"There is always something new out of Africa"
(Pliny the Elder 23-79 AD)
Actually, being Roman, Pliny would have said '' Ex Africa , semper aliquid novi''. But in any language and by any measure, Africa is impressive. At nearly 12 million square miles, it's the world's second biggest continent (covering 23% of the planet's land surface) and would contain China, India, Europe, Argentina, New Zealand, and the USA within its boundaries.
It contains the world's largest desert (the Sahara is the size of the USA), the longest river (the Nile is 6671km long), the largest inland delta (the Okavango), the 4830km long Great Rift Valley and is the only continent crossed by both Tropics and the Equator.
It is home to the world's largest bird (Ostrich), frog (Goliath Frog), freshwater fish (Nile Perch) and land mammal (African Elephant), the tallest mammal (Giraffe), the heaviest flying bird (Kori Bustard) and insect (Goliath Beetle), and the fastest land mammal (Cheetah) and snake (Black Mamba).
The 54 nations include 12% of the world's population (around 750 million people) speaking over 2000 different languages and dialects. It is this myriad of incredible people and places, plus the kaleidoscope of amazing birds and animals that drew the early explorers to this stunning continent and continues to bewitch today's safari-goers.
Click on highlighted country or links below
to get detailed country information
| Botswana |
| Kenya |
| Malawi |
| Namibia |
| South Africa |
| Tanzania |
| Uganda |
| Zambia |
| Zimbabwe |