Africa

To the north lies Sahara, the largestdesert in the world. Equatorial area is covered by tropical rain forests.
Farther south there are areas of grassy flat highlands giving way to coastal plains. Major mountain ranges include Atlas in the north and Ruwenzri on the Uganda-Zaire border. Kilimanjaro, Africas highest mountain, is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. To the east is the Great Rift Valley containing several huge lakes. Some of the worlds longest rivers drain the continent, including the Nile, Niger, Zaire, and Zambezi.

GEOGRAPHY

NORTH
Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Egypt Western Sahara North Africa reflects the influence of many invaders, both European and Arab, giving the region Islamic flavor and a common Arabic language.

Morocco and Tunisia exploit their culture and landscape for tourism, while Libya and Algeria aid their development through the use of oil and gas, despite political unrest. Egypt, with its Nile-watered agricultural land and industrial base, is the most populous nation.
The Atlas Mountains run from Morocco to Tunisia more than 1,200 miles (1,931 km).

SOUTH
Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe The European influence began with slave trade and quickened later in 19th century, when the discovery of a huge mineral wealth secured South Africas economic dominance. The struggle against the white minority led to conflict in Namibia, Zimbabwe, and the former Portuguese territories of Angola and Mozambique. South Africas apartheid laws, which denied basic human rights to more than 75% of the people, led to international exclusionuntil 1994, when the democratic elections began a new era of racial justice.

At Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River has cut out a spectacular gorge. A wide range of crops, such as tea, cotton, sisal, tobacco, grapes, citrus fruits, corn, cassava, legumes, and potatoes, are grown here, some with the help of irrigation systems, such as the Orange River Project, which supplements the irregular rainfall.

CENTRAL
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Congo (Democratic Republic of), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe.

The great rain forest basin of the Congo River embraces most of the Central Africa. Late in the 19th century, Europeans colonized the region. The tribal kingdoms were split between France, Belgium, Portugal and Spain. Many who belong to a small growing urban population speak French, along with hundreds ofdialects. Crops for export include cocoa, coffee, and rubber. Cattle farming is limited to areas free of the tsetse fly, and fish from the rivers are protein sources. Timber provides export revenues for several countries, although concern about the uncontrolledlogging is growing.

EAST
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.

East Africa falls into two distinct cultural regions. Sudan and the Horn nations have been influenced by the Middle East. Ethiopia was the home of one of the earliest Christian civilizations. Sudan reflects both Muslim and Christian influences. The southern countries share a cultural affinity with sub-Saharan nations. Some Africas most densely populated countries lie in this region, which puts pressure on fragile environments. Kenya developed an industrial base, while other East African economies rely on agriculture.

The magnificent National Parks of Kenya and Tanzania provide essential refuges for many rare animals. Tourism flows in the cash needed to sustain these conservation efforts. The Lake Victoria is the worlds second largest lake in the terms of surface 26,828 sq miles (69,484 sq km). Around it, the rich volcanic soils support coffee, tea, cotton, sugar cane and vegetables. Lake Tanganyika is 16,400 ft (5,000 m) in depth and lies 8,202 ft (2,500 m) above the sea level. An extinct volcano, Kilimanjaro, is Africas highest mountain 19,340 ft (5,895 m). In the dry regions, camels are common, elsewhere herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. Tsetse Flylimits human settlement and agriculture in much of this region.

WEST
Benin, Burkina, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo West Africa is a very diverse region. It has desert landscapes and also the tropical rain forests of the more humid south. The mainly Muslim populations of the Saharan countries have a variety of local languages and cultures. The rich natural resources of this area were exploited by Europeans. Most of the slaves came from this region, causing serious depopulation. Former leading colonial powers, Britain and France, have influenced the languages and institutions of the countries they once governed.

Virgin rain forest, which once covered much of the West African coast, has been drastically reduced bylogging and agriculture. The southern regions tropical rain forest grows some of the worlds most prized hardwood trees, such as mahogany and iroko. The Niger River flows 2,600 miles (4,181 km) and supports rich fish stocks.

ENVIRONMENTS
Africa's natural habitats are suffering from human interference. One of the most serious problems occurs in areas such as the Sahel where scrub and forest clearance, often for cooking, combined with overgrazing, is causing deforestation and desertification. Game reserves help to preserve many endangered animals, although the needs of growing populations lead to land overuse and poaching.
Conservationists look at Africas wildlife as a last remnant of past biological wealth. In most of the world, large mammals like elephants died around 10,000 years ago. In Africa, where animals and people lived together for more then 2 million years, large mammals roaming forests and savannas survived. Sparse human population enabled large animals and many rain forest species including rare plants to survive.

