```html Africa - The African Continent

Africa

A continent of extraordinary geographical, biological and cultural diversity

Overview

Africa is the second-largest continent by land area and the second-most populous continent. It lies between the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Indian Ocean to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. The Red Sea separates much of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.

The Equator crosses Africa, giving the continent an enormous range of climates and ecosystems. Africa contains deserts, tropical rainforests, savannas, mountains, highlands, wetlands and extensive coastlines.

Africa is also one of the most geographically diverse regions on Earth and is of fundamental importance to the study of human evolution.

Key fact: Africa is the only continent extending across all four of the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Geography of Africa

Africa has a distinctive geological and geographical structure. Much of the continent consists of elevated plateaus, while mountain systems, basins, rift valleys and coastal plains occur in different regions.

Major geographical features

Coastline

Africa has coastlines along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. Important offshore islands include Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles and Cape Verde.

Regions of Africa

Africa is commonly divided into five broad geographical regions: North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa.

North Africa

North Africa includes the Mediterranean coastal region and the enormous Sahara Desert. The region has strong historical and cultural connections with the Mediterranean and Middle East.

West Africa

West Africa extends from the Atlantic coast towards the interior Sahel. It contains tropical forests, savannas and important river systems, including the Niger River.

Central Africa

Central Africa contains the Congo Basin, one of the world's major tropical rainforest regions. The Congo River is a major feature of the region.

East Africa

East Africa is characterised by highlands, large lakes, savannas and the East African Rift System. It includes some of the continent's highest mountains.

Southern Africa

Southern Africa contains extensive plateaus, deserts, grasslands, forests and coastal environments. The region includes the Kalahari and Namib deserts.

Countries of Africa

Africa contains 54 internationally recognised sovereign states. They range from large countries such as Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan to small island states such as Seychelles and Mauritius.

Region Examples of Countries
North Africa Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan
West Africa Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Côte d'Ivoire
Central Africa Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon
East Africa Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda
Southern Africa South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique

Major Mountains

Africa contains several important mountain systems and volcanic highlands.

Mountain / Region Location Significance
Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania Highest mountain in Africa
Mount Kenya Kenya One of Africa's highest mountains
Atlas Mountains Northwest Africa Major mountain system of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia
Ethiopian Highlands Ethiopia Extensive highland region of East Africa
Drakensberg Southern Africa Major mountain range of southern Africa

Climate

Africa contains a remarkable range of climates. Because the Equator passes through the continent, climatic zones are broadly distributed around the tropical centre, although altitude, ocean currents and atmospheric circulation create substantial regional differences.

Equatorial climate

Equatorial regions experience high temperatures and substantial rainfall throughout much of the year. The Congo Basin is a major example.

Tropical savanna

Large areas of Africa are covered by savanna ecosystems characterised by seasonal rainfall and a pronounced dry season.

Desert climate

The Sahara dominates northern Africa, while the Namib and Kalahari regions are major dry environments in the south.

Mediterranean climate

Parts of northern Africa and the far southwest of the continent experience Mediterranean-type climates, with relatively dry summers and wetter winters.

Rivers and Lakes

Africa contains some of the world's most important rivers and freshwater lakes. These water systems support ecosystems, agriculture, transport, cities and human populations.

River or Lake Importance
Nile Major river system of northeastern Africa and historically central to Egyptian civilisation.
Congo Major river system draining the Congo Basin.
Niger Important river of West Africa.
Zambezi Major southern African river containing Victoria Falls.
Lake Victoria One of Africa's largest lakes and an important part of the Nile drainage system.
Lake Tanganyika One of the world's deepest freshwater lakes.
Lake Malawi Large East African lake known for exceptional freshwater biodiversity.

The Sahara Desert

The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert. It extends across much of northern Africa and covers an enormous area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea.

The landscape includes sand seas, rocky plateaus, mountains, gravel plains and isolated oases. Although the Sahara is extremely dry, it supports specially adapted plants and animals as well as human communities.

