Africa and its interesting facts

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14 Jan 2023

Africa is the second-largest continent by area of landmass as well as by population in the world. Asia beat it to first place in both categories. Continental Africa is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea in the Indian Ocean to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Africa is big in the Continental mainland and adjacent Islands measure roughly 30.3 million square kilometres. It works out at around 6% of Earth's total surface area and a whopping 20% of Earth's total land area. Despite being the second-largest continent by area, Africa has the shortest coastline. It is due to a lack of peninsulas and rough edges around its continent or mainland.

Origin of Africa:

Numerous theories regarding the origin of the word Africa have been developed. The Latin term "Afri" is the source for the name of the continent. This term refers to a native Libyan tribe. It was generally applied to all people living inland south of the Mediterranean.

Colonization

Before colonial rule, the African continent was about 10,000 different states and autonomous groups with their own identity, distinct languages, and customs. Foreign powers colonized all of Africa during the Scramble for Africa except Ethiopia and Liberia. By 1900, mainly seven European powers (powerful countries of Europe) —Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Italy had colonized a significant part of Africa. Today, there are 54 countries in one non-self-governing territory Western Sahara in Africa.

Madagascar; World's second-largest island country:

It is an island In the Indian Ocean approximately 400 km off the coast of East Africa. It's an area of 592,800 Square kilometres It is enlisted in the second position in the list of the largest island country in the world. Also, the island is the fourth largest island in the world. The island is a collection of diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife. Besides, one can find over 90% of its wildlife only on this island.

Spoken Languages in Africa

Africa has about 1.1 billion people or 16 per cent of the world's population. So, it is the second-most populous continent after Asia in the first. 170 million people on the continent speak Arabic fouled in popularity by English (130 million people), Swahili (100 million people), and French (115 million people). Also, over 2,000 recognized languages are spoken on the continent. This figures out over 25% of all languages in the world.

GDP of Africa

Africa is the most underdeveloped continent and also the world's poorest one. It has a continental GDP that accounts for just 2.4 % of the global GDP. Additionally, almost 40% of adults in Africa are illiterate and over 50% of Africans are under the age of 25.

Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Highest mountain in Africa

Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania of Africa. It is the highest free-standing mountain in the world with an altitude of 5,895 meters (19,341 ft) above sea level. Also, it lies 205 miles away from the equator in the northern hemisphere. Though it is near the equator, it is a snow-capped mountain. This peak is also the fourth most topographically prominent peak in the world. It lies in Kilimanjaro National Park premises. This National park is enlisted in the list of World Heritage by UNESCO. Besides, Mt. Kilimanjaro is a large stratovolcano with the composition of three distinct volcanic cones namely,

Kibo(19,340 ft/5,895 m)
Mawenzi (16,893 ft/5,149 m)
Shira (13,000 ft/3,962 m)

Kibo is the tallest volcanic cone and also the central cone with a height of 19,340 meters. This is where Kilimanjaro’s summit lies. Its formation was 460,000 years ago.

Mawenzi is a craggy peak with the rank of third position in the list of the highest peak in Africa. The first and second are Kibo and Mount Kenya with 3,825 meters of altitude. Additionally, One can have good views of Mawenzi on the Rongai and Northern Circuit routes from this peak.

Shira is no longer a peak. Before its colliding, estimation of the altitude is about 16,000 feet high. It collided also creating the Shira Plateau on the western side of the mountain. The trek routes across this feature are Machame, Lemosho, and Shira.

The Nile, the longest River

The Nile is the longest river in continental Africa. Additionally, It is in the first position in the list of the longest river in the world. It has a length of 4,132 miles. At present time, there exists a dispute about it. It is said that the Amazon River of North America is longer than the River Nile. Though, the fact has not been verified yet.

The White Nile and the Blue Niles are the two major tributaries of the river Nile. The White Nile, the headwaters and primary stream of the river Nile, begins at Lake Victoria in Tanzania. It flows to the north until it reaches Khartoum, Sudan. Similarly, The Blue Nile has its origin. It originates at lake Tana in the highland of Ethiopia. The Blue Nile is shorter than White Nile in length. These two rivers combine at Khartoum, Sudan, and form the longest River in the world, The Nile River. The Nile river ends in a large delta and flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is the World's, Largest Waterfall. It is due to its width of 1,708 meters (5,604 ft) and height of 108 meters (354 ft). Victoria Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi river with the location on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a thunderous waterfall that creates a spray and also can be seen over 20 miles away.

The Batoka/Tokalea; the southern Tonga people called the falls "Shungu a mutitima". The Northern Ndebele people; Matabele named them "aManz' aThunqayo", and the Batswana and Makololo (whose language is used by the Lozi people) call them "Mosi-o-Tunya". All these names essentially mean the same thing; "the smoke that thunders". The name "Victoria Falls "was given by David Livingstone in honour of Queen Victoria. He also cited an older name, Seongo or Chongwe with the meaning "The Place of Rainbow".

The continent with World's Largest Lakes

In the WORLD LAKE database, there are 677 lakes including the world's largest lake "Lake Victoria", in Africa, and 88 among them are principal lakes.

