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Summary Small dome-shaped hills are recurrent and common landforms associated with plateau surfaces in the savanna woodland landscapes, both to the north and south of the Congo Basin. They may be occupied in part by termite colonies or be moribund. Previous ideas on the relationships between termite hills and termite mounds are discussed. The evolution of the hills is discussed in the light of evidence from variious parts of Zambia. It is concluded that the interaction of mound building by termites and mound destruction by rain beat and rain wash is complicated by plant colonisation, interference and use by animals, the incidence of fire and the activities of agricultural man. These are also factors which might explain the distribution of termite hills. The apparent fossilisation of the termite hills through the development of thicket vegetation is not regarded as necessarily dependent on climate change but could be the result of other changing ecosystem factors.