The largest continent on our planet is Eurasia. And what is the second largest mainland? The detailed answer to this question is devoted to this article. After reading it, you will learn about the geographical position, climate, features of the relief, population, rivers and lakes of this continent.
Africa is the second largest continent of our planet. Its area is approximately 30 330 000 square meters. km, if you include the adjacent islands. In total, this is about 22% of the total surface area of the Earth. The second largest continent that crosses the equator is also the second largest. About 12% of the world's population lived in Africa in 1990 (about 642 million people). According to 2011, the number of residents increased to 994 million people. The undisputed leader in terms of population is Asia.
Continent extent
Africa, located in the equator, stretches for a distance of 8050 km from the northernmost point, which is Cape El Abyad (Tunisia), to the southernmost (Cape Igolny, located in South Africa). The largest width of this continent, measured from the eastern point of Ras Hafun in Somalia to Cape Almadi in Senegal, located in the west, is approximately 7560 km. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, constantly covered in snow, is considered the highest point of this continent (5895 m). And the lowest is Lake Assal (153 m below sea level). A regular coastline is characteristic of Africa. About 30,490 km is its total length. In relation to the area, the line length is shorter than that of the other continents.
Relief and population
The plain relief is characteristic of Africa. There are several mountain ranges, as well as a narrow coastal plane. Typically, the continent is divided along the Sahara Desert, the largest in the world. It occupies most of the northern part of the mainland. North Africa is made up of countries north of this desert. Among them are such densely populated and large states as Algeria and Egypt. The peoples living here are studied more than the inhabitants of countries in the south. In part, this situation has arisen due to the fact that the Nile River flows in this area, the longest in the world.
Sub-Saharan Africa is home to the majority of the population of this continent. This area is known as the Sahara region Africa. East Africa in this area includes countries such as Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia. Of course, we noted only the largest. Among the countries of West and Central Africa - Cameroon, Angola, Nigeria, Ghana. This also includes the Democratic Republic of the Congo. South Africa includes Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana.
The second largest continent of our planet is surrounded by many islands. Madagascar is the largest of them. It is located southeast of the mainland. Africa as a whole covers about 50 states, from Nigeria (population 127 million) to small island republics.
History of mainland settlement
It is believed that life on this continent began between 5 million and 8 million years ago. Here was the Egyptian empire, one of the first major civilizations. More than 5 thousand years ago, it was united. However, for the past 500 years, Africa has been ruled by ethnic and political struggles, foreign colonization. All this impeded its social and industrial development.
African economy
The economy of Africa is the most undeveloped (with the exception of Antarctica). Its main industry is still agriculture. Outbreaks and hunger are exacerbated by a lack of medical personnel and poor road conditions. The second largest continent is rich in natural resources, the export of which is one of the most important parts of the economy. Many African countries depend on foreign investment or on the export of one or more resources.
African culture
The culture of this continent is diverse. About a thousand different languages and ethnic groups are represented here. For Africans, tribal relations are of great importance. Most of the population is black, but there are also many Arabs, Europeans, Asians and Berbers. Rural culture with its tribal way of life, religion and agriculture is adjacent to urban culture, the Western way of life and trade.
Literature, art and music are very important not only for Africa, but also had a great influence on other cultures of the world. African rhythms, for example, have influenced contemporary Western styles of pop music such as blues, jazz.
Most of the nations inhabiting the second largest continent have gained independence since the 1950s. It brought with it great changes, including the creation of democratic multi-party governments.
Climate
The second largest mainland due to its geographical location is the hottest on the planet. Africa receives the largest amount of sunlight and heat compared to other continents. Throughout the year, the sun is high above the horizon between the tropics, and 2 times a year is at its zenith at any point. Due to the fact that the equator crosses Africa almost in the middle , climatic zones, except for the equatorial, are repeated twice on its territory.
Equatorial belt
This belt includes the coast of the Gulf of Guinea and part of the river basin. Congo The equatorial climate is characterized by constancy. The weather is usually clear in the morning. Due to the fact that the earth’s surface is very hot during the day, the equatorial air saturated with moisture rushes down. So cumulus clouds are formed. Rainfall erupts in the afternoon. Often it is accompanied by a severe thunderstorm and storm. Trees that previously stood calmly, with the onset of the storm, swing from side to side, as if they are now breaking loose. However, strong roots do not allow them to come off the ground. Lightning flashes. But just a few minutes after the end of the rain, the forest again stands majestically and quietly. By evening, the weather is clear again.
