Africa is often thought of as quite isolated from the rest of the world, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Africa and Europe are separated by less than 9 miles at the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain from Morocco, ferries are even available to take you from Africa to Europe or vice versa.
Another interesting facts about Africa that will amaze you is that the African continent has the second largest population in the world, at 1,287,920,518 people approximately 16.87% of the world’s population as of 2020.
It’s really no surprise that Africa is home to the most genetically diverse people on Earth as it is the 2nd largest continent. The length and breadth of this continent are about the same. It measures around 4,660 from north to south and from east to west.
Interesting Facts About Africa that will Amaze You.
Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Africa that will amaze you and we hope that after reading this you will be even more intrigued about this wonderful continent:
1. Africa is Second Largest Continent.
Africa is the second largest continent in the world with a total area of around 11 million square miles that account for 5.7% of the earth’s surface as well as 20% of the total surface of land on our planet.
Africa is not only the second largest but the second most populated continent as well and houses about 12% of the world population.
Nigeria as an African country is the most populated country in Africa and among the top five in the world with an estimated population of 120-140 million.
2. Africa is the Second Largest Movie Producer in the World.
Nollywood is an African film industry in Nigeria, and it is the second largest movie industry globally in terms of output, producing about 2,500 films in a year.
Although, Nollywood doesn’t bring in as much money yearly as Hollywood or Bollywood, it is known for its prolificness under much more limiting circumstances.
Early Nollywood is characterized by a kind of home video production quality. More recently, however, the Nigerian movie industry is improving their craft.
Known for comedies and dramas, Nollywood is now producing more genres like horror, period pieces, musicals, animations, and even nolly-noir at industry standard picture and sound quality.
Bollywood and Hollywood are the two most known “woods” in the world, or at the very least, the top two film industries in the world. Actually, it depends how we measure that statement.
Nollywood is another industry that seems to be passing Hollywood in terms of the amount of movies it produces a year.
3. Multi Ethnic Groups.
The African continent has approximately 3,000 distinct ethnic groups while Nigeria alone has about 370 of these tribes that have been officially recognized. Around 2,000 different languages are spoken in Africa and each of them have different dialects.
4. Africa has Longest River in the World.
Africa boasts of having the longest river in the world which is the river Nile that runs for around 4,150 miles before it meets the ocean.
It flows through several African countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda as well as Egypt thus making the land extremely fertile.
5. Africa has one of the Largest Waterfall.
The largest waterfall in Africa is the Victoria Falls and it is located on the Zimbabwe and Zambia border. It has a height of 355 feet and the width of the water fall runs into almost a mile.
6. Africa has the Largest Desert in the World.
The largest desert in the world the Sahara desert is also situated in Africa and it spans across at least a dozen countries – around 3.5 million square miles.
7. Africa has Rich Culture.
African cultures have long inspired the world through mediums such as film and music. Now, investors, international companies, and social media platforms are showing a huge appetite for the space, prompting growth in startup funding, investment in original content, and attracting global audiences.
8. Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
Africa Day marks the day, on 25 May 1963, when countries in Africa that had achieved freedom, came together to sign a declaration to form the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
The OAU was transformed into the African Union (AU) in 2002, which was launched in Durban in July that year. The AU has brought together African states to collectively address the problems challenging them.
9. Africa has Amazing Animals.
The Serengeti (Tanzania) hosts the world’s largest wildlife migration on Earth with over 750,000 zebras marching ahead of 1.2 million wildebeest as they cross this amazing landscape
The major animals in Africa include — cheetah, African elephant, lion, zebra, Egyptian mongoose, giraffe, addax.
The fastest land animal in the world, the cheetah, lives in Africa . It speeds of up to around 60 miles per hour (96.5 kilometers per hour).
10. African has Different Languages.
There are at least 3,000 distinct ethnic groups in Africa and around 2,000 different languages are spoken and each of them has different dialects.
While English the language that is most widely spoken in the African continent, followed by Arabic and French respectively.
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