Africa is the second-largest continent in the world, covering about 30.

37
million square kilometers (11.7 million square miles), including its

adjacent islands. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north,

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. Africa is home to over 1.3 billion people, making it the second
most populous continent after Asia.

Geographically, Africa is diverse, featuring vast deserts like the Sahara in

the north, savannahs and grasslands across much of the central region,
tropical rainforests in the equatorial bet, and highlands and plateaus in

the east and south. It is known for its rich cultural heritage, with over

3,000 distinct ethnic groups speaking more than 2,000 languages. Africa
has a complex history shaped by ancient civilizations,colonialism, and
independence movements, contributing significantly to global art,
music, literature, and cuisine.