc.

These are humid forests with a dense network of deep rivers. The eastern part stands out as sublime, the southern part as endless.

North Africa- the most extensive part of the continent. It is based on the plate of the African-Arabian ancient platform. The prevailing relief is plateaus and hills 300-400 m high. Between them rise the rocky highlands of Ahaggar, Tibesti, Darfur, Jos, formed on the crystalline shields of the ancient platform. In the northwest, the folded Atlas Mountains adjoin the platform.

Atlas Mountains - Mountain country, consisting of a system of mountain ranges, intermountain plateaus and depressions. Here on the coastal plains and windward slopes of the mountains there are dry hot summers and mild wet winters, and on the intermountain plateaus and internal slopes of the ridges it is arid and harsh due to high altitude. The nature of Atlas has been greatly changed by man.

The world's largest tropical desert, its length is 6,000 km from west to east and 2,000 km from north to south. It owes its existence to a continental tropical climate with precipitation less than 50 mm per year and high temperatures.

Due to the different composition of rocks, different types of deserts are formed here: rocky-gravelly, pebble, sandy, clayey. Sandy deserts with dune relief occupy only about 20% of the Sahara area.

There is almost no surface water in the Sahara. The only large one crossing receives food outside its borders.

Sudanese plains lie south of the Sahara. They are located in the subequatorial climate zone. The duration of the rainy season decreases from south to north from 10 to 2 months. There are many rivers in the western and eastern parts of the Sudanese plains. The largest of them are the White Nile. The central part of the plains is an area of lake, which changes its size and shape depending on precipitation.

The natural conditions of the Sudanese plains are the most favorable for human life. The population has long been engaged in cattle breeding here.

Central Africa covers the Gulf of Guinea coast and basin. The equatorial climate prevails here and there is a dense network of deep rivers.

The northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea is formed by hills and plateaus, descending in steps to the coastal lowlands. In the east of the region is located active volcano(4100 m). On its slopes facing the bay, a record amount of precipitation falls for Africa - 9000 mm per year. The largest river, the Niger, forms a large delta when it flows into the Gulf of Guinea. Nature has been greatly altered by humans, since the area has a long history of development and high population density.

The central part of the Congo Basin is occupied by humid equatorial forests. They consist of hundreds of species of trees, vines, shrubs and grasses. Diverse and animal world: okapi dwarf giraffes, water deer, elephants, hippos, various monkeys, birds. Along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, forest areas have been greatly reduced due to logging and burning, giving way to open forests and savannas or plantations of tropical crops.

South Africa located south of the watershed of the Congo and Zambezi rivers. divided into three natural regions.

The South African Plateau is a system of plateaus formed by the outcroppings of the platform's basement. The plateau rises towards the outskirts of the continent, and in the internal parts there are depressions. Among them, the largest is. In the southeast, the Drakensberg Mountains adjoin the plateau. The plateau is located in, but the temperatures here, due to the significant altitude, are not as high as in North Africa. Natural zones, in accordance with the decrease in precipitation, change from east to west. In the east, tall grass savannas are common. These are beautiful pastures and fertile plains. Acacias, aloe, euphorbia, and herbs with powerful rhizomes grow here, blooming brightly during the rainy season. To the west, desert savannas predominate, occupying most of the Kalahari. In the Kalahari there are barren rocky areas. On the coast washed by cold currents is the Namib Desert.

There are few rivers with permanent water flow, only navigable. The majestic one is located on it. The South African plateau has a rich fauna. In many areas, hunting is the main occupation of the population.

Cape Mountains- These are low and medium-height ridges, approaching the coast indented with convenient bays in the southwest of the mainland. Subtropical and shrubland with a large number of endemic species grew here in the past. From here, a variety of ornamental plants spread throughout the world. However, almost no natural vegetation has been preserved.

