History of Africa
The pre-history of Africa begins with the first emergence of Homo sapiens in East Africa, continuing into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states. Agriculture began about 10,000 BCE and metallurgy in about 4000 BCE. Early civilization arose in Egypt and later in the Maghreb and the Horn of Africa. Mohammedans spread through the Maghreb and the Sahel, with a major centre of Moslem culture at Timbuktu. States and polities subsequently formed throughout the continent.
From the late 15th century, Europeans and Arabs took slaves from West, Central and Southeast Africa overseas in the African slave trade. European colonization of Africa developed rapidly in the Scramble for Africa of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Following independence and struggles in many parts of the continent, decolonization took place after the Second World War.
The history of Africa has been a challenge for researchers in the field of African studies because of the scarcity of written sources in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Scholarly techniques such as the recording of oral history, historical linguistics, archaeology and genetics have been crucial.
Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With 1.0 billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population.
The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent has 54 sovereign states, including Madagascar, various island groups, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, a member state of the African Union whose statehood is disputed by Morocco.
Africa, particularly central eastern Africa, is widely regarded within the scientific community to be the origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago – including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster – with the earliest Homo sapiens (modern human) found in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago.
Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones. The African expected economic growth rate is at about 5.0% for 2010 and 5.5% in 2011.
Building on a glorious past
Africa is one of the most neglected and most feared areas of the world. This is unfortunate, and based largely on misconception. It is indeed true that much of Africa is still struggling to emerge from the lingering effects of colonialism. But Africa has a glorious past, stretching back far before this era, all the way to the origins of humanity. This history includes some of the greatest empires in world history, such as ancient Egypt, medieval Mali, and the Moorish empire that ruled Southern Europe for some seven hundred years. Africa's glorious history is not simply a matter of empire - much of the philosophy, science and knowledge that modern Europe is built on was borrowed from Africa. Nor is Africa's glory simply a thing of the past. Modern Africa consists of fifty-three nations, stretching from Algeria down to South Africa. These countries contain hundreds of languages and ethnicities, and unparalleled diversity and vibrancy. The continent's cultural richness is rivaled only by its natural wonders. The one continent contains the Sahara desert, the African rainforest, and everything in between, as well as untold natural resources. While both the people and the environment of Africa have suffered from great exploitation, this is only part of the story. And it is a story that is still being written. Come watch it unfold.
From the late 15th century, Europeans and Arabs took slaves from West, Central and Southeast Africa overseas in the African slave trade. European colonization of Africa developed rapidly in the Scramble for Africa of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Following independence and struggles in many parts of the continent, decolonization took place after the Second World War.
The history of Africa has been a challenge for researchers in the field of African studies because of the scarcity of written sources in large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Scholarly techniques such as the recording of oral history, historical linguistics, archaeology and genetics have been crucial.
Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With 1.0 billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population.
The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent has 54 sovereign states, including Madagascar, various island groups, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, a member state of the African Union whose statehood is disputed by Morocco.
Africa, particularly central eastern Africa, is widely regarded within the scientific community to be the origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago – including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, A. afarensis, Homo erectus, H. habilis and H. ergaster – with the earliest Homo sapiens (modern human) found in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago.
Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones. The African expected economic growth rate is at about 5.0% for 2010 and 5.5% in 2011.
Building on a glorious past
Africa is one of the most neglected and most feared areas of the world. This is unfortunate, and based largely on misconception. It is indeed true that much of Africa is still struggling to emerge from the lingering effects of colonialism. But Africa has a glorious past, stretching back far before this era, all the way to the origins of humanity. This history includes some of the greatest empires in world history, such as ancient Egypt, medieval Mali, and the Moorish empire that ruled Southern Europe for some seven hundred years. Africa's glorious history is not simply a matter of empire - much of the philosophy, science and knowledge that modern Europe is built on was borrowed from Africa. Nor is Africa's glory simply a thing of the past. Modern Africa consists of fifty-three nations, stretching from Algeria down to South Africa. These countries contain hundreds of languages and ethnicities, and unparalleled diversity and vibrancy. The continent's cultural richness is rivaled only by its natural wonders. The one continent contains the Sahara desert, the African rainforest, and everything in between, as well as untold natural resources. While both the people and the environment of Africa have suffered from great exploitation, this is only part of the story. And it is a story that is still being written. Come watch it unfold.