FORM TWO GEOGRAPHY NOTES

UNIT 16: HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER IN MALAWI

MEANING

It is the type of electricity generated through the force of water

PLACES OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER IN MALAWI

Hydro-electric power in Malawi is generated from a number of interconnected power plants on the middle part of
Shire River producing a total of 278 mill-warts (98% of the total power produced) and Wovwe River in Karonga
producing about 4.5 mill-warts (2% of the total power)

A TABLE OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER GENERATED FROM DIFFERENT PLANTS IN MALAWI

LOCATION OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC DAMS ON THE MIDDLE SECTION OF SHIRE RIVER

GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY IN MALAWI

Electricity Supply Cooperation of Malawi (ESCOM) is responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of
electricity on commercial term in Malawi

GENERATION

Water is held behind a dam to form an artificial lake or reservoir. Thereafter, the force of water is released from the
dam through large pipes called Penstocks to the giants’ blades called turbines. Due to the powerful speed of water
reaching the turbines, they start rotating, turning the motor of a generator to produce electricity

A diagram of a Hydro-Electric Power plant

1
NB: Nkula is the best site for hydro-electric power as it consists of two independent power stations namely Nkula A
and B. These are used to increase water flow at Nkula falls which also depend on direct water flowing from Lake
Malawi via Shire River

TRANSMISSION

The produced electric current at the power plant goes to a set-up transformer station where the current is changed to
a high voltage. The voltage is then curried through transmission wires placed very high off the ground to small
station where it is reduced to lower voltage for consumption

FACTORS IDEAL FOR GENERATION OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER

i. Large volumes of water with regular flow all times

ii. Fast flow of water to provide a sufficient head of water, powerful enough to force turbines into rotating
iii. Mountainous areas where the rivers and streams have many waterfalls and steep gradient
iv. Proximity to large centres of markets or consumption to save costs on transmission lines
v. Deep valley to provide high dam walls so that sufficient water is held

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER IN MALAWI

i. It provides energy to the manufacturing industries and homes

ii. It provides employment opportunities to the local population
iii. Et enhances air quality and helps to combat climate change problems as it is renewable

CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND USE OF HYDRO-

ELECTRIC POWER IN MALAWI

The production and transmission of hydro-electric power in Malawi has been ineffective, resulting in massive road
shading programs across the country due to the following factors

A. Siltation
Increased erosion due to deforestation has resulted in the siltation of river systems which reduces the
storage of the reservoir for power generation hence resulting in inability to meet peaking requirements

B. Frequent droughts
It has reduced the water levels in reservoirs e.g. Lake Malawi and Shire River hence reduces the generation
capacity of hydro-electric power

C. Vandalism
Destruction of electricity equipments e.g. transformers, wires etc. affects the supply of electricity e.g.
transmission and storage

D. Aquatic weeds

2
 Weeds like water hyacinth, red water fern; water lettuce etc. increases the water loss through high evapo-
transpiration as they cover the surface of open and reduce water flow velocity which contributes to
sedimentation resulting to siltation

E. Conflicting government policies and encroachment

Some sectors of government allow cultivation on river banks to take advantage of water for irrigation
while others are against it to check against soli erosion in river banks and siltation of rivers

SOLLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GENERATION, TRANSMISSION

AND USE OF HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER IN MALAWI

i. Planting trees to provide ground cover as this help to reduce erosion and siltation
ii. Encouraging water resource management as they support electric power generation
iii. Siltation and aquatic weed management e.g. dredging out trash in reservoirs
iv. Using other alternative sources of energy e.g. biomass, nuclear, solar etc.
v. Regulating the flow of water in reservoir used for power generation e.g. water in Shire River is kept
constant using the Liwonde Barrage or gates

UNIT 17: MINERALS

MEANING

A mineral is a solid inorganic substance that occur naturally in rocks and in the ground having their own chemical
properties and appearance

NB: A rock deposit containing enough mineral to make it economically feasible to extract and purify into desirable
product is called ‘an Ore’

TYPES OF MINERALS

Minerals are grouped into two as follows

A. Metallic minerals
These are minerals having metals within them and are grouped into two as follows
i. Ferrous metallic minerals
These are iron rich minerals that tend to be dark and heavy e.g. Nickel, Platinum, Iron, Chromite
etc.
ii. Non-ferrous metallic minerals
These are minerals having no iron within them and have less weight e.g. Aluminum, Copper,
Manganese, Tin etc.

