Cape Town is the third largest and most popular city on the continent, located near the southernmost point of Africa. This spiritual and eccentric place is called by some the “windy city.” Cape Town has received several international tourism awards. Near the city rises Table Mountain, one of the seven new wonders of nature.

2. Nairobi

Nairobi is the most populous metropolis in East Africa and the largest city and capital of Kenya. It is known as the "Green City in the Sun". In terms of housing options, there are spacious suburban homes at affordable prices compared to other African cities, as well as luxury residential complexes with swimming pools and fitness centers. The surrounding plains, cliffs and forests provide a unique African provincial experience.

3. Accra

Photo: trvl-media.com

Accra is the largest city in Ghana, located in the southeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. There are several affluent areas including East Legon and Osu (Oxford Street) with luxury shopping. Attractions include: Makola Market, National Museum of Ghana, Independence Arch, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial. The tropical climate adds even more attractiveness to these regions.

4. Libreville

Photo: staticflickr.com

Libreville's stunning architecture and monuments have an unmistakable French imprint. The city lies on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1960 it became the capital of Gabon. You can have fun relaxing on the local beaches. Near the city is the Akanda National Park, popular among ecotourists.

5. Johannesburg

Photo: thewanderlife.com

Johannesburg is home to major shopping centers such as Sandton and East Gate. From the moment you walk down the plane at Tambo International Airport, you'll understand why Johannesburg is considered a world-class city. Despite the abundance of skyscrapers, some areas are literally surrounded by lush and greenery. Every traveler to South Africa should definitely visit the Kruger National Park.

6. Tunisia

Photo: sky2travel.net

Tunisia is one of the smallest countries in North Africa. In its capital of the same name, echoes of the Ottoman Empire and the French colonial past have been preserved in the form of contradictory architectural ensembles. The Medina of Tunis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the outskirts of the city is the famous Bardo Museum, famous for its huge collection of exhibits from the era of Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine and Arab rule.

7. Grahamstown

Photo: co.za

Grahamstown is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and is known as the "city of saints" due to more than 40 religious buildings of various faiths. This city is home to a large center for training journalists. The most exciting time to visit Grahamstown is during the National Arts Festival and SciFest.

8. Kigali

Photo: panoramio.com

Kigali is the heart of Rwanda and home to around one million people, as well as a large community of expats who enjoy taking advantage of the capital's diversity. Here rural areas alternate with new modern developments springing up in the central business district. One of the newest buildings is the Kigali Tower. This 20-story office and retail complex became the tallest building in the city. Kigali lies on a mountainside where rare mountain gorillas live.

9. Windhoek

Photo: audreyandmathell.com

The capital of the Republic of Namibia is attractive for many reasons. They say the city is clean, relatively safe and easy to get around. German culture has had a huge influence on Windhoek, from speech to architecture. The city is famous for its beer (Windhoek Lager), which is sold abroad in more than 20 countries.

10. Dar es Salaam

Photo: web-tourism.ru

Dar es Salaam is the political and economic center and the largest city in Tanzania. The city lies on the shores of the Indian Ocean, famous for its local university, the largest and oldest public higher education institution in Tanzania, and the Institute of Technology. Dar es Salaam has its own stunning beaches (including exclusive resorts), but Zanzibar is just a short ferry ride away. The city is located near the equator and experiences tropical weather most of the year.

11. Gaborone

Photo: ciee.org

Gaborone is the capital of Botswana. It has gained a reputation as a peaceful, politically stable and economically powerful city as one of the largest diamond producers in the world. Precious stones continue to play an important role in the development of the city.

12. Algeria

Photo: staticflickr.com

Algeria has miles of beautiful beaches, sunshine, plenty of thriving cafes, and a vibrant economy. The city generally does not experience the extreme temperatures that occur in the surrounding desert. Here you can visit the Kasbah fortress, Martyrs' Square, Jamaa el-Kebir Mosque, Bardo Museum, Roman Catholic Cathedral.

13. Asmara

Photo: org.uk

Asmara is the capital and largest city of Eritrea. Some call it "the safest city in the world." It lies at an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level, it is pleasantly cool here, but the weather is dry and sunny almost all year round. The city features beautiful architecture from the thriving Italian community of colonial times. Asmara is also the economic center of the country. This city was even nicknamed “little Rome”

Africa is the second largest continent after Eurasia, washed by the Mediterranean Sea from the north, the Red Sea from the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean from the west and the Indian Ocean from the east and south. Africa is also the name given to the part of the world consisting of the continent of Africa and adjacent islands. Africa has an area of ​​29.2 million km², with islands about 30.3 million km², thus covering 6% of the total surface area of ​​the Earth and 20.4% of the land surface. In Africa there are 54 states, 5 unrecognized states and 5 dependent territories (island).

Africa's population is about a billion people. Africa is considered the ancestral home of humanity: it is here that the oldest remains of early hominids and their probable ancestors have been found, including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster.

The African continent crosses the equator and several climate zones; it is the only continent that stretches from the northern subtropical climate zone to the southern subtropical one. Due to the lack of constant precipitation and irrigation - as well as glaciers or the aquifer of mountain systems - there is practically no natural regulation of climate anywhere except the coasts.

The science of African studies studies the cultural, economic, political and social problems of Africa.

Extreme points

• Northern - Cape Blanco (Ben Sekka, Ras Engela, El Abyad)
• South - Cape Agulhas
• Western - Cape Almadi
• Eastern - Cape Ras Hafun

origin of name

Initially, the inhabitants of ancient Carthage used the word “Afri” to refer to people who lived near the city. This name is usually attributed to the Phoenician afar, meaning "dust". After the conquest of Carthage, the Romans called the province Africa (lat. Africa). Later, all known regions of this continent, and then the continent itself, began to be called Africa.

Another theory is that the name "Afri" comes from the Berber ifri, "cave", referring to cave dwellers. The Muslim province of Ifriqiya, which later arose in this place, also retained this root in its name.

According to historian and archaeologist I. Efremov, the word “Africa” came from the ancient language of Ta-Kem (Egypt. “Afros” - foamy country). This is due to the collision of several types of currents that form foam when approaching the continent in the Mediterranean Sea.

There are other versions of the origin of the toponym.

• Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, argued that the name was derived from Abraham's grandson Ether (Gen. 25:4), whose descendants settled Libya.
• The Latin word aprica, meaning "solar", is mentioned in the Elements of Isidore of Seville, volume XIV, section 5.2 (6th century).
• A version of the origin of the name from the Greek word αφρίκη, which means “without cold,” was proposed by the historian Leo the African. He assumed that the word φρίκη (“cold” and “horror”), combined with the negative prefix α-, denotes a country where there is neither cold nor horror.
• Gerald Massey, a poet and self-taught Egyptologist, put forward a theory in 1881 about the origin of the word from the Egyptian af-rui-ka, “to face the opening of Ka.” The Ka is the energy double of each person, and the "Ka hole" means the womb or place of birth. Africa thus means "homeland" to the Egyptians.

History of Africa

Prehistoric period

At the beginning of the Mesozoic era, when Africa was part of the single continent of Pangea, and until the end of the Triassic period, theropods and primitive ornithischians dominated in this region. Excavations dating back to the end of the Triassic period indicate that the south of the continent was more populated than the north.

Human Origins

Africa is considered the birthplace of man. The remains of the oldest species of the genus Homo were found here. Of the eight species of this genus, only one survived - Homo sapiens, and in small numbers (about 1000 individuals) began to spread throughout Africa about 100,000 years ago. And from Africa people migrated to Asia (about 60 - 40 thousand years ago), and from there to Europe (40 thousand years), Australia and America (35 -15 thousand years).

Africa during the Stone Age

The oldest archaeological finds indicating grain processing in Africa date back to the thirteenth millennium BC. e. Cattle raising in the Sahara began ca. 7500 BC e., and organized agriculture in the Nile region appeared in the 6th millennium BC. e.

In the Sahara, which was then a fertile territory, groups of hunters and fishermen lived, this is evidenced by archaeological finds. Throughout the Sahara (present-day Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Chad, etc.), many petroglyphs and rock paintings dating back to 6000 BC have been discovered. e. until the 7th century AD e. The most famous monument of primitive art in North Africa is the Tassilin-Ajjer plateau.

In addition to the group of Sahrawi monuments, rock art is also found in Somalia and South Africa (the oldest drawings date back to the 25th millennium BC).

Linguistic data show that ethnic groups speaking Bantu languages ​​migrated in a southwestern direction, displacing the Khoisan peoples (Xhosa, Zulu, etc.) from there. Bantu settlements contain a distinctive range of grain crops suitable for tropical Africa, including cassava and yams.

A small number of ethnic groups, such as the Bushmen, continue to lead a primitive hunting-gathering lifestyle, like their ancestors several thousand years ago.

