Foreign Africa countries and capitals on the map. Northern region closest to Europe

Beautiful and vibrant Africa is the second largest continent in the world. More than 1 billion people live in its vastness. And its lands are conventionally divided into 5 regions. By tradition, African countries, the list of which consists of 62 items, are classified as the following regions:

Yuzhny.
Western.
Northern.
Eastern.
And Central.

This division is due to different geographical and climatic conditions, differences in cultures and forms of government of states.

Africa has dependent and independent territories. There are 37 countries with access to seas and oceans. Present (10 units). And 16 countries located in the interior of the continent.

African countries: list of states in the Southern region

South Africa keeps in his memory memories of the colonization period. On its territory it was developed nuclear weapon, which the government then abandoned. It includes the following countries:

Zimbabwe;
Mozambique;
Comoros Islands;
Seychelles;
Mauritius Island;
Reunion;
Madagascar;
Lesotho;
Botswana;
Swaziland;
Namibia.

The most big country on this earth - South Africa(SOUTH AFRICA). Almost the entire population of the Southern Region lives and works there. There are 11 officially accepted languages in this territory. The ethnic composition of South Africa is diverse group from numerous religious associations.

Proximity of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean make South Africa attractive for tourism. In the southern part of the continent all year round warm and humid. But the climate is temperate, so the heat is tolerated quite easily.

African countries: list of states in the Western region

Wet and windy climate West Africa directly depends on the capricious trade winds. This territory consists of the following countries:

Sierra Leone;
Senegal;
Benin;
Burkina Faso;
Gambia;
Ghana;
Togo;
Guinea;
Guinea-Bissau;
Cape Verde;
Cameroon;
Mauritania;
Nigeria;
Niger;
Mali;
Liberia;
Cote d'Ivoire;
Saint Helena Islands.

Western region- homeland of many African languages. On its territory, oral folklore is still valued today. And ceremonial dances are included in the program of every significant holiday.

The natural border of this land in the east is the Cameroon Mountains. In the south of the region itself the legendary Sahara Desert begins. And in the west, the natural border is formed by the Atlantic Ocean.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria several years ago received the status of the largest oil producer. Most of The population speaks several dialects at once. There are 527 officially recognized languages in this country. Among them there are 11 “dead” dialects; English and several other languages of the local ethnic group are taught in state schools.

Abuja is the Nigerian capital, chosen by the government as the most ethnically neutral place in the Western region. After the completion of the main stages of construction in 1976, Abuja received the status of the main city of Nigeria instead of the overcrowded Logos.

African countries: list of countries in the Northern region

A significant part of the Northern region is occupied by the sands of the Sahara Desert. The largest states of the entire African continent border the endless sandy sea:

Sudan;
Tunisia;
Algeria;
Morocco;
Libya;
SADR;
Egypt.

The Mediterranean natural area is considered very comfortable for living. Therefore, large tourist sites of the African continent, which are known throughout the world, are located there.

The region's economy is in better shape than other parts of Africa. The proximity of Europe affects not only the development of the region, but also its cultural heritage.

Tunisia is a country that has the most competitive economy of all African countries. Tunisia is home to about 10 million people, most of whom speak Arabic. Almost the entire population northern state professes Islam. The Mediterranean climate makes Tunisia an important tourism sector. The culture of the country contains many diverse trends that are organically woven into daily life Tunisian people.

African countries: list of states in the Eastern region

To the East of the mysterious Nile there are several countries that make up Eastern region. Among them are such states as:

Ethiopia;
Eritrea;
Uganda;
Tanzania;
Somalia;
Mayotte;
Kenya;
Djibouti;
Zambia;
Comoros;
Malawi.

The climate of Eastern Africa is arid central regions. But on the coast it quickly changes to tropical. Former colonists set state boundaries quite arbitrarily. Due to the fact that cultural and religious trends were not taken into account, the development of the Eastern region is happening at a very slow pace.

Kenya is not only a favorite destination for tourists, but also a place that has amazing flora and fauna. On the territory of Kenya there are a large number of nature reserves that are protected by the international organization UNESCO.

In Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, people speak English and the local dialect Swahili. For a long time this country was a colony of Great Britain.

