Africa

Lore & Background

Africa straddles the equator and the prime meridian, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian plate, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean. It includes Madagascar and various archipelagos, and contains 54 fully recognised sovereign states, eight cities and islands that are part of non-African states, and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition. Algeria is the largest country by area, and Nigeria is the largest by population. Nations cooperate through the African Union, headquartered in Addis Ababa.

Reader's Guide

Africa is the least wealthy inhabited continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, ahead of Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to factors including geography, climate, corruption, colonialism, the Cold War, and neocolonialism. Despite this, the African economy is home to many of the world's fastest-growing economies. The continent is heavily affected by environmental issues such as desertification, deforestation, water scarcity, and pollution, and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified Africa as the continent most vulnerable to climate change.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Africa' may derive from the Berber word 'ifri' meaning 'cave', referring to cave dwellers.
• France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Yemen have parts of their territories located on African geographical soil, mostly islands.