East and Southern Africa
East Africa and Southern Africa
East Africa is located along the coast of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It includes a large peninsula called the Horn of Africa. Southern Africa is a region located at the southernmost part of the Africa continent. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. In this interactivity, you will learn about some of the major countries in these regions. Click the player to begin.
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Cultural Influences of East and Southern Africa
Africa is incredibly diverse. About two-thirds of modern Africans live in villages with unique languages and customs. Many Africans view themselves as members of a tribe instead of part of a country. As a result, little cultural unity exists within Sub-Saharan African countries. This has caused conflicts throughout the region. In this interactivity, you will explore the cultural influences of East and Southern Africa. Click the player to begin.
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Modern City Cores in Sub-Saharan Africa
Central business district of Nairobi, Kenya
The cultural landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa is a mixture of rural villages and modern city cores. In the villages, people maintain a traditional way of life. They grow food on small farms or care for herds of livestock. In the cities, people maintain a modern lifestyle.
Most nations in Sub-Saharan Africa have at least one major city. These cities often serve as a modern core in the country. Major cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg continue to grow as people migrate from rural areas. This has created uneven population distribution in the region. This urbanization will only increase as the region becomes more developed.
People typically migrate to cities for greater access to work or education. This is because cities are centers for commerce. Most businesses and factories are located in cities. They also contain the airports, seaports, and railway stations required for trade. Additionally, cities are major centers for education. They offer more access to schools, libraries, and museums.
Economic Characteristics of East and Southern Africa
Shepherd with a herd of goats in East Africa
Many people in Sub-Saharan Africa take part in primary economic activities like agriculture. Some of these people practice subsistence agriculture. This type of agriculture produces enough food for families or small communities, with little extra. In rural villages, people grow food crops on small farms. In nomadic societies, people maintain herds of grazing animals.
Large scale plantation agriculture is also practiced in Sub-Saharan Africa. This type of agriculture typically focuses on cash crops instead of food crops. Cash crops are highly profitable crops that are exported to other countries. They include things like cocoa, tea, coffee, and cotton. Several Sub-Saharan economies are based on harvesting and exporting cash crops.
Cleared forest in Madagascar
Reliance on primary economic activities has impacted the environment. Over-farming and over-grazing have increased desertification. Slash-and-burn agriculture has cleared large areas of tropical rainforest. Slash-and-burn agriculture involves cutting and burning vegetation to create farmland. This provides arable land to grow crops. However, rainforest soil is not very fertile. Most of the nutrients are in the vegetation, not the soil. When the rainforests are removed, the soil loses fertility quickly. This leads to the clearing of more rainforests.
East and Southern Africa Review
Now that you have learned about the major regions, cultural influences, and economic characteristics of East Africa and Southern Africa, review your knowledge in this interactivity. Click the player to get started.