Ancient Africa

North Africa

By the 6th-5th millennia BC. e. In the Nile Valley, agricultural cultures were formed (Tassian culture, Fayum culture, Merimde), on the basis of which in the 4th millennium BC. e. Ancient Egypt arose. To the south of it, also on the Nile, under its influence the Kerma-Cushite civilization was formed, which was replaced in the 2nd millennium BC. e. Nubian (state formation of Napata). On its ruins, Aloa, Mukurra, the Nabataean kingdom and others were formed, which were under the cultural and political influence of Ethiopia, Coptic Egypt and Byzantium.

In the north of the Ethiopian Highlands, under the influence of the South Arabian Sabaean kingdom, the Ethiopian civilization arose: in the 5th century BC. e. The Ethiopian kingdom was formed by immigrants from South Arabia; in the 2nd-11th centuries AD. e. There was an Aksumite kingdom, on the basis of which Christian Ethiopia was formed (XII-XVI centuries). These centers of civilization were surrounded by pastoral tribes of Libyans, as well as the ancestors of modern Cushitic and Nilotic-speaking peoples.

As a result of the development of horse breeding (which appeared in the first centuries AD), as well as camel breeding and oasis farming, the trading cities of Telgi, Debris, and Garama appeared in the Sahara, and Libyan writing arose.

On the Mediterranean coast of Africa in the 12th-2nd centuries BC. e. The Phoenician-Carthaginian civilization flourished. The proximity of the Carthaginian slave-holding power had an impact on the Libyan population. By the 4th century. BC e. Large alliances of Libyan tribes formed - the Mauretanians (modern Morocco to the lower reaches of the Muluya River) and the Numidians (from the Muluya River to the Carthaginian possessions). By the 3rd century BC. e. the conditions for the formation of states developed (see Numidia and Mauretania).

After the defeat of Carthage by Rome, its territory became the Roman province of Africa. Eastern Numidia in 46 BC was turned into the Roman province of New Africa, and in 27 BC. e. both provinces were united into one, governed by proconsuls. The Mauretanian kings became vassals of Rome, and in 42 the country was divided into two provinces: Mauretania Tingitana and Mauretania Caesarea.

The weakening of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century caused a crisis in the provinces of North Africa, which contributed to the success of the barbarian invasions (Berbers, Goths, Vandals). With the support of the local population, the barbarians overthrew the power of Rome and formed several states in North Africa: the kingdom of the Vandals, the Berber kingdom of Djedar (between Mulua and Ores) and a number of smaller Berber principalities.

In the 6th century, North Africa was conquered by Byzantium, but the position of the central government was fragile. African provincial nobility often entered into allied relations with barbarians and other external enemies of the empire. In 647, the Carthaginian exarch Gregory (cousin of Emperor Heraclius I), taking advantage of the weakening of imperial power due to Arab attacks, broke away from Constantinople and proclaimed himself emperor of Africa. One of the manifestations of the population's dissatisfaction with the policies of Byzantium was the widespread spread of heresies (Arianism, Donatism, Monophysitism). Muslim Arabs became allies of heretical movements. In 647, Arab troops defeated Gregory's army at the Battle of Sufetula, which led to the separation of Egypt from Byzantium. In 665, the Arabs repeated the invasion of North Africa and by 709 all the African provinces of Byzantium became part of the Arab Caliphate (for more details, see Arab conquests).

Sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa in the 1st millennium BC. e. Iron metallurgy spread everywhere. This contributed to the development of new territories, primarily tropical forests, and became one of the reasons for the settlement of Bantu-speaking peoples throughout most of Tropical and Southern Africa, displacing representatives of the Ethiopian and Capoid races to the north and south.

The centers of civilizations in Tropical Africa spread from north to south (in the eastern part of the continent) and partly from east to west (especially in the western part).

The Arabs, who penetrated North Africa in the 7th century, until the arrival of Europeans, became the main intermediaries between Tropical Africa and the rest of the world, including through the Indian Ocean. The cultures of Western and Central Sudan formed a single West African, or Sudanese, cultural zone, stretching from Senegal to the modern Republic of Sudan. In the 2nd millennium, most of this zone was part of the large state formations of Ghana, Kanem-Borno Mali (XIII-XV centuries), and Songhai.

South of the Sudanese civilizations in the 7th-9th centuries AD. e. the state formation of Ife was formed, which became the cradle of the Yoruba and Bini civilization (Benin, Oyo); neighboring peoples also experienced their influence. To the west of it, in the 2nd millennium, the Akano-Ashanti proto-civilization was formed, the heyday of which occurred in the 17th and early 19th centuries.

In the region of Central Africa during the XV-XIX centuries. various state entities gradually emerged - Buganda, Rwanda, Burundi, etc.

In East Africa, since the 10th century, Swahili Muslim culture flourished (the city-states of Kilwa, Pate, Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi, Sofala, etc., the Sultanate of Zanzibar).

In Southeast Africa - the Zimbabwean (Zimbabwe, Monomotapa) proto-civilization (X-XIX centuries); in Madagascar, the process of state formation ended at the beginning of the 19th century with the unification of all the early political formations of the island around Imerina.

The appearance of Europeans in Africa

The penetration of Europeans into Africa began in the 15th-16th centuries; The greatest contribution to the development of the continent at the first stage was made by the Spaniards and Portuguese after the completion of the Reconquista. Already at the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese actually controlled the western coast of Africa and in the 16th century launched an active slave trade. Following them, almost all Western European powers rushed to Africa: Holland, Spain, Denmark, France, England, Germany.

The slave trade with Zanzibar gradually led to the colonization of East Africa; Moroccan attempts to take over the Sahel have failed.

By the beginning of the 17th century, all of North Africa (except Morocco) became part of the Ottoman Empire. With the final division of Africa between European powers (1880s), the colonial period began, forcing Africans into industrial civilization.

Colonization of Africa

The process of colonization became widespread in the second half of the 19th century, especially after 1885 with the beginning of the so-called Race or Scramble for Africa. Almost the entire continent (except for Ethiopia and Liberia, which remained independent) by 1900 was divided between a number of European states: Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy; Spain and Portugal retained their old colonies and somewhat expanded them.

The most extensive and richest possessions were those of Great Britain. In the southern and central part of the continent:

• Cape Colony,
• Natal,
• Bechuanaland (now Botswana),
• Basutoland (Lesotho),
• Swaziland,
• Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe),
• Northern Rhodesia (Zambia).

In the east:

• Kenya,
• Uganda,
• Zanzibar,
• British Somalia.

In the north-east:

• Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, formally considered a co-ownership of England and Egypt.

In the West:

• Nigeria,
• Sierra Leone,
• Gambia
• Golden shore.

In the Indian Ocean

• Mauritius (island)
• Seychelles.

The colonial empire of France was not inferior in size to the British, but the population of its colonies was several times smaller, and its natural resources were poorer. Most of the French possessions were located in Western and Equatorial Africa and a considerable part of their territory was in the Sahara, the adjacent semi-desert Sahel region and tropical forests:

• French Guinea (now the Republic of Guinea),
• Ivory Coast (Ivory Coast),
• Upper Volta (Burkina Faso),
• Dahomey (Benin),
• Mauritania,
• Niger,
• Senegal,
• French Sudan (Mali),
• Gabon,
• Middle Congo (Republic of the Congo),
• Ubangi-Shari (Central African Republic),
• French coast of Somalia (Djibouti),
• Madagascar,
• Comoros Islands,
• Reunion.

Portugal owned Angola, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea (Guinea-Bissau), which included the Cape Verde Islands (Republic of Cape Verde), Sao Tome and Principe.

Belgium owned the Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in 1971-1997 - Zaire), Italy - Eritrea and Italian Somalia, Spain - the Spanish Sahara (Western Sahara), Northern Morocco, Equatorial Guinea, the Canary Islands; Germany - German East Africa (now mainland Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi), Cameroon, Togo and German South-West Africa (Namibia).

The main incentives that led to the heated battle of European powers for Africa are considered economic. Indeed, the desire to exploit Africa's natural resources and people was of paramount importance. But it cannot be said that these hopes were immediately realized. The south of the continent, where the world's largest deposits of gold and diamonds were discovered, began to generate huge profits. But before income could be received, large investments were first necessary to explore natural resources, create communications, adapt the local economy to the needs of the metropolis, suppress the protest of the indigenous people and find effective ways to force them to work for the colonial system. All this took time. Another argument of the ideologists of colonialism was not immediately justified. They argued that the acquisition of colonies would open up many jobs in the metropolises themselves and eliminate unemployment, since Africa would become a large market for European products and enormous construction of railways, ports, and industrial enterprises would begin there. If these plans were implemented, it was more slowly than expected and on a smaller scale. The argument that Europe's surplus population would move to Africa turned out to be untenable. The migration flows turned out to be smaller than expected and were mainly limited to the south of the continent, Angola, Mozambique, and Kenya - countries where the climate and other natural conditions were suitable for Europeans. Dubbed “the white man’s grave,” the Gulf of Guinea countries have seduced few people.

