Climate zones? Moist equatorial forests of Africa. Zones of humid equatorial forests Plants of the equatorial belt of Africa

Africa is an amazing continent, where a large number of geographical zones are combined. Nowhere else are these distinctions so visible.

natural areas Africa is very clearly visible on the map. They are distributed symmetrically about the equator and depend on uneven precipitation.

Characteristics of the natural zones of Africa

Africa is the second largest continent on Earth. It is surrounded by two seas and two oceans. But the most main feature- this is its symmetry in position in relation to the equator, which divides Africa into two parts along the horizon.

Hard-leaved evergreen moist forests and shrubs are located in the north and south of the mainland. Next come deserts and semi-deserts, then savannahs.

In the very center of the continent there are zones of variable-moist and permanent-moist forests. Each zone is characterized by its climate, flora and fauna.

Zone of variable-moist and humid evergreen equatorial forests of Africa

The zone of evergreen forests is located in the Congo Basin and runs along the Gulf of Guinea. Over 1000 plants can be found here. In these zones, predominantly red-yellow soils. Many types of palm trees grow here, including oilseeds, tree ferns, bananas, and creepers.

Animals are placed in tiers. In these places animal world very varied. A huge number of shrews, lizards and snakes live in the soil.

A huge number of monkeys live in the zone of humid forests. In addition to monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees, more than 10 species of individuals can be found here.

Dog-headed baboons cause a lot of anxiety to local residents. They are destroying the plantations. This species is distinguished by ingenuity. They can only be frightened by weapons, they are not afraid of a person with a stick.

African gorillas in these places grow up to two meters and weigh up to 250 kilograms. Elephants, leopards, small ungulates, forest pigs live in the forests.

Good to know: The tsetse fly lives in the eucalyptus regions of Africa. It is very dangerous for humans. Its bite infects with deadly sleeping sickness. A person begins to be disturbed by severe pain and fever.

savannah zone

About 40% of the entire territory of Africa is occupied by savannahs. The vegetation is represented by tall grasses and umbrella trees towering above them. The main one is the baobab.

This is the tree of life, which is of great importance to the people of Africa. , leaves, seeds - everything is eaten. The ash from the burnt fruit is used to make soap.

In dry savannahs, aloes grow with fleshy and prickly leaves. In the rainy season, the savannah is very abundant vegetation, but in the dry season it turns yellow, fires often occur.

The red soils of the savannah are much more fertile than those in the rainforest zone. This is due to the active accumulation of humus during the dry period.

Large herbivores live on the territory of the African savannah. Giraffes, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes live here. The savannah area is the habitat of predators, cheetahs, lions, leopards.

Tropical and semi-desert zones

Savannahs are replaced by zones of tropical deserts and semi-deserts. Precipitation in these places is very irregular. In certain areas, it may not rain for several years.

The climatic features of the zone are characterized by excessive dryness. Often there are sandstorms, during the day there are strong temperature differences.

The relief of the deserts is a placer of stones and salt marshes in those places where once there were seas. There are practically no plants here. There are rare spines. There are types of vegetation with short term life. They grow only after the rains.

Zones of evergreen hard-leaved forests and shrubs

The most extreme zone of the continent is the territory of evergreen hard-leaved leaves and shrubs. These areas are characterized by wet winters and hot dry summers.

Such a climate favorably affects the condition of the soil. In these places it is very fertile. Lebanese cedar, beech, oak grow here.

In this zone, the highest points of the mainland are located. On the peaks of Kenya and Kilimanjaro, even in the hottest period, there is always snow.

Table of Natural Areas of Africa

The presentation and description of all the natural zones of Africa can be visualized in the table.

Name of the natural area	Geographic location	Climate	Vegetable world	Animal world	The soil
Savannah	Neighboring zones from equatorial forests to the north, south and east	subequatorial	Herbs, cereals, palms, acacias	Elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals	Ferrolitic red
Tropical semi-deserts and deserts	Southwest and north of the mainland	Tropical	Acacias, succulents	Turtles, beetles, snakes, scorpions	Sandy, rocky
Variable-humid and humid forests	north of the equator	Equatorial and subequatorial	Bananas, palm trees. coffee trees	Gorillas, chimpanzees, leopards, parrots	brown yellow
Hardwood evergreen forests	Far north and far south	Subtropical	Arbutus, oak, beech	Zebras, leopards	brown, fertile

Position climatic zones mainland is very clearly demarcated. This applies not only to the territory itself, but also to the definition of fauna, flora and climate types.