B. Non-metallic minerals
These are minerals having no metals in them e.g. Phosphate and Salt

CHARACTERISTICS OF MINERALS

Minerals have five common characteristics as follows

a. Naturally occurring
Minerals are naturally made having various contents e.g. some are rare and hard to find like Gold while
others are common and easy to find like Quartz

b. Inorganic
Minerals are not alive and never were alive. As such, anything made of plant material does not qualify as a
mineral

c. Solid
Minerals are hard in nature and occurs as solids at normal temperature and pressure

3
 d. Orderly internal structure
Minerals contains atoms which are arranged in a regular, repeating and orderly pattern

e. Chemical composition
Minerals have regular chemical composition of which sometimes is made up of just one element e.g. Gold

FORMATION OF MINERALS

Minerals are classified into various types based on the formation through the following processes

a. Crystallization from a melt

The lava or magma released through volcanism contains hot mineral-rich fluids having different weights or
densities. When magma cools, the heavier minerals in it sink, crystallize and concentrate at the bottom of
the rock to form an Ore

b. Sedimentation of weathered rock materials

These materials contains insoluble mineral elements which may accumulate over time in alluvial deposits
in ocean floors or flood plains to form a mineral Ore

c. Metamorphic processes
The exerting of high pressure and temperature on existing rocks enables rock mineral element to be more
mobile and move around within the rock. This leads to the formation of new combination, resulting into
formation of new minerals worth to be extracted

d. Solution processes
Leaching of solutions may wash down minerals to the sub-soil (zone of oxidation) where they may
concentrate to form a mineral Ore. In addition, evaporation of liquids from solutions may also bring about a
concentration of a mineral hence forming a mineral Ore

NB: Malawi is naturally endowed or rich with vast mineral resources which are making the country’s mining sector
growing very quickly as follows

A table of Malawi’s mineral deposits and estimated reserves by 2006

4
IMPORTANCE OF MINERALS

5
6
 UNIT 18: FISHING

FISHING IN MALAWI

Malawi has diverse fish resources comprising over 500 species and Lake Malawi is a major source of fish. Such
diverse in Lake Malawi is influenced by its unique biophysical characteristics like long, deep and narrow basin and
clear water which permits visual detention of fish at depth of 17 meters. Other important sources of fish in Malawi
are; lake Chiuta, Lake Chirwa, Lake Malombe, Shire River, Bua River etc.

MAIN TYPES OF FISH IN MALAWI

Water bodies of Malawi comprises of varieties of fish as follows

 Chambo
 Kampango
 Chisawasawa
 Sanjika
 Mlamba
 Bombe
 Utaka
 M’pasa
 Ntchila

TYPES OF FISH

The fisheries sector in Malawi has three main groups as follows

a. Recreation or angling or spot fishing

It is a type of fishing for pressure or competition. In this case, the use of nets is not allowed but is done with
rods, lines, reels, hooks etc.
NB: sometimes, this type of fishing is associated with returning the fish into the reservoir or water body
after fishing

b. Subsistence fishing
It is at type of fishing where fish is caught for consumption by the use of traps, hooks, baskets, spears etc.

c. Commercial fishing
It is grouped into two as follows
i. Small-scale or artisanal fishing
It is regarded as a traditional method where nets, canoes or small planked boats (bwato) powered
manually is used. Fishers of this type may be self-employed and or employ outside labour to do
the fishing operation

ii. Large-scale fishing

It is mechanized and generally operates trawls, purse seine and lift nets. A good example is
MALDECO fisheries which fishes using three stern trawlers

HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT ENDANGER FISH RESOURCES IN MALAWI

A. Over-fishing
The action leads to extinction of fish as some type of fish species are fished above the extent that they
cannot maintain their population

B. Coastal development

7
 Construction of structures along coastal areas for tourism, fishing and shipping leads to the destruction of
spawning and nursery grounds of fish hence endanger fish resources

C. Siltation of fishing grounds

Some activities like deforestation, poor agricultural practices and soil erosion causes reservoirs to be filled
with silt and mud. This destroys fish habitats

D. Water pollution
This action destroys habitats and life of various species of fish

E. Climate change
Increased temperature conditions are forcing fish to migrate to some cooler areas or perish as they fail to
adapt to the changes in their habitat

MAJOR FISHING GROUNDS OF MALAWI

Malawi has water bodies such as lakes and rivers with very rich fishing grounds as follows:

a. The shallower southern section of Lake Malawi

b. The shallower Lake Malombe
c. The shallower Lake Chirwa
d. The shire and other rivers