Colonial period

African theater of World War I

The First World War was a struggle for the redistribution of Africa, but it did not have a particularly strong impact on the lives of most African countries. Military actions covered the territories of the German colonies. They were conquered by the Entente troops and after the war, by decision of the League of Nations, were transferred to the Entente countries as mandated territories: Togo and Cameroon were divided between Great Britain and France, German South-West Africa went to the Union of South Africa (SA), part of German East Africa - Rwanda and Burundi - was transferred to Belgium, the other - Tanganyika - to Great Britain.

With the acquisition of Tanganyika, an old dream of the British ruling circles came true: a continuous strip of British possessions arose from Cape Town to Cairo. After the end of the war, the process of colonial development in Africa accelerated. Colonies increasingly turned into agricultural and raw materials appendages of the metropolises. Agriculture became increasingly export-oriented.

Interwar period

During the interwar period, the composition of agricultural crops grown by Africans changed dramatically - the production of export crops increased sharply: coffee - 11 times, tea - 10 times, cocoa beans - 6 times, peanuts - more than 4 times, tobacco - 3 times, etc. etc. An increasing number of colonies became monoculture countries. On the eve of World War II, in many countries between two-thirds and 98% of the value of all exports came from a single crop. In Gambia and Senegal, groundnuts became such a crop, in Zanzibar - cloves, in Uganda - cotton, on the Gold Coast - cocoa beans, in French Guinea - bananas and pineapples, in Southern Rhodesia - tobacco. Some countries had two export crops: on the Ivory Coast and in Togo - coffee and cocoa, in Kenya - coffee and tea, etc. In Gabon and some other countries, valuable forest species became a monoculture.

The emerging industry - mainly mining - was designed to an even greater extent for export. She developed quickly. In the Belgian Congo, for example, copper mining increased more than 20-fold between 1913 and 1937. By 1937, Africa occupied an impressive place in the capitalist world in the production of mineral raw materials. It accounted for 97% of all mined diamonds, 92% of cobalt, more than 40% of gold, chromites, lithium minerals, manganese ore, phosphorites and more than a third of all platinum production. In West Africa, as well as in most parts of East and Central Africa, export products were produced mainly on the farms of Africans themselves. European plantation production did not take root there due to climatic conditions difficult for Europeans. The main exploiters of African producers were foreign companies. Exported agricultural products were produced on farms owned by Europeans located in the Union of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, parts of Northern Rhodesia, Kenya, and South West Africa.

African Theater of World War II

The fighting during the Second World War on the African continent is divided into two directions: the North African campaign, which affected Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and was an integral part of the most important Mediterranean theater of operations, as well as the autonomous African theater of operations, the battles in which were of secondary importance.

During the Second World War, military operations in Tropical Africa were carried out only on the territory of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somalia. In 1941, British troops, together with Ethiopian partisans and with the active participation of the Somalis, occupied the territories of these countries. There were no military operations in other countries of Tropical and Southern Africa (with the exception of Madagascar). But hundreds of thousands of Africans were mobilized into the metropolitan armies. Even more people had to serve the troops and work for military needs. Africans fought in North Africa, Western Europe, the Middle East, Burma, and Malaya. On the territory of the French colonies there was a struggle between the Vichyites and supporters of the Free French, which, as a rule, did not lead to military clashes.

Decolonization of Africa

After World War II, the process of decolonization in Africa began rapidly. 1960 was declared the Year of Africa - the year of liberation of the largest number of colonies. In this year, 17 states gained independence. Most of them are French colonies and UN trust territories under French administration: Cameroon, Togo, Malagasy Republic, Congo (formerly French Congo), Dahomey, Upper Volta, Ivory Coast, Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Mali. The largest country in Africa in terms of population, Nigeria, which belonged to Great Britain, and the largest in terms of territory, the Belgian Congo, were declared independent. British Somalia and Italian Trust Somalia were united and became the Somali Democratic Republic.

The year 1960 changed the entire situation on the African continent. The dismantling of the remaining colonial regimes has become inevitable. The following were declared sovereign states:

• in 1961, the British possessions of Sierra Leone and Tanganyika;
• in 1962 - Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda;
• in 1963 - Kenya and Zanzibar;
• in 1964 - Northern Rhodesia (which called itself the Republic of Zambia, after the Zambezi River) and Nyasaland (Malawi); that same year, Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to create the Republic of Tanzania;
• in 1965 - Gambia;
• in 1966 - Bechuanaland became the Republic of Botswana and Basutoland - the Kingdom of Lesotho;
• in 1968 - Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea and Swaziland;
• in 1973 - Guinea-Bissau;
• in 1975 (after the revolution in Portugal) - Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe, as well as 3 of the 4 Comoros Islands (Mayotte remained a possession of France);
• in 1977 - Seychelles, and French Somalia became the Republic of Djibouti;
• in 1980 - Southern Rhodesia became the Republic of Zimbabwe;
• in 1990 - Trust Territory of South West Africa - by the Republic of Namibia.

The declaration of independence of Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique and Namibia was preceded by wars, uprisings, and guerrilla warfare. But for most African countries, the final stage of the journey was completed without major bloodshed, it was the result of mass demonstrations and strikes, the negotiation process, and, in relation to the trust territories, decisions of the United Nations.

Due to the fact that the borders of African states during the “Race for Africa” were drawn artificially, without taking into account the settlement of various peoples and tribes, as well as the fact that traditional African society was not ready for democracy, civil wars began in many African countries after gaining independence. war. In many countries, dictators came to power. The resulting regimes are characterized by disregard for human rights, bureaucracy, and totalitarianism, which, in turn, leads to an economic crisis and growing poverty.

Currently under the control of European countries are:

• Spanish enclaves in Morocco Ceuta and Melilla, Canary Islands (Spain),
• St. Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha and Chagos Archipelago (UK),
• Reunion, Eparce and Mayotte Islands (France),
• Madeira (Portugal).

Changing the names of states

During the period of African countries gaining independence, many of them changed their names for various reasons. This could be secession, unification, regime change, or the country gaining sovereignty. The phenomenon of renaming African proper names (names of countries, personal names of people) to reflect African identity has been called Africanization.

Previous title	Year	Current title
Portuguese South West Africa	1975	Republic of Angola
Dahomey	1975	Republic of Benin
Bechuanaland Protectorate	1966	Republic of Botswana
Republic of Upper Volta	1984	Republic of Burkina Faso
Ubangi-Shari	1960	Central African Republic
Republic of Zaire	1997	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Middle Congo	1960	Republic of the Congo
Ivory Coast	1985	Republic of Cote d'Ivoire*
French Afar and Issa territory	1977	Republic of Djibouti
Spanish Guinea	1968	Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Abyssinia	1941	Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Golden shore	1957	Republic of Ghana
part of French West Africa	1958	Republic of Guinea
Portuguese Guinea	1974	Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Basutoland Protectorate	1966	Kingdom of Lesotho
Nyasaland Protectorate	1964	Republic of Malawi
French Sudan	1960	Republic of Mali
German South West Africa	1990	Republic of Namibia
German East Africa/Rwanda-Urundi	1962	Republic of Rwanda / Republic of Burundi
British Somaliland / Italian Somaliland	1960	Republic of Somalia
Zanzibar / Tanganyika	1964	United Republic of Tanzania
Buganda	1962	Republic of Uganda
Northern Rhodesia	1964	Republic of Zambia
Southern Rhodesia	1980	Republic of Zimbabwe

* The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire did not change its name as such, but demanded that other languages ​​use the French name of the country (French: Côte d'Ivoire), rather than its literal translation in other languages ​​(Ivory Coast, Elfenbeinküste, etc.).

Geographical studies

David Livingston

David Livingston decided to study the rivers of South Africa and find natural passages deep into the mainland. He sailed the Zambezi, discovered the Victoria Falls, and identified the watershed of Lake Nyasa, Taganyika and the Lualaba River. In 1849, he was the first European to cross the Kalahari Desert and explore Lake Ngami. During his last journey, he tried to find the sources of the Nile.

Heinrich Barth

Heinrich Barth established that Lake Chad is drainless, was the first European to study the rock paintings of the ancient inhabitants of the Sahara and expressed his assumptions about climate change in North Africa.

Russian explorers

Mining engineer and traveler Yegor Petrovich Kovalevsky helped the Egyptians in search of gold deposits and studied the tributaries of the Blue Nile. Vasily Vasilyevich Juncker explored the watershed of the main African rivers - the Nile, Congo and Niger.

