The most interesting and unusual in Africa. Interesting facts about Africa (15 photos)

Today we will list the most interesting facts about amazing Africa, with its amazing nature, historical sites and fantastic facts about animals.

1. Africa is the second largest continent, with an area of about 22% of the world's territory.

2. There are 54 independent states in Africa, including the disputed territories of Western Sahara and adjacent island states.

3. Currently, about a billion people live in Africa. And over the past forty years, there has been a real population explosion, so the average age of the population on the continent remains relatively low. In many African countries, half of the population is under 25 years of age.

4. Africa occupies the most Central place among the world coordinate system. Which crosses the meridian of 0 degrees of longitude and the equator of 0 degrees of latitude.

5. Interesting Facts about Africa: about 16% of the world's population lives there. A quarter of the world's languages are spoken only in Africa. And they have specific entertainment:

6. Arabic, in the face of various dialects, is the most common in Africa. About 170 million monolingual people live mainly in its northern part of Africa. In addition to Arabic, another 2,000 languages are spoken on the continent.

7. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of up to 145 million people. Further, the second largest country, which is the most densely populated, is Egypt, where about 76 million people live.

8. The most populous city in Africa is Cairo, it is the capital of Egypt. Where about 17 million people live.

9. The largest country in Africa is Sudan. Its total area is about 2.5 million square meters. km. And the smallest country located in Africa is located in the Seychelles. Where total area is 453 sq. km.

10. An interesting fact about Africa is that demographic experts have determined that there are at least 3,000 large ethnic groups in Africa. There are over 370 tribes in Nigeria.

11. One of the longest rivers in the world flows in Africa, the length of which is 6650 km.

12. African large freshwater lake Victoria, which ranks second in the world. Which spread over a vast territory - 69,490 sq. kilometers.

13. The Sahara Desert in Africa is the largest desert in the world, with an area larger than the entire Continental United States.

14. Egypt is the most attractive tourist country in Africa, mainly because the pyramids are located there. But few people know that Sudan has 223 of its own pyramids, their number is twice as high as in Egypt. But they are smaller than their Egyptian “rivals” and therefore not as popular.

15. Interesting fact. Of the five, four of the fastest-footed animals live in Africa: Antelope, cheetah and lion. They run at an average speed of 80 km / h, and the cheetah, in turn, can reach speeds of up to 112 km / h.

16. Africa is also home to the largest animals. For example, an African elephant weighs between 7 and 8 tons.

17. But despite such rich natural resources, Africa is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world. On average, a poor African, except for the Arab part, receives and lives on 70 cents a day.

18. More than 25 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. A lot of people have already died of AIDS.

19. Experts estimate that about 90% of the cases of malaria in the world occur in Africa. Every year about 3,000 children die from malaria.

20. Interesting facts about Africa: According to many scientists, man and ape originated in the central part of East Africa. The oldest remains of "Homo sapiens" were discovered in Ethiopia, their approximate age is estimated to be up to 200,000 years.

21. According to the English scientist Charles Darwin, who was the first to say that human ancestors came from Africa. However, many people in the West did not believe in this hypothesis until well into the 20th century.

22. And in 1974 in Ethiopia, near the village of Khadr, the skeleton of “Lucy” was found, who lived about 3.2 million years ago. This is a humanoid creature, which is considered as the common ancestor of mankind. In 1979, the oldest human footprints were discovered in the Kibish region of Tanzania. Both of these discoveries provide irrefutable evidence that the descendants of mankind first originated in Northeast Africa.

23. Prior to the formation of the Egyptian civilization, Africa was predominantly a tribal population that was engaged in hunting and gathering, and they were not prone to state division. Scientists also believe that the very first experience of domesticating animals belonged to people who lived in Africa in 6000 BC, this happened long before plants were domesticated.

24. ancient civilization, was the state of the pharaohs, which originated in ancient Egypt, Africa. This civilization started around 3300 BC. and ended in 343 BC. e.

