Africa is the world's second-largest continent, home to 54 countries, more than 1.4 billion people and over 2,000 languages. It stretches from the warm Mediterranean coast of Morocco and Egypt all the way down to the windswept Cape of Good Hope in South Africa — a north-to-south distance of more than 8,000 kilometres. Whatever picture comes into your head when you hear the word 'Africa', the real continent is almost certainly bigger, more varied and more surprising.
A continent of incredible variety
Africa contains the world's largest hot desert (the Sahara, in the north), the world's longest river (the Nile, which flows through eleven countries), the world's largest hot wildlife migration (the wildebeest of the Serengeti), and some of the oldest cities on Earth (Cairo, Marrakech, Timbuktu). It also has lush tropical rainforests in the Congo Basin, snow-capped mountains in Tanzania and Kenya, and one of the most biodiverse coral reefs in the world along the coast of Mozambique. Children who only ever picture safari animals are often amazed to learn that Africa also has busy modern cities like Lagos, Cairo and Johannesburg, each with more people than New York or London.
The 54 countries — a quick map
Africa is usually divided into five regions. North Africa includes Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco — countries that border the Mediterranean and have ancient connections to the Middle East and Europe. West Africa runs along the Atlantic coast from Senegal to Nigeria and is the most densely populated region. East Africa includes Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the small island nations of the Indian Ocean. Central Africa covers the vast Congo Basin. Southern Africa includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and their neighbours. Knowing these five regions makes the 54 countries far easier to picture.
What you'll learn in this region
Here you'll find African country facts (capitals, populations, fun facts), an interactive map of African countries, a guide to African deserts, and quizzes for countries, capitals, flags and landmarks. A great starting point for younger children is the country facts page; older children often enjoy the flags quiz, since African flags are some of the most colourful and distinctive in the world.