Geography of Africa

Africa covers an area of ​​30.3 million km². The length from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east in the northern part - 7.5 thousand km.

Relief

For the most part it is flat, in the north-west there are the Atlas Mountains, in the Sahara - the Ahaggar and Tibesti highlands. In the east is the Ethiopian Highlands, to the south of it is the East African Plateau, where the Kilimanjaro volcano (5895 m) is located - the highest point of the continent. In the south are the Cape and Drakensberg Mountains. The lowest point (157 meters below sea level) is located in Djibouti, this is the salt lake Assal. The deepest cave is Anu Ifflis, located in the north of Algeria in the Tel Atlas Mountains.

Minerals

Africa is known primarily for its rich deposits of diamonds (South Africa, Zimbabwe) and gold (South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Republic of Congo). There are large oil deposits in Nigeria and Algeria. Bauxite is mined in Guinea and Ghana. Resources of phosphorites, as well as manganese, iron and lead-zinc ores are concentrated in the area of ​​the northern coast of Africa.

Inland waters

Africa is home to one of the longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north. Other major rivers are the Niger in the west, the Congo in central Africa and the Zambezi, Limpopo and Orange rivers in the south.

The largest lake is Victoria. Other large lakes are Nyasa and Tanganyika, located in lithospheric faults. One of the largest salt lakes is Lake Chad, located on the territory of the state of the same name.

Climate

Africa is the hottest continent on the planet. The reason for this is the geographical location of the continent: the entire territory of Africa is located in hot climate zones and the continent is intersected by the equator line. It is in Africa that the hottest place on Earth is located - Dallol, and the highest temperature on Earth was recorded (+58.4 °C).

Central Africa and the coastal regions of the Gulf of Guinea belong to the equatorial belt, where there is heavy rainfall throughout the year and there is no change of seasons. To the north and south of the equatorial belt there are subequatorial belts. Here, in summer, humid equatorial air masses dominate (rainy season), and in winter, dry air from tropical trade winds (dry season). North and south of the subequatorial belts are the northern and southern tropical belts. They are characterized by high temperatures and low precipitation, which leads to the formation of deserts.

In the north is the largest desert on Earth, the Sahara Desert, in the south is the Kalahari Desert. The northern and southern ends of the continent are included in the corresponding subtropical zones.

Fauna of Africa, Flora of Africa

The flora of the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial zones is diverse. Ceib, pipdatenia, terminalia, combretum, brachystegia, isoberlinia, pandan, tamarind, sundew, bladderwort, palms and many others grow everywhere. Savannas are dominated by low trees and thorny bushes (acacia, terminalia, bush).

Desert vegetation, on the contrary, is sparse, consisting of small communities of grasses, shrubs and trees growing in oases, high-altitude areas, and along water. Salt-tolerant halophytic plants are found in the depressions. On the least water-supplied plains and plateaus, species of grasses, small bushes and trees grow that are resistant to drought and heat. The flora of desert areas is well adapted to irregular rainfall. This is reflected in the wide variety of physiological adaptations, habitat preferences, establishment of dependent and kinship communities, and reproductive strategies. Perennial drought-resistant grasses and shrubs have an extensive and deep (up to 15-20 m) root system. Many of the grass plants are ephemerals that can produce seeds in three days after sufficient moisture and are sown within 10-15 days thereafter.

In the mountainous regions of the Sahara Desert, relict Neogene flora is found, often related to the Mediterranean, and there are many endemics. Among the relict woody plants growing in mountainous areas are some types of olives, cypress and mastic tree. Also presented are types of acacia, tamarisk and wormwood, doum palm, oleander, palmate date, thyme, and ephedra. Dates, figs, olive and fruit trees, some citrus fruits, and various vegetables are cultivated in the oases. Herbaceous plants growing in many parts of the desert are represented by the genera triostia, bentgrass and millet. Coastal grass and other salt-tolerant grasses grow on the Atlantic coast. Various combinations of ephemerals form seasonal pastures called ashebas. Algae are found in reservoirs.

In many desert areas (rivers, hamadas, partial accumulations of sand, etc.) there is no vegetation cover at all. Human activity (grazing livestock, collecting useful plants, storing fuel, etc.) has had a strong impact on the vegetation of almost all areas.

A notable plant of the Namib Desert is tumboa, or Welwitschia mirabilis. It produces two giant leaves that grow slowly throughout its life (more than 1000 years), which can exceed 3 meters in length. The leaves are attached to a stem that resembles a huge conical radish with a diameter of 60 to 120 centimeters, and protrudes 30 centimeters from the ground. Welwitschia's roots extend up to 3m deep into the ground. Welwitschia is known for its ability to grow in extremely dry conditions, using dew and fog as its main source of moisture. Welwitschia - endemic to the northern Namib - is depicted on the national coat of arms of Namibia.

In slightly wetter areas of the desert, another famous Namib plant is found - the nara (Acanthosicyos horridus), (endemic), which grows on sand dunes. Its fruits constitute the food supply and source of moisture for many animals, African elephants, antelopes, porcupines, etc.

Since prehistoric times, Africa has preserved the largest number of megafauna. The tropical equatorial and subequatorial belt is inhabited by a variety of mammals: okapi, antelopes (dukers, bongos), pygmy hippopotamus, brush-eared pig, warthog, galagos, monkeys, flying squirrels (spine-tailed), lemurs (on the island of Madagascar), civets, chimpanzees, gorillas, etc. Nowhere in the world is there such an abundance of large animals as in the African savannah: elephants, hippopotamuses, lions, giraffes, leopards, cheetahs, antelopes (elands), zebras, monkeys, secretary birds, hyenas, African ostriches, meerkats. Some elephants, Kaffa buffaloes and white rhinoceroses live only in nature reserves.

The predominant birds are gray fowl, turaco, guinea fowl, hornbill (kalao), cockatoo, and marabou.

Reptiles and amphibians of the tropical equatorial and subequatorial zone - mamba (one of the most poisonous snakes in the world), crocodile, python, tree frogs, dart frogs and marbled frogs.

In humid climatic zones, the malaria mosquito and the tsetse fly are common, causing sleeping sickness in both humans and mammals.

Ecology

In November 2009, GreenPeace published a report indicating that two villages in Niger near the uranium mines of French multinational Areva had dangerously high levels of radiation. The main environmental problems of Africa: Desertification is a problem in the northern part, deforestation is a problem in the central part.

Political division

Africa is home to 55 countries and 5 self-proclaimed and unrecognized states. Most of them were colonies of European states for a long time and gained independence only in the 50-60s of the 20th century. Before this, only Egypt (since 1922), Ethiopia (since the Middle Ages), Liberia (since 1847) and South Africa (since 1910) were independent; in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), until the 80-90s of the 20th century, the apartheid regime, which discriminated against the indigenous (black) population, remained in place. Currently, many African countries are ruled by regimes that discriminate against the white population. According to the research organization Freedom House, in recent years, many African countries (for example, Nigeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Congo (Kinshasa) and Equatorial Guinea) have seen a trend of retreat from democratic achievements towards authoritarianism.

In the north of the continent are the territories of Spain (Ceuta, Melilla, Canary Islands) and Portugal (Madeira).

Countries and territories	Area (km²)	Population	Population density
Algeria
Egypt
West Sahara
Libya
Mauritania
Mali
Morocco
Niger		13 957 000
Sudan
Tunisia
Chad				N'Djamena

Spanish and Portuguese territories in North Africa:

Countries and territories	Area (km²)	Population	Population density
Canary Islands (Spain)				Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Madeira (Portugal)
Melilla (Spain)
Ceuta (Spain)
Small Sovereign Territories (Spain)				Countries and territories Area (km²) Population Population density Benin Cotonou, Porto Novo Burkina Faso Ouagadougou Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Cape Verde Ivory Coast Yamoussoukro Liberia Monrovia Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Countries and territories Area (km²) Population Population density Gabon Libreville Cameroon DR Congo Republic of the Congo Brazzaville Sao Tome and Principe CAR Equatorial Guinea Countries and territories Area (km²) Population Population density Burundi Bujumbura British Indian Ocean Territory (dependency) Diego Garcia Galmudug (unrecognized state) Galkayo Djibouti Kenya Puntland (unrecognized state) Rwanda Somalia Mogadishu Somaliland (unrecognized state) Hargeisa Tanzania Uganda Eritrea Ethiopia Addis Ababa South Sudan Countries and territories Area (km²) Population Population density Angola Botswana Gaborone Zimbabwe Comoros Lesotho Mauritius Madagascar Antananarivo Mayotte (dependent territory, overseas region of France) Malawi Lilongwe Mozambique Namibia Reunion (dependent territory, overseas region of France) Swaziland Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (dependent territory (UK) Jamestown Seychelles Victoria Eparce Islands (dependent territory, overseas region of France) South Africa Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Pretoria African Union In 1963, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was created, uniting 53 African states. This organization was officially transformed into the African Union on July 9, 2002. The head of one of the African states is elected as the Chairman of the African Union for a term of one year. The administration of the African Union is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The objectives of the African Union are: promoting the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; promoting and protecting the interests of the continent and its people; achieving peace and security in Africa; promoting the development of democratic institutions, wise leadership and human rights. Morocco does not join the African Union as a sign of protest against the admission of Western Sahara, which Morocco considers its territory. Economy of Africa General economic and geographical characteristics of African countries A peculiarity of the geographical location of many countries in the region is the lack of access to the sea. At the same time, in countries facing the ocean, the coastline is poorly indented, which is unfavorable for the construction of large ports. Africa is exceptionally rich in natural resources. The reserves of mineral raw materials are especially large - manganese ores, chromites, bauxites, etc. There are fuel raw materials in depressions and coastal areas. Oil and gas are produced in North and West Africa (Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Libya). Enormous reserves of cobalt and copper ores are concentrated in Zambia and the DRC; manganese ores are mined in South Africa and Zimbabwe; platinum, iron ores and gold - in South Africa; diamonds - in Congo, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Ghana; phosphorites - in Morocco, Tunisia; uranium - in Niger, Namibia. Africa has quite large land resources, but soil erosion has become catastrophic due to improper cultivation. Water resources across Africa are distributed extremely unevenly. Forests occupy about 10% of the territory, but as a result of predatory destruction their area is rapidly declining. Africa has the highest rate of natural population growth. The natural increase in many countries exceeds 30 people per 1000 inhabitants per year. There remains a high proportion of children (50%) and a small proportion of older people (about 5%). African countries have not yet managed to change the colonial type of sectoral and territorial structure of the economy, although the rate of economic growth has accelerated somewhat. The colonial type of sectoral structure of the economy is distinguished by the predominance of small-scale, consumer agriculture, weak development of the manufacturing industry, and lagging development of transport. African countries have achieved the greatest success in the mining industry. In the extraction of many minerals, Africa holds a leading and sometimes monopoly place in the world (in the extraction of gold, diamonds, platinum group metals, etc.). The manufacturing industry is represented by light and food industries, there are no other industries, with the exception of a number of areas near the availability of raw materials and on the coast (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia, DRC). The second branch of the economy that determines Africa's place in the world economy is tropical and subtropical agriculture. Agricultural products account for 60-80% of GDP. The main cash crops are coffee, cocoa beans, peanuts, dates, tea, natural rubber, sorghum, and spices. Recently, grain crops have begun to be grown: corn, rice, wheat. Livestock farming plays a subordinate role, with the exception of countries with arid climates. Extensive cattle breeding predominates, characterized by a huge number of livestock, but low productivity and low marketability. The continent is not self-sufficient in agricultural products. Transport also retains a colonial type: railways go from raw material extraction areas to the port, while the regions of one state are practically not connected. Rail and sea modes of transport are relatively developed. In recent years, other types of transport have also developed - road (a road was built across the Sahara), air, pipeline. All countries, with the exception of South Africa, are developing, most of them are the poorest in the world (70% of the population lives below the poverty line). Problems and difficulties of African states Most African states have developed bloated, unprofessional and ineffective bureaucracies. Given the amorphous nature of social structures, the only organized force remained the army. The result is endless military coups. Dictators who came to power appropriated untold wealth for themselves. The capital of Mobutu, the President of the Congo, at the time of his overthrow was $7 billion. The economy functioned poorly, and this gave scope for a “destructive” economy: the production and distribution of drugs, illegal mining of gold and diamonds, even human trafficking. Africa's share in world GDP and its share in world exports were declining, and output per capita was declining. The formation of statehood was extremely complicated by the absolute artificiality of state borders. Africa inherited them from its colonial past. They were established during the division of the continent into spheres of influence and have little to do with ethnic boundaries. The Organization of African Unity, created in 1963, aware that any attempt to correct a particular border could lead to unpredictable consequences, called for these borders to be considered immutable, no matter how unfair they may be. But these borders have nevertheless become a source of ethnic conflicts and the displacement of millions of refugees. The main sector of the economy of most countries in Tropical Africa is agriculture, designed to provide food for the population and serve as a raw material base for the development of the manufacturing industry. It employs the majority of the region's amateur population and creates the bulk of the total national income. In many countries of Tropical Africa, agriculture occupies a leading place in exports, providing a significant portion of foreign exchange earnings. In the last decade, an alarming picture has been observed with the growth rate of industrial production, which allows us to talk about the actual deindustrialization of the region. If in 1965-1980 they (on average per year) amounted to 7.5%, then in the 80s only 0.7%; a drop in growth rates took place in the 80s in both the mining and manufacturing industries. For a number of reasons, the mining industry plays a special role in ensuring the socio-economic development of the region, but this production is also decreasing by 2% annually. A characteristic feature of the development of the countries of Tropical Africa is the weak development of the manufacturing industry. Only in a very small group of countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal) does its share in GDP reach or exceed 20%. Integration processes A characteristic feature of integration processes in Africa is their high degree of institutionalization. Currently, there are about 200 economic associations of various levels, scales and orientations on the continent. But from the point of view of studying the problem of the formation of subregional identity and its relationship with national and ethnic identity, the functioning of such large organizations as the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), etc. is of interest. The extremely low performance of their activities in previous decades and the advent of the era of globalization required a sharp acceleration of integration processes at a qualitatively different level. Economic cooperation is developing in new - compared to the 70s - conditions of contradictory interaction between the globalization of the world economy and the increasing marginalization of the positions of African states within its framework and, naturally, in a different coordinate system. Integration is no longer considered as a tool and basis for the formation of a self-sufficient and self-developing economy, relying on its own strengths and in opposition to the imperialist West. The approach is different, which, as mentioned above, presents integration as a way and means of including African countries in the globalizing world economy, as well as as an impulse and indicator of economic growth and development in general. Population, Peoples of Africa, Demographics of Africa Africa's population is about 1 billion people. The continent's population growth is the highest in the world: in 2004 it was 2.3%. Over the past 50 years, average life expectancy has increased - from 39 to 54 years. The population consists mainly of representatives of two races: Negroid sub-Saharan, and Caucasian in northern Africa (Arabs) and South Africa (Boers and Anglo-South Africans). The most numerous people are the Arabs of North Africa. During the colonial development of the mainland, many state borders were drawn without taking into account ethnic characteristics, which still leads to interethnic conflicts. The average population density in Africa is 30.5 people/km² - this is significantly less than in Europe and Asia. In terms of urbanization, Africa lags behind other regions - less than 30%, but the rate of urbanization here is the highest in the world; many African countries are characterized by false urbanization. The largest cities on the African continent are Cairo and Lagos. Languages The autochthonous languages ​​of Africa are divided into 32 families, of which 3 (Semitic, Indo-European and Austronesian) “penetrated” the continent from other regions. There are also 7 isolated and 9 unclassified languages. The most popular native African languages ​​include Bantu (Swahili, Congo) and Fula. Indo-European languages ​​have become widespread due to the era of colonial rule: English, Portuguese, and French are official languages ​​in many countries. In Namibia since the beginning of the 20th century. There is a densely populated community that speaks German as its primary language. The only language belonging to the Indo-European family to emerge on the continent is Afrikaans, one of the 11 official languages ​​of South Africa. There are also communities of Afrikaans speakers living in other countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia. It is worth noting, however, that after the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa, the Afrikaans language was replaced by other languages ​​(English and local African ones). The number of its carriers and scope of application are decreasing. The most widespread language of the Afroasiatic language macrofamily, Arabic, is used in North, West and East Africa as a first and second language. Many African languages ​​(Hausa, Swahili) include a significant number of borrowings from Arabic (primarily in layers of political and religious vocabulary, abstract concepts). The Austronesian languages ​​are represented by the Malagasy language, which is spoken by the population of Madagascar - the Malagasy - a people of Austronesian origin who presumably came here in the 2nd-5th centuries AD. Residents of the African continent are typically fluent in several languages, which are used in various everyday situations. For example, a representative of a small ethnic group that retains its own language may use a local language in the family circle and in communication with their fellow tribesmen, a regional interethnic language (Lingala in the DRC, Sango in the Central African Republic, Hausa in Nigeria, Bambara in Mali) in communication with representatives of other ethnic groups, and the state language (usually European) in communication with authorities and other similar situations. At the same time, language proficiency may be limited only by the ability to speak (the literacy rate of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2007 was approximately 50% of the total population). Religion in Africa Among world religions, Islam and Christianity predominate (the most common denominations are Catholicism, Protestantism, and, to a lesser extent, Orthodoxy and Monophysitism). East Africa is also home to Buddhists and Hindus (many of them from India). Followers of Judaism and Baha'ism also live in Africa. Religions brought to Africa from outside are found both in their pure form and syncretized with local traditional religions. Among the “major” traditional African religions are Ifa or Bwiti. Education in Africa Traditional education in Africa involved preparing children for African realities and life in African society. Learning in pre-colonial Africa included games, dancing, singing, painting, ceremonies and rituals. The elders were in charge of the training; Every member of society contributed to the child's education. Girls and boys were trained separately to learn a system of appropriate gender-role behavior. The apogee of learning was the rites of passage, symbolizing the end of childhood life and the beginning of adulthood. With the beginning of the colonial period, the education system underwent changes towards the European one, so that Africans had the opportunity to compete with Europe and America. Africa tried to train its own specialists. Currently, Africa still lags behind other parts of the world in terms of education. In 2000, only 58% of children in sub-Saharan Africa were in school; these are the lowest figures in the world. There are 40 million children in Africa, half of them school age, who are not receiving schooling. Two thirds of them are girls. In the post-colonial period, African governments placed greater emphasis on education; A large number of universities were established, although there was very little money for their development and support, and in some places it stopped altogether. However, universities are overcrowded, often forcing lecturers to lecture in shifts, evenings and weekends. Due to low wages, there is a staff drain. In addition to the lack of necessary funding, other problems of African universities are the unregulated degree system, as well as inequity in the system of career advancement among teaching staff, which is not always based on professional merit. This often leads to protests and strikes by teachers. Internal conflicts Africa has a fairly firmly established reputation as the most conflict-ridden place on the planet, and the level of stability here not only does not increase over time, but also tends to decrease. During the post-colonial period, 35 armed conflicts were recorded on the continent, during which about 10 million people died, most of whom (92%) were civilians. Africa accounts for almost 50% of the world's refugees (more than 7 million people) and 60% of displaced people (20 million people). Fate has prepared for many of them the tragic fate of a daily struggle for existence. African culture For historical reasons, Africa can be culturally divided into two large areas: North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Literature of Africa The concept of African literature by Africans themselves includes both written and oral literature. In the African mind, form and content are inseparable. The beauty of presentation is used not so much for its own sake, but to build a more effective dialogue with the listener, and beauty is determined by the degree of truthfulness of what is stated. African oral literature exists in both poetic and prose forms. Poetry, often in song form, includes actual poems, epics, ritual songs, songs of praise, love songs, etc. Prose - most often stories about the past, myths and legends, often with a trickster as the central character. The epic of Sundiata Keita, founder of the ancient state of Mali, is an important example of pre-colonial oral literature. The first written literature of North Africa is recorded in Egyptian papyri; it was also written in Greek, Latin and Phoenician (there are very few sources in Phoenician left). Apuleius and Saint Augustine wrote in Latin. The style of Ibn Khaldun, a philosopher from Tunisia, stands out noticeably among Arabic literature of that period. During the colonial period, African literature mainly dealt with the issues of slavery. Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford's novel Free Ethiopia: Essays on Racial Emancipation, published in 1911, is considered the first English-language work. Although the novel balanced between fiction and political propaganda, it received positive reviews in Western publications. The topic of freedom and independence was increasingly raised before the end of the colonial period. After most countries gained independence, African literature took a giant leap. Many writers appeared, whose works received wide recognition. The works were written both in European languages ​​(mainly French, English and Portuguese) and in the autochthonous languages ​​of Africa. The main themes of post-colonial works were conflicts: conflicts between past and present, tradition and modernity, socialism and capitalism, the individual and society, indigenous peoples and newcomers. Social problems such as corruption, economic difficulties of countries with newfound independence, rights and the role of women in the new society were also widely covered. Women writers are now much more widely represented than during the colonial period. The first post-colonial African writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature was Wole Soyinka (1986). Previously, only Albert Camus, born in Algeria, had been awarded this prize in 1957. Cinema of Africa In general, African cinema is poorly developed, with the only exception being the film school of North Africa, where many films have been shot since the 1920s (cinemas of Algeria and Egypt). So Black Africa did not have its own cinema for a long time, and served only as a backdrop for films made by Americans and Europeans. For example, in the French colonies, the indigenous population was prohibited from making films, and only in 1955 did the Senegalese director Paulin Soumanou Vieyra make the first Francophone film L'Afrique sur Seine ("Africa on the Seine"), and then not in his homeland , and in Paris. There were also a number of films with anti-colonial sentiments that were banned until decolonization. Only in recent years, after independence, have national schools begun to develop in these countries; First of all, these are South Africa, Burkina Faso and Nigeria (where a school of commercial cinema has already been formed, called “Nollywood”). The first film to receive international recognition was Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene's film "Black Girl" about the difficult life of a black maid in France. Since 1969 (it received government support in 1972), Burkina Faso has hosted the continent's largest African film festival, FESPACO, every two years. The North African alternative to this festival is the Tunisian "Carthage". To a large extent, films made by African directors are aimed at destroying stereotypes about Africa and its people. Many ethnographic films of the colonial period were disapproved by Africans as misrepresentations of African realities. The desire to correct the global image of Black Africa is also characteristic of literature. The concept of “African cinema” also includes films made by the diaspora outside their homeland. (Visited 1,089 times, 1 visits today)