African countries: list of states of the Central region

The following states are located in the heart of Africa:

Angola;
Congo;
Sao Tome;
Equatorial Guinea.

These countries are endowed with a subequatorial climate. Thanks to extensive river system it is there that you can see endless forests consisting of evergreen and deciduous trees.

The Republic of the Congo is extremely rich in mineral resources. This circumstance several centuries ago contributed to the emergence of the African “gold” rush in the country.

The capital of the country with unusual name Brazzaville is quite developed in terms of education. The literacy rate of the population there reaches 82%. The state's economy is based on oil production and agriculture. The cultural sector is represented folk art. The direction of contemporary art is also well developed.

All African countries, the list of which is given above, are officially considered recognized states. Meanwhile, many territories of the African continent have recently embarked on the path of international recognition and are not yet real states. But still they have symbols boundaries on some maps.

Anthropologists call Africa the cradle of civilization. According to research, it first appeared there human culture. It’s paradoxical, but in the place where all living things originated, there are still corners where no human has set foot. Out of 29 million square meters only a small part is inhabited by people. The rest of the area is deserts and tropical forests. African fauna is unique. found nowhere else on this continent.

Exploring the countries of Africa, the list of which is so diverse, it is difficult to imagine that the Sahara Desert occupies an area larger than the entire territory of the United States. Also, half of the world’s gold is mined on the continent. And the name of this part of the world comes from one of the most ancient tribes, “Afri”.

Africa is the second largest continent in the world, followed by Eurasia.

In the territory African continent There are 55 countries that are washed by:

Mediterranean Sea.
Red Sea.
Indian Ocean.
Atlantic Ocean.

The area of the African continent is 29.3 million square kilometers. If we take into account the islands near Africa, the area of this continent increases to 30.3 million square kilometers.

The African continent occupies approximately 6% of the total area globe.

Most big country in Africa is Algeria. The area of this state is 2,381,740 square kilometers.

Table. Largest states in Africa:

List of the most major cities by population:

Nigeria - 166,629,390 people. In 2017, it was the most populous country in Africa.
Egypt - 82,530,000 people.
Ethiopia - 82,101,999 people.
Republic of the Congo. The population of this African country is 69,575,394 inhabitants.
Republic of South Africa. There were 50,586,760 people living in South Africa in 2017.
Tanzania. This African country has a population of 47,656,370 people.
Kenya. This African country has a population of 42,749,420 people.
Algeria. In this country tropical Africa Home to 36,485,830 people.
Uganda - 35,620,980 people.
Morocco - 32,668,000 people.

African Development and Economy

If you take the corresponding maps of Africa, the countries differ not only in their diversity weather conditions, but also in abundance land resources and minerals.

The African continent ranks 1st in the world in reserves of the following breeds:

manganese;
chromite;
gold;
platinoid;
cobalt;
phosphorite

The industry of African countries is very well developed. This is especially true in the mining industry. Thus, last year, 96% of the total volume of diamonds was mined on the African continent. The resources of African countries make it possible to extract large quantities of gold and cobalt ores. On average, about 76% of gold and 68% of cobalt ores of the total world volume are mined on the continent.

Chromites are mined in the amount of 67% of the total, and the share of manganese ores is 57% of the total.

Africa contains and produces 35% of the world's total uranium ore and 24% of copper. The African continent exports 31% of the world's total phosphate rocks and 11% of oil and gas.

Despite the small volumes of oil and gas supplies, 6 African countries are members of OPEC, the international organization of oil exporting states.

If we take the most developing countries Africa in the field of mining, these will be:

South Africa is rapidly developing and rich in the mining industry. This country has deposits of all types of resources, except oil, gas and bauxite. According to statistics, it is in South Africa that about 40% of the continent’s total exports are produced.

South Africa is recognized not only on the African continent. This republic ranks first in the world in gold mining and second in diamond mining.

The manufacturing industry is in its infancy, but it is most developed in South Africa.

Industry Agriculture ranks second in the African economy. The agricultural sector is represented by tropical and subtropical agriculture. The main part of the products is exported. Thus, the African continent exports 60% of the total volume of cocoa beans. Africa also exports peanuts in the amount of 27% of the world's total, coffee - 22% and olives - 16% of the total.