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE DISTRIBUTION OF FISHING GROUNDS

A. Deposition of nutrients at river mouths

The draining of rivers into the lakes replenishes nutrients used for production of planktons. This support
food chain for the multiplication of fish

B. Shallowness of water
This allow sunlight to reach the bottom of the water body hence facilitate the growth of planktons which
attracts fish

METHODS OF CATCHING FISH

Fishing is done through the following methods

a. Trawl nets
It is a method that involves pulling one or more trawl nets behind a boat or in between two boats either
through the water column or along the ocean floor
The nets look like a cone or funnel with a wide opening and a narrow closed end (cod-end)
A DIAGRAM OF A TRAWL NET

b. Drifting or gill nets

It is a method that involves a long rectangular panel of netting stretched vertically in the water column by
floats along the top and weighs or anchors along the bottom. Therefore, as fish tries to pass the net, they are
caught by the gills

8
 A DIAGRAM OF A DRIFTING NET

c. Seize nets
It is a method that involves a long flat net like a fence used to encircle a school of fish, with a boat or two
driving around the fish in a circle
It contains floats at the top and weights at the bottom and has a wire at the bottom which is tightened to
close the bottom of the net trapping the fish inside
The net is then pulled in towards the boat and the catch is either pumped or lifted out with small nets or the
whole net is brought aboard
A DIAGRAM OF A SEINE NET

d. Long-line nets
It is a method that involves baited hooks attached to a long-line by short-lines called “snoods” that hang off
the main line
Long-lines are set horizontally either on floor or near the surface of a water body and is very long with
thousands of hooks
A DIAGRAM OF A LONG-LINE NET

e. Traps
It is a method involving a weave basket like structure commonly used in shallow and running water
(swampy areas) to catch fish

9
 They are baited to allow fish to swim into them and have funnel-shaped entrances to restrict fish to escape
from the trap

A DIAGRAM OF A TRAP

WAYS OF PRESERVING FISH IN MALAWI

Fish preservation in Malawi is done in various forms with different institution as follows

a. Sun drying
It is a common method of preserving fish which uses drying racks covered with bamboo mats or chicken
mats
A DIAGRAM OF SUN DRYING METHOD

b. Smoking
It is mainly used for catching fish such as Mlamba, Chambo and others where open pits or small smoking
kilns made of bricks or wooden structures are used to smoke the fish
A DIAGRAM OF SMOKING METHOD

c. Freezing
It is a method where fish is frozen or iced to enable fish traders to transport the fish to distant markets

10
 A DIAGRAM OF A FREEZING METHOD

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF FISH IN MALAWI

Fishing plays a role in the economic growth of the country as follows

i. Source of employment as people are employed in fishing companies like MALDECO

ii. Growth of small scale industries as people work as boat builders, net makers and others
iii. Cheap source of animal protein as people are able to buy or fish for food
iv. Recreation as Malawi’s fishing grounds attracts foreign divers and anglers
v. Source of law materials as fish are converted to fish meal and oil used mainly as animal feeds

WAYS OF CONSERVING FISH RESOURCES

i. Providing alternative economic opportunities such as loans for small-scale businesses for lake shore
dwellers to stop fishing pressure
ii. Awareness campaigns to sensitize fishermen on the impacts of overfishing and environmental degradation
iii. Protecting other spawning grounds such as Lake Malawi National Park by banning fishing within 100
metres of the shores of the park
iv. Regulating fishing activities by observing closed seasons, restricting mesh size and licensing fishing gears
v. Encouraging fish farming to increase fish production to meet the demand for fish
vi. Proper waste disposal to avoid water pollution
vii. Planting trees to prevent soil erosion and siltation of fishing grounds

UNIT 19: NATURAL DISASTERS IN MALAWI

MEANING

These are unplanned events of nature that take human lives and destroy properties

EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DESASTERS OCCURING IN MALAWI

i. Floods
ii. Droughts
iii. Earthquakes
iv. Landslides
v. Storms
vi. Cyclones

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MAP OF MALAWI SHOWING FLOOD PRONE AREAS

CAUSES OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Natural disasters are influenced by the following factors

a. Deforestation
The act of removing trees carelessly leads to more severe erosion due to uncontrolled run-off and this
increases the frequency of floods and landslides

b. Overcrowding
Congestion especially in town and cities leads to the construction of cheap and unsafe infrastructures such
as houses and roads which result into more severe when even a small disaster occurs

c. Construction of lands susceptible to hazards

Construction of roads on unstable slopes may lead to landslides

d. Wildfires
This destroys vegetation which holds soil in slopes hence soils becomes loose and fall with rocks as
landslides

e. Pollution
Pollution like air leads to global warming and acid rains which result in frequent droughts

f. Poor agricultural practices

Practices like overgrazing and cultivation along river banks result in siltation of water bodies which in tern
reduces their capacity to hold large volumes of water during heavy rains hence flooding

