Grade 6 Social Studies Study Notes

Strand Introduction: Natural and the Built Environments

The world around us has two kinds of environments. The natural environment includes everything that exists without human effort — mountains, rivers, trees, plains, and lakes. The built environment includes structures that people have made — buildings, roads, bridges, and monuments.

In this strand you will study both, focusing on Eastern Africa. You will learn where the countries are, what the land looks like, what the weather is like, what grows there, and what people have built over centuries.

Countries of Eastern Africa

Eastern Africa is a region on the eastern side of the African continent. It is made up of eleven countries.

• Kenya
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• Ethiopia
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Burundi
• Rwanda
• Eritrea
• Djibouti

Knowing all eleven names is the starting point for everything else in this sub-strand.

Position of Countries of Eastern Africa

The position of a country describes where it sits in the region — in which direction it lies compared to other countries.

We use cardinal directions to describe position: North, South, East, and West.

• North is toward the top of a map.
• South is toward the bottom.
• East is to the right.
• West is to the left.

Example: Position of Ethiopia

• Ethiopia lies to the North of Kenya.
• Ethiopia lies to the East of South Sudan.
• Ethiopia lies to the South of Eritrea.
• Ethiopia lies to the South East of Sudan.
• Ethiopia lies to the West of Somalia.

Position of Kenya

Kenya lies to the South of Ethiopia, to the South East of South Sudan, to the East of Uganda, and to the West of Somalia.

Kenya's Immediate Neighbours

The countries that share a border directly with Kenya are:

• Tanzania — to the South
• Uganda — to the West
• South Sudan — to the North West
• Ethiopia — to the North
• Somalia — to the East

Sizes of Countries of Eastern Africa

The size of a country tells us how much land it covers. Size is measured in square kilometres (km²).

Once all sizes are found and compared, two key facts stand out:

• Sudan is the largest country in Eastern Africa.
• Djibouti is the smallest country in Eastern Africa.

Eastern Africa is a region of great variety — it contains some of the highest mountains, widest plains, and largest lakes on the continent. As you study each country, notice what makes it distinctive.

Latitudes

Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines drawn on a globe or map. They run from West to East.

The word imaginary means these lines do not physically exist on the ground — they are drawn on maps to help us measure locations.

Latitudes show how far North or South a place is from the Equator.

• The most important line of latitude is the Equator at 0°.
• Places above the Equator are in the North — written with the letter N, e.g. 3.9°N.
• Places below the Equator are in the South — written with the letter S, e.g. 1.3°S.

Longitudes

Longitudes are imaginary lines drawn on a globe or map. They run from South to North — from the South Pole to the North Pole.

Longitudes show how far East or West a place is from the Greenwich Meridian.

• The most important line of longitude is the Prime Meridian (also called the Greenwich Meridian) at 0°.
• Places to the right (East) are written with the letter E, e.g. 36.8°E.
• Places to the left (West) are written with the letter W.
• There are 360 lines of longitude in total — ranging from 0° to 180° East and 0° to 180° West.

Differences Between Latitudes and Longitudes

Latitudes and longitudes are both imaginary lines on a map, but they are different in important ways.

Locating Places Using Latitudes and Longitudes

Latitudes and longitudes work together to give the exact location of any place on Earth.

The rule: always state the latitude first, then the longitude.

Worked Examples

• Nairobi is at 1.3°S, 36.8°E — 1.3 degrees South of the Equator and 36.8 degrees East of the Prime Meridian.
• Mandera is at 3.9°N, 41.9°E — 3.9 degrees North of the Equator and 41.9 degrees East of the Prime Meridian.

Latitudes and longitudes are important because they allow anyone in the world to find the exact same spot on a map. They are used by geographers, map-makers, pilots, and sailors.

Activity: Locate the Capital Cities

Using a map with a latitude and longitude grid, find the coordinates of each Eastern African capital city. Nairobi (1.3°S, 36.8°E) is done for you. Find the rest using an atlas or digital device: Dodoma, Kampala, Mogadishu, Kigali, Bujumbura, Asmara, Khartoum, Djibouti, Juba, and Addis Ababa.

Using your exercise book or a blank sheet of paper, draw an outline map of Eastern Africa. Colour each of the eleven countries a different colour. Draw latitude and longitude lines on your map and display it in class.

The Unity of Eastern African Countries

The countries of Eastern Africa share more than geography. They have a vision for peace, unity, and cooperation through the East African Community (EAC).

One expression of this shared identity is the EAC Anthem, sung in both Kiswahili and English.

The anthem promotes peace, unity, patriotism, and hard work as shared values of Eastern African peoples. The people of Eastern Africa should work together for prosperity, peace and unity.

