Climatic Conditions:

The Savannah climate is characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. Mean high temperature throughout the year is between 24°C and 27° C. The annual range of temperature is between 3°C and 8°C, but the range increases as one move further away from the equator. The extreme diurnal range of temperature is a characteristic of Sudan type of climate. The average annual rainfall ranges between 100 cm and 150 cm. The prevailing winds of the region are the Trade Winds which bring rain to the coastal districts.

Natural Vegetation: The savannah landscape is typified by tall grass and short trees. The terms

'parkland' or 'bush-veld' perhaps describe the landscape better. Trees grow best towards the

equatorial humid latitudes or along river banks but decrease in height and density away from the equator. The trees are deciduous, shedding their leaves in the cool, dry season to prevent excessive loss of water through transpiration, e.g. acacias. Others have broad trunks, with water-storing devices to survive through the prolonged drought such as baobabs and bottle trees. Trees are mostly hard, gnarled and thorny and may exude gum like gum arabic.

Animal Life of the Savannah: The savannah, particularly in Africa, is the home of wild animals. It is known as the 'big game country' and thousands of animals are trapped or killed each year by people from all over the world. Some of the animals are tracked down for their skins, horns, tusks, bones or hair, others are captured alive and sent out of Africa as zoo animals, laboratory specimens or pets.

Economy: Many tribes live within the Savannah lands. Some tribes live as pastoralists like the Masai and other as settled cultivators like the Hausa of northern Nigeria. However, agriculture is not much developed.