What are the most important factors influencing Africa's climate?

Question

What are the most important factors influencing Africa's climate?

Answer 1

Its location on the Earth?

Answer 2

The first answer mentions the single most important factor influencing Africa's climate is its location on Earth. In particular the fact that it straddles the equator is one key to Africa's climate. Africa is nearly unique in that respect. The only other continent with significant land mass located on the equator is South America, but Africa is even more centered across the equator. It is the only continent that reaches from the northern to the southern temperate zones.

The locations and sizes of the bodies of water and other continents would be the second most important factor. Approximately a quarter of the northern side of Africa is closely located to Europe, which influences the amount of rain Northern Africa receives. Compare that to South America, which is bounded by very large bodies of water on all sides.

Other than its location on earth and its close neighbors the flatness of Africa is the third significant influence. Africa has a relative absence of mountain ranges compared to the other continents. Therefore the climate is not divided east to west to the same extent as other continents.