Moist equatorial forests (or tropical rainforests) are a geographical natural area that is located along the equator, shifting south.

Variety of flora and fauna.

The complex multi-tiered structure of the forest. There are four main tiers of tropical rainforest, which differ not only in flora, but also in animal life.

The presence of a humid climate with a large amount of precipitation and high air temperature.

The flora is predominantly represented by evergreen tree-like plants with poorly developed bark, as well as flowers and fruits formed on tree trunks and branches.

The conditions in which tropical rainforests grow are due to low air pressure, heavy tropical rainfall and heat. Under these conditions, various tropical crops such as coconut palm, banana tree, cocoa and pineapple are also well cultivated. These forests are called the "lungs" of the planet, but such a statement is controversial according to scientists who claim that tropical forest vegetation releases quite little oxygen into the atmosphere.

Climate

Rainforests are characterized by a humid and hot equatorial climate. Minor temperature fluctuations throughout the year (from 24°С to 28°С), intensive and uniform precipitation precipitation(from 2000 to 10000 mm per year) and high air humidity due to the high content of water vapor and reaching 80% and above. The seasons in this natural area are followed by a dry season and a season of tropical rains.

In conditions of such a climate, vegetation develops rapidly in the humid equatorial forests. The trees here branch weakly, have a dense evergreen crown, and the height of the trunks reaches several tens of meters.

The upper tier is represented mainly by palm trees and ficuses, and the lower tier is represented by tree ferns, lianas and large plants. At the foot of the trees, twilight always reigns, created by lush crowns, which is why, due to the lack of sunlight in rain tropical forests almost no undergrowth.

The soil

Despite the growth of lush vegetation, the soil of tropical rainforests due to the hot climate is not very fertile and is very saturated with aluminum and iron oxides. Great content These chemical compounds give it a red or red-yellow color, and the rapid decomposition of plants under the influence of bacteria prevents the accumulation of the humus (fertile) layer of the earth.

Geographical position

Moist equatorial forests are widespread in tropical regions with an equatorial climate, such as Central and South America (Amazon Basin), equatorial africa, Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines), the northeastern region of Australia, as well as the Pacific Islands.

Equatorial rainforests

This is a natural (geographical) zone stretching along the equator with some shift to the south from 8° north latitude. up to 11°S The climate is hot and humid. All year round, average air temperatures are 24-28 C. The seasons are not pronounced. At least 1500 mm of atmospheric precipitation falls, since here the region reduced pressure(cm. Atmosphere pressure), and on the coast the amount of precipitation increases to 10,000 mm. Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year.

Such climatic conditions of this zone contribute to the development of lush evergreen vegetation with a complex longline forest structure. The trees here have little branching. They have disc-shaped roots, large leathery leaves, tree trunks rise like columns and spread their thick crown only at the top. The shiny, as if varnished surface of the leaves saves them from excessive evaporation and burns from the scorching sun, from the impact of rain jets during heavy showers. In plants of the lower tier, the leaves, on the contrary, are thin and delicate.

equatorial forests South America called selva (port. - forest). This zone here occupies much larger areas than in Africa. The selva is wetter than the African equatorial forests, richer in plant and animal species.

The soils under the forest canopy are red-yellow, ferrolitic (containing aluminum and iron).

The equatorial forest is the birthplace of many valuable plants, such as the oil palm, from the fruits of which palm oil is obtained. The wood of many trees is used to make furniture and in large numbers exported. These include ebony, the wood of which is black or dark green. Many plants of the equatorial forests provide not only valuable wood, but also fruits, juice, bark for use in technology and medicine.
Elements of equatorial forests penetrate into the tropics along the coast of Central America, to Madagascar.

The main share of equatorial forests is located in Africa and South America, but they are also found in Eurasia, mainly on the islands. As a result of significant deforestation, the area under them is sharply reduced.

equatorial forests

Wet evergreen forests located in narrow stripes and spots along the equator. "Green Hell" - this is what many travelers of past centuries called these places, who had to be here. High multi-tiered forests stand like a solid wall, under the dense crowns of which dusk, monstrous humidity, constant heat, there is no change of seasons, showers regularly fall in an almost continuous stream of water. The forests of the equator are also called permanent rainforests. The traveler Alexander Humboldt called them "hylaea" (from the Greek hyle - forest - approx. from geoglobus.ru). Most likely this is what the wet forests looked like. carboniferous period with giant ferns and horsetails. Subequatorial forests are distinguished by the fact that among the evergreens there are also those that shed their leaves for several weeks a year.