25. Europeans first appeared in its northern part of Africa, around 332 BC. The first to enter this land was Alexander the Great, he came to Egypt and founded Alexandria. Some time later, the Roman Empire included the northern coast of Africa in its composition.

26. There are various hypotheses as to how the word Africa came about. Most scientists are inclined to believe that the first part of the word "Africa" comes from the name of a tribe living in North Africa near Carthage in the 3rd century BC. “One” is the Latin suffix “country”, “land”.

27. In the first century AD, Africa is divided into three parts: Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia.

28. Africa is also rich in precious stones such as: diamond, tanzanite, ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst and many others.

The many-sided Africa, on the vast territory of which in 61 countries, in the secluded corners of this continent, more than 5 million people of almost completely wild African tribes still live.

The members of these tribes do not recognize the achievements of the civilized world and are content with the benefits that they inherited from their ancestors.

Squalid huts, modest food and a minimum of clothes suit them, and they are not going to change this way.

Their customs

There are about 3 thousand different wild tribes in Africa, but it is difficult to name their exact number, since most often they are either densely mixed with each other, or vice versa, separated. The population of some tribes is only a few thousand or even hundreds of people, and often only 1-2 villages are inhabited. Because of this, there are dialects and dialects on the territory of the African continent, which can sometimes be understood only by representatives of only a particular tribe. And the variety of rituals, dances, customs and sacrifices is enormous. In addition, the appearance of the people of some tribes is simply amazing.

However, since they all live on the same continent, all African tribes still have something in common. Some elements of culture are characteristic of all nationalities living in this territory. One of the main defining features of the tribes of Africa is the orientation to the past, that is, the erection of the culture and life of their ancestors into a cult.

The majority of African peoples reject everything new and modern, withdrawing into themselves. Most of all, they are attached to constancy and immutability, including in everything related to everyday life, traditions and customs, leading their existence from great-grandfathers.

It is hard to imagine, but among them there are practically no those who would not be engaged in subsistence farming or cattle breeding. Hunting, fishing or gathering are completely normal activities for them. Just like many centuries ago, African tribes are at war with each other, marriages are most often concluded within one tribe, intertribal marriages among them are very rare. Of course, more than one generation leads such a life, each new child from birth will have to live the same fate.

Tribes differ from each other in their own unique system of life, customs and rituals, beliefs and prohibitions. Most of the tribes invent their own fashions, often stunningly flamboyant, often astonishing in their originality.

Of the most famous and numerous today, tribes can be considered: Masai, Bantu, Zulu, Samburu and Bushmen.

Masai

One of the most famous African tribes. They live in Kenya and Tanzania. The number of representatives reaches 100 thousand people. Most often they can be found on the side of the mountain, which figures prominently in the mythology of the Maasai. Perhaps the size of this mountain influenced the worldview of the members of the tribe - they consider themselves the favorites of the gods, the highest people and sincerely believe that there are no more beautiful people in Africa than they are.

This self-image gave rise to a contemptuous, often even derogatory attitude towards other tribes, which caused frequent wars between the tribes. In addition, it is customary for the Maasai to steal animals from other tribes, which also does not improve their reputation.

The dwelling of the Maasai is built from branches smeared with manure. This is done mainly by women, who also, if necessary, take on the duties of pack animals. The main share of nutrition is milk or blood of animals, less often - meat. A distinctive sign of beauty in this tribe are elongated earlobes. At present, the tribe is almost completely exterminated or dispersed, only in the remote corners of the country, in Tanzania, there are still separate Masai nomad camps.

Bantu

The Bantu tribe lives in Central, South and East Africa. In truth, the Bantu is not even a tribe, but a whole nation, which includes many peoples, for example, Rwanda, Shono, Konga and others. They all have similar languages and customs, which is why they were united into one big tribe. Most Bantu speakers speak two or more languages, the most commonly spoken of which is Swahili. The number of members of the Bantu people reaches 200 million. According to research scientists, it was the Bantu, along with the Bushmen and Hottentots, who became the progenitors of the South African colored race.