Key Points — Sub-Strand 1.1

• Eastern Africa has eleven countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
• Sudan is the largest country; Djibouti is the smallest.
• The position of a country is described using cardinal directions — North, South, East, and West.
• Kenya's five immediate neighbours are Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
• Latitudes are horizontal lines running West to East — they measure distance North or South of the Equator (0°).
• Longitudes are vertical lines running South to North — they measure distance East or West of the Prime Meridian (0°).
• There are 360 lines of longitude in total.
• When locating a place, state latitude first, then longitude — e.g. Nairobi is at 1.3°S, 36.8°E.
• The EAC Anthem promotes peace, unity, patriotism, and hard work across Eastern Africa.

What Are Physical Features?

Physical features are the natural things found on the surface of the earth. They are not made by people — they are formed by natural processes.

Examples of physical features in Eastern Africa include mountains, valleys, plains, lakes, rivers, swamps, and oceans.

Mountains of Eastern Africa

Mountains are masses of very high land. They are the highest physical features on earth.

The major mountains in Eastern Africa are:

• Mt Kilimanjaro
• Mt Kenya
• Mt Elgon
• Mt Ruwenzori
• Danakil Alps
• Usambara Mountains
• Mt Meru
• Mt Shimbiris
• Mt Kinyeti
• Mt Emba Soira
• Mt Karisimbi
• Mt Hehe
• Mt Marrah

Mountains in Eastern Africa are grouped into two types: volcanic mountains and block mountains.

Formation of Volcanic Mountains

Volcanic mountains are formed after the eruption of a volcano.

Here is how they form:

1. Hot melted rock called magma builds up deep inside the earth.
2. The magma is pushed upwards through an opening in the earth's surface called a vent.
3. When it reaches the surface, the magma is called lava.
4. The lava cools and solidifies around the vent.
5. Over time, layers of cooled lava build up and form a volcanic mountain.

Examples of volcanic mountains in Eastern Africa:

• Mt Kenya, Mt Elgon, and Mt Longonot — in Kenya
• Mt Karisimbi — in Rwanda
• Mt Meru and Mt Kilimanjaro — in Tanzania

Formation of Block Mountains

Block mountains are also called horst blocks. They are formed through a process called faulting.

Here is how they form:

1. Cracks called faults form in the earth's crustal rocks.
2. Compressional forces — forces that squeeze or push rocks — act on the land between the faults.
3. The land between the faults is pushed upwards.
4. This raised block of land forms a block mountain.

Examples of block mountains in Eastern Africa:

• Danakil Alps — on the border of Ethiopia and Eritrea
• Ruwenzori Mountain — in Uganda
• Pare and Usambara Mountains — in Tanzania

The Rift Valley

A valley is a low-lying area with steep slopes. The Rift Valley is the largest valley in Eastern Africa.

How the Rift Valley Was Formed

1. Two cracks (fault lines) formed within the crustal rocks.
2. The land between the two faults sank downward.
3. This created a long, deep valley — the Rift Valley.

The Two Branches

The Rift Valley in Eastern Africa has two branches:

• The Eastern Rift Valley
• The Western Rift Valley

The two branches stretch across several Eastern African countries.

Why the Rift Valley Is Important

• It is responsible for the formation of many lakes, which provide water for environmental sustainability.
• It is important in understanding human evolution — most fossil records of early man have been found here.

Lakes of Eastern Africa

A lake is a large body of fresh or salty water occupying a depression (a hollow or low area) in the land.

Examples of lakes in Eastern Africa:

• Lake Turkana — Kenya
• Lake Kivu — Rwanda
• Lake Tana — Ethiopia
• Lake Victoria — Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania
• Lake Tanganyika — Tanzania
• Lake Albert and Lake Kyoga — Uganda

The major lakes in Eastern Africa were formed in four ways: faulting, downwarping, volcanicity, and river deposition.

Rift Valley Lakes

During the formation of the Rift Valley, some parts of the land sank deeper than others, forming depressions. These depressions filled with water to form lakes. An example is Lake Tanganyika.

Downwarping Lakes

The earth's surface sometimes sinks inwards due to pressure, forming a large basin. Water fills this basin to form a lake. An example is Lake Victoria.

Lakes Formed by Volcanicity

Some lakes in Eastern Africa were formed as a result of volcanic activity. There are two types:

Lava-Dammed Lakes

When a volcano erupts, lava flows can block a river or valley. Water builds up behind the lava barrier and forms a lake. An example is Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

Crater Lakes

When a volcanic eruption occurs, the top of the mountain may be blown off, forming a hollow circular depression called a crater. Rainwater fills the crater to form a crater lake.

Examples of crater lakes in Eastern Africa:

• Paradise Lake — Kenya
• Lake Ngozi — Tanzania
• Lake Shalla — Ethiopia