Question

In what ways has geography affected settlement patterns in North Africa? Be sure to explain where people settle and why, and also where people do not settle and why.

Use information from the passage to support your answer:

Africa is the second-largest continent, but its population is not evenly spread out. Geography and climate affect where people live.

People throughout Africa have often settled near rivers, coasts, and areas with regular rainfall because these places support farming and trade. Many cities grew near rivers or harbors, where goods could be transported easily.

In North Africa, most people live near water sources, especially along the Mediterranean coast and the Nile River Valley. These areas have water for drinking, farming, and transportation. Because the surrounding land is very dry, fewer people live farther away from these water sources.

Some areas of Africa have very few people. The Sahara Desert is very dry, so very few people live there. Those who do live in the Sahara often stay near oases, where water can be found, or live as nomads, herding animals. In addition, some tropical wet regions have fewer people because the dense rainforests and poor soil make farming difficult.

Adapted from ©2019 Pearson Online & Blended Learning K–12 USA


A complete answer must:

Be 3–4 complete sentences and use only information from the passage
Explain what physical feature people settle near and why
Explain one place people settle and why
Explain one place people do not settle and why

You may use the sentence starters below to help you, or you may write your own original 3-4 sentences.

In North Africa, people settle near _________. They settle in these areas because ________________________________. A specific location they settle is ______________________________because __________. In contrast, few people settle in ________________ because_______________________________.

Answer 1

In North Africa, people settle near water sources, especially along the Mediterranean coast and the Nile River Valley. They settle in these areas because they have water for drinking, farming, and transportation and because rivers and harbors support farming and trade. In contrast, few people settle in the Sahara Desert because it is very dry; those who do often stay near oases or live as nomads.