Life in the rainforest is located "vertically" - plants and animals occupied different "high-rise floors" of this wonderful world adapting to its conditions. In such forests there can be up to five such levels.

The upper floors are at a height of up to 45 m and do not have a closed cover. As a rule, the wood of these trees is the most durable. Below, at a height of 18-20 m, there are tiers of plants and trees, forming a continuous closed canopy and almost not allowing sunlight to pass down to the ground. The rarer lower belt is located at a height of about 10 m. Shrubs and herbs grow even lower, such as pineapples and bananas, ferns. Tall trees have thickened overgrown roots (they are called board-shaped), helping the gigantic plant maintain a strong connection with the soil.

What plants grow in equatorial forests?

Such plants are called "epiphytes", i.e. living at a distance. Such, for example, orchids. Their exquisite flowers with an intoxicating aroma are nothing more than an attempt in a tough competitive struggle to attract insects and birds for pollination and thus support their future life. In the depths of the forest, in constant dampness, the largest flower on the planet, Rafflesia Arnoldi, blooms, exuding a heavy smell of rotting meat. Its flower reaches a diameter of 1 m.

In a warm and humid climate, the decomposition of dead plants occurs very quickly. From the resulting nutrient composition, substances are taken for the life of the gilea plant.

The rainforests of South America are called "selva". According to its species composition (the number of plant species is 2500-3000), the Amazon selva ranks first in the world. Not much, but still inferior to her African equatorial forests. The land in the rain forest is the realm of mosses, mushrooms, algae, plants with broad leaves that catch and retain moisture, insects, including poisonous ones. To survive in the jungle, travelers need the knowledge of local residents who build houses on stilts and sleep in hammocks.

All habitual life is concentrated "between heaven and earth", on the wide branches of trees intertwined with vines. Among such landscapes flow the most full-flowing rivers of our planet - the Amazon in the selva of South America, the Congo in Africa, the Brahmaputra in Southeast Asia.

Selva of the Amazon, as well as the equatorial forests of the Congo, Guinea, Uganda, the forests of the equatorial islands of Oceania, going to sea coasts, create in the tidal zone amazing natural communities- mangrove forests. The aerial roots of plants in such a forest are in themselves impenetrable thickets. Numerous aerial roots capture every opportunity to get air, breaking through from wet sand and liquid mud, and at high tide from sea water. The width of such a mangrove border can reach 10-20 meters.

The equatorial forests of our planet are often called its lungs. Indeed, a huge number of hylaea trees emit such an amount of oxygen into the atmosphere that their reduction threatens humanity with a significant deterioration in the composition of the air. Some of the rainforests have already been cleared. In their place, man cultivates various crops, including coffee, oil and rubber palms.

Flora and fauna of Tropical Africa

The vegetation in Africa is rich and varied. Its nature is determined by the amount of precipitation and the duration of the wet season due to the flat relief and the position of the mainland between the tropics. In the equatorial climatic zone, evergreen multi-layered forests rich in species grow. Herbaceous vegetation prevails in the subequatorial belts. IN tropical zones vegetation is poor in species, sparse or absent altogether.

Equatorial climate zone

News and Society

Plants of equatorial forests. Features and meaning

Plants of equatorial forests cannot but arouse increased interest not only among specialists, but also among ordinary inquisitive travelers from all over the world. And there is nothing surprising in this.

Agree, many of us tend to visit overseas countries precisely for the sake of these exotic representatives of the flora. For example, the plants of the equatorial forests of South America or Africa are very different from those herbs, flowers, trees and shrubs that we are accustomed to seeing outside our windows. hometown. They look, smell and bloom completely differently, which means they cause mixed emotions. They want to take a closer look, touch and photograph.

Plants of the equatorial forests is a topic that can be talked about indefinitely. This article is aimed at acquainting readers with the most characteristic properties and living conditions of these representatives of the world of flora.

general information

First of all, let's try to define such a concept as humid equatorial forests. Plants whose habitats are regions with a pronounced equatorial, subequatorial and tropical climate inhabit this species natural zone. It is worth paying attention to the fact that in this case, not only herbs, but also numerous trees and shrubs can be attributed to various kinds of representatives of the flora.

