The second largest continent of the planet. Second in terms of population. The mainland, which has truly colossal reserves of minerals and other natural resources. Homeland of mankind. Africa.
The third part of the world
In the views of the ancient Greeks, there were only two parts of the world - Europe and Asia. In those days, Africa was known under the name of Libya and referred to one or the other. Only the ancient Romans, after the conquest of Carthage, began to call their province in what is now Northeast Africa this name. The remaining known territories of the southern continent bore the names of Libya and Ethiopia, but later only one remained. Then Africa became the third part of the world. The Europeans, and then the Arabs, mastered only the lands of the north of the continent, the more southern parts were separated by the grandiose Sahara desert, the largest in the world.
After the beginning of the colonial seizure of the rest of the world by Europeans, Africa became the main supplier of slaves. Colonies on the territory of the mainland itself did not develop, but served only as collection points.
The beginning of independence
Situationbegan to change slightly since the nineteenth century, when slavery was abolished in many countries. Europeans turned their attention to their possessions on the continent of Africa. The natural resources of the controlled lands exceeded the potential of the colonial states themselves. True, development was carried out in the most populated areas of North and South Africa. The remaining territories of almost virgin nature were considered as an opportunity for exotic recreation. The largest safaris were organized on this continent, which caused the mass extinction of large predators, rhinos and elephants. After the Second World War, almost all African countries achieved their independence and began to fully use their potential. But this did not always lead to positive consequences, sometimes the natural conditions and resources of Africa deteriorated significantly due to their irrational use by humans.
We alth and scarcity of water resources
The largest rivers in Africa are located in the center and west of the continent. These rivers - Congo, Niger, Zambezi - are among the most full-flowing and largest rivers in the world. The northern part of the continent is almost completely deserted and the rivers that dry up there are filled with water only during the rainy season. The longest river in the world, the Nile, is unique. It starts in the central part of the continent and crosses the largest desert in the world - the Sahara, without losing its deep water. Africa is considered the continent least provided with water resources. This definition applies to the entire continent, while being an average indicator. After all, the central part of Africa, having an equatorial and subequatorial climate, is endowed with water in abundance. And the northern desert lands suffer from an acute shortage of moisture. After gaining independence in African countries, a boom in hydraulic engineering began, thousands of dams and reservoirs were built. In general, Africa's natural water resources rank second in the world after Asia.
African lands
Africa's land situation is similar to that of water resources. On the one (northern) side, it is a practically uninhabited and uncultivated desert. And on the other - fertile and well-moistened soils. True, here the presence of huge areas of tropical forests, the territories of which are not used for agriculture, still makes its own adjustments. But that's Africa. Natural land resources are very significant here. In terms of the area of cultivated land to the number of population, Africa is twice as large as Asia and Latin America. Although only twenty percent of the entire territory of the continent is used for agriculture. As already noted, the natural resources of Africa are not always used rationally. Deforestation and subsequent soil erosion threaten to push the desert into the still fertile lands. Countries in the central part of the continent should be especially concerned.
Forest open spaces
The peculiarities of Africa's location have affected the fact that it has large forest lands. Seventeen percent of all the world's forests are onAfrican continent. The eastern and southern lands are rich in dry tropical forests, while the central and western lands are wet. But the use of such grandiose reserves leaves much to be desired. Forests are cut down without being restored. This is due to the presence of valuable tree species and, the saddest thing, to use them as firewood. Nearly eighty percent of energy in western and central Africa comes from burning trees.
General characteristics of mineral resources
The natural resources of African countries are such that they can allow more than one generation of mainlanders to live comfortably. But only if the number of processing enterprises increases. Indeed, almost eighty percent of all mineral resources extracted from the bowels of the earth are exported to other continents for further processing. But the we alth of African lands is simply obvious in the truest sense of the word. After all, more than three-quarters of the world's gold production occurs on this continent. Less than thirty percent of diamonds in the world outside this mainland are mined. More than half of all manganese ores, chromites and cob alt are mined in Africa. A third of phosphorites and radioactive uranium are also extracted from the depths of this continent. And the natural resources of North Africa include large reserves of hydrocarbons.
Natural resources of South and Central Africa
The location of mineral deposits is determined by the peculiarities of the tectonic structure of the continent called Africa. Natur althe resources of the southern and central parts are rich in ore minerals and diamonds. The central regions of the continent are rich in copper and bauxite reserves. A little to the west are bauxite deposits. Iron ores are rich in southern and southwestern Africa. But one of the main riches of the continent is precious metals and precious stones. The natural resources of South Africa are rich in ores with a high content of platinum and gold. And there are three African countries in the world's top five in terms of diamond production. In addition, these lands are very rich in uranium ores.
South Africa
The richest country on the continent and one of the richest in the world is South Africa. Traditionally, coal mining is developed here. Its deposits are practically surface, so the cost of production is very low. Eighty percent of the electricity generated by local thermal power plants uses this cheap coal. The we alth of the country is provided by deposits of platinum, gold, diamonds, manganese, chromites and other minerals. Oil is probably one of the few minerals that South Africa is not rich in. The natural resources of the center of the continent and especially its north, on the contrary, are endowed with significant reserves of hydrocarbons.
Natural resources of North Africa
Sedimentary rocks of the north of the continent are rich in oil and gas deposits. Libya, for example, has about three percent of the world's reserves. On the territory of Morocco, Northern Algeria and Libya there are zones of phosphorite deposits. Thesethe deposits are so rich that more than fifty percent of all the world's phosphorites are mined here. Also in the Atlas Mountains region are large reserves of polymetallic ores containing zinc, lead, as well as cob alt and molybdenum.