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is Africa's Largest lake by area. Additionally, It is the world's largest tropical lake with an area of approximately 59,947 square kilometres. It is approximately 400,000 years old. Lake Victoria contains approximately 1,000 islands, ranging from tiny spits of land to larger inhabited islets. It is the Border for three African countries and is divided among these three: Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Lake Victoria is special for being one of only two places in East Africa to watch the sunset over water without being on the sea or ocean coast.

Lake Victoria in Kenya is known by the name "Nam Lowe" (body of endless water) and in Uganda by "Nnalubaale" (Home of the Gods). The name "Lake victoria" came into practice after the British Explorer John Hanning Speke discovered it as the source of the Nile river. He dedicated his discovery to Queen Victoria and gave the name to the lake. This name became more famous than other local names throughout the world.

Lake Tanganyika

Lake Tanganyika is also an African Great Lake situated within the Albertine Rift. It is in the second position in the list of the oldest freshwater lake in the world. Besides, it stands in the second position in the list of the largest lake by volume. It holds an estimated 18,900 cubic kilometres (4,500 mi3). It is also in the same position (second) in the list of the deepest lake with a mean depth of 570 meters, after Lake Baikal the first. Additionally, Lake Tanganyika has a maximum depth of 1,471 meters.

The name "Tanganyika" apparently refers to "the great lake spreading out like a plain", or "plain-like lake".This lake is shared among four countries: Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Zambia.

The Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert is the World's Largest hot Desert with an area of 9,200,000 Square kilometres. It is the second-largest desert in the world overall. The one in the first position is the Desert of Antarctica or the Antarctic Desert ( 13.8 million square kilometres). The derivation of the name "Sahara" is from the Arabic word صَحْرَاء (ṣaḥrā') with its meaning desert. Covering many areas of North Africa on the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Nile valley in Egypt and Sudan, and the Atlas Mountains of the Maghreb excluding the fertile region from all. Also, it extends from the Red Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean sea in the north.

The Great Pyramids

A pyramid is a structure with triangular outer surfaces conversing a single step to the top. The derivation of the word pyramid is from the Greek word πυραμίς (pyramís). The country Egypt the continent of Africa is famous for its Pyramids. Besides, The bases of the pyramid can be of all polygons (triangle, quadrilateral, etc.). The square base pyramid is the common version.

The famous pyramid of this continent is the first Great Pyramid of Giza. This most extraordinary building was an astonishing 481 feet tall - the equivalent of a 40-story building. It was constructed with 2.3 million blocks of limestone and granite. Additionally, some of them weigh 100 tons. The pyramid is particularly a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. It was constructed over 20 years. It is one of the oldest among the seven wonders of the World from its ancient time.

Sudan has more pyramids construction than any other country on earth - even more than Egypt. At least 223 pyramids in its cities of Al Kurru, Nuri, Gebel Barkal, and Meroë give the evidence in the case. They are generally 20 to 30 meters high and steep-sided.

Savannah, The Zoo of the world

Savannah is a tropical grassland between the tropics of the continental margin (Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). it is transitional between the equatorial rain forest and hot deserts extended in East Africa, and South Africa. This region is confined to tall grass and scanty trees. These trees have very broad trunks. Besides, the canopy of such trees is low. Not only is the natural vegetation, but it is also home to wild animals. The animal size ranging from the smallest antlion to the biggest African Elephant has made their habitats here. It is a common habitat of herbivorous animals and carnivorous animals together with reptiles and mammals along the rivers. The herbivorous animals making this region their shelter are Zebra, Giraffe, Deer, Okapi, etc. And the carnivorous animals are lions, Tigers, leopards, panthers, Jaguars, etc. So, it will not be odd to listen that different ecosystems exist here.

Hence, the Savannah region is called the Zoo of the World.

African Civet

The African Civet is the largest among its species. It resides in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a mammal with a face similar to a raccoon, a long cat-like body, and spotted fur. Civets are mostly nocturnal. Their daily diet consists of both small animals and plants. So, it is omnivorous. It's hunted for the secretion of perineal glands called a musk. It is incredibly offensive in concentrated form but was once used in expensive perfumes in diluted form. Perfume companies nowadays use a synthetic form of the musk.

Klipspringer

The Klipspringer is one of the small species of antelope. It has the special skill of making its home in rugged terrain. They have short and spikey horns typically 7.5 to 9 cm in measurement. They are the only antelope species walking on the tips of their hooves. This act allows them to have a better grip on smooth rock surfaces. Klipspringers are monogamous in nature. One practice the change in a partner if one among the couple dies. They live for around 15 years.

The primary diet for these animals prefers young plants, fruits, and flowers together with grasses (eaten mainly in the wet season). They mainly depend on succulent plants to meet their water requirements in the body. People hunt Klipspringer for its meat, leather, and also for its hair. It is on the list of endangered animals due to the increase in the hunting of animals.

World Heritage Site in Africa

There are 145 Sites in Africa on the list of World Heritage sites by UNESCO. They are scattered around 35 countries in Africa. Among them 10 most-see heritage sites are