Africa is the largest region in area (30 million sq. km.), including 54 independent states. Some of them are rich and developing, others are poor, some are landlocked and others are not. So how many countries are there in Africa, and which countries are the most developed?

North African countries

The entire continent can be divided into five zones: North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, South Africa.

Rice. 1. African countries.

Almost the entire region of North Africa (10 million sq. km.) lies on the territory of the Sahara Desert. This natural area is characterized by high temperatures; it is here that the world's highest temperature in the shade is recorded - +58 degrees. The largest states in Africa are located in this region. These are Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan. All these countries are territories with access to the sea.

Egypt - tourist center of Africa. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the warm sea, sandy beaches and infrastructure completely suitable for a good holiday.

State of Algeria with the capital of the same name, it is the largest country by area in North Africa. Its area is 2382 thousand square meters. km. The largest river in this area is the Sheliff River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Its length is 700 km. The remaining rivers are much smaller and are lost among the Sahara deserts. Algeria produces large quantities of oil and gas.

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Sudan is a country in the North African region that has access to the Red Sea.

Sudan is sometimes called the “country of three Niles” - White, Blue, and the main one, which is formed as a result of the merger of the first two.

Sudan has dense and rich vegetation of tall grass savannas: in the wet season, the grass here reaches 2.5 - 3 m. In the very south there is a forest savannah with iron, red and black ebony trees.

Rice. 2. Ebony.

Libya - a country in the central part of North Africa, with an area of ​​1,760 thousand square meters. km. Most of the territory is a flat plain with altitudes ranging from 200 to 500 meters. Like other countries in North America, Libya has access to the Mediterranean Sea.

West African countries

West Africa is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the south and west. The Guinean forests of the tropical region are located here. These areas are characterized by alternating rainy and dry seasons. West Africa includes many countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Liberia. The population of this region is 210 million people. It is in this region that Nigeria (195 million people) is located, the largest country by population in Africa, and Cape Verde, a very small island state with a population of about 430 thousand people.

Agriculture plays a major role in the economy. West African countries are leaders in the collection of cocoa beans (Ghana, Nigeria), peanuts (Senegal, Niger), and palm oil (Nigeria).

Central African countries

Central Africa is located in the western part of the continent and lies in the equatorial and subequatorial belt. This area is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. There are a lot of rivers in Central Africa: Congo, Ogowe, Kwanza, Kwilu. The climate is humid and hot. This area includes 9 countries, including Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, and Angola.

In terms of natural resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the richest countries on the continent. Here are unique rainforests - the Selvas of Africa, which make up 6% of the world's rainforests.

Angola is a major export supplier. Coffee, fruits, and sugar cane are exported abroad. And in Gabon they mine copper, oil, manganese, and uranium.

East African countries

The coast of East Africa is washed by the Red Sea, as well as the Nile. The climate in this area is different in each country. For example, the Seychelles are characterized as humid maritime tropics, dominated by monsoons. At the same time, Somalia, also part of East Africa, is a desert where there are practically no rainy days. This region includes Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Some East African countries are characterized by the export of specific products that are not available in other African countries. Kenya exports tea and coffee, while Tanzania and Uganda export cotton.

Many people are interested in where is the capital of Africa? Naturally, each country has its own capital, but the capital of Ethiopia, the city of Addis Ababa, is considered the heart of Africa. It is landlocked, but it is here that the representative offices of all countries of the mainland are located.

Rice. 3. Addis Ababa.