Madagascar- an island region, the relief and climate of which have much in common with the relief and climate of neighboring areas of the mainland. The organic world is characterized by great originality due to its long development in isolation. Among wild animals there are almost no ungulates and predators, poisonous snakes,

East Africa- the highest part of the continent, called the “roof of Africa”. There are two natural areas here -

East Africa is a densely populated area, and land has been used for agriculture for a long time. In the Ethiopian Highlands, the belt of mountain savannas up to an altitude of 2.5 km is most favorable for human life. This belt is considered the birthplace of the coffee tree, durum wheat, rye, barley and some other cultivated plants.

Nowhere in the world is there such a diversity of large animals as in East Africa. However, prolonged extermination caused a decrease in their number, so in many countries they created National parks. Kagera, Mnunt-Kenya, Serengeti, and Kivu are world famous. Exotic nature and the possibility of sport hunting attract a large number of people to the parks. foreign tourists, which generates income for the countries in the area.

Geographical position

Note 1

The East African Plateau is a tectonically active, mobile part of the African Plate. It is here that the highest points of the continent of Africa and the largest rift system are located. The platform consists of Precambrian crystalline rocks, mainly granite. The foundation is covered by Mesozoic and Paleozoic continental sediments.

Figure 1. East African plateau. Author24 - online exchange of student work

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Areas not affected by faults have the appearance of a peneplain with island mountains.

On the East African Plateau there are vast basins, one of which contains Lake Victoria.

Fault systems of the East African Plateau

The following fault systems are distinguished in the East African Plateau:

The western fault system stretches along the western regions of the plateau. It consisted of deep grabens occupied by lakes Edward, Albert (Mobutu-Sese-Seko), Tanganyika, Kivu, and the Albert Nile River valley. From Tanganyika, this fault system stretched through the tectonic basin of the island. Nyasa, the depression with Lake Rukwa, the valley of the Shire River, the lower reaches of the Zambezi. This territory is one of the most seismically active zones of the continent. The grabens of lakes Edward and Albert separate the Rwenzori massif. The massif includes crystalline schists, gneisses, and intrusions of basic rocks. Rwenzori has glacial forms of Quaternary and modern glaciation (circles, cirques, terminal moraines, trough valleys). Between the grabens of lakes Kivu and Edward is the Virunga volcanic region, which is home to seven volcanoes. Currently, new volcanic cones continue to form. Between the depressions of lakes Tanganyika and Kivu there is a tectonic trough covered with ancient lavas. At the bottom of lakes Nyasa and Kivu, constant volcanic eruptions occur. Between lakes Victoria, Albert, Edward and the White Nile basin there is the Lake Plateau (1000-1500 m), composed mainly of crystalline rocks. In the central part of the plateau is Lake Kyoga and a swampy valley.
The central fault system is an extension of the Ethiopian Graben, which runs north to south from Lake Rudolph to Lake Nyasa, where it joins the western fault system. In the northern regions within the boundaries of the Kenyan volcanic plateau, volcanic relief is clearly visible. The extinct volcanoes Elgon, Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and a group of giant craters (Ngorongoro volcano) rise along tectonic cracks covered with tuffs and basalts.
The eastern fault system is characterized mainly by unilateral faults, which limit the narrow coastal lowland to the west with scarps. The lowland is composed mainly of limestones and tertiary sandstones.

Climatic conditions

The climate of the East African Plateau is subequatorial. It is variablely humid, hot, with clearly defined zonality on high mountain ranges. On the Lake Plateau and in the vicinity of Lake Victoria, the climate is close to equatorial, which is proved by the precipitation regime, its quantity, and the even temperature variation.

The plateau is dominated by equatorial monsoons and trade winds. In winter (in the Northern Hemisphere), the northeast trade wind blows, which over the Kalahari is drawn into a pressure depression. Passing from Southeast Asia to Africa over the ocean, it releases small amounts of precipitation. In summer, the southeast wind intensifies, the south trade wind, which passes through the equator, takes on the character of a southwest monsoon.