Peanut cultivation is concentrated in Senegal, greatest number coffee is grown in Ethiopia, and the Republic of Ghana is popular for large volumes of growing and harvesting cocoa beans.

Livestock farming in the countries of the African continent is very poorly developed due to water shortages and the spread of a disease dangerous to livestock, spread by tsetse flies.

Features of the African continent

Features of African countries:

The richest states of the African continent

The development of a country is determined by two criteria:

Availability of minerals.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The richest countries in Africa:

These islands are part of Africa, although indirectly they are located 1,600 kilometers from the coast of the continent. Seychelles is a very popular destination among tourists, so the country's main income is tourism.

The GDP per capita level is 24,837 USD.

GDP - 18,387 USD.

Botswana is located in the southern part of the mainland. Despite the fact that more than 70% of the country's area is occupied by the Kalahari Desert, Botswana is distinguished by large deposits of many mineral resources.

The bulk of GDP comes from the export of diamonds. GDP level - 15,450 USD.

Gabon. This country known in Africa for the extraction of oil, gas, manganese and uranium.

GDP is equal to 14,860 USD.

Tourism is very well developed on this island. But this is not the country's only income. GDP is provided by the production of sugar and textiles.

The GDP level is 13,214 USD.

SOUTH AFRICA. This republic is the only African country recognized as developed. The remaining countries of this continent are classified as developing. South Africa has established itself as an exporter of food, equipment and cars. South Africa also exports to large quantities oil, gas, diamonds, platinum, gold and chemicals.

South Africa is the only one on the continent that is not a third world country.

GDP - 10,505 USD.

- one of the few countries that managed to enter the world market and take a leading position in the agricultural sector there. In addition to agricultural products, Tunisia exports oil. Half of GDP is generated by the tourism industry.

GDP level - 9488 USD.

is a country in North Africa, best known as a global exporter of oil and gas.

The GDP indicator is 7103 USD.

. This state known for its mining of copper, gold, lead and tin.

GDP level - 6945 USD.

Africa is a part of the world with an area of 30.3 million km 2 with islands, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the North and Eastern Hemisphere(most), a small part in the South and West. Like all large fragments ancient continent Gondwana has a massive outline, large peninsulas and there are no deep bays. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, and from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical characteristics

Africa lies on ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are small lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost entirely occupied by the Sahara Desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian Highlands, the southeast is the East African Plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Drakensberg mountains The highest point in Africa is the Kilimanjaro volcano (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below ocean level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the largest fault in the world stretches earth's crust, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

The following rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from the south to north (its sources are on the East African Plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). Rivers are characterized by high water content only in equatorial belt, thanks to the fallout there large quantity precipitation, most of them are characterized by high flow rates and have many rapids and waterfalls. IN lithospheric faults, filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest lake in area after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, maximum depth - 83 m), the largest salty closed lake is Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on southern outskirts the world's greatest desert, the Sahara).

Due to Africa's location between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high summary indicators solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the hottest heat on our planet was registered in 1922 in Al-Aziziya (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

In Africa there are such natural zones as evergreen equatorial forests(coast of the Gulf of Guinea, Congo basin), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannas and woodlands, spreading to Sudan, East and South Africa, in the north and south of Africa savannas give way to semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara , Kalahari. Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains there is a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. Natural areas mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided between 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, Asian countries were foreign colonies of various European states and only gained independence by the middle of the last century. Depending on the geographical location Africa is divided into five regions: Northern, Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is plain. There are mountain systems, highlands and plateaus. They are presented:

the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
the Tibesti and Ahaggar highlands in the Sahara Desert;
Ethiopian Highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
Drakensberg Mountains in the south.

The most high point country is the Kilimanjaro volcano, 5,895 m high, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the continent...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwest side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from there into the continent to the east there is the Kalahari Desert.

The savannah territory occupies the main part Central Africa. In area it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical of savannas, low bushes and trees. The height of herbaceous vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. These can be practically desert savannas or tall grasses, with a grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

The longest river in the world, the Nile, is located on the African continent. The direction of its flow is from south to north.

