Trying to describe Africa in a short notice is practically impossible. You might as well try to describe the World in a short notice; “a place full of people of all kinds, love and hate, beauty and horror, happiness and tragedy, rich and poor, full and empty, fast and slow, big and small, the colors of the rainbow, creatures of all categories, even un-categorized ones. If you are looking for background information on Africa, we have you covered. Throughout this website, you will find extensive Africa Facts and background information regarding a beloved country that needs much more attention. If you are at all interested in knowing about Africa or if you need to research facts on Africa for a report, you will definitely find the information you need here. Africa is nothing monotonous, not “one” place, not “one” category. But still: And here is a more detailed introduction to this massively diverse continent:
The African Continent
Africa is the world’s second largest and second most populous continent, with 53 different countries and home to more than a billion people. In some way it is the home to all people, as the origin of the human race. Africa is also home to more than 1100 mammal species, 2600 different bird species, 3000 fish species and probably way more than 100 000 insect species. One important reason for all this diversity is all the different climates you find in Africa; tropical areas with jungles and rain forests, dry deserts and even sub-arctic areas on the mountain peaks.
Natural resources are abundant in large parts of Africa, but due to tragic events like colonialism, war, dictators, diseases, exploitation, and bad leadership, the continent is still struggling with harsh poverty and underdevelopment. That is why an important category on this Africa Travel Blog is sustainable and responsible travel: How can you make sure your travels benefit the local people and community?
Brief Overview
Africa is a diverse country and is blessed with wonderful natural beauty, attractive beaches, out of the ordinary flora and fauna, picturesque landscape, adventure, incredible backwaters, heritage monuments, rich culture and traditions. Travelers from all around the globe visit Africa for the purpose of adventure and safari holidays. To please the travelers, several Africa holiday packages are provided by many tour operators with the intention to make the Africa vacation a memorable and an exclusive one. For those considering an adventure holiday, Africa enables you to have a fair idea of what type of experience you would be looking for.
Out of the seven continents, Africa is the second-largest. It has an area of 11.7 million square miles. Due to the huge land mass, it is home to many different cultures, climates, wildlife, plants, and more. Africa is so large that it takes up 22% of our planet’s total land mass. Some parts of Africa are amazing to visit; other parts not so much. It is a well known theory that Africa is where most human beings came from in the beginning of time. One of the more interesting Africa facts you will hear is that its’ population surpasses 1 billion. That is more than 3 times as much as the US population!
Geographical Facts
In Africa, the highest mountain stands at 19,340 feet high and is called Mt Kilimanjaro. This mountain sits just near the equator and is very, very tall. Because of its’ height, glaciers form at the summit of this mountain. Many people have attempted to climb it, yet only two-thirds have succeeded. Africa is home to the world’s largest desert known as the Sahara Desert. It spans over 3.5 million square miles which is almost the size of the United States. In fact, if it wasn’t for Hawaii, the Sahara Desert would be bigger than the US. Cairo is the largest city in Africa and is also the capital of Egypt. Africa is also home to the famous Nile River. It is the longest river in the world (4,132 miles long).
Africa Wildlife
Africa is home to some of the most diverse species of wildlife in the world. Everything from elephants to giraffes to cheetahs to monkeys to snakes live here. Elephants are the largest land animal in the world and are known to be found in most parts of Africa. The world’s fastest land animal, the cheetah, can also be found here. The wildlife here is absolutely beautiful; no country in the world is known to inhabit as many types of species as Africa.
Population Facts
Over the last 60 years, the population in Africa has grown very quickly. It is believed there were around 220 million people during the year 1950. In 2009, it was estimated that the population had grown to 1 billion. Out of this 1 billion, 40% are below the age of 15. No other country in the world even comes close to that. That is bar far one of the most interesting facts about Africa.
Interesting Facts about Africa
Here are some interesting Africa Facts:
- Home to the second largest desert in the world: The Sahara Desert
- Home to the longest river in the world: The Nile River
- Home to the tallest free standing mountain in the world (located on sea level): Mt. Kilimanjaro
- All ten of the poorest countries in the world are located in Africa
- The hottest place in the world is Al’Aziziyah in Libya
- The United States has 1.3 million people living with Aids, sub-Saharan Africa has 23 million
- There are over 2,000 languages spoken in Africa
- More than half of all diamonds in the world come from Africa
- Home to the largest land animal in the world: The African Elephant
- Home to the fastest animal in the world: The Cheetah
Life in Africa
Luckily life in Africa is not always as sad as it may appear in the news media. It is the most beautiful place, full of stunning scenery, colors, music, animals, happy people and a friendly pleasant vibe. So to learn more about this wonderful continent, keep reading this blog and you will get all the information and inspiration you need before you plan your next African Adventure!