High temperatures are observed along the Indian Ocean coast and at low altitudes. The average temperature in January (the warmest month) is +28 °C, in August (the coldest month) - +23 °C. Temperatures decrease with altitude, but annual rates remain uniform. At an altitude of more than 2000 m, temperatures can drop below 0 ° C, and above 3500 m snow falls. There are small glaciers on the highest mountain ranges - Kilimanjaro, Kenya and Rwenzori.

Precipitation on the territory of the East African Plateau falls unevenly:

2000-3000 mm - high mountain areas;
from 1000 to 1500 mm - the coast of the Indian Ocean, northwest and southwest of the plateau;
750-1000 mm – central areas of the plateau;
500 mm and less – closed depressions and the territory of the extreme northeast.

The driest region of the East African Plateau is Kenya. Here periods without precipitation can last up to 7-9 months.

The East African Plateau separates the basins of the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

The diversity and diversity of landscapes is determined by: the diversity of relief, tectonic fragmentation, and the diversity of climatic conditions. In the interior there are many typical savannas, with large tracts of shrubs and woodlands that shed their leaves in the dry season. The vegetation is represented by cereals, mimosas, acacias, tamarisks, baobabs, etc.

That is why mountain-building processes on the continent are very poorly developed - young mountains grow only in the north of the continent.

More than 4/5 of Africa is occupied by plateaus. There are virtually no lowlands on the mainland. On the African-Arabian platform is located not only the mainland, but also Madagascar, Seychelles and the Arabian Peninsula.

The African highlands are located in the southeastern part of the continent. Average altitudes here exceed 1000 m above sea level. In this region, the African-Arabian plate rises somewhat.

The Ethiopian Highlands is located in southeast Africa. This part of the continent is called High Africa, this is where it is located highest peak continent - Mount Kilimanjaro.

These areas are characterized by frequent earthquakes, which provoke eruptions of the Karisimbi and Cameroon volcanoes. Highlands are also found in the Sahara Desert, the highest of which are the Tibesti and Ahaggar highlands.

African mountains

On the coast of the Indian Ocean are the Cape and Drakensberg Mountains - their height decreases towards the center of the mainland. The Cape Mountains were formed during the Upper Paleozoic era.

The Cape Mountains region has a Mediterranean type of climate. The Cape Mountains are a striking example of regenerated mountains, which were formed on ancient destroyed mountain systems and inherited from them the folded structure that can be seen in the modern topography.

The highest peak of the Cape Mountains is Mount Kompasberg, whose height reaches 2500 m. In the north of the continent, as a result of the displacement of lithospheric plates, the young Atlas Mountains were formed.

These mountains are a continuation of the young mountains of Europe, which are located in the Gibraltar region. The length of the Atlas Mountains mountain ranges is 2500 km: they originate in the north of Morocco and stretch to Tunisia.

The highest peak of the Atlas Mountains is Mount Toubkal (4100m). Due to tectonic faults, earthquakes often occur in the Atlas Mountains region.

Lowlands of Africa

The lowlands of Africa occupy only 9% of its territory. The lowest point on the continent is salt Lake Assal, which is located on the territory of the state of Djibouti (Red Sea coast). Lowlands are also common in some countries of Central Africa.

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Africa is part of the world. Geography of African countries

Mining regions of Africa

Over the past decades, Africa has become one of the most largest producers of mineral raw materials.

Its share in the world mining industry is approximately 1/7, but in the production of diamonds, gold, cobalt, manganese ores, chromites, uranium concentrates, and phosphorites it is much larger. A lot of copper and iron ore, bauxite, oil and natural gas are also mined.

Let us add that Africa dominates the market for such “20th century metals” as vanadium, lithium, beryllium, tantalum, niobium, and germanium. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries, which makes its economy very dependent on the world market.

This especially applies to countries such as Algeria, Libya, Guinea, Zambia, Botswana, where the mining industry provides more than 9/10 of all exports.

Africa has very favorable conditions for the development of the mining industry. natural prerequisites.