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EFFECTS OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Disasters have the following negative effects

i. Contamination of water bodies due to destruction of sewage system, plant chemicals and others
ii. Disease spread due to stagnant water which provides breading grounds for mosquitoes
iii. Disruption of transport
iv. Loss of government money due to reconstruction
v. Death and displacement of people
vi. Loss of biodiversity
vii. Power interruption
viii. Scarcity of food
ix. Loss of health facilities
x. Interruption of education

WAYS OF MANAGING DISASTERS

Management refers to the process of addressing an event that has the potential to seriously disrupt the social
structures of the community and can be done through the following ways

1. Prevention or mitigation
It aims at reducing or eliminating the amount of damage a future disaster can cause through
i. Hazard identification and risk assessment
ii. Education and public awareness of natural hazard risk
iii. Technology transfer such as construction of early warning systems, dykes and others
iv. Strong infrastructure designing and construction

2. Preparedness or readiness
It is a process of ensuring vulnerable areas is ready to contain the effects of upcoming disaster in order to
minimize damages like provision of rescue, relief, rehabilitation in the aftermath or outcome

3. Response
This is a method aiming at rescuing the survivors of disasters from immediate danger and stabilization of
their physical and emotional conditions such as provision of relief services e.g. food, water, shelter and
medical care

4. Recovery or rehabilitation
These are programs aiming at rebuilding the lives of survivors of disasters and to strengthen their capacity
to cope with future disasters such as awareness campaigns and others

DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT CYCLE

13
PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF DISASTERS

Drought

14
15
Earthquakes

Storm

16
Landslide

17
18
 UNIT 20: INDUSTRIES IN MALAWI

MEANING

It is an organized activity that utilizes available resources to provide the goods and services people require to meet
their daily needs such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, banking, tourism and others

INDUSTRY AS A SYSTEM

An industry is regarded as a system as it consist of the following

a. Inputs
These are raw materials, labour, costs of land, transport, power and other infrastructures

b. Processes
These are activities done to convert the raw materials into finished products such as milling and others

c. Outputs
These are the end products and income earned from it such as clothes and others

NB: in case of the textile industry, the inputs may be cotton, human labour, factory and transport coast;
processes may be ginning, spinning, weaving, drying and printing while outputs may be clothes
All industries are considered as open system as they continuously interact with their surrounding. For
example, inputs are obtained from the surrounding while some outputs like wastes are taken back to the
surrounding
A DIAGRAM OF AN INDUSTRY AS A SYSTEM

TYPES OF INDUSTRIES

They are classified into various groups based on the level of the products they use to provide goods or services as
follows

a. Primary industries
They involve harvesting or extracting basic materials from nature such as land or water bodies
Their products are mostly raw materials for other industries such as farming, mining, fishing, forestry and
others

b. Secondary or manufacturing industries

They involve making use of products from the primary industry as the raw materials in order to make
products usable by other businesses and consumers
They make use of quantities of energy to make finished products such as beer brewing, motor vehicles
manufacturing and others

c. Tertiary industries
They neither produce raw materials nor make a product, rather, they service other industries and people
such as health services by doctors and nurses, education services by teachers, banking, transport services
and others

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 d. Quaternary industries
These are knowledge-based sectors of the economy which involves a high degree of research and
technology in their processes to improve productivity in other industries such as computer programming,
biotechnology, consultancy, research and development institutions and others

CLASSIFICATION OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

It is classified into three as follows

a. Heavy manufacturing industry

It involves making use of large and dirty machines and covers large areas of flat land
It makes use of large quantity of heavy and bulky materials hence is located near to the source of their raw
materials such as sugar processing industry

b. Light manufacturing industry

It involves use of small and light raw materials and components to produce small, light, high value goods
like computer software industry

c. Cottage industry
It involves production of the commodity takes place in the homes
Their labour is supplied by the family members only like pottery

LOCATION OF AN INDUSTRY IN MALAWI

Industrial region emerge when a number of industries located close to each other share the benefits of their
closeness. For instance, most of the manufacturing industries are situated in cities like Lilongwe and produce
products such as floor, matches and others