During the last hundred years, the people in sub-Saharan Africa increased in numbers six fold. Industrial countries have made it profitable for Africans to kill elephants for ivory, cut down trees for timber, and plant forests and fertile lands in cash crops like cacao. Wildlife and wildlands have been lost. The continents human population is projected to double in 24 years. Two thirds of people are rural, and survive on raising crops and livestock on any available land. Competition for land is intense around Lake Victoria and along the coast of West Africa. Hungry people seldom rally around the cause of the wildlife preservation. Therefore, many programs promoteconservation by giving rural people an economic stake in the survival of ecosystems and habitat.

WATER
Freshwater bioregions, defined by groups of rivers and lakes, are among the most diverse and vulnerable areas. To the east is the Great Rift Valley which contains several lakes. Major rivers like Congo and Niger support fish, birds, otters, and hippos. The Niger River is the Africas third longest river. It flows across western Africa to its delta in Nigeria. The Nigers water is used for irrigation and hydroelectric power and limited transportation because of many waterfalls and rapids.

Lakes have been evolving for more then 20 million years. Over-fishing, the introduction of exotic species, and pollution have wiped out half of the Lake Victorias 500 clichild species, a large part of diet of local people. The Lake Victoria, lying on the Equator, is the second largest freshwater lake in the world.

Water is one of the world's most valuable resources. Although countries may enjoy significant amounts of rain, the water may be polluted or unsafe to drink. In many parts of Africa, less than 50% of the population has access to safe water. Lack of infrastructure and government regulation of the water supply keeps many Africans from getting clean water. As a result, millions of people die each year from waterrelated diseases such as cholera.
Water for crops and livestock is also scarce in many parts of the continent. Africa has three large deserts. The Sahara is the worlds largest desert and dominates the northern part of the continent. Thousands of years ago the Sahara had a moist climate. The Namib and Kalahari deserts cover huge areas of south western Africa. The Namib Desert is very barren and extremely dry.

Climate
Climate is an average pattern of weather and temperature over a period of time. It is a regions climate, together with physical landscape, that determines plant life found there.
The climate is influenced by its latitude or how far to the north or south of the equator it lays. Regions around the equator are the hottest in the world. Closer to the poles, the colder it gets. Africa's climatic zones fall into three broad categories: humid equatorial, dry, and humid temperate.

In West and Central Africa, along the Guinea Coast, in Gabon, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, north eastern Republic of the Congo, and in East Africa south of the equator in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar the climate is humid.

The regions nearest the equator receive year-round rainfall, while those north and south of it experience short dry winters and a lower average annual amount of rainfall.
Where the dry seasons are long enough, equatorial regions give way to dry regions. In the north the Sahel desert stretches from east to west through Mali, Niger, Chad, and Sudan and borders the Sahara. In the deserts themselves, rainfall is extremely scarce and temperatures are very extreme. Although the daytime temperatures in the desert are high, due to the lack of plants and moisture, nights can be extremely cold. The coastal regions of North Africa and southern tip of Africa experience temperate or "Mediterranean" weather, including dry summers and wet winters, due to their proximity to the oceans.

ECOSYSTEMS
Scientists divide the earth into number of different vegetation zones.

The plant and animal life depend on a regions climate, landscape, and latitude. Plants and animals have adapted to life in these climates, often developing features to help them to survive.

Mediterranean: hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters (plants and trees have adapted to lack of water).
TropicalGrassland: hot climate divided into wet and dry season; between tropical rain forests and hot dessert, called African savanna with tall grasses and low trees and shrubs. Hot Desert: hottest, driest places on Earth; heat during a day to often below the freezing temperatures at night. In some deserts, years pass with no rain. Deserts have sandy soil that supports.

Mountains Regions: the higher, the colder, with peaks often in snow. Trees and plants grow on lower slopes only. Above the tree line, it is too windy and clod for plants to survive.
Dry Grassland: hot, dry summers and very cold winters (often used for wheat or cattle).

Tropical Rain Forest: hot and wet all year round, ideal for lush, green forests around equator. Rain forests may contain 50,000 different types of trees, and millions of plants and animals.

ECOLOGY
African rain forests shelter probably more then half of the earths plant and animal species. With tropical forests being cut at a rate of 55,000 square miles a year, however, many species perish before they can be identified or studied.

