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Difficulty: MediumMajor Vegetation Zones of Africa

Arrange the following major African vegetation zones in proper sequential order, starting from the Equator (0°) and moving northward toward the Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N).

  1. 1Tropical Rainforest
  2. 2Guinea Savanna
  3. 3Sudan Savanna
  4. 4Sahel Savanna
  5. 5Sahara Desert

Answer

The correct sequential order from the Equator northward to the Tropic of Cancer is: Tropical Rainforest → Guinea Savanna → Sudan Savanna → Sahel Savanna → Sahara Desert.
Moving northward from the Equator to the Tropic of Cancer, annual rainfall progressively declines while the duration of the dry season increases. This creates a distinct latitudinal sequence of vegetation belts: Tropical Rainforest at the Equator (0°), transitioning to Guinea Savanna, Sudan Savanna, Sahel Savanna, and finally the Sahara Desert.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the vegetation zone closest to the Equator (0°).
Tropical Rainforest occupies the equatorial center characterized by high temperatures and abundant rainfall year-round.
Equatorial climate conditions produce dense rainforest vegetation.
2
Identify the moist savanna zone lying directly north of the rainforest.
Guinea Savanna borders the rainforest belt as annual precipitation begins to decrease.
A moderate dry season allows tall grasses and woodland trees to dominate.
3
Determine the drier savanna belt following the Guinea Savanna.
Sudan Savanna forms the next belt northward with lower annual rainfall.
Longer dry periods limit tree height and density, supporting shorter grasses and baobab trees.
4
Locate the semi-arid transition zone preceding the desert.
Sahel Savanna serves as the dry steppe transition zone between savanna and true desert.
Low, unpredictable rainfall supports only thorny scrubland and drought-hardy vegetation.
5
Identify the northern hyper-arid zone near the Tropic of Cancer.
Sahara Desert forms the final northern belt.
Subtropical high-pressure belts suppress rainfall, leading to desert landforms and xerophytic vegetation.

Key Concept

Latitudinal Zonation of African Vegetation Belts
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Major Vegetation Zones of Africa

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