Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent (the first is Asia) covering 20.3% of the total Earth's land area.

Africa's largest country is Republic of Sudan, and its smallest country is The Seychelles. Largest city is Cairo, Egypt with 9.2 million people.

The most populated country is Nigeria (over 130 million in 2005) which name suggested by The Times's editor in 1897 is the combination of words "Niger" (country’s longest river) and "Area". Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world.

In 2003 36.2% of Africans lived on under $1 per day.

Africa is the oldest inhabited territory on earth – anthropologists' discoveries prove that humans appeared here perhaps as early as 7 million years ago.

It is believed that David Livingstone who explored the continent between 1852 and 1873 was the first European to see the Victoria Falls.

Africa has today 54 independent states, which mostly still have the borders drawn during the era of European colonialism. See the map of Colonial Africa.

There are an estimated 1800 languages spoken in Africa, including Swahili spoken by millions and Dahalo, spoken only by a few hundreds.

The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt was the world's tallest architectural construction for 4,000 years until the creation of the Eiffel Tower.

The Nile, flowing through nine countries, is the longest river on Earth (6,695 km or 4,160 miles), and Nile crocodile is the planet's largest living reptile, growing to an average length of 5 m.

The African elephant is the largest living land mammal that can weigh up to 6-7 tons. It has no natural enemies for there is none large enough to challenge him.