About 9000 years ago, lakes and crocodiles could be found in the Sahara, but for the past thousand years the continent has been dry. Much of Africa is easily damaged by overgrazing and destructive agriculture. Scientists fear that deserticification will bring drought to the Sahel south of the Sahara.
Downpours have washed essential nutrients from the ground in rain forest areas. Even the practice of slashing and burning does not allow the soil to sustain abundant crops.

Africans once allowed the soil to rejuvenate itself and used less-fertile land for herding, but population increases have forced farmers to misuse the soil by planting too often on the same land. Animals overgraze. The African forest is rapidly turning to grassland which becomes desert in turn.

WILDLIFE
When people think of Africa, they often picture lions and elephants roaming freely over huge grasslands. Although the continent is indeed home to many species of exotic animals, decades of logging, sport hunting, poaching, civil wars, pollution, and other human interference have taken their toll on the wildlife. African and foreign countries looking for oil, diamonds, and other resources have destroyed both animals and their habitats. Africa had 70,000 black rhinos in the1970s, and ended up with about 3,000 in the 1980s. Their near extinction illustrates the danger to African fauna that exists. Many African governments have made an attempt to conserve the natural flora and fauna, or plants and animals, of their grasslands and forests. Some countries, concerned for tourism, the environment, and the extinction of animals, have set aside large pieces of land as protected wildlife parks.

PARKS
The extinction of the remaining species of plants and animals that exist in Africa would have a tragic impact on humankind. Fortunately, some attempts at slowing the massive destruction of natural creatures and their habit are occurring.

In Niger, for example, the Tnre National Nature Reserve is home to cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, gazelles, and other animals. The Ndoki National Park is located between Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Forest elephants, gorillas, and chimpanzees live in this vast forest. Logging and poachers threaten the ancient trees and endangered species in this forest.
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania extends to the Masai Mara reserve in Kenya. The Serengeti is a vast grassland which is home to zebras, antelopes, buffalo, lions, elephants, and many other animals. In the early 1900s, European sport hunters almost hunted these animals to extinction. Even today, visitors on safari to photograph these animals cause them anxiety.

ENDANGERED SPECIES
Nature relies on delicate balances of plant and animal life to remain healthy. When one part of that equation is altered, our flora and fauna can be put in danger. Although change is a natural part of our evolving world, changes that occur at a pace that is too rapid has a disastrous effect on individual species of plants and animals. Habitat loss at an unprecedented pace is the primary cause of the endangerment of species in Africa. As the rainforests are logged for wood and exploited for other natural resources, hundreds of species are put in danger of existing no more. Many animals also suffer due to overexploitation or poaching.

Other factors include disease and pollution. If a species has not developed a natural protection against certain diseases, it can have an effect on that specie. For example, rabies and canine distemper viruses are destroying carnivore populations in East Africa. As more and more people realize that the loss of any of our plants or animals impacts our own quality of life on this planet, efforts to conserve endangered species grow stronger. Visit our resources section to learn how you can help conserve Africas wildlife.

ENDANGERED SPECIES
1. The giraffe is common in both eastern and southern Africa. 2. The umbrella thorn is one of the most widespread trees in seasonally dry areas of Africa. 3. The Dama gazelle inhabits all of the Sahara from east to west and the Sudan.

4. The schimitar-horned oryx is confined to a narrow strip between Mauritania and the Red Sea.

5. The cheetah was once found all over Africa, but it is now endangered in most of its former ranges.

6. The spotted hyena was historically found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara Desert.

7. The lion now survives in greatest number where humans are sparse.

8. The demoiselle crane is found in north east Africa. The future for these birds is more secure than for many cranes, since they are so numerous and adaptable.
9. The mandrill lives in parts of west Africa.Its habitat, tropical forests, are being destroyed at such a high rate.

10.The potto is found in central and west Africa. The primary threat to the survival of the potto is habitat destruction.
11.The chimpanzee is found in west and central Africa. The populations have been reduced and fragmented by human encroachment into their habitats. 12.The bongo lives in parts of west Africa, Zaire, southern Sudan, Kenya, and the Congo. Habitat destruction, poaching and illegal trapping are leading to its endangerment.

13.The gray parrot is one of the few parrots found in Africa. 14.The gorilla lives in the mountain ranges between Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda where it is hunted by poachers for its meat and menaced by intense logging. 15.The umbrella thorn is the dominant tree in many savanna communities and provides an important source of shade for both wild and domesticated animals.

