TOPIC 1 : WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP ~ SOSCIAL STUDIES STD 7

TOPIC ONE : WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

African countries crossed by the prime meridian are:

• Ghana
• Burkina Faso
• Algeria
• Mali

African countries crossed by each of he major latitudes of the major latitudes

a. Equator

1. Uganda
2. Kenya
3. DRC
4. Somalia
5. Congo Brazzaville
6. Gabon

b. Tropic of Cancer

1. Egypt
2. Libya
3. Niger
4. Chad
5. Mali
6. Mauritania
7. Western Sahara

c. Tropic of Capricorn

1. Namibia
2. Botswana
3. Zimbabwe
4. Mozambique
5. Madagascar

WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

THE 16 POINT COMPASS DIRECTION

WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

CONTINENT

A continent is a large mass of land that is surrounded by water on the surface on the earth.

There are seven continents in the world namely:

Continent              size

1. Asia     –     43,608,000 sq km

2. Africa          –     30,335,000

3. North America     –     25,349,000

4. South America     –     17,611,000

5. Europe          –     10,498,000

6. Australia          –     07,682,000

7. Antarctica          –     13,340,000

These continents are surrounded by five major oceans. They are

1. Pacific ocean
2. Atlantic ocean
3. Indian ocean
4. Arctic ocean
5. Antarctic / Southern ocean

There are other water ways that border Africa like the Mediterranean sea, Red sea, and the Suez canal.

WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

Position of Africa

Africa is located between longitudes 17⁰ W 52⁰E and latitudes 38⁰N 35⁰S (latitudes)

Diagram:

A map of the world showing all the continents and the oceans.

Number and names of countries found in Northern Africa, Central Africa, Western Africa, Southern Africa Eastern Africa and athe Horn of AFrica.

Ways of locating places on a map

1. Using lines of longitudes and latitudes (Grid references method). The major longitude that crosses Africa is the Greenwich Meridian (Prime Meridian) 0⁰

2. The major latitudes that cross Africa are basically three and they are:

1. Tropic of Cancer (23 ½ ⁰N)
2. Equator (0⁰)
3. Tropic of Capricorn (23 ½ ⁰S)

Note:

Longitudes are imaginary lines drawn on a map from North to South on the surface of the earth while latitudes are imaginary lines drawn on a map from East to West on the surface of the earth.

(a) Longitude is the distance east or west of Greenwich meridian.

(b) Latitude is the distance north or south of the Equator.

WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

Importance of longitudes and latitudes

i) Longitudes:

These are used to determine time e.g. the prime meridian. The International Date line determines days and dates

ii)     Latitudes

Latitudes are used to determine climate e.g. the Equator

Both longitudes and latitudes locate places on a map.

NB:

Other major latitudes outside Africa are

1. Arcatic circle
2. Actarctic circle

Another major longitude outside Africa is the International Date Line (IDL) marked 1800 East.

Other ways of locating places on a map

1. Using Using compass direction.

Review of the neighbours of Uganda and East Africa using the compass direction.

1. Using landmarks
2. Using neighbours

N.B:

The method of locating places using longitudes and latitudes is called the Grid Reference

Method.

A map of Africa showing the major longitudes and latitudes.

WAYS OF LOCATING PLACES ON A MAP

EXERCISE

1. What is a continent?

2. Name the countries in Africa crossed by

3. Greenwich meridian : ___________, ________, _______, _________

4. Equator: _______, ______, ________, _____, ________, ______, and _____

5. Name the major latitudes that cross Africa.

6. Why is the Equator marked 0⁰?

7. Using the atlas, list all the islands and the oceans that surround Africa.

8. Name two Island countries of Africa.