At first glance, it's hard to even imagine, but there is up to 2000 or even 10,000 mm of precipitation per year.

These land areas are characterized by huge biodiversity, it is here that 2/3 of all plants and animals of our planet live. By the way, not everyone knows that millions of species are still not described.

On the lower tier in tropical rainforests, there is not enough light, but the undergrowth, as a rule, is weak, so a person can easily move along it. However, in the event that for some reason the deciduous canopy is absent or weakened, the lower tier can quickly become covered with impenetrable thickets of vines and intricately woven trees. This is called the jungle.

The climate of the equatorial forest

Animals and plants of the equatorial forests, as we have already said, are diverse. This is due to the prevailing climate, which means that we need to talk about it in more detail.

This zone stretches along the equator with a shift to the south. The average year-round temperature is 24-28 degrees. The climate is quite hot and humid, although the seasons are implicitly expressed.

This area belongs to the area of low pressure, and precipitation here falls evenly throughout the year. Such climatic conditions contribute to the development of evergreen vegetation, which is characterized by the so-called complex structure of the forest.

The flora of the equatorial territories of the planet

As a rule, moist evergreen forests, located in narrow stripes or peculiar spots along the equator, are diverse and have a huge number of species. It is difficult to imagine that today there are more than a thousand of them only in the Congo Basin and on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea.

Plants of the equatorial forests of the upper tier are represented by giant ficuses and palm trees, of which there are over 200 species. In the lower ones, mainly bananas and tree ferns grow.

The largest plants are often entwined with vines, blooming orchids. By the way, it is worth noting that sometimes in the equatorial forests there are up to six tiers. Among the plants there are also epiphytes - mosses, lichens, ferns.

But in the depths of the forest you can find the largest flower of our planet - Rafflesia Arnoldi, the transverse diameter of which reaches 1 meter.

Fauna of the equatorial forest

It is unlikely that anyone will be surprised if we note that the fauna of the equatorial forests, first of all, is rich in monkeys. Monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, howler monkeys and bonobos are especially common and in huge numbers.

Of the land inhabitants, you can often meet small ungulates, for example, in Africa, tourists often admire okapi, African deer and other unusual animals. The most common predators of the selva of South America, of course, are the jaguar and puma. But in the African tropics, the owners are fast leopards and huge tigers.

Due to the humid environmental conditions, many frogs, lizards and insects live in the equatorial forests. The most common birds are hummingbirds, parrots and toucans.

As for reptiles, who does not know about the pythons of Africa and Asia or the anaconda from the Amazon jungle? In addition, in the equatorial forests are common Poisonous snakes, alligators, caimans and other no less dangerous representatives of the world of fauna.

What will happen if the plants of the equatorial forests are destroyed?

During the deforestation of the equatorial forest, a person, sometimes without realizing it, destroys the habitat of many animals and takes away food from termites. Besides, given forest also restrains the onset of deserts that are destructive to all living things.

But that's not all. The fact is that humid equatorial forests, although they occupy a relatively small part of the Earth, are the so-called green lungs of our planet. It is here that about 1/3 of the Earth's oxygen is produced, so the destruction of the equatorial forest will cause irreversible environmental impact including an increase in carbon dioxide. The latter, in turn, will increase average temperature, will increase the likelihood of glacier melting, which means that it will entail the subsequent flooding of many fertile lands.

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These interesting plants, so readily bred for the beauty of their originally built flowers and familiar to all, also belong predominantly to the tropics. Most often they come across in the mountains of the equatorial belt; there you can always find a few representatives of innumerable forms of orchids. They grow along trunks, branches, along branching branches, developing especially magnificently on fallen trunks, covering rocks and cliffs from top to bottom; some like ours northern views, grow on the ground, between other herbs. Many trees, the bark of which is especially conducive to the growth of orchids, are completely covered with them and thus form, as it were, natural orchid gardens. Some orchids are particularly fond of the rotted petioles of palm leaves and tree ferns. Many grow most readily near the water, while others, on the contrary, need air and the light of high tree tops. Everyone knows the original diversity of the structure of orchids and the beautiful tones of their flowers, but our richest orchid collections do not give any complete idea of the whole multitude of their species that come across under the tropics; however, many of them have flowers too plain to be worth breeding. More than 30 years ago Lindley (Lindley) estimated the number of orchid species known at that time at about 3000, Bentham and Hooker in Genera plantarum estimate them already at 5000; it is very likely that in our time the number known species orchids reaches 6000.

