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Africa is the world's second
largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30,221,532
km˛ (11,668,545 mi˛) including adjacent islands, it covers 6.0% of the
Earth's total surface area, and 20.4% of the total land area.[1] With more
than 890,000,000 people (as of 2005) in 61 territories, it accounts for
about 14% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by
the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the
northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the
west. Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas;
it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern
temperate zones. Because of the lack of natural regular precipitation and
irrigation as well as glaciers or mountain aquifer systems, there is no
natural moderating effect on the climate except near the coasts. |
