eLimu

The Rest of Africa

  • Africa is the second largest of the earth’s seven continents and makes up approximately 22% of the earth’s total land area.

  • With the inclusion of the disputed Western Sahara territory and the island nations off the continental coast, there are a total of 54 independent nations in Africa.

  • The African continent has the second largest population in the world, at about one billion people. Due to rapid population growth in the continent over the last 40 years, its general population is relatively young. In many African states, more than half of the population is under the age of 25.

  • Africa is the most centrally located of all of the continents with both the prime meridian (0 degrees longitude) and the equator (0 degrees latitude) passing through it.

  • The primary region of Africa is often called sub-Saharan Africa and excludes the mostly Islamic countries of North Africa: Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. Sub-Saharan Africa includes 42 nations on mainland Africa and the six island nations.

  • Arabic (in various dialects) is the most common language spoken in Africa with about 170 million speakers, primarily residing in North Africa. In the continent as a whole, there are over 2,000 recognized languages spoken.

  • Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with an estimated population of 125–145 million people. Egypt is the second most populous country with over 76 million people.
  • The most populated city in Africa is the Egyptian capital of Cairo with an estimated 17 million residents in the metropolitan area.
  • The largest country in Africa is Sudan with a total area of 967,490 square miles (2.5 million square kilometers), and the smallest country is the island nation of The Seychelles with a total area of just 175 square miles (453 square kilometers).

  • The worlds largest land animal is the African elephant.
  • The worlds tallest animal, the giraffe, lives in Africa.
  • The fastest land animal in the world, the cheetah, lives in Africa.
  • Africa is home to the worlds largest reptile, the Nile crocodile.

  • The gorilla, which can be found in the continents jungles, is the worlds largest primate.

  • The largest religion in Africa is Islam, followed by Christianity.
  • The oldest human remains ever discovered were found in Ethiopia. They are approximately 200,000 years old.
  • The world's largest biceps belong to Mostafa Ismail (Egypt) and were measured for left arm flexed at 64.77 cm (25.5 in) and non-flexed 62.23 cm (24.5 in) and for right arm flexed at 63.5 cm (25 in) and non-flexed 60.96 cm (24 in).
  • Gambia has only one university.
  • Equatorial Guinea is Africa’s only spanish speaking country.
  • South Africa is the most visited African country.
  • Nigeria has the richest Black people in Africa.

  • Samuel Eto’o is the highest paid Footballer of all time, he received about £350,000 weekly in Russia in 2011. 

  • A person from Botswana is called a Motswana, the plural is Batswana.
  • A person from Lesotho is called a Mosotho.
  • A person from Niger is called a Nigerien.
  • A person from Burkina Faso is called a Burkinabe.
  • Nigeria has won more football cups than England.
  • Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the world’s most educated President with 7 degrees, two of them are Masters.

  • Al-Ahly of Egypt is the richest club in Africa.

  • Didier Drogba is Chelsea’s highest goalscorer in European competition.
  • Johannesburg, South Africa is the most visited city in Africa.
  • Zinedine Zidane wanted to play for Àlgeria, but the selector rejected him, saying they are already many players like him in the team.
  • President Jacob Zuma was given a special award by Fifa for refereeing on Robben Island during his years as a political prisoner.
  • President Robert Mugabe was jailed for 11 years for fighting for freedom.

  • President Robert Mugabe is Africa’s oldest Head of State and the world’s second oldest Head of State. He was born in 1924.

  • The Seychelles are the most educated Africans. Seychelles’ literacy rates (Adult: 92%, Youth: 99%) Zimbabwe is 2nd (Adult: 91.2%,Youth: 99%).
  • Rwanda is a better country for gender equality than England and USA.
  • Somalia got its first ATM on October 7, 2014.
  • South Africa has the most Grammy award winners in Africa.
  • Ethiopia has the most airports in Africa.
  • Ethiopia’s economy is growing faster than China’s.
  • Eritrea’s President, Isaias Afwerki is the least richest President in Africa.
  • Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country, it has existed for over 3,000 years without being colonised.
  • Haile Selassie 1 was the 225th and last Emperor of Ethiopia.

  • Nigeria has the most monarchs in the world.

  • Angola has more Portuguese speakers than Portugal.
  • President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos has ruled Angola since 1979.
  • President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is Africa’s longest serving Head of State. He has ruled Equatorial Guinea since August 3, 1979 when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Nguema. His son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue is his Vice President and will succeed him if he resigns.
  • George Weah of Liberia is the first man to win World, European and African footballer of the year in the same year.
  • Swaziland is the only remaining absolute mornach in the world.
  • The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa followed by Swaziland.

  • King Sobhuza ll of Swaziland took the longest time in reigning Swaziland, 62 years as he was crowned in 1921 and died in August 1982 at the age of 83 years. He married 70 wives, who gave him 210 children between 1920 and 1970.

  • Zimbabwe is the only country in the world were almost everyone was a billionaire at one point.