Vegetation of the equatorial forests

But no matter how great the number of species already collected and described, the number still to be discovered must be colossal.

Orchid Grammatophyllum speciosum (Java)

In contrast to ferns, certain types orchids have a relatively small distribution; therefore, for an exhaustive acquaintance with all the species belonging to only one more or less extensive area, for example, an island the size of Java, many years of work by a good botanist would be required. It is very possible that this remarkable family will eventually prove to be the most species-rich of all the flowering plants.

Despite the fact that any orchid can be recognized by its peculiar appearance, even not during flowering, yet both their size and appearance are extremely diverse. Some small climbing species do not exceed moss in size, while the large Grammatophyllum from the island of Borneo, growing in the forks of tree branches, have densely leafed trunks up to 10 feet long; some terrestrial species, such as the American Sobraliae, reach the same size. Most orchids look extremely peculiar due to their fleshy aerial roots, which often hang far down, crawl along the rocks, or are slightly attached to the bark of a tree; They feed on rainfall and atmospheric moisture in general. Despite so many various kinds orchids in the equatorial forests, their flowers are relatively few striking. This is partly because in many orchids they are generally inconspicuous, and partly because the flowering time of each species lasts only a few weeks and in different species it takes different months. In addition, the very type of growth of orchids, which are found in most cases separately, in separate specimens or in groups that rarely reach a large size and therefore do not stand out among the mass of plants surrounding them, also has an influence. Only rarely does a traveler find himself in a place where orchids remind him of the beauties of our orchid greenhouses and exhibitions. Slender golden Oncidiae of the flooded forests of the upper Amazon, magnificent Cattleya of drier forests, marsh Caelogynae, and finally, the wonderful Vanda lowii of the wooded hills of Borneo - these are the main examples of beautiful orchids, especially etched into the memory of the author of these lines during his 12 years of wandering through the tropical forests. The Vanda mentioned above stands out decisively from all orchids: from a relatively small tuft of its foliage, numerous pedicels protrude, hanging down like cords up to 8 feet long, and completely dotted with large star-shaped, red-speckled flowers.

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Tropical forests are overflowing with flora and fauna. Representatives of ancient groups of mammals have been preserved here - the most primitive marsupials - possums, woolly wings. Also in the forests there is a multiple variety of monkeys and semi-monkeys (lemurs, lorises). The lizards of the Old World and the armadillos and anteaters live in the tropical forests. Among the birds that live in the crowns, there are many that do not fly very well, but mostly jump and climb (toucans, turacos, hornbills, birds of paradise). And Nicobar pigeons, crowned pigeons, bowerbirds are excellent flyers, and parrots (cockatoo, macaws, Amazon, Jaco) climb well and fly. Tree-dwelling animals can be divided into two groups: gliders, which have a well-developed flying membrane (large flying possum, woolly wing, spiny tail) and climbers, which, in addition to strong and dexterous paws, have a tenacious tail used as a fifth full-fledged limbs (kinkajou, anteaters, howler monkeys, pangolins). Among them are leaf-eating (sloths, colobus), frugivorous forms (gulda, kalong, small flying fox, kinkajou) and animals with a wider range of plant foods (monkeys, ratuf, woolly wing, kangaroo, spiketail). Others, such as the gorilla, mandrill, porcupine, although they can climb trees, are often found on the ground. Insects, goulda, kalong, little flying fox, some birds are pollinators of rainforest flowers. There are also the largest inhabitants of the tropics, which control the number of animals - these are jaguars, leopards and tigers. The boa constrictor, which can swallow prey whole, is also very dangerous. It can be either a big monkey or a small hippo.

Trees in tropical rainforests have several general characteristics, which are not observed in plants of less humid climates.

The base of the trunk in many species has wide, woody ledges. Previously, it was assumed that these ledges help the tree to maintain balance, but now it is believed that water with dissolved nutrients flows down to the roots of the tree. Broad leaves are also common in lower forest trees, shrubs and grasses. Tall young trees that have not yet reached the topstory also have broader foliage, which then decreases with height.

