Africa

Africa
Name	Africa
Languages	Arabic, English, French, Swahili, Portuguese

Africa is the second-largest and second-most populous continent, spanning diverse landscapes from the Atlas Mountains to the Kalahari Desert and from the Nile River to the Congo River. Its human history intersects major civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, the Ethiopian Empire, and the Kingdom of Aksum, while modern states range from Nigeria and Egypt to South Africa and Kenya. The continent hosts influential organizations including the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States that shape regional cooperation.

Geography

The continental landmass includes major physiographic regions like the Sahara Desert, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Rift Valley, with island groups such as Madagascar, the Canary Islands, and the Seychelles. Prominent mountain systems include the Atlas Mountains, the Drakensberg, and Mount Kilimanjaro, while key river systems feature the Nile River, the Congo River, the Niger River, and the Zambezi River. Coastal and marine zones encompass the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Guinea, and the Indian Ocean, influencing climates classified under the Köppen climate classification in regions like the Sahel and the Guinean Forests of West Africa. Major cities include Cairo, Lagos, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, and Nairobi.

History

Prehistoric and ancient periods saw cultures such as those at Tassili n'Ajjer, Nok culture, and Great Zimbabwe, while empires and states included Ancient Egypt, the Carthaginian Empire, the Kingdom of Kush, the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire, and the Benin Empire. Trans-Saharan and Indian Ocean trade connected regions via routes tied to Timbuktu, Kilwa Kisiwani, and Zanzibar, linking to actors like the Ottoman Empire and the Portuguese Empire. Colonial eras were dominated by the Berlin Conference (1884–85), the Scramble for Africa, and administrations of the British Empire, France, German Empire, Belgian Empire, and Kingdom of Italy. Independence movements produced leaders and events such as Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and the Algerian War of Independence; postcolonial periods involved conflicts such as the Rwandan Genocide, the Second Congo War, and interventions like those by United Nations Operation in Somalia II.

People and Culture

Ethnolinguistic diversity encompasses families like Niger–Congo languages, Afroasiatic languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, and Khoisan languages, with cultural centers including Mogadishu, Accra, Dakar, and Addis Ababa. Literary and artistic traditions feature figures such as Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and Nadine Gordimer; musical forms span Afrobeat, Highlife, Mbalax, and Amapiano, associated with artists like Fela Kuti and Youssou N'Dour. Religious landscapes involve institutions like Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Tariqa, and centers such as Mecca for pilgrims from the Diaspora; festivals and practices appear in events like the Durbar festival and Timkat. Sports and international competition include teams and athletes from Egypt national football team, Nigeria national football team, Ethiopia at the Olympics, and runners like Haile Gebrselassie.

Economy and Infrastructure

Natural-resource sectors include major producers such as Nigeria for petroleum, South Africa for minerals, and Democratic Republic of the Congo for cobalt, while agricultural zones produce commodities traded on markets like Ethiopian coffee and Ivorian cocoa. Trade blocs and financial institutions include the African Continental Free Trade Area and the African Development Bank, with infrastructure projects that involve the Trans-African Highway network, the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, and ports such as Port of Durban and Port of Mombasa. Urbanization trends affect megacities like Lagos and Cairo, and initiatives in energy reference projects like the Inga Dam, regional grids such as the West African Power Pool, and renewable programs in Morocco Noor Solar Power Station.

Politics and International Relations

Sovereign states vary from federations like Ethiopia to republics such as Ghana, with constitutions and political transitions exemplified by events like the South African general election, 1994 and the Egyptian revolution of 2011. Regional organizations include the African Union, subregional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern African Development Community, and security mechanisms such as the African Standby Force. International partnerships involve actors like the United States, China, the European Union, and multilateral engagements through the United Nations Mission in Liberia and United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur. Contemporary challenges include border disputes like those in Western Sahara and governance crises seen in Libya and Mali.

Environment and Biodiversity

Ecoregions host biodiversity hotspots such as the Eastern Afromontane, the Guinean Forests of West Africa, and the Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands biodiversity hotspot, with emblematic species including African elephant, lion, gorilla, cheetah, and endemic taxa like the Aye-aye and Fossa. Conservation organizations and efforts include the World Wide Fund for Nature, African Wildlife Foundation, and protected areas like Serengeti National Park, Kruger National Park, and Virunga National Park. Environmental pressures stem from deforestation in the Congo Basin, desertification across the Sahel, and climate impacts documented in regions such as the Horn of Africa; mitigation and adaptation programs are supported by initiatives tied to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and regional resilience projects.

Category:Continents