Its mineral resources are genetically associated, firstly, with the outcrops of the folded basement of the African platform, secondly, with sedimentary deposits of the cover of this platform, thirdly, with areas of Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic (Alpine) folding, fourthly, with sedimentary sediments of foothill and intermountain troughs, fifthly, with lateritic weathering crusts and, finally, sixthly, with intrusions of igneous rocks.

In this case, for example, deposits of iron and copper ores can be found both in outcrops of the crystalline basement and in the cover of sedimentary deposits, and iron ore can also be found in the lateritic weathering crust.

It must also be borne in mind that the subsoil of Africa has not yet been sufficiently studied. In recent decades, prospecting and exploration have expanded and led to a significant increase in reserves of most minerals.

But nevertheless, many, especially deep, horizons in this sense remain “terra incognita”, which opens up prospects for new great geological discoveries - just as happened in the 1950-1960s. with African oil.

In total in Africa we can distinguish seven main mining regions.

Three of them are in North Africa and four are in sub-Saharan Africa (Fig. 149).

Two of North Africa's mining regions predate World War II and have undergone further development in recent decades.

This is the region of the Atlas Mountains, where quite large deposits of iron, manganese, and polymetallic ores are associated with the mineralization processes that occurred during the Hercynian folding period.

But the main wealth of this area is the world's largest phosphorite-bearing belt, stretching along the southern slopes of the Atlas through the territory of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The thickness of the phosphorite suite here reaches 80-100 m, and the total reserves of phosphorites (in terms of P205) amount to 22 billion tons, of which 21 billion are in Morocco. In terms of phosphorite production, this country is second only to the USA and China, and in terms of their exports it ranks first in the world.

The second mining region of North Africa is located in Egypt. Here, deposits of oil and natural gas, iron, titanium and other ores, phosphorites, rock salt and other fossil raw materials are associated with the sedimentary cover of the Nubian-Arabian massif and the rift basins of the Red Sea .

Rice. 149.

Mining areas in Africa

But, of course, the main mining region of North Africa is the youngest of them, located within the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara Desert.

The territorial combination of mineral resources in it is much more limited and is represented in fact only by oil and natural gas, but in terms of the size of their reserves, production and the general role of the region in the world economy, it is far ahead.

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Physiographic characteristics of South Africa.

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High Africa. South Africa occupies the high part of the continent south of the watershed plateaus between the Congo and Zambezi river basins. The relief is dominated by plateaus and plateaus. The country is distinguished by a wide variety of landscapes due to sharp contrasts in humidity and topography of individual areas.

The main part is occupied by the South African Plateau, which is adjacent to the Cape Mountains to the south. special natural area forms the island of Madagascar.

South African plateau lies within the Precambrian African Platform, occupying the Kalahari and Karoo syneclises. The Precambrian basement in the Kalahari syneclise lies shallow and in some places comes to the surface, forming protrusions and uplifts; The sedimentary cover is represented by horizontally lying continental deposits of the Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic, mainly sandstones and sands (Kalahari formation).

The Karoo syneclise is a platform foredeep that arose in connection with the formation of the Cape mountain system; within its boundaries, the crystalline basement is deeply depressed and hidden under a thick layer of lagoonal sediments of Permian-Triassic age, mainly sandstones and shales (Karru formation); In some places these rocks are intruded by lavas.

Deposits of the Karoo Formation make up the southern and southeastern plateaus.

In terms of surface structure, the South African Plateau has much in common with the Congo Basin, but is located much higher. The central part of the plateau is occupied by plains Kalahari basins, lying at an altitude of 900-1000 m; Here on the surface there are red and white sands, hilly into low dunes.

The Kalahari Basin is surrounded on all sides by marginal plateaus and hills with numerous island outliers and mountains.

They gradually rise towards the outskirts to 1200-2500 m or more. Largest width The plateau is reached in the east and south of the region.

To the east are the Matabele and Weld plateaus, and to the south the Upper Karoo plateau.

Matabele Plateau lies between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. The plateau is composed of crystalline rocks; its surface is slightly hilly, there are separate island mountains. The marginal parts of the plateau are strongly dissected by river erosion and stand out sharply above the neighboring plains.

