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Exploring Africa's Physical and Cultural Geography Using ArcGIS

Activity 2 Answer Key: Physical and Human Environment

Step 4.

A) The largest number of cities are located in the Low Mountain areas along the Ivory Coast and Mediterranean Sea.  Locations along the coast make for easy access for shipping and receiving supplies, and low mountains areas offer a more temperate climate.

B) The fewest number of cities are located in the High Plains. Most High Plains areas are desert with little or no water available for farming or living.

Step 6.

C) Cities greater than population 3,000,000 are:

    1) Cairo, Egypt - population 9,300,000

    2) Lagos, Nigeria - population 3,800,000

    3) Johannesburg, South Africa - population 3,650,000

    4) Alexandria, Egypt - population 3,350,000

Step 7.

D) The least number of cities are located in areas with the least precipitation. The Sahara Desert and the Desert of Western South Africa.

Step 8.

E) The climate does have an effect on city size (yes). Desert/Tropical Belts are too hot and dry to support most populations. The High Population areas are in Equatorial, Subequatorial, or Subtropical areas, near the coasts where trade winds keep the land cooler and wetter.

*** End of Activity 2 for ArcGIS Answer Key ***

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