16.The leopard orchid is a species from South Africa. This orchid is named for the bold brown markings that spot the yellow blossoms. 17.The African elephants natural habitat is forested savanna. Poaching for ivory is the primary cause of its endangered status. 18.The false mufuti occurs in the north and east of Zimbabwe. 19.The zebra is found in southeastern Africa. Zebras have been hunted both for their hides and for food.

20.The southern ground hornbill can be found from South Africa to Kenya. 21.The leopards habitat ranges across most of the African continent, with the exception of the Sahara Desert region. 22.The sable antelope can be found in south eastern Kenya, Angola, and South Africa. Urgent action is needed to keep this animal off the extinction list.

23.The king protea is the national flower of South Africa

24.The southern double-collared sunbird lives in South Africa.

25.The Erica junonia is blooming African plant.

26.The bontebok is classified as vulnerable. It lives in the grasslands and coastal plains in the southwestern tip of South Africa. 27.The cape scarab beetle can be found in South Africa.

28.The cape mole rat is a subterranean rodent who is found in southern Africa.

29. The geometric tortoises habitat is in Western Cape of South Africa.

CONSERVATION
Although the African continent is home to many species of exotic animals and plants, decades oflogging, sport hunting, poaching, civil wars, pollution, and other human interferences have taken their toll on the wildlife. African and foreign countries looking for oil, diamonds, and other resources have destroyed both animals and their habitats.
The destruction of the rain forest will not only kill thousands of different species, it will also disrupt the earth's atmospherea disaster for both these life forms and humankind. The plants the rainforest contains are used for both food and medicine; the plants also absorb a great deal of solar energy. If they are destroyed, the earth may experience global warming which will alter fragile ecosystems. One of the main causes of the rapid destruction of the rainforest is that people clear land to make room for housing and farming. Nations also also allow the logging of the forests, since the sale of timber can provide revenue that can help finance schools and hospitals. Scientists and activists around the globe are working to conserve the African rainforest. To learn about how you can help, please visit the resourcespage.

HISTORY
The continent of Africa is almost as old as the earth itself. At one time, it was the foundation of a huge super continent called Pangaea. Over millions of years, other continents have shifted and drifted apart due to earthquakes, violent volcanic eruptionsand the movement of the oceans. Africa's location has not changed drastically throughout the centuries. In Africa today, you can find plants that have existed since the age of the dinosaurs. Our human predecessors roamed the grasslands and rain forests of ancient Africa. The ability to stand, walk, and adapt to changing circumstances was learned by the these first human beings. Originating in Africa, people spread throughout the world and populated all its continents. Initially, people moved across the land from Africa to Asia.Generation by generation, people slowly changed and adapted to each new land that they encountered. This migrant wandering led to the settlement of Asia, Europe, and eventually the Americas.

FIRST HUMANS
Of all the continents Africa was probably the first to be home to humankind. In his book The Descent Of Man (1871), the famous naturalist, Charles Darwin, called Africa the cradle of humankind. Darwin made this comment to support his theory of evolution in Origin of the Species, which he published in 1859. Since then research in eastern and southern Africa shows our ancient ancestors lived as far back as 5 to 10 million years ago.

Around Africas Chad, Victoria and Turkana lakes, ape-like creatures developed into two different groups. One group continued to live in the tropical forests. The other group moved out into the grasslands. In the grasslands they needed to stand up on two legs so they could spot lions or leopards that might attack them, which left their hands free to pick up sticks. Learning to use their hands to carry things took many centuries. The Stone Age existed 2 million to 10,000 years ago. Some of these creatures could not survive, but the ones that did got stronger and smarter. Their families evolved over millions of years. In the last half million years things began to happen. They began sharpening their rocks and shaping them into more useful tools such as axes.

EGYPT
Dating from 4500 years ago, ancient Egypt is the oldest and most dynamic of all early kingdoms known to have flourished on the continent of Africa. Egypts early strength was the Nile River, the longest river in the whole world. It runs from two little riversthe White Nile, which runs from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile in the Nubian Mountains. These two rivers flowed all the way to the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Nile, like many rivers, has seasons of flooding. During the floods the water overflows its riverbanks and soaks the surrounding land with rich fertile nutrients. The result is a fabulous region for growing food. This ability to grow food allowed the early pharaohs of Egypt to trade all over the world. Egypt created a civilization that stood from 2700 BC, for 30 dynasties, until they were overtaken by the Greeks and Romans around 300 BC. They built huge cities and great structures that would be hard to create with all our modern cranes and motors today. The Egyptians built pyramids in which to bury their Pharaohs. They studied the stars and seasons to predict weather, dug great canals, and built big ships to trade with other civilizations on the Mediterranean Sea.