Bantu have a peculiar appearance. They have very dark skin and an amazing hair structure - each hair is curled in a spiral. Broad noses and wings, a low nose bridge, and tall stature—often over 180 cm—are also hallmarks of Bantu people. Unlike the Maasai, the Bantu do not shy away from civilization and willingly invite tourists to study tours of their villages.

Like any African tribe, a major part of Bantu life is occupied by religion, namely, traditional African animistic beliefs, as well as Islam and Christianity. The Bantu dwelling resembles a Maasai house - the same round shape, with a frame of branches covered with clay. True, in some areas Bantu houses are rectangular, painted, with gable, single-pitched or flat roofs. The members of the tribe are mainly engaged in agriculture. A distinctive feature of the Bantu can be called an enlarged lower lip into which small discs are inserted.

Zulu

The Zulu people, once the largest ethnic group, now number only 10 million people. The Zulus use their own language - Zulu, which comes from the Bantu family and is the most common in South Africa. In addition, English, Portuguese, Sesotho and other African languages are in circulation among the members of the people.

The Zulu tribe suffered a difficult period during the apartheid era in South Africa, when, being the most numerous people, it was defined as a second-class population.

As for the beliefs of the tribe, most of the Zulus remained true to national beliefs, but there are also Christians among them. The Zulu religion is based on belief in a creator god, superior and separate from the daily routine. Representatives of the tribe believe that you can contact the spirits through the soothsayers. All negative manifestations in the world, including illness or death, are considered as the machinations of evil spirits or the result of evil witchcraft. Cleanliness is central to the Zulu religion, frequent ablutions in the custom of the representatives of the people.

Samburu

The Samburu tribe lives in the northern regions of Kenya, on the border of the foothills and the northern desert. About five hundred years ago, the Samburu people settled in this territory and quickly populated the plain. This tribe is distinguished by independence and is much more confident in its elitism than the Masai. The life of the tribe depends on livestock, but, unlike the Maasai, the Samburu raise livestock themselves and roam with them from place to place. Customs and ceremonies occupy a significant place in the life of the tribe and are distinguished by the splendor of colors and forms.

Samburu huts are made of clay and skins, outside the dwelling is surrounded by a thorny fence to protect it from wild animals. Representatives of the tribe carry their houses with them, assembling anew at each parking lot.

It is customary for samburu to divide labor between men and women, this also applies to children. Women's duties include gathering, milking cows and fetching water, as well as arranging firewood, cooking and looking after children. Of course, the general order and stability is in charge of the female half of the tribe. Samburu men are responsible for herding livestock, which is their main livelihood.

The most important detail of the life of the people is childbearing, sterile women are subjected to severe persecution and abuse. Normally, the tribe worships the spirits of ancestors, as well as witchcraft. The Samburu believe in charms, spells, and rituals for fertility and protection.

Bushmen

The most famous, for a long time, European African tribe is the Bushmen. The name of the tribe consists of the English "bush" - "bush" and "man" - "man", but it is dangerous to call representatives of the tribe this way - it is considered offensive. It is more correct to call them "san", which in the language of the Hottentots means "foreign". Externally, the Bushmen are somewhat different from other African tribes, they have lighter skin and thinner lips. In addition, they are the only ones who eat ant larvae. Their dishes are considered a feature of the national cuisine of this people. The Bushmen's way of life also differs from that generally accepted among savage tribes. Instead of chieftains and sorcerers, the elders choose elders from among the most experienced and respected members of the tribe. Elders lead the life of the people, without using any advantages at the expense of others. It should be noted that the Bushmen also believe in an afterlife, like other African tribes, but they do not have the ancestor cult adopted by other tribes.