Subequatorial belt
The strip of the subequatorial belt is wide. It frames the belt of the equatorial climate. There are 2 seasons here - wet summers and dry winters. Rainy time comes when the sun is at its zenith. It starts abruptly. The savannah is flooded with water for three weeks. All hollows, crevices are occupied by water, saturating the withered earth. Savannah is covered in grass.
Sahara Desert
The duration of the rainy season and the amount of summer rainfall towards the tropics decrease. Tropical zones are located in tropical latitudes located in both hemispheres. North Africa is the driest. Here is the driest and hottest area not only of this continent, but of the entire planet. This is the Sahara desert. Summer in it is exceptionally hot, almost cloudless. The surface of sand and stones is heated to 70 ° C. The air temperature often exceeds 40 ° C.
At night, due to the lack of clouds, air and the surface of the earth quickly cool. Therefore, there are very large fluctuations in daily temperatures. Dry hot air is difficult to breathe during the day. In the roots of dried herbs and in crevices of stones all life is hidden. The desert at this time seems dead. In summer, a strong wind is often blowing, which is called Samum. He carries clouds of sand. Dunes come to life, the horizon fades, among the reddish haze the sun seems like a fireball. The eyes, nose and mouth clog the sand. It will be hard for someone who does not have time to hide in time from the storm.
Tropical belt
The tropical belt in South Africa occupies a smaller territory. There is more rainfall than in the Sahara (due to the shorter length of South Africa from west to east). They are especially numerous in the area of the Dragon Mountains, on the eastern slopes, as well as in the east of the island of Madagascar, where southeast winds from the ocean bring rainfall. However, there is practically no rain on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The fact is that the cold currents of this ocean, which pass along the southwestern shores, reduce air temperature in the coastal part of the continent, which prevents rainfall. Cold air becomes denser, heavier, cannot rise and precipitate. The dew that forms when the temperature drops is the only source of moisture.
Subtropical belts
The extreme south and north of the mainland are located in subtropical zones. It has hot, dry summers (+ 27-28 ° C) and fairly warm winters (+ 10-12 ° C). All this contributes to human activities. The 2nd largest mainland receives a large amount of heat. This favors the cultivation of important tropical crops such as cocoa, coffee, oil and date palm trees, bananas, pineapples, etc.
Inland waters
The 2nd largest continent has many large rivers. On the continent, the distribution of the river network is uneven. The second largest continent, whose name is Africa, is characterized by the fact that about a third of its surface is the territory of internal runoff.
Nile
The Nile is the longest river of our planet (6671 km). It flows through the territory of the continent, which is the second largest continent - Africa. The river originates on the East African plateau, moves through the lake. Victoria. Rushing down the gorges, the Nile in the upper reaches forms waterfalls and rapids. Stepping on the plain, he moves calmly and slowly. In this part, the river is called the White Nile. At Khartoum, it merges with the waters of the largest tributary, which is called the Blue Nile, flowing down from the Ethiopian Highlands. After the Blue and White Nile merge, the river becomes twice as wide and gets the name Nile.
However, this is not the only large river to be mentioned, describing the second largest continent of the earth. We will tell about some others.
Congo
Congo is Africa ’s deepest river and the second longest (4320 km). It is second only to the Amazon in terms of basin area and high water abundance. In two places the river crosses the equator. It is full of water all year round.
Niger
Third in terms of pool area and length is Niger. This is a flat river in the middle reaches, and in the lower and upper there are many waterfalls and rapids. For a large part, Niger crosses drylands, playing an important role in irrigation.
Zambezi
Zambezi is the largest of the African rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean. It houses the Victoria Falls, one of the largest in the world. In a wide stream (about 1800 m), the river falls from a ledge (whose height is 120 m) in a narrow gorge that crosses its channel. The roar and rumble of a waterfall can be heard very far.
Lakes of africa
As for the lakes, almost all of the largest of them are located on the East African plateau, in the fault zone. Therefore, the basins of these lakes have an elongated shape. They are usually bordered by steep and high mountains. They have considerable length and great depth. For example, with a width of 50-80 km, Lake Tanganyika is 650 km long. It is the longest freshwater lake in the world. In its depth (1435 meters) it is second only to Baikal.
Lake Victoria is the largest in area in Africa. Its hollow is in the gentle trough of the platform, and not in the fault. Therefore, it is shallow (about 40 m), its banks are indented and gently sloping.
Lake Chad is shallow. Its depth is 4-7 m. Depending on the spill of the flowing rivers and precipitation, its area changes dramatically. In the rainy period, it almost doubles. Heavily swampy shores of this lake.
Now you know what is the 2nd largest continent of our planet. And although the description can be supplemented, basic information about it was presented above.