The New Childrens Encyclopedia

Africa

Africa is often called the “birthplace of humankind.”

That’s because human beings originated from Africa

several million years ago, although humans as we

would recognize them only emerged about 200,000 years ago.

Today, about 1 in 8 of the world’s population live in Africa.

AFRICAN FACTS

O

Covers approximately 20 percent of Earth’s

land area

O

Number of countries 53 +dependencies

O

Biggest country Republic of Sudan

O

Smallest country The Seychelles

O

Languages 1,000s

O

Population of continent Estimated at

778 million

O

Largest African city Egypt’s capital, Cairo

O

Highest point Kilimanjaro in Tanzania at

19,341 ft (5,895 m)

O

Longest river Nile, running through

Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt into the

Mediterranean Sea, at 4,145 miles (6,671 km)

O

Biggest lake Lake Victoria, bordering

Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya. The lake contains

more than 3,000 islands, many inhabited.

THE SAHARA

“Sahara” comes from the Arabic

word for “desert.” The Sahara

stretches across North Africa and

covers parts of 11 countries.

Much of it consists of vast seas

of sand, with dunes up to 600 ft

(180 m) high.

 OASIS There

are about 90 big

oases scattered

across the Sahara.

These are places

where underground

water comes to the

surface, allowing

plants to grow.

How many people?

The population of Africa is thought to be

around 14 percent of the total world

population. Nigeria is the most populated

African country.

A VARIED LANDSCAPE

Africa’s varied landscapes include

three deserts—the Sahara (Earth’s

largest desert) in North Africa, and

the Kalahari and Namib in the

south. There are also large areas

of forest and grassland.

 DESERT MAMMAL

This fennec fox keeps cool

by losing heat through its

huge ears.

CONTINENTS OF

THE WORLD

below 50

50-90

100-149

150-199

200-299

above 300

Population density

People per km² (0.39 miles²)

Desert*

Dry grassland

Tropical grassland

Tropical forest

Mediterranean

Mountain

Kalahari

Namib

SAHARA

Senega

l

Madeira

(to Portugal)

Canary Islands

(to Spain)

SIERRA

LEONE

GUINEA-

BISSAU

GAMBIA

MAURITANIA

WESTERN

SAHARA

(disputed)

LIB

ER

IA

SENE

GA

L

GUIN

EA

CAPE VERDE

Nouâdhibou

DAKAR

FREETOWN

BISSAU

MONROVIA

CONAKRY

NOUAKCHOTT

BANJUL

LAÂYOUNE

PRAIA

N

0 km

0miles 1000

1000

*Red areas indicate the extent of the named deserts.