Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

trees and other plants. Between the rain

forests and the great deserts to the north

and south are the savannas. These are

open grasslands scattered with trees such

as acacias and baobabs. Few plants grow

in the deserts.

A serious problem in the savanna is that

the vegetation is being used up, leaving

the land bare. As the population

increases, more and more of the trees are

being used for fuel and for building supplies.

Some scientists are concerned that

removing the vegetation may cause the

savanna to become more desertlike.

Africa has many different kinds of animals,

though their numbers were greatly

reduced in the 1900s. This loss occurred

because of overhunting and because

large areas of their natural habitats were

taken over for farming. Today many

species are threatened with extinction.

Several countries have set aside land to

help protect wild animals. These wildlife

preserves are home to such animals as

elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses,

antelopes, lions, jackals, and

hyenas. The rain forests support monkeys,

bats, flying squirrels, gorillas, leopards,

and mongooses. The native

animals of northern Africa include types

of wild sheep and goat, the African red

deer, and the jerboa (a small leaping

animal like a gerbil). Fish, birds, and

reptiles also are abundant.

People

Africa has the most physically varied

population in the world. Most of the

population consists of black peoples

belonging to almost 3,000 different ethnic

groups. In the north there are also

large numbers of Arabs. Mainly in the

south there are some descendants of

Europeans who established colonies in

Africa hundreds of years ago.

The number of languages spoken in

Africa probably exceeds 1,000, though

some are spoken by only a small number

of people. Arabic is the major language

of northern Africa. Most Africans who

live south of the equator speak one of

the many Bantu languages. In general,

Islam is the religion of northern Africa

South African boys pose in front

of a painting in Cape Town,

South Africa.

40 Africa BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

and Christianity of southern Africa.

Traditional religions are also practiced.

Many African countries are comparatively

poor. In all African countries the

government provides public education.

But most governments cannot afford to

provide education for everyone. Millions

of Africans remain unable to read or

write. Much of the money for health

care comes from other countries. Infectious

diseases, such as malaria, continue

to be a serious problem in Africa, and

about 70 percent of all AIDS cases are in

Africa.

Economy

Most of Africa is underdeveloped. But

the continent has some of the world’s

largest shares of minerals, including oil,

natural gas, and coal; metals such as

gold; and gems such as diamonds.

Farming is a very important part of the

African economy. The chief food crops

vary by region. They include yams in the

tropical forests of the west; corn, millet,

and rice in the savannas; and corn in the

south. The tropical grasslands are also

suitable for cattle farming. Most African

countries do not produce enough food

to feed all their people. Therefore they

must import food.

In many parts of Africa certain crops are

produced for sale to other countries.

Africa is the world’s largest supplier of

cocoa beans, which are used in making

chocolate. Africa also exports much cotton,

sisal (a fiber), tea, coffee, palm oil,

yams, and peanuts, as well as wood from

the forests.

Although Africa still earns most of its

money by exporting raw materials and

food, many of its countries are developing

industries. Some industries process

raw materials produced in local farms

and forests. Others manufacture goods

for use in Africa. South Africa is the

most industrialized African country.

History

Africa is thought to be the place where

humans first developed, more than 1

million years ago. The African continent

had many kingdoms and empires during

its early history. One of the world’s earliest

civilizations, ancient Egypt, devel-

Facts About

AFRICA

Area

11,678,801 sq mi (30,247,722 sq km)

Population

(2008 estimate) 955,761,100

Largest Country by Area

Sudan: 966,757 sq mi (2,503,890 sq km)

Smallest Country by Area

Seychelles: 176 sq mi (455 sq km)

Largest Country by Population

Nigeria: (2008 estimate) 146,255,000

Smallest Country by Population

Seychelles: (2008 estimate) 85,500

Largest Cities

Cairo, Egypt; Lagos, Nigeria; Johannesburg,

South Africa; Kinshasa, Congo; Khartoum,

Sudan

Longest River

Nile River: 4,132 mi (6,650 km)

Largest Lake

Lake Victoria: 26,828 sq mi (69,785 sq km)

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Africa 41

 

oped in the lower Nile River valley

nearly 5,000 years ago.

The region called Nubia was south of

Egypt. The powerful Nubian kingdom

called Kush ruled Egypt for a while in

the 700s and 600s BC. In the AD 300s

the kingdom of Aksum conquered Kush

from the south.

The African people have a long history

of contact with other powers. In about

the 700s BC the Phoenicians established

the city of Carthage in what is now

Tunisia. In the 100s BC the Roman

Empire took control of part of North

Africa. Arabs from the Middle East