The list of major water systems of the mainland includes the Limpopo, Zambezi and Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

Lakes

The list of large lakes on the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater body of water in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square km. Two more large lakes continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in faults of lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the world's oceans...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its shores are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the outside Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part the waters form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, the coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the Indian Ocean, the currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in northern waters, and Agulhas, in southern...

Forests of Africa

Forests make up a little more than a quarter of the entire territory of the African continent. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants grow high in the mountains, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests; in the tropical region, evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

Vegetation equatorial forests It is diverse, with about 1000 species of various types of trees growing here: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, oil palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. Many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects live here, living directly on the trees. On the ground live: brush-eared pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes- gorillas...

40% of Africa's territory is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny bushes, milkweed, and isolated trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest concentration of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are herbivores such as: hartebeest (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-footed antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson's, Grant's), blue wildebeest, and in some places rare jumping antelopes - springboks - are also found.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness; these are small thorny bushes and separately growing tufts of herbs. The oases are home to the unique Erg Chebbi date palm, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and salt formation. In the Namib Desert, unique plants such as Welwitschia and Nara grow, the fruits of which are eaten by porcupines, elephants and other desert animals.

Animals here include various species of antelopes and gazelles, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling vast distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among the mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, Dorcas gazelle, sabre-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian ass, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are resident and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is located in the region low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoon) moisture and arid desert climate. The far north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought air masses from the Indian Ocean, here is the Kalahari Desert, north - minimal amount precipitation due to the formation of the area high pressure and the characteristics of the movement of trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount of precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all...

Resources

Natural Resources of Africa

By reserves water resources Africa is considered one of the least affluent continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only sufficient to satisfy primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible lands are cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of adequate water volume, soil erosion, etc.

African forests are a source of timber, including valuable species. The countries in which they grow, export raw materials. Resources are being used unwisely and ecosystems are being destroyed little by little.

In the depths of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely available on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investment...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, the following can be noted:

the mining industry, which exports minerals and fuels;
the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
chemical industry, specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. Oil palm is grown in tropical regions of Africa.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total agricultural output. Livestock production indicators are also not high and the reason for this is the infection of livestock by tsetse flies...

Culture

Peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

About 8,000 peoples live on the territory of 62 African countries and ethnic groups, which totals about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of humans.

Most peoples in Africa can number several thousand people or several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 nations, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with a population of more than 5 million people, 1/3 are peoples with a population of more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

West Africa. Peoples speaking the Mande languages (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Vai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zaghawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, Nupe, Gbari, Igala and Idoma, Ibibio, Efik, Kambari, Birom and Jukun, etc.);
Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandans), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Como, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
South Africa. Rebellious peoples and speakers of Khoisani languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
East Africa . Bantu, Nilotes and Sudanese people groups;
Northeast Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra), Cushitic (Oromo, Somali, Sidamo, Agaw, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages (Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the southern European minor race, mainly professing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

brief information

Even in the 21st century, Africa is an incomprehensible and mysterious continent for many travelers from Europe. North America and Asia. Indeed, even scientists who have lived for many years on the “Dark Continent” do not always understand the traditions, customs and cultural characteristics African peoples.

It should be concluded that Africa is as mysterious a continent for modern Western people as its name itself. Scientists still cannot say with certainty where the word “Africa” came from. Most historians believe that the ancient Romans called the northern part “Africa”. modern Africa, which was once part of the Roman Empire.

We all know about the famous ancient Egyptian pyramids. However, it turns out that there are even more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt (and some of them are more beautiful than the Egyptian pyramids). On this moment 220 pyramids have been discovered in Sudan.

Geography of Africa

Africa is washed from the east and south by the waters of the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the northeast by the Red Sea, and in the north by the Mediterranean Sea. The continent of Africa includes numerous islands. The total area of Africa is 30.2 million square meters. km, including the adjacent islands (this is 20.4% of the Earth’s territory). Africa is the second largest continent on Earth.

Africa lies on both sides of the equator and has a hot climate that ranges from tropical to subtropical. There are many deserts in northern Africa (for example, the world's largest desert, the Sahara), and in central and southern regions This continent contains savannah plains and jungles. The highest temperature in Africa was recorded in 1922 in Libya - +58C.