Plants of equatorial forests. Moist equatorial forests

The wide leaves help the plants absorb sunlight better under the tree edges of the forest, and they are protected from the wind from above. The leaves of the upper tier, which form the canopy, are usually smaller and heavily cut to reduce wind pressure. On the lower floors, the leaves are often tapered at the ends so that this allows the water to drain quickly and prevents microbes and moss from growing on them that destroy the leaves.

The tops of trees are often very well connected with each other with the help of vines or plants - epiphytes, fixed on them.

Other characteristics of the tropical rainforest are unusually thin (1-2 mm) tree bark, sometimes covered with sharp thorns or thorns; the presence of flowers and fruits growing directly on tree trunks; a wide variety of juicy fruits that attract birds, mammals and even fish that feed on the sprayed particles.

In humid tropical forests, there are edentulous (families of sloths, anteaters and armadillos), broad-nosed monkeys, a number of families of rodents, bats, llamas, marsupials, several orders of birds, as well as some reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Many animals with tenacious tails live on trees - tenacious monkeys, pygmy and four-toed anteaters, opossums, tenacious porcupines, sloths. A lot of insects, especially butterflies (one of the richest fauna in the world) and beetles; many fish (as many as 2000 species - this is approximately one third of the freshwater fauna of the world).

On both sides of the equator largely determines the climate of this corner the globe. It is located mainly in the tropics, because the cold weather characteristic of temperate latitudes is not here. But at the same time climatic zones Africa, which diverge from the equator to the north and south, cannot be compared with each other. The structure of the mainland is such that in the two hemispheres the same zone has its own characteristics. And in order to learn the local weather and its characteristics, the article presents the belts of Africa and their brief description.

Geographical position of the continent

Africa is the second largest continent in the world after Eurasia. It is washed by two oceans - the Atlantic and Indian, a few seas and straits. The geological structure of these lands is such that their width is greater in and less in the south. This partly affects which climatic zones in Africa are formed in one or another of its regions. It also largely affects the local relief, the presence of flora and fauna. For example, in the northern part, where all the lands are covered with impenetrable sands, as you yourself understand, there are a minimum of plants and animals. But to the south, where there are tropical rainforests or even savannahs, animal and vegetable world richer, it appears before us in all its African originality and uniqueness.

Short description, table

The climatic zones of Africa begin with the equatorial.

At zero latitude, the wettest continent is located, where the maximum amount of precipitation falls - more than 2000 mm per year.
It is followed by the subequatorial strip, where the amount of precipitation and natural wealth is reduced. No more than 1500 mm of moisture falls here annually.
The tropical climate zone is the largest region of the continent. Depending on the hemisphere, the amount of precipitation here can range from 300 to as little as 50 mm per year.
covers the edge of the coast in the north of the mainland and a corner located in South Africa, in the very south. Both there and there it is always windy and humid. In winter, temperatures drop by 7 degrees, compared with summer figures. Rainfall is estimated at 500 mm per year.

Equatorial latitudes

Listing all the climatic zones of Africa, special attention should be paid to the equatorial zone, since on this mainland it is considered the most unique, wettest and most prolific in terms of agriculture. It is located, of course, along zero latitude, and covers such states as the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Benin, Cameroon and others adjacent to the Gulf of Guinea. A feature of the equatorial climate is that closer to the east it becomes drier, but in the western parts of the land the maximum amount of precipitation falls.

subequatorial zone

Africa is located in climatic zones that are characterized by hot temperatures, and a large part of its territory is occupied by subtropics. Here it is a little drier than at the equator, the jungle and evergreen forests turn into savannahs. A feature of this belt is that in summer equatorial winds blow here, which bring rain and often fog to the region. In winter, tropical trade winds are observed, which are drier and very hot, as a result of which the amount of rain decreases and the air temperature rises. In North Africa, the subequatorial belt covers such countries as Mali, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, etc. In the southern part of the continent, these are Tanzania, Kenya, Angola, Zambia Mozambique.

Tropics. Dry and windy

As the table above has already shown us, it is difficult to imagine the climatic zones of Africa without the tropics, which occupy most of the continent. Their widest strip stretched in the northern part of the mainland, covering the Sahara desert and all nearby countries. These are Egypt, the northern territories of Chad, Sudan, and Mali, as well as Mauritania, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and many others. The amount of precipitation here is minimal - about 50 mm per year. The whole territory is covered with sands, blown by dry trade winds. Often there are sandstorms. Among the animals inhabiting the Sahara, insects and reptiles are more common, which get out of the dunes only at night. In the Southern Hemisphere, the tropics also fall on the Kalahari Desert region. The climate here is very similar to the north, but is characterized big amount rainfall and less dramatic diurnal temperature changes.