Among other things, the San have a rare talent for storytelling, song, and dance. Musical instrument they can make practically them all. For example, there are bows stretched with animal hair or bracelets made from dried insect cocoons with pebbles inside, which are used to beat the rhythm during the dance. Almost everyone who has the opportunity to observe the musical experiments of the Bushmen tries to record them in order to pass them on to future generations. This is all the more relevant because the current century dictates its own rules and many Bushmen have to deviate from centuries-old traditions and go as workers on farms in order to provide for their family and tribe.

This is a very small number of tribes living in Africa. There are so many of them that it would take several volumes to describe them all, but each of them boasts a unique value system and way of life, not to mention rituals, customs and costumes.

Mursi tribe - 7,000 African demons

The average number of the Mursi tribe is 7 thousand people. However, one can only guess how these people are still alive, because the whole life of this tribe is aimed at destroying their own body.

According to their religious teachings, the human body is a shackle in which the souls of the Demons of Death languish.

Men and women of the Mursi tribe are short. They are broad-boned, have short, crooked legs, and flattened noses. They have flabby bodies and short necks. In general, they look sickly and repulsive.

Members of the Mursi tribe decorate their bodies with tattoos, however, they do it in a very barbaric way. They make incisions on the body and place insect larvae there, then wait until the insect dies, after which a scar forms at the incision site.

The entire Mursi tribe exudes a specific “aroma”. They rub their body with a special compound that can repel insects.

Mursi women

There is practically no hair on their heads. The women of the tribe decorate their hair with tree branches, marsh clams and dead insects. In general, the smell of such an intricate headdress is felt from afar.

Even at a young age, the girls of the tribe cut through the lower lip, and then they begin to insert round pieces of wood into the hole, increasing their diameter every year. Over the years, the hole in the lip becomes simply huge, and on the day of the wedding, an earthen plate is inserted into it, which is called "debi".

The girls of the tribe still have a choice whether to cut their lips or not, but for a bride without a “debi” they will give a very small ransom.

It is believed that this custom appeared at a time when Ethiopians were massively taken into slavery, so some inhabitants of the African continent often deliberately mutilated themselves. However, the members of the tribe themselves have repeatedly rejected this version.

Mursi women wear unusual jewelry around their necks. They are made from the bones of the phalanges of human fingers. Every day, ladies rub their jewelry with warm human fat so that they shine and please the eye.

Mursi men

Men of the tribe are often in a state of drug or alcohol intoxication. The tribe has many firearms. Kalashnikov assault rifles are delivered to the tribe from Somalia.

Those men who did not manage to get a machine gun carry with them war clubs, with which they are very professional at handling. Often the men of the tribe engage in battles among themselves. They fight for leadership. Sometimes such fights can end with the death of one of the tribesmen. In this case, the winner must give his wife to the family of the defeated opponent as compensation.

Mursi men adorn themselves with fang earrings, as well as special scars that are applied to the body on the occasion of killing one of the enemies. If they killed a man, then on the right hand they carve a special symbol in the form of a horseshoe, if a woman - on the left. Sometimes there is simply no room left on the hands, then the resourceful Mursi move to other parts of the body.

The men of the tribe do not wear clothes. Their bodies are completely covered with a white pattern, which symbolizes the fetters of flesh that imprisoned the Demons of Death.

Death Priestesses

All women of the Mursi tribe are Death Priestesses. In the evenings they prepare special hallucinogenic powders based on peanuts. The woman puts the resulting powder on the debi and brings it closer to her husband's lips, then they simultaneously lick it off. This ritual is called the "kiss of death".

Then comes the dream of death. A woman throws a hallucinogenic herb into the hearth, and a man sits on special mezzanines located under the ceiling of the hut. The intoxicating smoke envelops the native, and he plunges into the realm of bizarre dreams.

The next stage is the “bite of death”. The woman rises to her husband and blows into his mouth a special powder prepared from a mixture of ten poisonous herbs.

