AP Human Geography Agriculture Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

Pastoral nomadism is defined by moving herds to find grazing and water across seasonal landscape changes. This way of life thrives in dryland regions where crop farming is difficult and pasture quality shifts with rainfall and water availability.

The Sahel and Central Asia fit that pattern well. In the Sahel, a semi-arid belt just south of the Sahara, communities rely on livestock and migrate to access seasonal pastures and diminishing water sources as conditions change. In Central Asia, the expansive steppes and arid to semi-arid interior support large-scale nomadic herding of sheep, goats, camels, and cattle, with traditional patterns of seasonal movement.

In contrast, the Nile Delta is a highly productive, densely farmed area dominated by sedentary agriculture, not nomadic herding. The Andes Mountains host a mix of agricultural practices, but pastoral nomadism is not as central or widespread there as in the Sahel and Central Asia.

So, the pairing of the Sahel region of Africa and Central Asia is the best reflection of where pastoral nomadism is notably practiced.