Africa, the second-largest and second-most populous continent in the world, is a land of immense diversity and rich history. Covering approximately 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area, Africa is home to nearly 1.4 billion people as of 2021, accounting for about 18% of the world's human population.
This article explores the diverse aspects of Africa, from its history and culture to its environmental challenges and conservation efforts. It also highlights the "Out of Africa Wildlife Park" and its role in promoting wildlife conservation.
African Animal Conservation: tracking Wildlife 🐘
A Brief Overview of Africa
Africa is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Arabian Plate and the Gulf of Aqaba to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos. It contains 54 fully recognised sovereign states, eight cities and islands that are part of non-African states, and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition.
Algeria is Africa's largest country by area, and Nigeria is its largest by population.
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Africa is highly biodiverse, boasting the largest number of megafauna species. However, it faces numerous environmental issues, including desertification, deforestation, water scarcity, and pollution, which are expected to worsen due to climate change.
Historical Context
The history of Africa is long, complex, and varied. In African societies, oral tradition is revered, leading to the term "oral civilisations." Africa is considered by most paleoanthropologists to be the oldest inhabited territory on Earth, with human species originating from the continent.
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, driven by the Second Industrial Revolution, most of Africa was rapidly conquered and colonised by European nations, save for Ethiopia and Liberia. European rule had significant impacts on Africa's societies, and colonies were maintained for the purpose of economic exploitation and extraction of natural resources.
In the years after World War II (1939-45), a trend toward decolonization took hold in Africa, spurred by growing nationalistic sentiments among African people as well as European powers lacking the funds and political support necessary to continue claims on their overseas colonies.
Beginning in the 1950s, African colonies began achieving independence-in 1960 alone, 17 newly independent countries emerged-and more followed, with most independent by the end of 1980. Later some countries-Eritrea (1993), Namibia (1990), and South Sudan (2011)-achieved independence from other African countries.
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The following table lists the dates of each country’s formation or independence, as well as from whom they achieved independence.
| Country | Date of Formation or Independence | Previous Administrator |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | July 5, 1962 | France |
| Angola | November 11, 1975 | Portugal |
| Benin | August 1, 1960 | France |
| Botswana | September 30, 1966 | Great Britain |
| Burkina Faso | August 5, 1960 | France |
| Burundi | July 1, 1962 | Belgium |
| Cameroon | January 1, 1960 | France |
| Cabo Verde | July 5, 1975 | Portugal |
| Central Africa Republic | August 13, 1960 | France |
| Chad | August 11, 1960 | France |
| Comoros | July 6, 1975 | France |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | June 30, 1960 | Belgium |
| Congo, Republic of the | August 15, 1960 | France |
| Côte d’Ivoire | August 7, 1960 | France |
| Djibouti | June 27, 1977 | France |
| Egypt | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | October 12, 1968 | Spain |
| Eritrea | May 24, 1993 | Ethiopia |
| Eswatini | September 6, 1968 | Great Britain |
| Ethiopia | ||
| Gabon | August 17, 1960 | France |
| Gambia, The | February 18, 1965 | Great Britain |
| Ghana | March 6, 1957 | Great Britain |
| Guinea | October 2, 1958 | France |
| Guinea-Bissau | September 10, 1974 | Portugal |
| Kenya | December 12, 1963 | Great Britain |
| Lesotho | October 4, 1966 | Great Britain |
| Liberia | July 26, 1847 | |
| Libya | December 24, 1951 | |
| Madagascar | June 26, 1960 | France |
| Malawi | July 6, 1964 | Great Britain |
| Mali | September 22, 1960 | France |
| Mauritania | November 28, 1960 | France |
| Mauritius | March 12, 1968 | Great Britain |
| Morocco | March 2, 1956 | France |
| Mozambique | June 25, 1975 | Portugal |
| Namibia | March 21, 1990 | South Africa |
| Niger | August 3, 1960 | France |
| Nigeria | October 1, 1960 | Great Britain |
| Rwanda | July 1, 1962 | Belgium |
| Sao Tome and Principe | July 12, 1975 | Portugal |
| Senegal | April 4, 1960 | France |
| Seychelles | June 29, 1976 | Great Britain |
| Sierra Leone | April 27, 1961 | Great Britain |
| Somalia | July 1, 1960 | Great Britain and Italy |
| South Africa | May 31, 1910 | Great Britain |
| South Sudan | July 9, 2011 | Sudan |
| Sudan | January 1, 1956 | Egypt and Great Britain |
| Tanzania | December 9, 1961 | Great Britain |
| Togo | April 27, 1960 | France |
| Tunisia | March 20, 1956 | France |
| Uganda | October 9, 1962 | Great Britain |
| Zambia | October 24, 1964 | Great Britain |
| Zimbabwe | April 18, 1980 | Great Britain |
African Country Population Estimates
Africa is the second most populous continent in the world-surpassed only by Asia-though the populations of the countries found there can vary greatly.