TRADE KINGDOMS
Trade routes developed across Africa in several places. Early African people lived in small family groups. Parents, children and grandparents formed clans with other families. Larger clans became tribes.

Sometimes the tribe was nomadic and traveled with their animals to the best places to graze and drink. Other tribes settled villages, towns and sometimes cities. Between these towns, trade routes developed. Some routes were over land; others were traveled by river or sea. People traveled on routes across North Africa when the great Sahara desert was still a wet region. When the land dried and no longer produced crops, overland trading became very difficult. Although people had pack animals, such as cattle horse, and oxen, travel was not easy. These animals could not journey the great distance between each oasis. In about 300 AD, the Arabian camel was brought to Africa and became the ship of the desert. The camel stores fat in its hump and water in its stomach, which allows it to travel up to ten days without fresh watertwice the distance of an ox or a horse. All of a sudden trade was much more dependable. They traded crops, such as salt, spices, rice, wheat, barley, millet, olives, yams, and sorghum. Goats, fish, cattle, and fowl were some of the livestock bought and sold. People also traded copper, bronze, iron and gold. The metals were useful for making tools, coins, decorations, and weapons.

Each tribe had its wise elders and priests. Many were women but most were men. They would lead the tribe, and if they grew very powerful they were considered kings or queens. People considered them related to the gods. They often organized the building of religious temples and dams and assembled armies to defend their families. Their subjects often paid taxes to pay for these things. Although some of these kingdoms did not last long and were replaced by others, a few lasted thousands of years. The rule of one kings family for several generations is called a dynasty. There have been a few African kingdoms that have extended for several dynasties. As other cultures began to grow strong all over theMediterranean other kingdoms began to push their way into Africa. Small tribes grouped together to fight off the invaders, such as the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans.

Major African Kingdoms:

West: Ghana, Benin, Bornu, Songhay and Takrur (clickable feature) North: Mauritania, Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Egypt, and Cush East: Ethiopia, Bunyoro, Aksum, Buganda, Rwanda, Bemba and Loba South: Lesotho, Zulu; Tswana, Swazi, Shona and Mbundu
African peoples could be as different from each other as they were to people far away in Greece, India, or Arabic countries in Asia, just across the Red Sea. Their religious gods, temples, beliefs and cultures were unique. Sometimes they traded peacefully. Other times they fought for territory in wars.

SLAVES
For thousands of years, armies at war have taken prisoners. A prisoner might have been a soldier, farmer or artisan who lived in the conquered kingdoms. They were usually made to work for the winning army asslaves. Slaves were used in many kingdoms, such as Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, for labor. Sometimes the kings and other wealthy people in the community had slaves work for them in their homes.

Between 800 and 1500 AD, countries of Europe began to do a great deal of trading with the nations of Africa. Portuguese, Spanish, English, and Dutch traders were using their boats to sail all around Africa and trading what they bought to people in Europe and Asia. At first the Europeans went to Africa to trade for gold, other metals, feathers, and ivory tusks. Soon it was discovered that many of the African Rulers would also sell their slaves who were taken to distant places and traded for other supplies. When colonies were settled in the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean they established trade routes with them as well. In 1532 AD, the first slave was taken directly from Africa to the Americas.

The Europeans brought the kings rifles, ammunition, and other goods. Then the African slaves were packed into big sailing ships. The ships took them to the Colonies of America and to the island nations of the Caribbean. They were traded for tobacco, cotton, sugar, and molasses. Then these items were taken to Europe and traded for the guns. Through this system, called the Triangle Trade Route, perhaps 10 12 million people were sold into slavery. It lasted for three hundred years until many countries made it illegal to sell people. In the United States the country had to fight the Civil War (1860 1865 AD) for the slave trade to finally stop.To this day, because of the slave trade, you find millions of men and women of African decent all over North and South America.

WARS
Wars are part of every civilization. Both small tribes and mighty nations in Africa have been involved in war since people first carved knives out of stone. The development of metals, such as copper, bronze and iron, meant the weapons of war became much more powerful. The continent itself was rich with natural resources. Heavy farming in North Africa, however, caused the land to become dry and barren. Soon the desert land of theSahara became the dominant feature. Food became hard to grow which meant some tribes had to fight to get access to food. Sometimes people fought to protect a river shore for safe fishing. At other times they had to defend against kingdomsfrom across the sea. Traders came from Europe and Asia to bargain and sometimes to steal supplies and resources.

