Geography East Africa

EAST
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.

East Africa falls into two distinct cultural regions. Sudan and the “Horn” nations have been influenced by the Middle East. Ethiopia was the home of one of the earliest Christian civilizations.

Sudan reflects both Muslim and Christian influences. The southern countries share a cultural affinity with sub-Saharan nations. Some Africa’s most densely populated countries lie in this region, which puts pressure on fragile environments. Kenya developed an industrial base, while other East African economies rely on agriculture.

The magnificent National Parks of Kenya and Tanzania provide essential refuges for many rare animals. Tourism flows in the cash needed to sustain these conservation efforts. The Lake Victoria is the world’s second largest lake in the terms of surface 26,828 sq miles (69,484 sq km). Around it, the rich volcanic soils support coffee, tea, cotton, sugar cane and vegetables. Lake Tanganyika is 16,400 ft (5,000 m) in depth and lies 8,202 ft (2,500 m) above the sea level. An extinct volcano, Kilimanjaro, is Africa’s highest mountain 19,340 ft (5,895 m). In the dry regions, camels are common, elsewhere herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. Tsetse Fly limits human settlement and agriculture in much of this region.