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE LOCATION OF AN INDUSTRY

They are influenced by the following

a. Availability of raw materials

They help to reduce transport and production costs

b. Labour supply
Human labour force helps to run the operation of an industry such as high-tech industries require skilled
workers hence they are located close to the universities and colleges

c. Markets
Densely populated and multicultural societies like Lilongwe influences the purchasing power of the product

d. Transport facilities
Nature of materials determines the location of an industry. For instance, heavy materials are located near
cheaper modes of transport like rail and water

e. Power supply
Since industries require energy to drive machines, they are then located close to cheap and abundant power
supply sources

f. Land
Cheap and sufficient flat land influences the location of an industry especially during expansion in case of
successful production

g. Government policies
Provision of incentives like subsidies to investors, financing or supply of power at a cheaper rate, education
and training facilities attracts investors to establish industries in a given locality

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 h. Political instability
Peace and stability in a given area attracts investors while conflicts prevents them

IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIES IN MALAWI

They are imported as they influence the following

i. Employment
ii. Good utilization of resources
iii. Economic growth due to large capital, investment use of modern machineries and others
iv. Development of agriculture due to the use of improves farm inputs
v. Technological development due to research and innovation
vi. Growth of towns and infrastructure as a result of labour demands
vii. Improved standards of living due to employment opportunities

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIES

Industrialization has the following effects

i. Pollution due to the production of wastes which are not properly disposed
ii. Deforestation as large areas are cleared-out to plant the machines hence leads to environmental degradation
iii. Unpleasant environment as a result of noise, traffic, dust and others
iv. Unemployment due to the use of machineries than human labour
v. Resource depletion due to over-consumption

UNIT: THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

The earth is one of the most geological active planets in the solar system as it constantly changing (land is being
built up, and worn away, continents move around, break up and merge) due to forces that lie beneath the surface.

WAYS OF STUDYING THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH

Due to harsh conditions beneath the surface, scientists use the following geological clues or evidences to explore the
interior of the earth

i. Observation of rock materials in outcrop or protrusion and in the deep mines

ii. Samples of the materials brought to the surface from greater depth by volcanic activities
iii. Analysis of the seismic waves that pass through the earth during an earthquake

LAYERS OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

The interior of the earth is made up of different layers having different composition, width and temperature as
follows

1. THE CRUST
It is the earth’s outermost layer where all life exist
Characteristics of the crust
i. it has very small thickness i.e. about 5km beneath the oceans and 70km beneath continents
GROUPS OF CRUST
It is categorized into two as follows
a) continental crust
It contains the continents and has the following characteristics
 it is mostly made up of light coloured granite which contains silica and alumina.
As such, it is called “sial”
 it has less weight than oceanic crust
 it has the oldest land areas on earth as its less weight allows it to float on top of
the upper mantle permanently, making it resistant to change
 it is thicker about 35 -70 km thick than oceanic crust

b) oceanic crust

21
 It contains the ocean floors and has the following characteristics
 it is made up of dark-coloured volcanic lava locks (balsat) which contains silica
and magnesium. As such, it is called “sima”
 it is denser than the continental crust
 it is much newer than the continental crust as its dense weight makes it to sink
and recycles
 it is thinner about 5-10 km thick than the continental crust
NB: The crust and the upper layer of the mantle makes up the zone rigid or hard, fragile or easy to break
rock called “lithosphere” and that the boundary between the crust and mantle is called “Muho or
Muhorovicic discontinuity”

2. THE MANTLE
It is the largest layer of the earth, made up of about 80% of the earth’s total volume and has the following
characteristics
i. It is composed of very hot and dense rock, which is in semi-liquid state (its deepest part is about
30000°c and the top part about 14000°c)
ii. It is rich in minerals such as Silicon, Magnesium, Iron and others
iii. It is constantly in motion due to the high temperatures which result in convection currents (a
circulatory movement in a gas or liquid)

3. THE CORE
It is the hardest part of the earth, which is made up of two layers as follows
a) The outer core
It has the following characteristics
 Its materials are in semi-liquid form due to high temperatures
 It is made up of melted metals like Nickel (Ni) and Iron (Fe) hence called (nife)

b) The inner core

It has the following characteristics
 it is in solid state despite having very high temperatures as the mass of the earth
rests at centre, exerting high pressure, which squeezes the materials together into
solid
 it is made of Nickel (Ne) and Iron (Fe) hence called “nife”