People also came to force their culture or religion on the inhabitants of Africa in religious crusades. Over the centuries, wars have been fought nearly everywhere on the continent. Even today, African countries are embroiled in brutal conflicts over borders, religion, tribal disputes, or resources.

PEOPLE
More than four million years ago, humankind originated in Africa. Our appearance and the way our bodies function are evolutionary adaptations to the African environments. Since the beginning, Africans have struggled to survive against the difficult living conditions of the continent. While civilizations rose and fell around the world, most African communities remained rather small.

European powers began conquering and dividing the continent centuries ago, and the influence of the foreign nation exists to this day. The colonial period was brutal for Africa, and the legacy of its devastating past continues to trouble its people. It influenced all aspects of African society and culture. Modern Africans are arguably the most diverse people in the world. More than 3,000 unique ethnic groups are recognized in Africa. The customs, languages, and cultural mores of people on the continent are quite different from country to country and from region to region.

LANGUAGES & RELIGION

Languages:
More than 1,000 different languagesare spoken in Africa. Although most countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have adopted colonial European languages for official government business, most people speakindigenous or local languages. In Namibia, people may speak English, Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo, Herero, or Nama. In Tanzania, people can speak English or Swahili. Due to their colonial pasts, the majority of the countries in West Africa have adopted French, English, Spanish, or Portuguese as national languages. The majority of each countries' inhabitants, however, also speak one or more indigenous languages. Cameroonians may speak one or more of 24 different languages, in addition to French or English.

Yoruba, Hause, and Igbo are some of the nearly 400 native languages of Nigeria. Most people in the North African countries speak Arabic and follow Islam. In some parts of North Africa, however, people are multilingual and speak several languages. For example, the official languages of Chad and Djibouti are Arabic and French. In Ethiopia, people may speak one or more of 70 unique languages or 200 different dialects. A dialect is a form or variety of a spoken language.

Religion:
Most people in the fourteen independent countries in North Africa are Muslim. The religion they believe in is called Islam. Muslims pray to their god Allah and his prophet Muhammad five times a day facing the city of Mecca. A prophet is someone who is believed to speak for a god. The Koran is the Muslim holy book.

In African countries south of the Sahara Desert, people follow many different religions. Some are Muslim, although the majority of the people are Christian. Missionaries from other parts of the world brought Christianity to many countries in Africa. Some people, however, choose to follow ancient religions and believe that natural spirits and ancestors affect everyday life.

CULTURE
The music, art, literature, and cultural practices of Africa have provoked interest and respect throughout the world. The old belief that Africa is somehow childlike in its cultural development has been denounced as people become more familiar with the rich traditions of the continent. The material and inherent value of African art steadily increases in the world market. The music and literature of these peoples have found their way into houses and classrooms around the globe. We are beginning to learn through the works of scholars, film makers, and writers that Africans can teach us much more than we can show them.

FOOD
In general, Africans live in rural areas, particularly those people who live in western, eastern, and southern Africa. Many villagers are subsistent farmers, which means that they live almost entirely off of the food that they grow themselves. Fast food restaurants and supermarkets, as we know them, do not exist in most of Africa. People sell clothing, food, In Egypt, many people enjoy a popular bean dish called ful. Couscous is common in countries like Morocco and Algeria. This steamed grain is served with a stew of meat and vegetables. In Western Africa, people grow cassava, maize, millet, and plantains for food. Cameroonians may eat beans and plantains accompanied by baton de manioc, or manioc sticks. In Gabon, fish is prepared in a spicy sauce and served with rice. Most cultures in Africa remain very traditional women and girls do most of the cooking. Visitors to Kenya may be surprised to discover how the Indian culture has influenced the menu. Chicken curry may be enjoyed with a glass of chai tea. Mandalas, a type of donut, may finish off the meal. Kenya's colonial past has also influenced the menu. The British brought the practice of drinking tea which continues to this day. In Botswana, millet and sorghum porridge are primary sources of nourishment. Millet and sorghum are both types of grains that must be pounded into flour and cooked.

MUSIC
Bells, drums, guitars, likembes (thumb pianos), strung bows, trumpets, and xylophones are just some of the many instruments played by people in Africa. The music of Africa is a part of all aspects of life. All forms of instruments, such as string, wind, and percussion, originated in Africa. Drums are a common instrument, but some parts of Africa have few trees, so you will find flutes and trumpets in treeless areas. Many African songs are work chants that are sung while the seeds are being planted or the crops are being harvested. The smallest children are taught to sing and dance. They may be taught to play music and even build their own instruments. The radio of Africa is known for both traditional roots as well as modern instruments playing western classical, jazz, rock and reggae.

