Africa is a continent of extraordinary diversity and rich history.
Coloring pages Africa
information
- Location: Africa is the second largest continent in the world (after Asia) and covers about 30.2 million square kilometers. It is located between the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Indian Ocean in the east.
- Population: Africa is home to more than a billion people, representing a huge ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity.
- States: There are 54 recognized sovereign states on the African continent.
- Linguistic diversity: More than 2,000 different languages are spoken in Africa, making it one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world.
- Geography: Africa offers geographic diversity - from the Sahara desert in the north, to the equatorial forests of the Congo Basin, to the mountainous terrain of the Great Lakes region and the Cape of Good Hope in the south.
- Nile and Congo Gorge: The Nile River is the longest river in the world, while the Congo has the second-longest basin area.
- Natural wealth: Africa is rich in mineral resources such as diamonds, gold, platinum, copper, oil and many others. Nevertheless, many African countries face the problem of the "resource curse," when natural wealth does not translate into socioeconomic development.
- Fauna: Africa is home to many distinctive wildlife species, such as lions, elephants, giraffes and rhinos. Many of them can be admired in national parks and nature reserves.
- History: Africa is considered the origin of humanity. Archaeological discoveries in Ethiopia's Omo Valley and Tanzania's Olduvai Gorge provide evidence of hominids from millions of years ago.
- Culture: The African continent has a rich musical, dance and artistic tradition that has influenced cultures around the world, especially in the fields of pop, jazz and rock music.
- Socio-economic problems: Despite their cultural and natural wealth, many African countries face problems such as poverty, conflict, disease and education issues.
trivia
- Cradle of humanity: Scientists believe that Africa is the origin of Homo sapiens. The remains of the oldest known representative of our species, about 200,000 years ago, have been discovered in Ethiopia.
- Longest river: The Nile River, considered the longest river in the world, flows through 11 countries before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.
- The hottest place: The Danakil Valley in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and lowest places in the world. Temperatures often exceed 50°C.
- Languages: More than 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa, making it the most linguistically diverse continent in the world.
- Largest desert area: The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, covering an area similar to that of the United States.
- Wild animals: Africa is the only place in the world where big cats such as lions, leopards and cheetahs live in the wild.
- Victoria Falls: Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe is considered the largest water cascade in the world in terms of total width and height.
- Madagascar Island: It is the fourth largest island in the world and is home to many species found nowhere else on Earth, such as lemurs.
- High mountains: Although Tanzania's Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, the continent also has other impressive mountain ranges, such as the Atlas, Drakensberg and Simien.
- Oldest university: The al-Karaouine University in Fez, Morocco, founded in 859, is recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating university in the world.
- UNESCO Sites: Africa is home to a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the ancient pyramids in Egypt, the historic churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia, and the city of Timbuktu in Mali.