Africa - The Birthplace of Modern Humans You either love it or hate it . . . Africa Map Click here to see large map Introduction Features of Africa Africa is the second-largest continent , after Asia, covering 30,330,000 sq km; about 22% of the total land area of the Earth. It measures about 8,000 km from north to south and about 7,360 km from east to west. The highest point on the continent is Mt. Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Point - (5,963 m/19,340 ft) in Tanzania. The lowest is Lake 'Asal (153 m/502 ft below sea level) in Djibouti. The Forests cover about one-fifth of the total land area of the continent. The Woodlands, bush lands, grasslands and thickets occupy about two-fifth. And the Deserts and their extended margins have the remaining two-fifths of African land. World's longest river : The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 mi), is the longest river in the world. It is formed from the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria. World's second largest lake : Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the is the world's second-largest freshwater lake - covering an area of 69,490 sq km (26,830 sq mi) and lies 1,130 m (3,720 ft) above sea level. Its greatest known depth is 82 m (270 ft). | |
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