Savanna countries are nations where the savanna biome, characterized by extensive grasslands interspersed with scattered trees and shrubs, is the predominant natural landscape. These regions support remarkable biodiversity and foster distinct human cultures. They represent a transitional zone, often situated between tropical rainforests and deserts.
Characteristics of Savanna Environments
Savanna environments are defined by a climate featuring distinct wet and dry seasons, warm to hot throughout the year with temperatures ranging from 20 to 30°C (68 to 86°F). Rainfall occurs for only a few months annually, ranging from 80 to 150 cm (31 to 59 inches), though some central continental locations may receive as little as 50 cm (20 inches). The dry season can last from 2 to 11 months, influencing vegetation growth.
The vegetation consists of continuous grass cover, such as Rhodes grass or red oats grass, with scattered trees and shrubs that do not form a closed canopy, allowing ample sunlight to reach the ground. Natural disturbances, particularly wildfires during the dry season, shape these landscapes by burning back forests and stimulating new grass growth. This periodic burning helps maintain the open grassland structure by preventing the encroachment of dense woodlands.
Major Savanna Regions and Countries
Savanna biomes are found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, approximately 8° to 20° from the Equator. Africa hosts the most extensive savannas, covering nearly half of the continent’s surface, spanning countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, and a broad band from Senegal to Somalia. The African savanna, including the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, encompasses approximately 10 million square miles across 35 countries.
Beyond Africa, savanna areas exist in South America, notably the Cerrado in Brazil, the world’s second-largest savanna at 800,000 square miles. Other South American nations with savannas include Venezuela and Colombia. Australia also contains large savanna regions, as do parts of southern Asia, including India (such as the Deccan Plateau) and the Myanmar–Thailand region.
Unique Wildlife and Ecosystems
Savanna ecosystems support a rich array of wildlife, with many species exhibiting adaptations to seasonal cycles and open landscapes. Large grazing herbivores, such as wildebeest, zebras, and various antelopes, move across the plains in search of fresh pastures and water, often undertaking extensive migrations during the dry season. Predators like lions, cheetahs, and hyenas also inhabit these areas, relying on speed and camouflage to hunt their prey within the open terrain.
Many animals adapt to the heat by being nocturnal or having physical features like the large, thin ears of elephants, which aid in heat dissipation. Plants have also developed strategies to survive, with some, like the baobab tree, storing water in their massive trunks to endure prolonged droughts. Many grasses grow from the bottom up, protecting their growth tissue from grazing animals and fires, while some trees, such as the umbrella-shaped Acacia, have long tap roots to access deep groundwater.
Human Life and Economic Activities
Human populations living in savanna environments have developed livelihoods closely intertwined with the land’s seasonal rhythms. Traditional practices include pastoralism, where communities like the Maasai in Kenya move livestock to utilize available grazing areas, allowing vegetation to recover. Subsistence agriculture is also common, with local communities cultivating crops adapted to the wet and dry seasons.
Modern economic activities in savanna countries include wildlife tourism, with safaris attracting visitors to observe the diverse animal populations in national parks like the Serengeti. Mining for minerals like salt and coal also occurs in some savanna regions. However, increasing human populations and associated activities like overgrazing, land conversion for commercial crops, and habitat fragmentation pose challenges to these ecosystems.