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Difficulty: MediumMajor Vegetation Zones of Africa

Arrange the following West African vegetation belts in correct sequential order, starting from the humid coastal region along the Gulf of Guinea in the south and moving northward toward the Sahara Desert.

  1. 1Tropical Rainforest
  2. 2Guinea Savanna
  3. 3Sudan Savanna
  4. 4Sahel Savanna

Answer

The correct sequence from south to north is Tropical Rainforest, followed by Guinea Savanna, Sudan Savanna, and Sahel Savanna.
The vegetation zones in West Africa form parallel east-west belts corresponding directly to decreasing annual rainfall from south to north: Tropical Rainforest (southern coast), Guinea Savanna (sub-humid belt), Sudan Savanna (dry savanna), and Sahel Savanna (semi-arid desert margin).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary climatic driver of vegetation distribution in West Africa.
Mean annual precipitation decreases progressively along a latitudinal gradient from the Atlantic coast northward.
The moist maritime winds from the South-West Monsoon weaken as distance from the Gulf of Guinea increases.
2
Identify the coastal vegetation zone receiving maximum rainfall.
Tropical Rainforest occupies the southernmost position.
It thrives in high heat and abundant moisture (>2000 mm/year) near the equator and southern coastline.
3
Arrange the savannas in order of decreasing tree density and moisture availability.
The order inland is Guinea Savanna (1000-1500 mm), Sudan Savanna (500-1000 mm), and Sahel Savanna (200-500 mm).
Drier conditions further inland reduce tree height and grass density, leading directly into the desert margin.

Key Concept

Latitudinal Zonation of African Vegetation Belts
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Major Vegetation Zones of Africa

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