FOLKTALES Many cultures in Africa have traditions of oral story telling. Skilled storytellers would
memorize folktales and captivate audiences with their stories of adventure. Many African folktales have morals, or lessons, for the young audiences. Kofi OpongMensah retells the following tale from the West African country of Ghana.
Why the Praying Mantis Still Shakes

Anansi is often a character in Ghanaian folktales. He is a mischievous spider. Long ago, Oyankopon (god) had a large farm full of yams. Everybody talked about it in every corner of the world. It was the most beautiful and the largest of all the farms in the world. Everyday people came from everywhere to admire it.
As harvest time was approaching, Nyankopon announced to the inhabitants of the whole world the day the harvest would take place. Upon hearing this, men and women, from north to south and east to west, were full of joy. Not a single day passed without people talking about this great event. However, there was one person who was jealous of Onyankopon and who wanted to spoil his fortune. He was no other person than Anansi the Spider. He was so jealous that he decided to steal all the yams.

Every evening Anansi the Spider went to uproot a large quantity of the yams and send them to his own farm. Nobody detected the theft. His wife and children did not know. Onyankopon himself did not know. Days passed. Night turned into day. Weeks passed. The harvest day was fast approaching. Preparations for the great event were underway.
One day, Onyankopon decided to go and visit the farm for the last time before the great event. He saw that nearly all the yams have been uprooted. Onyankopon ordered the search for the thief. Bring him dead or alive, he said. The search for the thief started immediately. A week passed, two weeks passed. Weeks turned into months. The thief was not identified and the yams continued to disappear from the farm. Finally, Onyankopon decided to lay traps in the farm. Old Anansi the Spider knew nothing about the traps until one evening he fell into one. Anansi became sad. He knew that people were going to find him trapped in the farm and identify him as the thief before daybreak. The sun began to rise and Anansi lost all hope. His eyes were full of tears. What a misfortune!

Then he saw the first person coming from far away. Who could this be? He wiped off his tears to see properly. And what did he see? A friend, the praying mantis! Anansi the Spider signaled to him.
When the praying mantis was within earshot, Anansi shouted, Oh, it's you who is coming to replace me? To replace me? How? demanded the praying mantis in astonishment. So you are not the one? But when is my replacement coming? My god. Why do they let me suffer like this? said Anansi. What is this about? inquired the praying mantis. What? Don't you know that were keeping watch for Onyankopon? Are you not aware that we are searching for the thief who has been carrying away Onyankopon's yams? It has been three days now since I have been keeping watch for this dangerous thief, the sneaky Anansi replied.

Oh, good, I don't know anything about this, said the praying mantis. It doesn't matter, my dear friend. Come near here, please. Come and give me a little help. I'm very hungry. Three days without food ah, said Anansi. What could I do for you, Anansi? You must be suffering a lot. What do you need? replied the praying mantis. If it would be okay, come and replace me for a little while I go down to the village to find something to eat, Anansi the Spider said in his friendly tone. I will do that for you, but please don't keep long, replied the praying mantis. You can count on me, my friend. Come and put your leg here, said the cunning Anansi. What, is that not a trap? the praying mantis questioned. A trap? What an idea. You don't trust me? replied Anansi.

But that looks like a trap, the praying mantis questioned. You take me to be a fool then? Anansi replied. The praying mantis allowed himself to be duped. He helped Anansi to remove his leg from the trap putting his in its place. What an unexpected chance for Anansi the Spider. As soon as Anansi was freed, he ran quickly towards the village shouting at the top of his voice, I have see him, I have seen him. I've seen the thief, the thief who has been stealing the yams of Onyankopon. I've seen him at last. He is there at Onyankopon's farms, trapped by a trap. A large crowd soon gathered. There were curses and threats everywhere. Everyone wanted to vent his anger on the one who had caused much suspicion among them. In no time at all, the villagers were in the farm. In front of them was Anansi the Spider who led the way to the praying mantis. There he is, the thief, he said, pointing to the praying mantis. The praying mantis had wanted to escape but it was in vain. The villagers rushed on him beating him brutally until he became unconscious. When they thought that he was dead, they left him in the farm. But the praying mantis did not die. He regained consciousness. But when he got up his whole body was shaking, and what was more, he could not see well.

He felt dizziness and to this day, the praying mantis still feels dizzy whenever he walks.