Despite the fact that in mass consciousness Africa is considered a "hot land where there is never it's raining", there are a lot of rivers and lakes on this continent.

The most long river in Africa - the Nile (6,671 km), flowing through Sudan, Uganda and Egypt. In addition, some of the largest African rivers include the Congo (4,320 km), Niger (4,160 km), Zambezi (2,660 km) and Ouabi-Shabelle (2,490 km).

As for African lakes, the largest of them are Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa, Chad and Rudolf.

There are several in Africa mountain systems- Aberdare Range, Atlas Mountains and Cape Mountains. The highest point of this continent is dormant volcano Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters). Slightly lower altitudes are found at Mount Kenya (5,199 m) and Margarita Peak (5,109 m).

Population of Africa

Africa's population already exceeds 1 billion people. This is about 15% of the total population of the Earth. According to official data, Africa's population increases by about 30 million people every year.

Almost the entire population of Africa belongs to Negroid race, which is divided into smaller races. In addition, there are several more African races - Ethiopians, Capoid race and Pygmies. Representatives of the Caucasian race also live in northern Africa.

African countries

There are currently 54 in Africa independent states, as well as 9 “territories” and 3 more unrecognized republics.

The largest African country is Algeria (its territory covers 2,381,740 sq. km), and the smallest are the Seychelles (455 sq. km), Sao Tome and Principe (1,001 sq. km) and The Gambia (11,300 sq. km). km).

Regions

Africa is divided into 5 geographical regions:

Northern Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Western Sahara, Morocco and Mauritania);
- East Africa (Kenya, Mozambique, Burundi, Madagascar, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, Seychelles, Eritrea and Djibouti);
- West Africa (Nigeria, Mauritania, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali, Benin, Gambia, Cameroon and Liberia);
- Central Africa (Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Chad, Gabon and Central African Republic);
- South Africa - Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Madagascar and South Africa).

Cities began to appear on the African continent thanks to the ancient Romans. However, many African cities cannot boast long history. However, some of them are considered among the most densely populated in the world. Currently, the most populous cities in Africa are Lagos in Nigeria and Cairo in Egypt, each home to 8 million people.

Other largest cities in Africa are Kinshasa (Congo), Alexandria (Egypt), Casablanca (Morocco), Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Kano (Nigeria).

Within the Dark Continent there are 60 countries, including unrecognized and self-proclaimed states. Regions of Africa differ from each other according to many criteria: cultural, economic, demographic, etc. How many of them are there in total on the mainland? Which countries do they belong to?

Features of continental macrozonation: regions of Africa

Each African country is unique and distinctive. However, some common features between these states (natural, historical, social and economic) allow geographers to divide the continent into several large regions. There are five of them in total, according to generally accepted classification UN.

All regions of Africa are listed below:

Northern;
Central, or Tropical;
South;
Western;
East Africa.

Each of the listed macro-regions covers a number of countries in the corresponding part of the continent. Thus, the leader in the number of states is the Western region. Moreover, most of them boast access to the World Ocean. But North and South Africa are the largest regions of the continent in terms of area.

Most countries in the Eastern region last years demonstrate significant growth in GDP per capita. In its turn, central part Africa has concentrated in its vast expanses the poorest and most economically and scientifically backward states on the planet.

It should be noted that not everyone accepts existing scheme zoning proposed by the UN. So, for example, some researchers and travelers highlight a region such as South-East Africa. It includes only four states: Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

North Africa

The region covers six sovereign states and one partially recognized one: Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Libya, Western Sahara (SADR), Egypt and Algeria. North Africa, in addition, also includes several overseas territories belonging to Spain and Portugal. The countries of this region have relatively large areas.

Almost all North African states have wide access to Mediterranean Sea. This fact played a significant role in their development, indicating rather close economic ties with European countries. Most of the region's population is concentrated in a narrow coastal strip Mediterranean, as well as in the Nile River Valley. The waters of the Red Sea wash the shores of two more states in this region: we are talking about Sudan and Egypt. On the map of North Africa, these countries occupy the extreme eastern position.

