UNIT 2
South Africa’s climate Physical map of South Africa (review from Grade 5)
LET US CHECK ✔ In Grade 5 you learnt about South Africa’s physical map. In this unit, we will revise what you have learnt.
This map is a physical map. It shows the height of the land above sea level. Height above sea level, or altitude, is measured in metres. The map shows that most of South Africa is above 1 000 m. This is the plateau. The highest part of the plateau is called the highveld. Around the coast, below 500 m, is the coastal plane. The land between 500 m and 1 000 m is called the lowveld in Mpumalanga, but does not have a special name elsewhere. The escarpment joins this land to the plateau. There are also several
New words physical map:
showing geographical elements like
mountains and rivers
mountain range: a line of mountains or hills
plateau: a large area of flat land that is high above sea level
coastal plain: an area of flat land along the coast
escarpment: a long steep slope that separates an area of high ground from an area of low ground
mountain ranges, especially in the Western Cape. In Grade 5 you learnt the meaning of these terms: plateau, coastal plain, mountain range and escarpment. Do you remember their meanings? If not, remind yourself by looking at the new-word list in the margin.
Activity 3 Interpret a physical map
1 Name the places shown on the map that are: 1.1 on the highveld 1.2 in the lowveld of Mpumalanga 1.3 also situated between 500 and 1 000 m 1.4 on the coast
2 List the coastal places that have a warm ocean current offshore. 3 Identify the coastal places that have a cold ocean current offshore. 4.1 Which place is furthest north? 4.2 What is its latitude to the nearest degree? 5.1 Which places are furthest south? 5.2 What is their latitude to the nearest degree?
54 Module 3 Climate regions
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