Africa is the second largest continent, after Asia, covering about one-fifth of the total land surface of the earth. The continent is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean sea, on the east by the Red sea and the Indian Ocean, on the south by the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian oceans off the Cape of Good Hope, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. In the north-east, Africa was joined to Asia by the Sinai Peninsula until the construction of the Suez Canal.

   Off the coast of Africa there are a number of islands associated with the continent, of which Madagascar, lying to the south-east, is the most significant. The continent's average elevation is about 2,200 feet (670 m), but the range of relief in Africa is nearly 20,000 feet (6,100 m), ranging from 19,340 feet (5,895 m) above sea level at Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to 515 feet (157 m) below sea level at Lake Assal in Djibouti.

   The continent is cut almost equally in two by the equator, so that most of Africa extends from latitude 35º S to about latitude 37º N and so lies within the tropical region, between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.

   Africa's climate is greatly affected by its position astride the Equator. Temperatures are high for most of the year, but they are modified by elevation in the mountains and by the influence of ocean currents on the coasts. In Africa there are different climatic regions; the hot desert, semiarid, tropical wet-and-dry, equatorial (tropical wet), Mediterranean, humid subtropical marine, warm temperate upland, and mountain regions.

Geographic Map

Area: 30.258.010 Km²
Population: 821.050.000
Density: 27 pop/Km²

Major City: Il Cairo (13.000.000 pop.)
Highest Mountain: Kilimangiaro 5895 m
Longest River: Nile 6671 Km
Largest Lake: Victoria 68.100 Km²
Largest Island: Madagascar 586.500 Km²


Countries and Territories

Principal Mountains
Principal Islands
Principal Rivers
Principal Lakes

Major Cities
Order of Area, Population, Density
Demographic Statistics