Southern African countries

South Africa includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland.

South Africa is the most developed in its region, and Swaziland is the smallest. Swaziland borders South Africa and Mozambique. The country's population is only 1.3 million people. This region is located in the tropical and subtropical climate zone.

List of African countries with capitals

• Algiers (capital - Algiers)
• Angola (capital - Luanda)
• Benin (capital - Porto Novo)
• Botswana (capital - Gaborone)
• Burkina Faso (capital - Ouagadougou)
• Burundi (capital - Bujumbura)
• Gabon (capital - Libreville)
• Gambia (capital - Banjul)
• Ghana (capital - Accra)
• Guinea (capital - Conakry)
• Guinea-Bissau (capital - Bissau)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital - Kinshasa)
• Djibouti (capital - Djibouti)
• Egypt (capital - Cairo)
• Zambia (capital - Lusaka)
• West Sahara
• Zimbabwe (capital - Harare)
• Cape Verde (capital - Praia)
• Cameroon (capital - Yaounde)
• Kenya (capital - Nairobi)
• Comoros (capital - Moroni)
• Congo (capital - Brazzaville)
• Cote d'Ivoire (capital - Yamoussoukro)
• Lesotho (capital - Maseru)
• Liberia (capital - Monrovia)
• Libya (capital - Tripoli)
• Mauritius (capital - Port Louis)
• Mauritania (capital - Nouakchott)
• Madagascar (capital - Antananarivo)
• Malawi (capital - Lilongwe)
• Mali (capital - Bamako)
• Morocco (capital - Rabat)
• Mozambique (capital - Maputo)
• Namibia (capital - Windhoek)
• Niger (capital - Niamey)
• Nigeria (capital - Abuja)
• Saint Helena (capital - Jamestown) (UK)
• Reunion (capital - Saint-Denis) (France)
• Rwanda (capital - Kigali)
• Sao Tome and Principe (capital - Sao Tome)
• Swaziland (capital - Mbabane)
• Seychelles (capital - Victoria)
• Senegal (capital - Dakar)
• Somalia (capital - Mogadishu)
• Sudan (capital - Khartoum)
• Sierra Leone (capital - Freetown)
• Tanzania (capital - Dodoma)
• Togo (capital - Lome)
• Tunisia (capital - Tunisia)
• Uganda (capital - Kampala)
• Central African Republic (capital - Bangui)
• Chad (capital - N'Djamena)
• Equatorial Guinea (capital - Malabo)
• Eritrea (capital - Asmara)
• Ethiopia (capital - Addis Ababa)
• Republic of South Africa (capital - Pretoria)

What have we learned?

Africa is the hottest continent on Earth. There are 54 independent states on the continent, which belong to one of five regions: North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa. African countries and their capitals are unique. Each country has its own characteristics and characteristics.

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Africa is the second largest continent in the world, followed by Eurasia.

Interesting facts about African countries:

• Algeria is the largest country in Africa. More than 80% of the territory is occupied by the Sahara Desert.
• Angola. The capital of Angola, Luanda, is considered the most expensive city to live in, but 50% of the country's population cannot read and write.
• Benin is a small country, famous for the town of Ouidah, which is considered a stronghold of the voodoo religion. Benin is one of the African countries that fully provides itself with all necessary food products.
• Botswana is one of the least explored countries in Africa. More than 70% of the territory is desert.
  
  
• Burkina Faso is a country with a very low standard of living. In the country it is rare to meet a person over 65 years old. The country is visited extremely rarely by tourists.
• Burundi is a country without hospitals. There are only about 200 doctors and nurses in the entire state, so the level of medical care is one of the lowest in the world.
• Gabon is one of the most stable and richest countries on the African continent. About 80% of the country's territory is occupied by tropical forests.
• The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa by area.
• Ghana is the first state in West Africa to gain independence from the British people.
• Guinea is the leader in bauxite reserves. It is among the 10 poorest countries in the world.
• Guinea-Bissau. There is not a single power plant in the country. Electricity is supplied from city generators and is turned on only for 2-3 hours a day.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo. The main attraction of the republic is the Congo River, which is one of the deepest in the world.
• Djibouti is one of the driest countries in the world.
• Egypt is one of the cheapest and most popular resorts in the world. Famous for its developed infrastructure in tourist cities. But outside the tourist area, Egyptians live very poorly. It is in Egypt that one of the seven wonders of the world is located - the Pyramid of Cheops.

  One of the wonders of the world is the Pyramid of Cheops. Egypt

• Zambia is the first African country to make banknotes from plastic rather than paper. The most visited place by tourists is the village of Mukuni artisans.
• Zimbabwe. One of the world's coffee exporters. The country has a very high unemployment rate in 2019 – about 80%.
• Cape Verde is a country of 18 islands. The state is engaged in the production and export of footwear.
• Cameroon. Half of the state's territory is occupied by forests, which are home to the largest goliath frogs in the world. The population lives below the poverty line, but despite this, the people of Cameroon are always hospitable and good-natured towards tourists.
• Kenya is the country with the largest international airport in East Africa. Kenya is different from other countries. There are no seasons in the country, there are only seasons: dry and rainy.
• Comoros Islands. A country where it is impossible to pay with a bank card. There are not even ATMs on the territory of the state.
• Congo is famous for the most dangerous dormant volcano in the world - Newiragongo.
• Cote d'Ivoire. More than 60 peoples live in the state. It is in this country that the largest church in the world is located.
• Lesotho is located in the highlands. There are two diamond mines in the country.
• Liberia. The country has not yet fully recovered from the war in 1980. The population lives below the poverty line. The only country in the world where there is not a single traffic light.
• Libya. 90% of the area is covered by desert. A state with a very limited number of animals and plants. The lack of flora and fauna is caused by the arid climate.
• Mauritius is a tourist resort that ranks second in terms of living standards on the African continent.
• Mauritania. All the rivers in this country dry up in the summer, except for one - Senegal. 100% of the Mauritanian population professes Islam.
• Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. The country is the world's first producer of vanilla.
• Malawi is the poorest republic in Africa. The country is famous for its orchids; more than 400 species grow on the territory of the state.
• Mali. The country ranks among the world's leading gold exporters.
• Morocco is a tourist country, visited by more than 10 million tourists every year. In the country, namely in Casablanca, there is the tallest religious building - the Hassan Mosque 2.
• Mozambique. About 25% of the country's population does not consider themselves followers of any faith, although they are not atheists. Meat is rare in Mozambique.
• Namibia. On its territory there is the world's largest underground lake. Tourists are attracted to Namibia by the “skeleton coast” - a surf line strewn with whale skeletons.

  “Skeleton Coast” is one of the most memorable places

• Niger. About 80% of the republic's area is occupied by the Sahara Desert. Niger is first in the world in terms of birth rate.
• Nigeria is the republic that ranks first in Africa in terms of population. The country is engaged in the production and export of oil and petroleum products.
• Rwanda is the country with the tallest inhabitants on the planet. Rwanda has no railways or trams. The country is one of the few in Africa that does not experience a shortage of drinking water.
• Sao Tome and Principe are islands that are extinct volcanoes. The islands are popular with a local attraction - the Mouth of Hell (a place in the rocks from where a stream of sea water flows).
• Swaziland is a country with 2 capitals: Mbabane and Lobamba. The country is ruled by a king, but his power is partially limited by parliament. The republic ranks first in the world in terms of the number of HIV-infected people.
• Seychelles is one of the most expensive resorts in the world. The Seychelles includes 115 islands, of which only 33 are inhabited.
• Senegal. The national symbol of this country is the baobab. The famous Paris-Dakar rally is held annually in the capital of Senegal.

  The Paris-Dakar Rally is a dream for many

• Somalia is one of the most armed countries in the world. For local residents, constantly carrying firearms is considered the norm. Somalia is a country with anarchy.
• Sudan is a state where marriages with deceased people are legally permitted. Sudan is the world's largest importer of gum arabic.
• Sierra Leone. One of the poorest countries in the world. Half of the republic's population cannot read or write.
• Tanzania. A third of the country is occupied by nature reserves. The republic is characterized by a low level of education. According to statistics, only half of Tanzanian children attend school. The country has 2 capitals and the largest crater in the world - Ngorongoro.
• Togo is a country known for having the largest traditional market in the world, where you can buy absolutely everything. Togo is a country of contrasts, where monolithic elite high-rise buildings border on the mud huts of the poor.
• Tunisia is a popular tourist country, famous not only for its unique culture and nature, but also for its “Rose of the Sahara” landmark. This crystal is formed in the desert from salt and sand. Many tourists buy crystal as a souvenir to decorate aquariums and houses.

