Africa: position, structure and relief

Africa is a fragment of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana; most of the continent lies on an ancient platform, so there are many plains and plateaus and few earthquakes. In the north-west, where it collides with the Eurasian plate, the Atlas fold mountains rise (highest peak Toubkal, about 4 167 m). In the east runs the East African Rift (about 6 500 km long), with deep lakes (Tanganyika, Nyasa), active volcanoes and earthquakes; scientists suggest its eastern part may one day split off from Africa. Minerals: diamonds (Africa is one of the leading regions), gold, copper (the “Copperbelt” on the Zambia–DR Congo border), cobalt, uranium, chromium, iron, manganese; in sedimentary areas oil, gas, phosphates and coal. The relief is divided into two parts: “low” Africa (north and west, mostly below 1 000 m: the Sahara, Congo Basin, Ahaggar, Tibesti) and “high” Africa (east and south: the Ethiopian Highlands, East and South African plateaus). The highest point is the volcano Kilimanjaro (5 895 m), followed by Mount Kenya (5 199 m); the lowest point is Lake Assal (about –155 m); the lowest place in “low” Africa is the Qattara Depression (–133 m).