Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, often called the 'Cradle of Humankind' as it is where Homo sapiens first evolved. It is a continent of extraordinary biodiversity, from the Sahara Desert to the Congo Rainforest, the Savanna of the Serengeti to the peaks of Kil…

Countries

54

Area

30M km²

Population

1,460M

Major Cities

7 featured

Overview

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, often called the 'Cradle of Humankind' as it is where Homo sapiens first evolved. It is a continent of extraordinary biodiversity, from the Sahara Desert to the Congo Rainforest, the Savanna of the Serengeti to the peaks of Kilimanjaro.

Geographic Facts

  • The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert, covering about 9 million km².

  • Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) is Africa's highest peak.

  • The Nile River (6,650 km) is often considered the world's longest river.

  • The Congo Rainforest is the world's second-largest tropical rainforest.

  • Africa has 54 recognized sovereign countries, more than any other continent.

Climate

Africa spans tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean climate zones. The Sahara and Kalahari are hot and arid. The Congo Basin has a hot, humid equatorial climate. The north and south coasts have Mediterranean climates.

Major Languages

ArabicSwahiliHausaAmharicFrenchEnglishPortugueseZulu

Famous Landmarks

Great Pyramid of Giza

Victoria Falls

Mount Kilimanjaro

Serengeti

Sahara Desert

Great Rift Valley

Major Cities

LagosCairoKinshasaJohannesburgLuandaNairobiDar es Salaam