Large geological features were caused by the tectonical movement or internal
processes and were modified by external or erosional processes grouped into two
categories or scales.
1.The large prominent examples are as follows:-
(a) Large depressions.
(b) Folded mountains.
(c) Faulted high peaks and mountains.
(d) Extensive plains and plateaux
2. The minor examples are as follows:-
(a) Big river basins.
(b) Major hills.
(c) Expand swamps.
(d) Large lake basins.
And because of such natural set-up, according to A.T. Grove (1970), the African
Continent is divided into two surface heights namely:
(a) High Africa.
(b) Low Africa.
High and low sections of Africa are divided by a line trace contour of 1000m
from Luanda in Angola to Asmara depression in Eritrea – north of Ethiopia
Mainly, High Africa is dominated by large and high plateau/Uplands and plains
standing (or found) between 1000m and 2000m high, while low Africa the plains mostly
are found between 160m and 660m high.
Some zones within High Africa do rise above 2000m high. Some examples include:-
(a) Lesotho Highlands (Over 3800m).
(b) The Aberdare Range (Over 4400m)
(c) The Mutumba Mountains (Over 4930m)
(d) The Ethiopian Highlands (Over 5050m).
(e) The extensive Nyika zone plateaux (Over 2700m).
(f) The Cherangani Hills (Over 3500m).
(g) Ruwenzori Mountain (Over 5585m).
(h) Kilimanjaro Mountain (5895m).
(i) Mount Kenya (5199m).
(j) Mount Elgon (Over 4200m).
Some of them rise as uplands and mountains like Islands from the surrounding plains.
Low Africa a part form the Atlas Mountains (4165m), lies below 1000m, but
large depressions such as Libya, Chad, Mauritania are found below 300m high.
Large basins and boring plains do surround Low Africa.
Those which rise like Islands, Mountains from the main surrounding plains of low
(or Sahara) Africa include:-
(a) Hoggar (Over 3000m)
(b) Jebel Marra (3300m)
(c) Tibesti (3800m)
They form a discontinuous upland arc of about 2700km long, bisecting the Sahara
zone latitudinally.
The Atlas Mountains is nearly extensive as the Ethiopian Highlands contain
chains between 1800m and 2500m high.
The High Atlas in Morocco stretches for about 400km at an altitudes ranging
from 2000m to 4000m high.
Other mountain zones within low Africa included:-
(a) Cameroon - Mandara Peak (4100m).
(b) Guinea Highlands - Nimba Peak (Over 1750m)
Other physiographic setting of Africa include:-
(a) Horizontal distribution of land surface – mostly plains and plateaux.
(b) Vertical distribution of Mountains, Ranges, Chain Systems.
(c) Rivers and associated catchment zones or basins.
The extensive low plains, including the plateaux zones and steep slopes do drop to
the Indian Ocean basin, extending inland up to Zambezi, Limpopo river valleys and
Luangwa depression in South Africa.
The interior depressions (Or basins) such as Okavanga and Kalahari Desert are
found below 1000m.
Titany answered the question on January 17, 2022 at 12:08