A DIAGRAM OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

IMPORTANCE OF CORE

The core is significant as it acts as a radiation shied which helps to reflect portion of the harmful charged particles
floating around in the solar system. This therefore sustains life on earth or allows life to thrive on earth

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FEATURES THAT SHAPE THE EARTH’S LANDSCAPE

The shape of the earth landscape is influenced by various geological processes that either destroy or build. Such
processes are grouped into two based on where they occur as follows

1. INTERNAL GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES

These occurs beneath the surface and are influenced by the following
1) Volcanic eruptions
The coming out of the magma or lava from the mantle melts out and destroys the original
landforms existed on the earth’s surface, and solidifies into new rock features like mountains,
plateaus and others

2) Movements of the crust

The convectional flow of the mantle provides horizontal forces that move the oceanic and
continental crust into various directions. As such, when they converge, they form new features
like mountains while as they diverge, they form features like valleys

3) Earthquakes
The sudden up and down or side to side movements of the crust cause rocks to grind or slip past
each other. This causes the earth to vibrate resulting into tearing of the ground surface,
displacement of rocks, tsunamis and landslides

4) Tsunami’s or harbor wave

The shaking of the sea floor during an earthquake displaces large volumes of water from its
normal or equilibrium position resulting in the destruction of other landforms

5) Landslides
The sliding of rock from hillsides blocks rivers which may change the drainage system of the area

2. EXTERNAL GEOLOGICAL PROCESSES

These occurs on the surfaces of the earth and are influenced by the following
1) Weathering and erosion
Running water, wind and glaciers can wear down highlands, reducing them in height to form new
features like headlands and bays

2) Deposition
Continuous accumulation of sediments in low lying are may create landforms of various size like
deltas, spits, lagoons etc which can transform landscapes into new shape

3) Extreme weather events

Severe weather events like storms, droughts and floods can damage vegetation, buildings and
other infrastructures, causing change to landforms

4) Impact craters
The collisions between earth, asteroids and other debris from space may create huge craters which
in turn change the shape of the earth’s surface

IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

Knowing the internal structure of the earth has the following significance

 Helps to find precious mineral resources in the crust

 It helps people to detect and cope with natural disasters like earthquakes
 Helps to understand how forces on and inside the earth work to shape the world

ADVANTAGES OF THE EARTH’S LANDSCAPE FEATURES TO LIFE AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES

 High population densities live in coastal regions near good harbors port facilities for easy transportation
 Many people live close to areas prone to volcanoes due to rich mineral resources

23
  Plains are suitable for setting up game reserves and national parks where wildlife can remain safely
 Places having rift valleys provides a beautiful scenery for tourism industries
 People along water bodies can carry out fishing
 Mountainous regions are good for agriculture as they receive enough rainfall

DISADVANTAGES OF THE EARTH’S LANDSCAPE FEATURES TO LIFE AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES

 High population growth have developed on flood plains due to fertile soils hence encourages crop
productivity
 Population densities are low in mountainous regions due to difficulty in transportation and communication
 Mountainous regions discourages human settlement as they are too steep
 Swampy areas discourages settlement as they are breading grounds for mosquitoes which brings malaria
 Leeward sides of a mountain discourages farming as they receive very little rainfall

UNIT: FORMATION OF LAKES

MEANING OF THE TERM LAKE

 It is a body of water that lies in a hollow on the surface of the earth and is totally surrounded by
land.
 It is a depression on the surface of the earth that is filled with water

NB: Lakes are either have fresh water (those having inlets and outlets) or salty water (those having only
inlets)

EXAMPLES OF FRESH WATER LAKES

 Lake Turkana
 Lake Albert
 Lake Tanganyika
 Lake Kyoga
 Lake Baringo
 Lake Tana
 Lake Victoria
 Lake Naivasha
 Lake Malawi

EXAMPLES OF SALTY WATER LAKES

 Lake Natron
 Lake Chad
 Lake Bogoria
 Lake Amboseli
 Lake Nakuru
 Lake Chala
 Lake Eyasi

FORMATION OF LAKES

Lakes are grouped according to the way they were formed as follows

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1. Lakes formed by earth's movements
They are grouped into two as follows
a. Lakes formed by crustal warping
These are lakes which exist as a result of down bending of the earth’s crust due to
compression forces. As such, the depression is later filled with water to form a lake.
Such lakes, sometimes are called “basin lakes” e.g. Lake Victoria in Kenya, Lake Chad
in Chad, the Congo basin in Congo and Lake Kyoga in Uganda
A DIAGRAM OF A LAKE FORMED BY CRUSTAL WARPING

b. Lakes formed by faulting

These are lakes formed as a result of both tensional and compression forces. These
forces tear the earth’s surface, resulting in the sinking of the middle part which forms a
rift valley. The valley is later filled with water to form a rift valley lake e.g. Lake Malawi
in Malawi, Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, Lake Magadi in Kenya and Lake Natron in
Tanzania
A DIAGRAM OF LAKES FORMED BY FAULTING