Subtropical areas

In conclusion, consider the extreme climatic zones of Africa - subtropical. They occupy the smallest part of the continent both in the north and in the south, therefore they have little effect on the overall weather picture. So, in the northern part of the mainland, this zone extends as a thin strip along the Mediterranean coast. Only the highest points of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, which are washed by the waves of this sea, fall into it. A feature of the local climate is that in winter winds blow from the west, bringing moisture. Due to this, it is during the cold season that the maximum amount of precipitation falls here - about 500 mm. In summer, the winds change to tropical trade winds, which bring heat, drought and even sand from the Sahara. It does not rain at all, the temperature rises to a maximum. In the Southern Hemisphere, weather conditions are similar. The only feature is that it is a narrow cape, which is washed on all sides by the ocean. Evaporated moisture makes the air humid throughout the year, and precipitation falls here not only in winter, but also in all other seasons.

Madagascar and the Cape Verde Islands

The climatic zones of Africa cover not only the continent itself, but also the islands that belong to it - mainland and volcanic. To the east, beyond the waters of the Mozabic Strait, lies Madagascar. It falls into two climatic zones at once - subequatorial and tropical. True, both here are not as dry as in Africa itself. Rains happen often, and the whole island is literally immersed in evergreens and palm trees. lie in the Atlantic, west of the Gulf of Guinea. Here the climate is subequatorial, humid, but at the same time very windy. Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year.

Conclusion

We have just briefly reviewed all the climatic zones of Africa. Grade 7 is the period when children get acquainted with the natural areas and climate of our planet. It is important that the child during this period does not miss anything and can quickly figure out which zone we live in, which are located to the south, and which, on the contrary, go north. This will broaden his horizons and allow him to better navigate in geography.

The widest part of Africa is located in the center of the hot zone of illumination. The whole continent is caressed by the sun all year round, receives a huge amount of energy from our luminary. The climate of Africa is determined by geographical location, air circulation, the influence of the oceans, and the nature of the underlying surface. According to the combination of these main factors, climatic zones (basic and transitional) are distinguished on the mainland: subtropical, tropical, subequatorial and equatorial. In this order, they are replaced in the northern hemisphere from north to south.

General characteristics of the African climate

The equator crosses the continent roughly in the center. Northern - more large part mainland - extends to mediterranean sea in the north and the Arabian Peninsula of Eurasia in the northeast. South of the equator lies a narrow part of Africa, resembling a triangle in shape. The area from the equator to the Northern Tropic receives about 200 kcal/cm2 per year. The average figure for the total solar radiation on the mainland is 160 kcal/cm2 per year.

The climate of Africa is diverse, heat and moisture are distributed unevenly, especially in desert regions. Maximum amount precipitation is received by the southwestern foot of the Cameroon volcano - up to 10,000 mm / year. Africa surpasses other continents in terms of temperature, being the hottest of them. The largest number solar heat falls on the land mass located between the Northern and Southern tropics.

We will describe the climate of Africa according to the position of the territories of the continent relative to the equator. This is the main climate-forming factor on which heating depends. earth's surface, and from it - air. An important role belongs to other conditions: atmospheric circulation, the nature of the relief, the features of the underlying surface, the position relative to other continents, oceans. The main and transitional types of climate in Africa:

Equatorial.
Subequatorial (wet in the south, arid in the north).
Tropical desert.
Subtropical Mediterranean.

Equatorial climate of Africa

In the center of the mainland, near the 0° parallel, a hot and humid climate is formed. The equatorial belt covers the territory from 6 ° N. sh. up to 5°S sh. in the Congo basin in the east, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, it reaches 8 ° N. sh. The conditions of this region are determined by equatorial air masses - hot and humid; it rains throughout the year. The air in January and July heats up to an average of +25 ° C, 2000-3000 mm of precipitation falls annually. The moisture coefficient reaches 1.5-2 (excess).

evergreen forests

The equatorial climate of Africa creates favorable conditions for warm and moisture-loving plants. The equatorial region of Africa is covered with dense evergreen forests - hylaea. It is difficult for animals and people to be under the canopy of the forest, where it is gloomy and stuffy, the air is saturated with the smells of decaying litter and the scent of orchids.