Average GDP per capita in the region is not so high. However, according to IMF forecasts, they will only increase in the near future. Most poor country The macroregion is Sudan, and the most prosperous are oil-producing Tunisia and Algeria.

North Africa has a fairly developed (by African standards) agriculture. Citrus fruits, dates, olives are grown here. This region is also popular among travelers. Countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are visited by millions of tourists every year from different corners planets.

The largest cities in the region: Casablanca, Tunis, Tripoli, Cairo, Alexandria.

Algeria and Egypt on the map of Africa: interesting facts

Egypt is a state within which one of the world's oldest civilizations arose. This is a country of mysterious pyramids, secret treasures and legends. She happens to be absolute leader throughout the Black Continent in terms of the development of the recreational and tourism sector. At least 10 million tourists visit Egypt every year.

Not everyone knows that this country is one of the most industrialized on the mainland. Oil, gas, iron and manganese ores, gold, coal, etc. are actively mined and processed here. The chemical, cement and textile industries operate effectively in the industrial sector.

No less interesting state in North Africa is Algeria. This country is the largest on the continent in size. What's interesting is that honorary title she received it only in 2011, when Sudan collapsed. In addition to this record, Algeria is interesting for other facts. For example, did you know that:

about 80% of Algeria's territory is occupied by desert;
one of the lakes of this amazing country is filled with real ink;
there are seven objects on the territory of the state World Heritage UNESCO;
there is not a single McDonald's or Orthodox church in Algeria;
Alcohol here is sold exclusively in specialized stores.

In addition, Algeria amazes travelers with the diversity of its natural landscapes. Here you can see everything: and mountain ranges, and dense forests, and hot deserts, and cool lakes.

West Africa

This African region is the absolute leader in the total number of independent states. There are 16 of them: Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Most of the countries in the region are underdeveloped states with low GDP. Nigeria can be called a certain exception from this list. The IMF forecasts for this region are disappointing: GDP per capita will not grow in the near future.

Almost 60% of West Africa's population is employed in agriculture. Here, in on a large scale produce cocoa powder, wood, palm oil. The manufacturing industry is sufficiently developed only in Nigeria.

The main problems of the region include the following:

poor development of the transport network;
poverty and illiteracy;
availability of large quantities language conflicts and hot spots.

The largest cities in the region: Dakar, Freetown, Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, Abuja, Bamako.

Central Africa

Central Africa consists of eight countries of significantly different sizes (Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Island state Sao Tome and Principe). The poorest country in the region is the Democratic Republic of Congo, with an extremely low GDP of $330 per capita.

In the economy of the macroregion, the leading positions are occupied by agriculture and the mining industry, which was left to the countries as a legacy from colonial times. Gold, cobalt, copper, oil and diamonds are mined here. The economy of Central Africa has been and remains resource-based.

A significant problem in the region is the presence and periodic military conflicts.

The largest cities in the region: Douala, N'Djamena, Libreville, Kinshasa, Bangui.

East Africa

This region covers ten independent Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, a country with beautiful name Rwanda and the newly formed South Sudan), as well as several unrecognized state entities and dependent territories.

East Africa is a region of young states, backward economies and a predominance of monoculture agriculture. IN individual countries Piracy flourishes (Somalia), and armed conflicts (both internal and between neighboring countries) are not uncommon. In some countries the tourism industry is quite well developed. In particular, tourists come to Kenya or Uganda to visit local National parks and meet the wild

The largest cities in the region: Juba, Addis Ababa, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Kampala.

South Africa

The last macro-region of the continent includes 10 Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, as well as two enclaves (Lesotho and Swaziland). TO this region Madagascar and Seychelles are also often included.

Countries differ from each other in terms of development level and GDP indicators. The most economically developed state in the region is the Republic of South Africa. South Africa - amazing country, which has three capital cities at once.

Tourism is quite well developed in some countries in the region (primarily South Africa, Botswana and the Seychelles). Swaziland attracts many travelers with its well-preserved culture and colorful traditions.

Largest cities in the region: Luanda, Lusaka, Windhoek, Maputo, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth.

Conclusion

All countries of the African continent are original, extremely interesting and often so different from each other. However, geographers were still able to group them according to historical, socio-economic and cultural criteria, identifying five macro-regions: North, West, Central, East and South Africa.