CHARACTERISTICS OF RIFT VALLEY LAKES

They have the following characteristics
 They are long, narrow and deep with steep cliff-like edges
 They have no outlet to the sea except Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi
 They are mostly salty due to their inland drainage except Lake Malawi,
Tanganyika and Naishava

AFRICAN RIFT VALLEY LAKES

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2. Lakes formed by volcanic activities
They are grouped into two as follows
a. Lava-dammed lakes
These are lakes formed as a result of volcanic eruption flowing across river valleys
thereby blocking the course of a river channel. Thereafter, water is collected behind the
barrier of the lava to form a lake e.g. Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinret or Tiberias), Lake Itasy
in Madagascar and Lake Tana in Ethiopia
A DIAGRAM OF A LAVA-DAMMED LAKE

b. Crater and caldera lakes

These are lakes formed as a result of the blowing off or removal of the top part of a
volcano, resulting in the creation of a hallow known as crater or caldera. With time,
thecrater or caldera is filled with water to form a lake called “caldera or crater lake” e.g.
Lake Visoke at the boarder of Rwanda and Uganda, Lake Shala to the south of Addis
Ababa in Ethiopia, Lake Nyos in Cameroon, Lake Katwe in Uganda, Lake Paradise in
Kenya and Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana
A DIAGRAM OF CALDERA AND CRATER LAKES

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3. Lakes formed by denudation processes
These are lakes formed as a result of denudation processes such as weathering, erosion and
deposition. They are groups into the following
a. Glacier erosion lakes
These are lakes formed as a result of the movement of large mass of ice down the
mountain slope. These carve a depression on the earth’s surface, where melting ice
collects to form a lake e.g. Teleki Tarn on Mount Kenya
A DIAGRAM OF GLACIER EROSION LAKE

b. Wind-eroded lakes
These are lakes formed as a result of the fast movement of wind in desert region which
cause a huge depression. As time pass, the depression is filled with water to form a lake
e.g. Qattara in Egypt
A DIAGRAM OF A WIND-ERODED LAKE

c. River deposition lakes

These are lakes formed as result of the deposition of sediments at the old stage or lower
course of a river before the mouth which leads to the meandering or bending of the river.
Continuous erosion and deposition cut off the river cannel to form an isolated deposition
lake called “ox-bow” e.g. Lake Burullus and Manzala in the Nile Delta in Egypt, Lake
Bilisa, Shakababo and Gambi on River Tana in Kenya and Lake Utange on River Rufiji
in Tanzania
A DIAGRAM OF AN OX-BOW LAKE

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 4. Lakes formed by human activities
These are lakes formed as a result of human activities such as damming (building of dams)
across the river for various purposes like hydro-electric power generation, fishing, irrigation and
others. As such, dam walls are constructed and water collects behind them to form an artificial
lake e.g. Lake kariba in Zambia and Zimbabwe, Lake Cabora Bassa in Mozambique, Lake
Nasser in Egypt, Lake Volta in Ghana and Lake Masinga in Kenya

LAKES OF EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA, THEIR SIZES AND LOCATIONS

LAKES OF MALAWI, THEIR SIZES AND LOCATIONS

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IMPORTANCE OF THE LAKES AND RIVERS OF EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

The lakes and rivers around us are important as they

 Provide fish which gives us proteins

 Facilitate transportation of people and goods
 Provide water for domestic, irrigation and industrial use
 Facilitate recreation activities like swimming
 Help in moderating the climate of the surrounding areas
 Facilitate tourism hence source of foreign currency
 Help in generation of hydro-electric power
 Help in controlling floods in the surrounding areas

WAYS OF PROTECTING LAKES AND RIVERS

Water bodies can be conserved through

 A forestation and re-forestation

 Avoid dumping wastes in water bodies which leads to water pollution
 Practice good farming practices e.g. making box ridges to reduce erosion
 Conserving the water catchment areas through afforestation
 Awareness campaigns
 Putting some lake under protected areas
 Restricting water diversions from the surrounding catchment areas
 Restricting coastal developments

