Africa

Geography of Africa

• Africa is the second-largest continent.

• Bounded by major bodies of water:

  • Mediterranean Sea

  • Red Sea

  • Indian Ocean

  • Atlantic Ocean

• Divided almost equally by the Equator.

Historical Significance

• Known as the "Mother Continent" because it is the oldest inhabited continent on Earth.

• Humans and their ancestors have lived in Africa for more than 5 million years.

Etymology of the Name "Africa"

• The origin of the name is disputed; believed to derive from various ancient terms:

  • Egyptian: Afru-ika meaning "Motherland"

  • Greek: aphrike meaning "without cold"

  • Latin: aprica meaning "sunny"

Size and Population

• Total area: approximately 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles).

• Covers about 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20% of its land area.

• Algeria is the largest country by area.

• Nigeria has the largest population.

• As of 2018, Africa's population stood at 1.3 billion, about 16% of the world's total.

• Africa has the youngest median age among all continents, with a median age of 19.7 in 2012 compared to 30.4 globally.

Economic Context

• Despite having abundant natural resources, Africa is the least wealthy continent per capita.

• Economic challenges include geographic impediments, the legacy of European colonization, and undemocratic leadership during the Cold War.

• Recent economic growth and a large young population are making Africa an increasingly significant economic market globally.

Climate Diversity

• The continent spans various climate zones, stretching from the northern to southern temperate zones.