Climate and Vegetation
Do you know that Africa is immense? It's about three times the size of the contiguous forty-eight states of the United States. I thought that since one third of Africa is desert (the Sahara Desert, the Ogaden Desert, the Namib and Kalahari Deserts), there was no economic activity, but I was completely wrong . Desert dwelling peoples are not homogeneous; they engage in a variety of economic activities like long distance trading, herding of camels, sheep, goats, and even fruit cultivation at oases. Only about 15% of Africa's surface is comprised of tropical rainforests (jungles). People who live here engage in economic activities including hunting, gathering, lumbering, rubber tapping, production of palm products, and cultivation of primarily root crops such as yams and cassava.
Soil and Agriculture
I also found very interesting in this chapter about the explanation of African soil. I wouldn't ever guess that tropical soil means that the nutrients and minerals are washed out of them and flow away after the rains , and either go into the subsoil or into the sea. So it is very obvious that soils are easily exhausted, so they can only be worked for short periods of time, unless expensive and tedious steps are taken to maintain them.
Mineral
Guess where the largest mineral industries in the world are? Of course, in Africa. For many African countries, mineral exploration and production constitute significant parts of their economies and remain keys to future economic growth. Gold mining is Africa’s main mining resource. Africa is richly endowed with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum, and zirconium.
Guess where the largest mineral industries in the world are? Of course, in Africa. For many African countries, mineral exploration and production constitute significant parts of their economies and remain keys to future economic growth. Gold mining is Africa’s main mining resource. Africa is richly endowed with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum, and zirconium.
Diseases
Every year, more than half a million women die from complications in pregnancy or childbirth. (This wouldn't happen if they had access to a doctor or emergency care for women.)
In 2003, 26.6 million people were living with HIV and 3.2 million people became infected.AIDS killed 2.3 million.
Is very sad to find out that such a rich continent with such a vast culture, is so poor and hundreds of people die every day do to poverty.
I love how much information you gave on the African continent! You listed all the different components in Africa; such as the climate, the minerals, its people, the diseases, and its agriculture. You had a lot to say and you knew what you were talking about. You gave lots of good details on what was good and bad about the continent and you were able to back yourself up. I actually learned a few things I did not know about Africa! I did not know that the soil was exhausted so much. There is really nothing I disliked about this post at all! The video was also fascinating! It gave facts and showed us first hand what it is like in Africa and how badly the people are suffering. I agree that it is a crying shame that such a vast immense country is suffering so badly and needs so much help.
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