Impenetrable sparsely populated natural area in last years intensively studied. Wood is cut down to obtain valuable timber for export. Mahogany, abachi (African maple) and other species are mined.

Subequatorial climate zone

It occupies vast expanses of the mainland from 20 ° S. sh. up to 17° s. sh. More than 1/3 of Africa is located in areas of subequatorial climate. In the eastern part transition belt is not interrupted by the equatorial one, in the southern hemisphere it does not reach the Atlantic Ocean.

Characteristics of the African climate in the subequatorial region of the continent:

Temperature conditions and humidity are determined by the alternating influence of tropical and equatorial air masses. As a result, seasons are formed - wet and dry.
Hot and humid air of the equatorial latitudes dominates in summer, dry tropical air mass comes in winter, it becomes a little cooler.
The rainless season lasts from 2 to 10 months. Average annual temperature air - over +20 ° С, about 1000 mm / year of precipitation will fall (in the southern part of the belt).
The duration of the humid period and the average annual precipitation decrease towards the margins of the subequatorial belt.
IN northern regions less rain falls, the hot breath of the desert is felt. The hottest period of the year falls at the beginning of the rainy season, when the average monthly temperature exceeds +30 °C.
The cool months of the humid period are characterized by temperatures around +20 °C and above.

Savannah

In addition to geographical location and atmospheric circulation, the climate of Africa is determined by feature relief of the mainland. The margins of the continent are uplifted; compared to the interior regions, they are located higher above sea level.

Mountain ranges and massifs in the north, east and southeast limit the influence of the Indian and Atlantic oceans on the climate of the savannah zone, which stretches within the subequatorial belt. Features of flora and fauna in this part of the continent are determined by the alternation of the wet and dry seasons, the lack of moisture for the formation of full-fledged forests, full-flowing riverbeds.

tropical belt

Features of the climate of Africa in the region of the Northern and Southern tropics - the dominance of hot and dry air masses. Areas with an arid tropical climate and a significant daily temperature range extend in the north and south of the mainland up to the 30th parallel. A significant area of the continent is influenced by an arid tropical climate. In this zone, the highest average monthly rates are noted: +35 ... 40 ° С.

The North African massif receives a lot of solar radiation and very little moisture. Daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20°C. Snow lies on the mountain peaks in the tropics, and desert and semi-desert territories lie at the foot. The most extensive lifeless areas: in the north - the Sahara, in the south - the Namib.

Deserts and semi-deserts

There are areas in the Sahara where temperature minimums and maximums (-3 and +58 °С) were recorded. The daytime temperature on hot sand and stones reaches +60 ... 70 °С, at night it can drop to +10 °С. Daily temperature fluctuations reach 50 °C.

Precipitation in the deserts of Africa falls from 0 to 100 mm / year, which is extremely small. Rains sometimes do not reach the surface of the earth - they dry up in the air. Humidification is poor, Kuvl. = 0.1-0.3. The life of the desert population is concentrated in oases - places where groundwater comes out. Agriculture, cattle breeding, tourist services are developed.

Subtropics of Africa

The extreme south and a narrow strip of the northern coast are occupied by areas of subtropical climate. This is a transitional zone, the features of which are determined by the properties of air masses in temperate and tropical latitudes. The subtropical climate is characterized by dry and rainy seasons, a significant influx of moisture, which contributes to the development of agriculture. The maximum number of rains in the northwestern and southwestern regions of the African continent falls on winter months, in the southeast the rainy season is summer.

The subtropics of Africa and other areas of the mainland attract numerous tourists. World-famous resorts are located on the coast of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The main direction of tourism development and types of recreation in North Africa is beach, sightseeing. In the savannas - safari, jeep. Less visited areas are impenetrable rainforests and uninhabited desert areas.

What is the climate in Africa now and in the past? The answer to this question lies in the beds of dry rivers (wadis), the ruins of once prosperous cities, covered by the sands of the Sahara. African climate is becoming arid, deserts are advancing in the north and south. A striking contrast to this phenomenon are floods, when rivers overflow their banks and flood coastal areas. Scientists suggest that catastrophic natural processes may be associated with intensive felling of tree plantations, widespread construction of cities, roads, development of agriculture and cattle breeding.