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Unit notes and practice questions

Grade 10 Geography unit 3: Natural resource base of Africa

Everything here is for unit 3 of the Grade 10 Geography textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.

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3
Cards
10
Practice questions on unit 3
48–80
The textbook pages for unit 3

What unit 3 covers

  1. 1.Overview of major natural resources of the world
  2. 2.Major drainage and water resources in Africa
  3. 3.Main types of soils and mineral resources in Africa
  4. 4.Major vegetation and wildlife of Africa

Short notes for unit 3

The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 10 Geography page. Open one at a time.

Water SourceShare of Total WaterShare of Freshwater
World Ocean (Saline)96.5%0.0%
Glaciers and Permanent Snow1.74%68.7%
Fresh Groundwater0.76%30.1%
Freshwater Lakes0.007%0.26%
Rivers0.0002%0.006%
Atmospheric and Biological Water0.0011%0.043%

When you use it

Use when calculating or stating the global distribution of water reserves and comparing saline versus accessible freshwater proportions.

Watch out

Total freshwater is only 2.5 percent of all Earth water, and over two thirds of it is locked in glaciers and ice, not in rivers or lakes.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 48-80, then checked twice before it went up

BasinLengthOutletKey Characteristics
Nile6,650 kmMediterranean SeaLongest river in the world. 86% of its water originates from Ethiopia.
Congo4,660 kmAtlantic OceanSecond largest globally by volume. Navigable year-round due to equatorial flow.
Niger4,200 kmAtlantic OceanThird longest in Africa. Features Kainji Dam and an inland delta.
Zambezi3,540 kmIndian OceanFeatures Victoria Falls and Kariba Dam. Has a 60 km wide delta at mouth.
Orange2,092 kmAtlantic OceanLongest river in South Africa. Navigation blocked by silt, falls, and rapids.
ChadInland basinLake ChadLargest inland drainage in Africa. Shallow lake subject to high evaporation.

When you use it

Use when comparing the six major African river basins, their flow characteristics, outlets, and economic infrastructure.

Watch out

The Congo River is navigable year-round because its basin spans both sides of the equator, whereas other rivers face seasonal volume drops and rapids.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 48-80, then checked twice before it went up

Soil GroupCoverageFormation and Properties
Arenosols22%Sandy, easily erodible, low nutrient holding capacity. Dominant soil in Africa, such as the Kalahari.
Leptosols17%Shallow soils over hard rock or gravelly material with weak structure, common in mountains and deserts.
Cambisols11%Young, moderately developed soils lacking distinct horizons, exhibiting slight color and structure variations.
Ferralsols10%Strongly leached, weathered soils rich in iron and aluminium oxides, giving them red and yellow colors.
Calcisols6%Soils with high calcium carbonate accumulation, forming a solid hard pan (calcrete) in dry areas.

When you use it

Use when identifying the five major African soil groups, their proportional coverage, and their distinct chemical or physical traits.

Watch out

Arenosols make up the largest share of Africa's soils at 22 percent. Ferralsols have low nutrient holding capacity despite their deep red and yellow color.

Drafted from Grade 10 Geography, pages 48-80, then checked twice before it went up

Practice questions on unit 3

10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.

Question 1

According to the textbook, what percentage of the Nile River water originates from Ethiopia?

  1. A.50%
  2. B.68%
  3. C.86%
  4. D.96%
Show the answer and why

Answer: C 86%

Why

Ethiopia contributes 86% of the Nile water through right-bank tributaries such as the Abbay (Blue Nile), Baro, and Tekeze rivers.

Question 2

Which soil type is the most dominant in Africa, covering about 22% of the continent's soils?

  1. A.Arenosols
  2. B.Leptosols
  3. C.Cambisols
  4. D.Ferralsols
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Arenosols

Why

Arenosols are sandy soils with low nutrient-holding capacity. They cover 22% of Africa's total soil area, making them the continent's dominant soil type.

Question 3

Which basin constitutes the largest inland drainage area in Africa?

  1. A.The Nile Basin
  2. B.The Congo Basin
  3. C.The Niger Basin
  4. D.The Chad Basin
Show the answer and why

Answer: D The Chad Basin

Why

The Chad Basin forms the largest inland (endorheic) drainage area in Africa, centered around Lake Chad.

Question 4

Which of the following is categorized as a renewable natural resource in the textbook?

  1. A.Coal
  2. B.Petroleum
  3. C.Wind energy
  4. D.Iron ore
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Wind energy

Why

Wind energy and sunlight are renewable resources because natural processes replenish them as quickly as humans use them. Fossil fuels and mineral ores are nonrenewable.

Question 5

Why does the Congo River maintain a stable flow throughout the year compared to other African rivers?

  1. A.Its flow is regulated entirely by giant meltwater glaciers
  2. B.Large sections of its basin lie both above and below the equator
  3. C.It flows entirely through the hyper-arid Sahara desert
  4. D.Artificial storage dams completely control its main channel
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Large sections of its basin lie both above and below the equator

Why

Because large portions of the Congo Basin lie both north and south of the equator, at least one part of the river system is always experiencing a rainy season, keeping the water flow stable year-round.

Question 6

Which African soil type is strongly leached, rich in iron and aluminum oxides, and recognized by its distinct red and yellow colors?

  1. A.Calcisols
  2. B.Ferralsols
  3. C.Leptosols
  4. D.Arenosols
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Ferralsols

Why

Ferralsols are heavily weathered and leached soils found in high-rainfall areas. They are dominated by iron and aluminum oxides, giving them a strong red and yellow appearance.

Question 7

Which country is identified in the textbook as Africa's largest producer of petroleum?

  1. A.Algeria
  2. B.Nigeria
  3. C.South Africa
  4. D.Gabon
Show the answer and why

Answer: B Nigeria

Why

The textbook highlights Nigeria, located in West Africa, as the continent's largest petroleum producer.

Question 8

Hydroelectricity is harnessed at Kariba Gorge on the Zambezi River along the border between which two countries?

  1. A.Zambia and Zimbabwe
  2. B.Ethiopia and Sudan
  3. C.Nigeria and Niger
  4. D.DR Congo and Uganda
Show the answer and why

Answer: A Zambia and Zimbabwe

Why

The Kariba Dam harnesses hydroelectric power at the Kariba Gorge across the Zambezi River on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Question 9

The Niger River, the third longest river in Africa, originates from which highland area?

  1. A.The Ethiopian Highlands
  2. B.The Futa Jalon highlands in Guinea
  3. C.The Drakensberg Mountains
  4. D.The Atlas Mountains in Morocco
Show the answer and why

Answer: B The Futa Jalon highlands in Guinea

Why

The Niger River rises in the Futa Jalon highlands (mountains of Guinea) and flows approximately 4,200 km before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through its delta in Nigeria.

Question 10

According to the mineral reserves table in the textbook, South Africa possesses 91.3% of the world's reserves of which mineral?

  1. A.Manganese
  2. B.Chromium
  3. C.Platinum
  4. D.Gold
Show the answer and why

Answer: C Platinum

Why

Table 3.2 shows that South Africa ranks first in global production of platinum and holds 91.3% of the world's known platinum reserves.

The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.

The textbook pages for unit 3

Unit 3 runs from page 48 to page 80 of the Ministry of Education edition.

Ministry of Education edition, English, 204 pages

Download the PDF

All Grade 10 Geography short notes

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