6 Facts You Didn’t Know about Africa

Africa is home to millions upon millions of unique individuals, countless colourful cultures, and a vast array of animal and plant life. It is no wonder that many people hold the mystical continent in such high esteem and wonder.

Here are six facts that you didn’t know about Africa:

(Second) Large and in Charge

Covering over 30 million square kilometres in land mass, Africa is by far one of the largest continents in the world – it is second only to Asia, which has a land mass of nearly 45 million square kilometres.

Countries Big and Small

Of its 54 countries, Algeria is the largest with a total area of 2 381 741 square kilometres. The continent’s smallest country is the island nation of Seychelles, which only covers 453 square kilometres.

Animal Habitat

Over 85% of the world’s elephants and over 99% of the remaining lions inhabit Africa. The continent is also home to both the world’s tallest and largest land animals: the giraffe and African elephant, respectively.

Just an Ocean Away

Africa and its neighbour, Europe, are separated by a narrow piece of ocean known as the “Strait of Gibraltar”. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, while it also separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The distance is a mere 14.3 kilometres.

Languages Aplenty

Over 25% of all the world’s languages are spoken only in Africa, with over 2 000 recognised languages spoken on the continent.

Pardon My French

The French language is spoken by 115 million people on the continent – that’s more than France, whose population only comprises nearly 67 million.