ART
One of the greatest contributions Africa has made to the cultural heritage of mankind is sculpture. African sculpture is a highly developed art form with thousands of years of history behind it. Traditional art has mostly social purposes. Early humans created painting and engravings on rock walls. Some Saharan rock engravings represent animals now extinct in the area, such as elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and buffaloes. Pictures of domestic cattle and of animals still found in the Sahara today, such as the camel, the horse, and the moufflon (a large-horn sheep), have also been discovered. The earliest sculptures outside of Egypt are found in Nigeria. A great variety of masks from different materials was worn with elaborate costumes and mimicked the human or activities of nature and forces in the different seasons. Some of the masks were used in cults. On occasions where masks are worn in some communities, others paint their bodies. Some wear no masks but their faces are hidden in their costumes, which are designed to allow free movement in dances. Masks, though similar in appearances, are used in different ways. Often masks are worn at the initiation rites to symbolize cult heroes, royalty, the political structure and arts and crafts. A relationship exists between ancient Egypt and its influence on the rest of Africa. In the history of African art, there are strong influences of Islam and Christianity.

TRIBES
People who belong to a common ethnic group may share customs, languages, or a common history. Tribal affiliations are a source of unity and pride for many Africans. In Mauritania, the Moors are one distinct ethnic group. Moors are people of mixed Arab and Berber heritage. Citizens of Senegal may belong to one of the following tribes: Wolof, Fulani, Serer, Toucouleur, Diola, or Mandigo, among others. Over 60 ethnic groups co-exist in Burkina Faso. One of these groups, the Fulani, also live in Senegal and Cameroon. Some of the 70 tribal groups that live in Kenya are the Kikuyu, Luhya, and Kalenjin. The Masai people are perhaps the best known to non-Europeans. On the island of Madagascar, 18 different tribes speak Malagasy and French. In Swaziland, Swazi, Zulu, Tsonga-Shangaan, and Europeans live side by side.

STATISTICS
In addition to being known for its beautiful environments, exotic wildlife, and diverse cultures, Africa has the dubious distinction of having some of the poorest nations, largest populations, and harshest living conditions in the world. Despite its trove of natural resources, the yearly incomes of Africans are some of the lowest in the world. Nearly half of its people live on less than a dollar a day. Conflicts, harsh environments, and corrupt governments have devasted economies, forcing countries to borrow for goods and fuel. Ironically, better health care in recent decades has caused further problems in Africa. The population of the continent is approximately 800 million, and these increasing numbers have endangered the environment and strained already weakened governments.

HEALTH
In developed countries where people enjoy better health care, education, family planning, and nutrition, women tend to have healthy babies. In Africa, however, few people have access to medicine and malnutrition is a constant problem. Lack of clean water and other basic necessities, disease, and human conflicts make survival difficult for most on this continent. Besides lack of appropriate health care and nutrition, HIV/AIDS is a major health issue in Africa. Due to sufficient educational programs and financial resources, the number of HIV/AIDS cases has risen to tragic heights in Africa. In some countries, such as Zambia and Botswana, 20% or more of the adult population is believed to be infected with HIV. Tragically, the children of Africa suffer the most from this epidemic. Millions of children have been left orphaned because of the disease.

POPULATION
Africa has a rapidly growing population of 500 million people, yet 75% of the continent is sparsely inhabited. Most people still live a traditional rural lifestyle, though many Africans move to cities in search of employment. Most people live where water is available, in the Nile Valley, the coasts of North and West Africa, along the Niger, in the eastern highlands, and in South Africa. With the highest birthrate of any continent, Africa is projected to grow to two billion by 2050. Women in subSaharan Africa bear an average of 6 children each. Life expectancy is low (Sierra Leone: 34 years, Zambia: 37 years, other countries: 4049 years) compared to the developed countries. The fastest growing region on earth, Africa faces the most serious shortages of food and water.

Political instability and the lack of infrastructure make distribution of supplies difficult. Since the 1960s most countries have seen improvements in life expectancy, health care, and education. However, the continent lies well behind the rest of the world in many basic human needs.

WEALTH
Africa is home to one eighth of the worlds population. The most populated areas are along the Nile, Niger, Congo and Senegal rivers. The population is growing quickly due to increasingly better health care. Birthrates are very high, and families are often large. Many people have moved from countryside to cities, because of the poverty and lack of work, or to escape civil wars, droughts, and famines. Most countries rely on the export of coffee, cocoa, or oil. In recent years, the prices have fallen. The amount that African countries earn from exports is often less then what they have to spend on imports. These factors, along with the growing population and effects of wars and droughts, mean economic difficulties for many African countries.

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