4-2 worksheet west africa

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GEO 200 Worksheet Template Guidelines and Rubric Overview: Each worksheet activity in this course allows you to engage deeply with a specific geographic region by analyzing its fundamental themes of geography. Engaging in these activities allows you to practice some key skills needed to explore the region you chose for your final project. Complete each question fully—not only to receive full points but also to gain valuable feedback from your instructor to hone your skills moving forward. Prompt: Complete the following steps: I. Select a region from the list provided in the assigned module in Brightspace, and address the questions related to the geographic themes below by replacing the bracketed text with the relevant information. II. Address each question in the worksheet in detail. a) Refer to your module resources and the Themes of Geography resource for more information about your region and each theme to complete this worksheet. b) In each response, describe in detail your selected region using a minimum of four complete sentences in your own words. (Paraphrase the information; do not quote or copy and paste from the text.) c) Be sure to cite your sources in APA format, including the Themes of Geography resource, in the references section. III. Once you have completed this worksheet, save your worksheet file and upload it to Brightspace to submit this assignment. Question Response Chosen Region West Africa 1. Location and Connectivity: What are the absolute and relative locations of your selected region? How does this region connect to others? West Africa is located in the westernmost part of the African continent, comprised of the countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo (“Western Africa | Countries, History, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica,” 2023). It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the west and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. Its absolute location is 13.5317° N, 2.4604° W. In terms of its relative location, West Africa is situated to the west of Central Africa and to the south of the Sahara Desert. 2. Physical Characteristics: How would you describe the climate, physiography, landscape, and natural hazards of your selected region? Address at least three of the physical characteristics listed above for this worksheet. Note: This is part of the Place theme of geography. West Africa is a large region with many geographical features and a diverse range of climates. Generally characterized as a tropical region, West Africa experiences high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons. Areas closer to the equator and the coast have a humid climate with high rainfall, while northern areas transition into a savanna climate with wet and dry seasons (Berglee, 2016). The northernmost parts of West Africa experience a desert climate with hot and dry conditions. West Africa is also categorized by its various physical features. The Guinea Highlands in the west comprise of rugged plains and plateaus, while the east is full of savannas, grasslands, and woodlands. The Niger River is one of its main features, providing fertile land and transportation to the region. This region is also home to many natural hazards, like flooding during heavy rainy seasons, as well as coastal storms and droughts throughout the region. (“AN OVERVIEW of PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY of AFRICA,” 2023)

Question Response 3. Human Characteristics: What are the language families/groups, religions, races, and cultures of your selected region? What are the region’s population density and economic development? Address at least three of the human characteristics listed above for this worksheet. Note: This also is part of the Place theme of geography. West Africa is home to many language families and groups. Some of its prominent language families include Niger- Congo, Nilo-Saharan, and Afro-Asiatic. There are several subfamilies such as Kwa, Mande, and Volta-Niger. Some of the languages spoken in West Africa include Hausa, Bambara, Fula, Mandinka, Wolof, Igbo, Yoruba, and more. Other colonial languages like English, French, and Portuguese are also spoken due to European presence in African history. West Africa is also religiously diverse, with Islam being prevalent in northern and Sahelian countries like Chad, Niger, Mali, and Senegal, and Christianity being practiced in countries like Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, and Sierra Leone (Sogoba, 2018). A significant portion of the African population also practices traditional African religions and follow indigenous beliefs, either separate from or alongside other religions like Christianity and Islam (Sogoba, 2018). The region is rich with cultural heritage as well, shaped by indigenous history, colonial influence, and globalization. Its wide range of ethnic groups have their own unique practices and forms of art, with festivals and ceremonies being an important part of West African culture. West Africa is one of the most populous regions in the continent. The coastal areas and major urban centers like Nigeria have higher population densities, with the density being lower in the Sahel region due to its arid climate. Economic development varies throughout the region; countries like Nigeria and Ghana have stronger economies involved in oil and gas, manufacturing, and agriculture, while other countries experience poverty, poor infrastructure, and economic diversification. While the population in the region continues to boom and opportunities are prevalent, the economic growth rates are slow and poverty is still high (“Economic Growth and Trade | West Africa Regional | U.S. Agency for International Development,” 2023). 4. Human/Environment Interactions: How do the physical and human characteristics interact to produce notable observations of the landscape in your selected region? Address at least three of this worksheet's human/environmental characteristics listed above. The characteristics of West Africa's climate influence the region's agricultural practices and patterns. Distinct wet and dry seasons allow for the growth of various crops. Crops like rice, millet, maize, and sorghum are planted in the wet seasons, and during the drier months farmers grow more drought resistant crops (“West Africa - Crop Production Maps,” 2023). The interaction between the environment and the region's people can be seen in the many cultivated fields and irrigation systems that the region uses to produce its crops. Interaction between the region's environment and humans can also be seen through significant urbanization in coastal areas. Coast cities like Accra, Dakar, and Lagos provide access to transportation networks, fishing, and trade routes, all while experiencing high population growth. This interaction leads to coastal erosion and environmental degradation due to poor urban planning and infrastructure (“Living on the Edge: Saving West Africa’s Coastal Assets,” 2015). West Africa is rich in natural resources like oil, minerals, and timber, and the extraction and exploitation of these resources both negatively and positively impact the region's environment. Africa experiences deforestation at twice the world rate (Basilio, 2022), and rapid urbanization has led to the decline of wildlife in West Africa, with 10% of its amphibian, bird, and mammal species being threatened with extinction (West and Central Africa wildlife in trouble, 2015).

