The average elevation of the continent approximates closely to 600 m (2,000 ft) above sea level, roughly near to the mean elevation of both North and South America, but considerably … See more

There are many plateaus in Africa.
The high southern and eastern plateaus, rarely falling below 600 m (2,000 ft), have a mean elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The South African plateau, as far as about 12° S, is bounded east, west and south by bands of … See more

From the outer margin of the African plateaus, a large number of streams run to the sea with comparatively short courses, while the larger rivers … See more

With the exception of Madagascar, the African islands are small. Madagascar, with an area of 587,041 km (226,658 sq mi), is, after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo, … See more

Much of Africa is made up of plains of the pediplain and etchplain type often occurring as steps. The etchplains are commonly … See more

The mountains are an exception to Africa's general landscape. Geographers came up with the idea of "high Africa" and "low Africa" to help … See more

The principal lakes of Africa are situated in the African Great Lakes plateau. The lakes found within the Great Rift Valley have steep sides and are very deep. This is the case with the two largest of the type, Tanganyika and Nyasa, the latter with depths of 800 m … See more