South of the Limpopo River is located Veld plateau. It consists of a series of stepped plateaus (High, Middle, Shrub and Low Veldt) descending towards the Kalahari Basin and the Limpopo River valley.

The plateau is composed of sandstones, shales and conglomerates of the Karoo formation, in some places intrusive and volcanic rocks.

Upper Karoo, located south of the Orange River, it closes the Kalahari Basin in the south, descending to it in several steps.

The plateau is composed of horizontally lying sandstones and shales, penetrated by numerous intrusions, forming remnant hills, sometimes sharp peaks.

In the west of the plateau, the strip of marginal plateaus narrows. The plateaus are composed of crystalline rocks and continental sediments. They are crowned by island mountains and remnant massifs, reaching their greatest heights in the Comas Plateau, where dislocated shales and quartzites are exposed.

The marginal plateaus of the South African plateau in the west, east and south drop steeply to the coastal plains and depression Great Karoo by the Great Escarpment, the outer slopes of which are deeply dissected by river erosion.

The Ledge reaches its greatest height in the east, in the Drakensberg Mountains. South part mountains - the Basuto Highlands, which has basaltic lavas, is the highest massif of the Kalahari ring frame. Its peak Thabana Ntlenyana (3482 m) is the highest in South Africa.

Adjacent to the marginal plateaus in the east is a vast Mozambican lowland.

It is composed of Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits and is broken up by tectonic fractures in the northern part. In the west of the plateau, the marginal plateaus break off to the coastal plain. Its section between the Kunene and Orange rivers is the Namib Desert. The desert stretches from north to south for more than 1,500 km, occupying a narrow strip of ancient crystalline peneplain, fragmented by faults.

The plateau lies in the subequatorial, tropical and subtropical climate zones.

However, tropical climate types predominate. In the summer of the Southern Hemisphere, a local pressure depression forms over the Kalahari.

The north of the region (up to the middle reaches of the Zambezi) is irrigated by the summer equatorial monsoon. The entire eastern part is influenced by the southeast trade wind, bringing humid tropical air from the Indian Ocean, heated over the warm Mozambique Current.

Heavy rainfall occurs on the Mozambican lowlands, the slopes of the Great Escarpment and the eastern marginal plateaus. To the west of the Great Escarpment and the marginal plateaus, marine tropical air quickly transforms into continental air and the amount of precipitation decreases.

The West Coast is under the influence of the South Atlantic Anticyclone, strengthened by the powerful cold Benguela Current. Atlantic air warms up over the surface of the continent and produces almost no precipitation.

On the western marginal plateaus there is a front between maritime Atlantic and continental tropical air; here the amount of precipitation increases slightly.

In the winter of the Southern Hemisphere, a local anticyclone forms over the plateau, connecting with the South Atlantic and South Indian baric maxima. Downward air currents cause the dry season; there is no precipitation.

The South African plateau is an area of relatively high temperatures, with significant daily and annual fluctuations. But on the plateau, temperatures are moderated by significant altitude. Over most of the plateau, summer temperatures are + 20-* + 25°C, not rising above +40°C; winter temperatures are +10 - + 16°C.

The Upper Karoo Plateau experiences frosts in winter, while the Basotho Highlands experience snowfall.

The plateau is an area of predominantly scanty precipitation, distributed very unevenly across its territory. Their number decreases when moving from the east and north to the west and south. In the north of the region, up to 1500 mm of moisture falls per year; here the rainy season, brought by the equatorial monsoons, lasts up to 7 months. A lot of precipitation falls on the east coast, where the barrier role of the Great Escarpment is especially pronounced.

Precipitation is brought here by the southeastern summer trade wind (more than 1000 mm per year, and on the slopes of the Basuto Highlands - over 2000 mm). The most frequent and heaviest rainfall occurs from November to April. On the eastern marginal plateaus, rainfall decreases on the Veld plateau (750-500) and Matabele (750-1000 mm). The summer maximum precipitation remains in the interior regions, but the annual amounts decrease.