  The amazing phenomenon “Rose of the Sahara”

• Uganda is the youngest republic in the world. The average age of Ugandans is 15 years. The country is home to one of the deepest lakes in the world - Albertina.
• The Central African Republic is a state with incredible reserves of uranium, gold, oil and diamonds. But despite this, the country is among the 30 poorest republics in the world.
• Chad. The country is named after Lake Chad, which is located on its territory. The country does not have a complete railway connection. This republic amazes with its dry and arid climate; the maximum temperature in the shade in summer reaches 56 degrees Celsius.
• Equatorial Guinea is a country where the land is bright red due to the special composition of the soil. In Equatorial Guinea, gold mining is available to everyone.
• Eritrea is one of the poorest countries on the planet. Eritrea has no national language. This country became famous in the world thanks to the 30-year war for independence.
• Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country on the planet. Ethiopia is an agricultural country where cereals, sugar cane, potatoes and cotton are grown.
• South Africa is the most diverse national republic on the African continent. South Africa is the most developed country in Africa.
• South Sudan is one of the least developed republics in Africa. The country doesn't even have running water. South Sudan is famous for its constant civil wars and political upheavals.

The area of ​​South Africa is 3.1 million square meters. km. The region is characterized by the development of the mining industry.

Table: Southern African countries

North Africa is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea. Area - about 10,000,000 sq. km. Most of this part of the African continent is occupied by the Sahara Desert.

Table: North African countries

West Africa is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Covers the Sahel and Sudan regions. This part of the continent is leader in the number of HIV infections and malaria.

Table: West African countries

State	Square	Population of the state	Capital
Benin	112 620	10 741 458	Porto-Novo, Cotonou
Burkina Faso	274,200	17 692 391	Ouagadougou
Gambia	10 380	1 878 999	Banjul
Ghana	238 540	25 199 609	Accra
Guinea	245 857	11 176 026	Conakry
Guinea-Bissau	36 120	1 647 000	Bissau
Cape Verde	4 033	523 568	Praia
Ivory Coast	322 460	23,740,424	Yamoussoukro
Liberia	111 370	4 294 000	Monrovia
Mauritania	1 030 700	3 359 185	Nouakchott
Mali	1 240 000	15 968 882	Bamako
Niger	1 267 000	23 470 530	Niamey
Nigeria	923 768	186 053 386	Abuja
Senegal	196 722	13 300 410	Dakar
Sierra Leone	71 740	5 363 669	Freetown
Togo	56 785	7 154 237	Lome

In 2019, the states of Central Africa have a very good range of natural resources, so the countries are not only actively developing the industrial sector, but are also the leading subjects of foreign trade on the African continent.

Table: countries of Central Africa

State	Square	Population of the state	Capital
Angola	1 246 700	20 172 332	Luanda
Gabon	267 667	1 738 541	Libreville
Cameroon	475 440	20 549 221	Yaounde
Democratic Republic of the Congo	2 345 410	77 433 744	Kinshasa
Congo	342 000	4 233 063	Brazzaville
Sao Tome and Principe	1001	163 000	Sao Tome
CAR	622 984	5 057 000	Bangui
Chad	1 284 000	11 193 452	N'Djamena
Equatorial Guinea	28 051	740 743	Malabo

East Africa occupies the highest part of the continent. It is in this part that the highest point in Africa is located - Kilimanjaro. Most of the territory is savannah. East Africa has the largest number of national and protected parks. East Africa is characterized by frequent civil wars and armed conflicts.

Table: East African countries

State	Square	Population of the state	Capital
Burundi	27 830	11 099 298	Bujumbura
Djibouti	22 000	818 169	Djibouti
Zambia	752 614	14 222 233	Lusaka
Zimbabwe	390 757	14 229 541	Harare
Kenya	582 650	44 037 656	Nairobi
Comoros (Comoros)	2 170	806 153	Moroni
Mauritius	2040	1 295 789	Port Louis
Madagascar	587 041	24 235 390	Antananarivo
Malawi	118 480	16 777 547	Lilongwe
Mozambique	801 590	25 727 911	Maputo
Rwanda	26 338	12 012 589	Kigali
Seychelles	451	90 024	Victoria
Somalia	637 657	10 251 568	Mogadishu
Tanzania	945 090	48 261 942	Dodoma
Uganda	236 040	34 758 809	Kampala
Eritrea	117 600	6 086 495	Asmara
	1 104 300	90 076 012	Addis Ababa
South Sudan	619 745	12 340 000	Juba

On the territory of the African continent there are 55 countries that are bordered by:

1. Mediterranean Sea.
2. Red Sea.
3. Indian Ocean.
4. Atlantic Ocean.

The area of ​​the African continent is 29.3 million square kilometers. If we take into account the islands near Africa, the area of ​​this continent increases to 30.3 million square kilometers.

The African continent occupies approximately 6% of the total area of ​​the globe.

The largest country in Africa is Algeria. The area of ​​this state is 2,381,740 square kilometers.

Table. Largest states in Africa:

List of largest cities by population:

1. Nigeria - 166,629,390 people. In 2017, it was the most populous country in Africa.
2. Egypt - 82,530,000 people.
3. Ethiopia - 82,101,999 people.
4. Republic of the Congo. The population of this African country is 69,575,394 inhabitants.
5. Republic of South Africa. There were 50,586,760 people living in South Africa in 2017.
6. Tanzania. This African country has a population of 47,656,370 people.
7. Kenya. This African country has a population of 42,749,420 people.
8. Algeria. This tropical African country is home to 36,485,830 people.
9. Uganda - 35,620,980 people.
10. Morocco - 32,668,000 people.

Until the mid-20th century, most African countries were European colonies, predominantly French and British. These states began to gain independence only after the Second World War - in the 50-60s of the last century, when a powerful anti-colonial movement began. Previously, South Africa (since 1910), Ethiopia (since 1941) and Liberia (since 1941) had the status of free countries.

In 1960, 17 states gained independence, which is why it was declared the Year of Africa. During the process of decolonization of a number of African countries, their borders and names changed. Part of the territory of Africa, primarily the islands, still remains dependent. The status of Western Sahara has also not been determined.

African countries today

The largest African state by area today is Algeria (2,381,740 km²), and by population - Nigeria (167 million people).

Previously, the largest state in Africa was Sudan (2,505,810 km²). But after South Sudan seceded on July 9, 2011, its territory decreased to 1,861,484 km².

The smallest country is Seychelles (455.3 km²).

Previously, the largest state in Africa was Sudan (2,505,810 km²). But after South Sudan seceded on July 9, 2011, its territory decreased to 1,861,484 km².

Today, all 54 independent African states are members of the UN and the African Union. The latter was founded on July 11, 2000 and became the successor to the Organization of African Unity.

The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was created on May 25, 1963. The leaders of 30 of the 32 independent states at that time signed a corresponding charter for the purpose of socio-economic and political cooperation.

The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was created on May 25, 1963. The leaders of 30 of the 32 independent states at that time signed a corresponding charter for the purpose of socio-economic and political cooperation.

Despite the newfound freedom and independence, predominantly rich natural resources and a favorable climate, in most of the countries of Africa the standard of living is low, the population suffers from poverty, and often hunger, as well as various diseases and epidemics. In addition, in many of them, a turbulent situation remains, military conflicts and internecine wars are breaking out.

At the same time, African countries have recorded a high rate of natural population growth. In a number of states it exceeds 30 people per 1000 inhabitants per year. As of 2013, the number of inhabitants of African countries reached 1 billion 033 million people.

The population is represented mainly by two races: Negroid and Caucasian (Arabs, Boers and Anglo-South Africans). The most common languages ​​are English, French and Arabic, as well as a large number of African dialects.

Currently, African countries maintain a colonial economic structure, in which consumer agriculture predominates, while industry and transport are poorly developed.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• Encyclopedia "Around the World"
• Geographical encyclopedia

Africa is a continent containing many countries. Various tribes have long lived here, fully preserving their originality, as well as completely modern inhabitants. How many countries are there on the African continent?

African states

There are 54 countries in Africa and the islands adjacent to it. These include: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti and Egypt. Also African countries are: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Kenya, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Mauritius, Mauritania, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Sao Tome and Principe.

In addition, Africa includes: Swaziland, Seychelles, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Africa and South Sudan. Most of these states were colonies of European countries for a long time. They gained their independence in the 50-60s of the 20th century, while the status of Western Sahara still remains uncertain. All African states are members of the African Union and the United Nations.

Life in African countries

Until the 20th century, only Liberia, South Africa and Ethiopia could boast of independence, but discrimination against the indigenous black population in South Africa persisted until the 90s. Today, the last African colonies are located in the northern part of the continent - namely, in Spain, bordering Morocco, Reunion Island and a number of small islands in the Indian Ocean. Africa Day is celebrated on May 25th - on this very day in 1963