UNIT: POPULATION IN MALAWI

MEANING OF POPULATION

It is the total number of organisms like people living in an area within a specific period of time

POPULATION COMPOSITION OF MALAWI

Population composition refers to the characteristics of a group of people such as sex, age, ethnicity,
occupation and others. As a country, Malawi is made up of people of different age group, sex, ethnicity,
occupation and religion as follows

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION IN MALAWI

Population distribution refers to the way in which people are spread across a given area. For instance,
Malawi had more people in south and central regions than in northern region by 2008 as follows

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OR AFFECT POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY IN
MALAWI

The distribution and density of the population of a given areas is influenced by the following

1. Relief
People like to settle in lowland, plains and river valleys as they are flat, easier to farm and build
settlements, transport and communication systems as compared to hilly areas. For example,
Lilongwe-Kasungu plain has more people than Misuku hills in Chitipa

2. Fertile farming land

Since Malawi is an agro-based country, Lower Shire River and Lilongwe-Kasungu plains
supports large population due to fertile soils which increases crop productivity

3. Mineral resources
Mines create jobs and provide raw materials for other industries hence attract high population
density e.g. Kayerekera mining in Karonga

4. Good water supply

Areas with good water supply like Lake Malawi and along Shire River attract high population
density as water is used for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes

5. Wealthier areas
People move to places where jobs and money are found such as Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu
cities

6. Government policy
Government may resettle people in certain areas to minimize pressure on resources or conserve
the resources in other areas like national parks and game reserves

7. Political stability
Stable and peaceful areas attracts many foreign investors which support high population than
those in conflicts and experiencing wars

8. Natural hazards
Areas prone to disasters like lower shire pose a life threat to humankind hence tends not to settle
in it

POPULATION GROWTH IN MALAWI

Population growth refers to a positive change in the size of a population over time.

CAUSES OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH IN MALAWI

Malawi’s population is increasing as a result of the following

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 1. Migration
The immigration of people from other countries especially as refugees has increased the number
of people in host country (Malawi)

2. Birth rate
Malawi has higher birth rate as more children are born each year, resulting in an increase in
number of people living in an area

3. Death rate
Every woman in Malawi is expected to bear an average of 7 children. This has contributed to an
increase in population as more babies are born in an area

4. Early marriages
Many people, especially girls are getting married at a young age. This has increased the
population as they have chances of bearing more children before reaching their old age

5. Social-economic factors
Malawi is dominated with poverty-stricken families which tend to have more children as they
lack knowledge of the importance of having small, have longer child-bearing age range due to
early marriage and others

6. Lack of access to and use of contraceptives

Many people in Malawi are unable to access or make proper use of family planning methods due
to high levels of illiteracy. This has resulted in unwanted pregnancies hence an increase in
population

7. Cultural practices like wife inheritance (chokolo)

Some cultures in Malawi forces women to be inherited by another new husband who may wish to
have his own children with the woman and this has increased the population

EFFECTS OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH IN MALAWI

An increase in Malawi’s population has resulted in the following

 Widespread of unemployment
This has led to an increase in crime rates, poverty and waste of human resource which could be
used in economic development

 Pressure on basic facilities

This has put pressure on the provision of basic facilities such as housing, health, education and
others. As such, the government is spending more money to provide such facilities rather than
using the money in other development activities

 Environmental degradation
This has lead to people settling in protected areas and land good for agriculture so as to sustain
their lives and this has led to the destruction of natural forests, soil erosion and loss of wildlife
species

 Climate change
Population growth has lead to increased demand for energy. This has increased the use of fossil
fuels and biomass resulting to a build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hence global
warming and droughts

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  Increased frequency of disasters
Population growth has forced people to settle and cultivate in disaster prone areas hence making
them vulnerable

WAYS OF CONTROLLING POPULATION GROWTH

The problems arise as a result of rapid population growth can be addressed by the following

 Education
This helps people to realize the importance of reducing population

 Improving living conditions in rural areas

Supporting agricultural activities and locating industries in rural areas prevents rural-urban
migration and raises the cost of living in rural areas. This may discourage couples to have many
children

 Family planning programmes

This helps to control the rate of birth

 Sterilization techniques
These are methods used by men to stop the release of sperms that can cause pregnancy

 Enactment or endorsement of laws that will force individual families to have the required
number of children

IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLING RAPID POPULATION GROWTH

Reducing the number of people in a given areas in significant in the following ways

 Helps to reduce pressure on resources hence they are sustained

 Helps to provide social services adequately
 Helps to properly manage resources in the environment

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