On the central Kalahari plains, the rainy season is reduced to 5-6 months, and the annual precipitation does not exceed 500 mm. To the southwest, precipitation decreases to 125 mm per year. The driest part of the area is the coastal Namib Desert (less than 100 mm of precipitation per year). Little precipitation will fall on the western marginal plateaus (up to 300 mm per year).

The river network on the plateau is poorly developed.

Most of the channels of the Kalahari, western and southern marginal plateaus do not have permanent watercourses. The most large river- Zambezi.

The region's large rivers, the Orange and Limpopo, collect their waters from the Matabele Plateau and High Veldt. The Okovango River is the main internal drainage system of the Kalahari Basin. During the rainy season, the Okovango Basin sometimes overflows with water, the excess flowing from Okovango to the Zambezi and the Makarikari Salt Flat.

The large size of the South African plateau, differences in relief and climate create a variety of landscapes.

South Africa has almost all the continent's landscapes.

Along with zonal differences, sectoral differences also appear.

The region has well-defined eastern humid oceanic, mid-continental and western relatively cool desert oceanic sectors. In the eastern sector, where there is a lot of precipitation, zones of seasonally wet forests alternate from north to south: subequatorial (up to 20° S), tropical (20-30° S) and subtropical monsoon.

On the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains, the altitudinal zone of the forest-meadow type is well defined. Seasonally wet forests occupy the windward slopes up to an altitude of 800-1000 m. Above that, shrubs and mountain-valley, predominantly coniferous forests, meadows, and rocky areas appear; similar vegetation is characteristic of the Basuto Highlands (bush thickets, isolated trees, meadows and rocky areas).

In the middle continental sector (Kalahari Basin and marginal plateaus) developed natural areas savannas, woodlands and shrubs of the subequatorial and tropical zones, tropical and subtropical semi-deserts, subtropical mountain steppes.

However, semi-desert landscapes dominate.

Lowlands, plains, plateaus

Rare vegetation consists of xerophytic grasses, shrubs and individual acacias, euphorbias, and aloe. The Kalahari are characterized by wild watermelons, the stems of which cover large areas.

In the western oceanic sector is the tropical desert Nami b. In its southern part, along the valleys of dry riverbeds and in places of shallow groundwater, quite dense vegetation of succulent shrubs and subshrubs, low-growing acacias and tough grasses is developed.

The most interesting plant in the northern part of the desert is the ancient relict of Welwitschia.

The South African plateau, with its wide variety of landscapes, has a rich and varied fauna.

But the number of wild animals has now significantly decreased, and many of their species are disappearing. The number of herbivorous animals - antelopes, zebras, giraffes - has especially decreased; predators have also been severely exterminated. Lions, leopards, and wild cats have almost completely disappeared; hyenas and jackals are more common. The largest reserve in the region is national park Kruger in South Africa. Almost all African animals are collected here.

Cape Mountains located in the extreme southwest and south of the mainland, between the mouth of the Olifants River in the west and the city of Port Elizabeth in the east.

They stretch along the coast for 800 km, their average height 1500 m. They are separated from the Great Escarpment of the South African Plateau by the Great Karoo depression.

Folding processes here occurred from the second half of the Carboniferous to the second half of the Triassic, to which their main phases belong.

Therefore, the Cape Mountains are somewhat younger in age than typical Hercynian structures. They were subsequently destroyed and smoothed, and then rejuvenated by later uplifts.

The Cape Mountains consist of several anticlinal ridges that are blocky in nature. The ridges are separated by wide longitudinal synclinal valleys and narrow transverse gorges.

The main part of the Cape Mountains is the southern system of latitudinal ranges.

Here are the highest (up to 2324 m) and longest mountains of Zwartberg (Small and Large) and Langeberg, between which lies the intermountain Little Karoo plateau. To the east, the ridges decline and end in rocky headlands into the sea. In the extreme south they break up into small isolated ridges and massifs rising among the coastal plain. Another system of ridges stretches along Atlantic Ocean in a north-northwest direction.