Question Response 5. Movement: With how much ease and ability do ideas, goods, and people flow in and out of your selected region? What drives this movement? Ideas, people, and goods move easily in and out of West Africa, though this can vary by region due to infrastructure, politics, and economic development. West Africa facilitates the movement of goods through organizations like The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which reduces trade barriers and implements trade protocols (Inaju, 2020). West Africa participates in cross-border trade mostly in areas such as agriculture, minerals, and manufactured goods. The region also has road, rail, and air connections, further facilitating movement of ideas, goods, and people. Countries in West Africa experience high levels of migration, seen in the growth of coastal cities like Lagos, Abidjan, and Accra (Dick & Schraven, 2021).

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Works cited: Western Africa | Countries, History, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica. (2023). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/place/western-Africa Berglee, R. (2016, June 17). 7.3 West Africa. Retrieved June 5, 2023, from Umn.edu website: https://open.lib.umn.edu/worldgeography/chapter/7-3-west-africa/ AN OVERVIEW OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF AFRICA. (2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023, from Ccsu.edu website: https://web.ccsu.edu/faculty/kyem/GEOG466_Africa/Geogogy_Climate_Vegetation_2.htm Western Africa - New World Encyclopedia. (2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023, from Newworldencyclopedia.org website: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Western_Africa Economic Growth and Trade | West Africa Regional | U.S. Agency for International Development. (2023). Retrieved June 5, 2023, from U.S. Agency for Interna- tional Development website: https://www.usaid.gov/west-africa-regional/economic-growth-and-trade Basilio, H. (2022, February 7). Deforestation Is Flooding West African Coasts. Retrieved June 5, 2023, from Eos website: https://eos.org/articles/deforestation-is- flooding-west-african-coasts West and Central Africa wildlife in trouble. (2015, June 11). West and Central Africa’s wildlife in trouble, shows new IUCN report. Retrieved June 5, 2023, from IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/content/west-and-central-africas-wildlife-trouble-shows-new-iucn-report#:~:text=The%20report%20attributes%20the %20erosion,and%20the%20illegal%20wildlife%20trade . Inaju, D. (2020). Basic information | Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Retrieved June 5, 2023, from Ecowas.int website: https://ecowas.int/basic-information/ Dick, E., & Schraven, B. (2021). POLICY BRIEF 13. Retrieved from https://www.knomad.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/Policy%20Brief%20-%20Internal%20Migra- tion%20West%20Africa%20Policy%20Brief%2013_%20Feb%202021.pdf Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Submit the completed Module One Worksheet. Citations should be formatted according to APA style. Critical Elements Attempted With Minimal or No Functional Issues (100%) Attempted With Key Functional Issues (75%) Not Evident In Submission (0%) Value Location and Connectivity Identifies absolute and relative locations of the region selected and describes how this region connects to others with minimal or no gaps in details or logic Identifies absolute and relative locations of the region selected but does not describe how this region connects to others, or there are key gaps in details or logic Does not identify absolute and relative locations of the region selected and does not describe how this region connects to others 19 Physical Characteristics Identifies and describes at least three aspects of the climate, physiography, landscape, or natural hazards that comprise the physical characteristics of the region selected with minimal or no gaps in details or logic Identifies and describes most aspects that include the physical characteristics of the region selected, but the description contains key gaps in details or logic Does not identify and describe aspects that comprise the physical characteristics of the region selected 19 Human Characteristics Identifies and describes at least three aspects of human characteristics of the region selected with minimal or no gaps in details or logic Identifies and describes at least two aspects of human characteristics of the region selected, but the description contains key gaps in details or logic Does not identify human characteristics of the region selected 19 Human/Environment Interactions Describes at least three aspects of physical and human characteristics that interact to produce notable observations of the landscape in the region selected with minimal or no gaps in details or logic Describes at least two aspects of physical and human characteristics that interact to produce notable observations of the landscape in the region selected, but the description contains key gaps in details or logic Does not describe how physical and human characteristics interact to produce notable observations of the landscape in the region selected 19 Movement Describes the flow of ideas, goods, and people in and out of the region selected and explains what drives movement with minimal or no gaps in details or logic Describes the flow of ideas, goods, and people in and out of the region selected but does not explain what drives movement, or description contains key gaps in detail or logic Does not describe the flow of ideas, goods, and people in and out of the region selected and does not explain what drives the movement 19 Articulation of Response The submission has no major errors related to grammar, spelling, or syntax The submission has major errors related to grammar, spelling, or syntax that negatively impact the readability and articulation of the main ideas The submission has critical errors related to grammar, spelling, or syntax that prevent understanding of ideas 5 Tota l 100%