7.

3 The Horn of Africa Climate

Lo:
Analyse temperature and rainfall maps for the Horn of Africa.
• The Horn of Africa lies between the Tropics so is
warm to hot all year.
• As you go up to the Ethiopian Highlands it cools.
• Most rainfall is in the Ethiopian Highlands.
• Rest of the Horn is very dry. Largely semi desert,
with sparse vegetation.
• Rains frequently fail leading to drought.
• Most people in the Horn depend on farming for a
living.
• In the dry areas, people usually raise animals for
living and travel with them to find grazing. They
are nomads.
• In the wetter areas, people grow crops and raise
animals.
• Population density is low in the drier areas,
where it is harder to grow crops.
Answer these questions:
1. What does climate mean?
2. What do you call a farmer who grows crops only?
3. What do you call a farmer who has animals only?
4. What do you call a farmer who grows crops and has animals?
5. What is a subsistence farmer?
6. What is irrigation?

1. What the weather in a place is usually like, over the year.

2. Arable farmer
3. Pastoral farmer
4. Mixed farming
5. A farmer who grows crops just to feed himself and his family. Not to sell.
6. Getting extra water from a river or sea to water crops.
There is an important difference between
weather and climate
• Weather is
• Short-term, day to day changes in the
atmosphere in a place
• Includes rainfall, cloud cover,
temperature, wind direction, wind
strength, air pressure, humidity
• Climate is
• The average weather conditions over
a period of time – at least 30 years.
• Climate regions cover large areas
• Climate is usually summarised into
temperature and rainfall
 This is a climate graph for Kuwait
City.

Temp is done with a line, 1. What was the average

in red usually.
temperature in January?
2. In which months did it not rain
at all?
3. What is the temperature range
for Kuwait City?
4. What is the rainfall range for
Kuwait City?
1. 13/14 degrees .
Rainfall is done as a bar, 2. June, July, August, September
usually coloured in blue. 3. Max= 36, min = 14 so 22
degrees (roughly)
4. Max = 22mm, min= 0mm so
range is 22mm.
Climate graph for Somalia
Month Average temp-c Minimum Maximum Rainfall mm
temperature-c temperature-c
January 18 13 24 180
February 19 13 24 190
March 19 13 24 250
April 19 13 26 130
May 17 10 24 10
June 16 7 23 0
July 16 7 24 0
August 17 9 25 0
September 20 12 28 15
October 20 13 27 100
November 19 13 25 180
December 19 13 24 215
On the graph paper plot the graph.

Remember lines are temperature

( use blue for minimum temp and red for max temp). Use bars for rainfall.

Right axis is rainfall in mm, left is temp in degrees Celsius.

Somalia climate graph questions:
1. What was the average temperature in January?
2. In which months did it not rain at all?
3. What is the maximum temperature range for Somalia?
4. What is the rainfall range for Somalia?
5. What was the amount of rainfall on average per month in Somalia?
6. What is the minimum temperature range for Somalia?

1. 18 degrees
2. June, July, August
3. 28-23=5 degrees
4. 250mm-0mm= 250mm
5. 105.8mm
6. 13-7=6 degrees
Read pages 122-123 and answer the
questions 1-10 page 123.
1. Because it lies within the tropics, and the Equator passes through it.

2. A) The average temperature in July for the HOA.

B) W
C) W is in the Ethiopian Highlands. The higher you go the lower the temperature.
3. a) it shows annual rainfall in the HOA. 4. Statement A is true.
b) i) 600-1000mm
ii) 0-200mm
5. Population density is the average number
c) Y of people living in a km2.
8. A good correlation between the 2 maps.

People in the dry areas rear animals as they are nomads.

People in rainfall areas grow crops. Coffee farming needs warmth and rainfall so is found in areas of most rainfall.
9. a) In the drier areas, rainfall is erratic.
When it does not rain wells and rivers dry up.
Crops die and animals and humans do not have enough water and food to survive. Both may die.
b) Immune systems in young children are still weak and developing so they suffer the most.

10. These strips lie along rivers. The farmers may use water for irrigation.
Look at maps A, B and C on page 122.

A shows average July temperature.

B shows annual rainfall.

C shows population density.

1.Describe the pattern shown in each map.

Use words like above the Equator/coast/N/E/S/W

2. Describe how all 3 maps are linked to each other.

 Complete
worksheet 7.3