The Congo Rainforest

The Congo Basin contains the second-largest tropical rainforest system in the world after the Amazon. It covers a vast area of Central Africa and contains exceptionally important biodiversity.

The rainforest plays an important role in the regional climate and carbon cycle and provides habitat for numerous species.

African Wildlife

Africa is famous for its extraordinary diversity of large mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plants.

Iconic mammals

Birdlife

Africa contains thousands of bird species, including ostriches, flamingos, eagles, vultures, hornbills and many migratory species.

Marine environments

African coastal waters also support coral reefs, mangroves, sea turtles, dolphins, whales and numerous species of fish.

History of Africa

Africa has an exceptionally long and complex history. It is central to the scientific study of human origins, with some of the earliest evidence for human ancestors having been discovered on the continent.

Ancient civilisations

Important ancient African civilisations include Ancient Egypt, the Kingdom of Kush, Carthage, Aksum and numerous societies of West, Central and Southern Africa.

Medieval Africa

Medieval African history includes powerful states and trading networks such as the Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, Great Zimbabwe and the Swahili city-states of East Africa.

European colonialism

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, most of Africa was brought under European colonial rule. The political geography of the continent was substantially transformed during this period.

Independence

African states achieved independence primarily during the twentieth century. Ghana became independent in 1957 and became an important symbol of African decolonisation.

Africa and Human Origins

Africa is widely regarded as the continent where the evolutionary history of modern humans unfolded. Fossil discoveries and genetic evidence provide important information about human evolution and migration.

The African continent contains some of the world's most important archaeological and palaeoanthropological sites, particularly in eastern and southern Africa.

African Culture and Languages

Africa contains extraordinary cultural and linguistic diversity. Thousands of languages are spoken across the continent.

Major language families include Afroasiatic, Niger-Congo, Nilo-Saharan and the Khoisan language groups. Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish are among the major languages used in different African countries as official or widely used languages.

African cultural traditions encompass music, literature, visual art, architecture, textiles, cuisine, dance and oral traditions.

Economy and Natural Resources

African economies are highly diverse and include agriculture, manufacturing, mining, energy, telecommunications, tourism and financial services.

Important resources

Africa also has substantial potential for solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal energy.

Africa and the Oceans

Africa is surrounded by several major bodies of water. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west, the Indian Ocean to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the northeast.

These waters influence the continent's climate, trade, fisheries, ecosystems and human settlement.

Environmental Challenges

Africa faces a range of environmental challenges, many of which are closely connected to climate, population growth, economic development and land use.

Desertification

Dryland degradation and desertification are important concerns in parts of the Sahel and other arid and semi-arid regions.

Deforestation

Forests in Central Africa and other regions face pressures from agriculture, logging, infrastructure development and population growth.

Climate change

Climate change can affect rainfall, drought frequency, agricultural productivity, freshwater availability, ecosystems and coastal communities.

Wildlife conservation

Habitat loss, illegal hunting and other pressures have affected numerous species. National parks, protected areas and international conservation programmes play an important role in protecting biodiversity.

Africa in the Modern World

Africa is undergoing major demographic, technological and economic changes. Rapid urbanisation is transforming cities across the continent, while improvements in telecommunications and digital technology are creating new opportunities.

African universities, research institutions and technology companies are contributing to developments in science, engineering, medicine, agriculture and information technology.

Quick Facts About Africa

Feature Information
Continent Africa
Approximate area 30.3 million km² including islands
Number of sovereign states 54
Largest country by area Algeria
Smallest sovereign state by area Seychelles
Highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro
Largest hot desert Sahara Desert
Major rainforest Congo Basin rainforest
Major river Nile
Largest island Madagascar

Conclusion

Africa is a continent of enormous geographical, geological, biological and cultural diversity. From the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean coast in the north to the tropical forests of the Congo Basin and the mountains of East Africa, its landscapes are exceptionally varied.

Africa's importance extends beyond geography. It is central to the story of human evolution, contains some of Earth's most important ecosystems and natural resources, and plays an increasingly important role in the global economy, science, technology and culture.

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