Listed below are the countries of Africa by the latest population estimates.
| # | Country | Population (2025 est.) | Subregion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 237,527,782 | Western Africa |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 135,472,051 | Eastern Africa |
| 3 | Egypt | 118,365,995 | Northern Africa |
| 4 | DR Congo | 112,832,473 | Middle Africa |
| 5 | Tanzania | 70,545,865 | Eastern Africa |
| 6 | South Africa | 64,747,319 | Southern Africa |
| 7 | Kenya | 57,532,493 | Eastern Africa |
| 8 | Sudan | 51,662,147 | Northern Africa |
| 9 | Uganda | 51,384,894 | Eastern Africa |
| 10 | Algeria | 47,435,312 | Northern Africa |
| 11 | Angola | 39,040,039 | Middle Africa |
| 12 | Morocco | 38,430,770 | Northern Africa |
| 13 | Mozambique | 35,631,653 | Eastern Africa |
| 14 | Ghana | 35,064,272 | Western Africa |
| 15 | Madagascar | 32,740,678 | Eastern Africa |
| 16 | Côte d'Ivoire | 32,711,547 | Western Africa |
| 17 | Cameroon | 29,879,337 | Middle Africa |
| 18 | Niger | 27,917,831 | Western Africa |
| 19 | Mali | 25,198,821 | Western Africa |
| 20 | Burkina Faso | 24,074,580 | Western Africa |
| 21 | Malawi | 22,216,120 | Eastern Africa |
| 22 | Zambia | 21,913,874 | Eastern Africa |
| 23 | Chad | 21,003,705 | Middle Africa |
| 24 | Somalia | 19,654,739 | Eastern Africa |
| 25 | Senegal | 18,931,966 | Western Africa |
| 26 | Zimbabwe | 16,950,795 | Eastern Africa |
| 27 | Guinea | 15,099,727 | Western Africa |
| 28 | Benin | 14,814,460 | Western Africa |
| 29 | Rwanda | 14,569,341 | Eastern Africa |
| 30 | Burundi | 14,390,003 | Eastern Africa |
| 31 | Tunisia | 12,348,573 | Northern Africa |
| 32 | South Sudan | 12,188,788 | Eastern Africa |
| 33 | Togo | 9,721,608 | Western Africa |
| 34 | Sierra Leone | 8,819,794 | Western Africa |
| 35 | Libya | 7,458,555 | Northern Africa |
| 36 | Congo | 6,484,437 | Middle Africa |
| 37 | Liberia | 5,731,206 | Western Africa |
| 38 | Central African Republic | 5,513,282 | Middle Africa |
| 39 | Mauritania | 5,315,065 | Western Africa |
| 40 | Eritrea | 3,607,003 | Eastern Africa |
| 41 | Namibia | 3,092,816 | Southern Africa |
| 42 | Gambia | 2,822,093 | Western Africa |
| 43 | Gabon | 2,593,130 | Middle Africa |
| 44 | Botswana | 2,562,122 | Southern Africa |
| 45 | Lesotho | 2,363,325 | Southern Africa |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 2,249,515 | Western Africa |
| 47 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,938,431 | Middle Africa |
| 48 | Mauritius | 1,268,280 | Eastern Africa |
| 49 | Eswatini | 1,256,174 | Southern Africa |
| 50 | Djibouti | 1,184,076 | Eastern Africa |
| 51 | Comoros | 882,847 | Eastern Africa |
| 52 | Cabo Verde | 527,326 | Western Africa |
| 53 | Sao Tome & Principe | 240,254 | Middle Africa |
| 54 | Seychelles | 132,779 | Eastern Africa |
Out of Africa Wildlife Park
Out of Africa Wildlife Park provides an incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of animals, including tigers, lions, and giraffes. The park emphasizes the well-being of its animals and offers educational experiences that highlight conservation efforts.
Visitors can enjoy various activities such as:
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- Tiger Splash Show: A thrilling display of tigers swimming and interacting with their environment.
- Predator Feed: Witnessing powerful animals in action.
- Safari Bus Ride: Getting up close with many animals and learning about their lives and conservation.
- Rhino Run : Lace up your shoes and hit the pavement for a 5K fun run like no other by joining us at Out of Africa for our inaugural Rhino Run! On September 20, 2025, we will host this special event in the park to celebrate International Rhino Day.
The park also hosts special events like the Rhino Run, which supports vital conservation efforts aimed at combating poaching, improving care for injured rhinos, and addressing forest loss and habitat conversion.
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