Home » World Maps » Africa » Physical Map

Africa Physical Map

Africa physical map
Google Earth:   High Resolution Satellite Images - Worldwide Coverage - Free!

Physical Map of Africa

The map above reveals the physical landscape of the African Continent. Important mountainous areas are the Ethiopian Highlands of eastern Africa, the Atlas Mountains along the northwestern coast, and the Drakensberg Range along the southeast African coastline.

Eastern Africa is being torn apart by the process of plate tectonics. The great African Rift Valley is made obvious by Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa which occupy its deepest points. Historic rifting opened the Red Sea and rifted the island of Madagascar free from the main continent.

Drainage patterns reveal Africa's variable climate. The Sahara Desert is the large streamless expanse of Northern Africa. The Nile is the only major river that successfully crosses the desert. Numerous rivers drain the central portion of Africa just south of the Sahara.

Africa political map

Copyright information: The images on this page were composed by Angela King and are copyright by Geology.com. If you would like to share them with others please link to this page. They are not available for use beyond our websites. The map was produced using data licensed from and copyright by Map Resources.

More Geology Topics
  General Geology
  Plate Tectonics
  Rocks
  Gifts That Rock
  Fossils
  Oil and Gas
  Astronomy
  Geologic Hazards

geology store

Find Other Topics on Geology.com:


Rocks
Rocks: Galleries of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock photos with descriptions.
Minerals
Minerals: Information about ore minerals, gem materials and rock-forming minerals.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes: Articles about volcanoes, volcanic hazards and eruptions past and present.
Gemstones
Gemstones: Colorful images and articles about diamonds and colored stones.
General Geology
General Geology: Articles about geysers, maars, deltas, rifts, salt domes, water, and much more!
Geology Store
Geology Store: Hammers, field bags, hand lenses, maps, books, hardness picks, gold pans.
Earth Science Records
Earth Science Records: Highest mountain, deepest lake, biggest tsunami and more.
Diamond
Diamonds: Learn about the properties of diamond, its many uses, and diamond discoveries.