In the southwest and south, the mountains approach the coast at an angle, indented by convenient bays.

The climate of the Cape Mountains is subtropical. In the southwest it is of the Mediterranean type, with rainy, warm winters and dry, hot summers. Temperatures are moderated by altitude and sea. In Cape Town, the average temperature in January is + 21 ° C, in July + 12 ° C. The rains begin in April, are heavy from June to September, and then stop as humid westerly winds give way to winds from subtropical anticyclones.

In winter, snow falls on the mountain tops. In the western part of the mountains, on their windward slopes, the greatest amount of precipitation falls (up to 1800 mm per year). To the east their number decreases to 800 mm. East of 22°E. In the precipitation regime, the typical features of the Mediterranean climate disappear, and the summer maximum begins to predominate due to the penetration of humid oceanic monsoons onto the mainland.

On the coastal plain there is little precipitation (in Cape Town - 650 mm per year). The climate of the inner parts of the mountains is subtropical continental.

The Cape Mountains are covered mainly by Mediterranean type vegetation with a predominance of evergreen hard-leaved shrubs and herbaceous perennials.

The landscapes here have much in common with the Atlas Mountains. They are also characterized by brown (typical and leached) and mountain-forest brown soils.

However, the floristic composition of the vegetation is different, specific to the Cape flora. Very characteristic times

personal heathers, proteas, pelargoniums, mesembryanthemums, aloe, cactus-like euphorbias, fatworts, etc. Interesting are the Cape nightshade with yellow poisonous fruits, the silver tree with silvery fluffy leaves, the Cape water lily with red flowers, wild watermelon, etc.

There are few trees among the Cape flora. The predominant species are evergreen shrubs and perennial grasses.

Thickets of evergreen hard-leaved shrubs form the fynbos formation (an analogue of the Mediterranean maquis), which arose on the site of cleared forests that previously covered the mountain slopes.

Fynbos includes members of the Proteaceae (including silverwood), Ericaceae, Legumes, Campanaceae and Rutaceae families.

Forests have survived only on inaccessible, well-watered mountain slopes.

In the west, in deep and inaccessible valleys, you can find a few groves of southern conifers (podocarpus, etc.), in the east, on the slopes of the mountains, there are dense monsoon mixed forests, consisting of coniferous and evergreen deciduous trees (laurel olive, cape beech, etc. .) trees. Palm groves grow in the coastal lowlands.

Vast areas in the Cape Mountains are covered with grasses with a predominance of bulbous, tuberous and rhizomatous forms from the family Amaryllis, Iris, Orchids and Lamiaceae.

Characteristic are immortelle, cineraria and other Compositae. On especially dry and hot leeward slopes and in depressions, semi-desert landscapes with succulent shrubs and subshrubs are developed. In the Little Karoo depression, thickets of acacias and aloe are common along the rivers; in other parts the vegetation is represented by rare shrubs

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On the gentle slopes of the eastern plateaus, facing inland, there is still quite a lot of precipitation; treeless terrain with a dense cover of tall grasses prevails there (). This type of landscape is called the "veld" in South Africa.

As you move westward, the amount of precipitation decreases and the vegetation takes on an increasingly xerophytic appearance. It consists of various bulbous plants that turn green and bloom only during a short period of rain, low-growing prickly acacias, and numerous types of aloe. In the Kalahari there are completely barren rocky areas where plants do not form a continuous cover (). Wild watermelons are very characteristic of the Kalahari, the vines of which cover large areas. Obviously, all known cultivated types of watermelons originate from here. When there is a great lack of moisture, watermelons with their water reserves save people and animals from thirst.

The vegetation of the Namib Desert is even poorer, where only isolated specimens of Welwitschia are found, anchored on the sand with powerful roots, and low-growing thorny bushes ().

The shores of drying lakes and swamps in the depressions of the Kalahari and the upper reaches of the Zambezi are covered with more moisture-loving vegetation (), which serves as a refuge for wild animals.