Africa 🌍

Africa has colourful people, bustling markets, starry nights, utter desert silence, inviting nomads, and modern entrepreneurs. It’s addictive.
Africa is the second-largest continent, both area and population, after Asia in both cases, with a total surface area of some 30,244,000 km² (11,700,000 mi²) and a population of about 1.34 billion.
Egypt is considered to be a transcontinental country as a small part of its territory is in Asia, on the other side of the Suez Canal. Politically, Egypt is a member of the African Union.
There are 54 African countries.
- The largest African country is Algeria.
- DRC is the second largest country in Africa
- Sudan is the third largest country in Africa
- The smallest is the Seychelles.
Morocco is in the most popular African tourist destination. This is followed by South Africa, Egypt, and Tunisia. (2019)

There is one small landmass connecting the African Mainland with Western Asia.
The African continent is determined by its surrounding seas. In the north it is separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea. To the northeast, it is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. On the east it is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Africa is the hottest continent. 60% of the entire land surface consists of drylands and deserts.

Dengue is an ongoing risk in many parts of Africa and the Middle East. Travelers to areas of risk should protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.

Map of Trans-African Highways based on data 2000 to 2003

Overland travel is only relatively easy between East and Southern Africa.
Trans-African Highway Network » More than half of the network has been paved, though maintenance remains a problem. There are numerous missing links in the network where tracks are impassable after rain or hazards. (Wikipedia)
Tanzam Highway » The main link between East Africa and Southern Africa. Leads from Lusaka, Zambia through the DRC, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (Wikipedia)

In Africa, traffic deaths account for about one quarter of the global number of victims, even though the continent has barely 2 per cent of the world’s vehicle fleet, according to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt. (2023)
Drunk driving, speeding, drowsiness, negligence, non-use of seat belts and helmets, and non-compliance with traffic regulations are the main cause of road accidents in Africa, according to a UN report. (2023)
- Other contributing factors included an ageing vehicle fleet in public transport, false licenses, lack of enforcement of penalties, and a dearth of rigorous technical inspections.