AFRICA

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. It is about 30.2 million km (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers six percent of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4 percent of the total land area With 1.0 billion people population, it accounts for about 15% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagoes. It has 54 fully recognized sovereign states ("countries"), 9 territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition. Africa's name is derived from an ancient area in modern day Tunisia known as Ifriqiya or sunny place, Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the largest landmass of the Earth. Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez(transected by the Suez Canal), 163 km (101 mi) wide. Africa's largest country is Algeria, and its smallest country is the Seychelles, an archipelago off the east coast.[57] The smallest nation on the continental mainland is the Gambia.

Climate

The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and very dense jungle(rainforest) regions. Africa is the hottest continent on earth; drylands and deserts comprise 60% of the entire land surface. The record for the highest temperature recorded was set in Libya in 1922 (58 C (136 F))

Although it has abundant natural resources, Africa remains the world's poorest and most underdeveloped continent.

Culture
Indigenous musical and dance traditions of Africa are maintained by oral traditions. Arab influences are visible in North African music and dance and, in Southern Africa. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt was the world's tallest structure for 4,000 years, until the completion of Lincoln Cathedral around the year 1300. Islam is the largest religion in Africa, followed by Christianity.

A small number of Africans are Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianist, Baha'i,