Now comes the final part of the "gift of death" rite. The High Priestess goes around all the huts and distributes antidotes, however, she does not save everyone, someone from Mursi will surely die that night. The High Priestess draws a special symbol on the widow's debi - a white cross. The widow enjoys special respect in the tribe, it turns out that she has fully fulfilled her duty. She is buried with special honors: the body is placed in a stump of a trunk and hung on a tree.

If an ordinary representative dies in the Mursi tribe, then their meat is boiled and eaten, and the bones are laid out in their tracks.

Until now, Africa, which has not been thoroughly studied, according to most researchers, is the birthplace of mankind. Nowadays, however, this most beautiful place with unique nature is suffering from poverty and civil wars that are tearing African states apart. Only the most courageous travelers make it here, but the reward is well worth it. What is in Africa cannot be seen with your own eyes anywhere else.

Facts about Africa

About a billion people live here, but this is only a rough estimate, since it is not possible to accurately calculate the African population.
The area of Africa is almost twice the area of Russia. It accounts for about 6% of the entire Earth, or just over 20% of the earth's land.
The study of the African continent and everything connected with it is a special science of African studies.
The Gulf of Guinea, in West Africa, now has the most pirates. Previously, there were especially many of them on the east coast, near the coast of Somalia ().
A variety of religions are common in Africa, but Islam and Christianity predominate. Many people still adhere to various traditional cults.
Most African countries are inhabited by representatives of dozens of different nationalities at the same time, and they all use their own languages. The official languages, often thought to be French and English, are actually rarely spoken.
There are 60 states in Africa, including 5 unrecognized or only partially recognized.
The most famous ruler in Africa was the famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Now only the pyramids and the Sphinx () remind of the Egyptian heritage.
Africa is the only continent that extends from the northern to the southern subtropics.
In the south of the mainland, in South Africa, it is quite cold in winter, although snow still does not fall anywhere except in mountain systems.
Our distant primitive ancestors, the Cro-Magnons, came precisely from Africa. Having met with the Neanderthals who appeared in Europe, they partially exterminated them, and partially assimilated them.
After the departure of the European colonialists from Africa, a government discriminating against the white population reigned in a number of local countries.
A fair part of Africa, about 30%, is occupied by the largest of the hot deserts, the Sahara. Every year it grows, moving 5-10 km to the south, and the sandstorms that arise in it fall even on distant countries like Cape Verde ().
Once Zimbabwe was the richest and most developed African colony, but after gaining independence, this country quickly became one of the poorest. Record inflation in Zimbabwe, measured in hundreds of millions of percent a year, has gone down in history forever.
Of all the African countries, only Ethiopia and Liberia were never colonized by Europeans, retaining their independence.
By the way, the ancestors of the famous Pushkin were originally from Ethiopia, so in this country he is also considered “their” poet, and they are very proud of him.
Africa includes not only mainland states, but also island states, for example, Madagascar, Mauritius and Cape Verde.
The Nile River flows through Africa, the largest on the mainland and the second longest in the world. In this parameter, the Nile is second only to the Amazon ().
By the time the Europeans arrived in Africa, there were about 10 thousand small state entities.
The most popular languages on the African continent are Arabic and Swahili. English, French and Afrikaans are also spoken.

Since many tribes in Africa prefer their own languages, there are about 2000 of them here.
In the remote regions of Africa, to this day, primitive tribes live, who have no contact with civilization. They lead the same way of life as their ancestors thousands of years ago.
According to various estimates, from a quarter to a third of the population of Africa is not literate.
African countries account for less than 2.5% of the total world GDP.
Of all the world's continents, Africa remains the poorest and least developed.
In terms of the number of victims (more than 5.4 million according to official statistics), the Second Congo War in the Congo is second only to World War II.
Armed conflicts have not stopped in many African countries for decades.
The African Congo River is the deepest in the world. In some places, its depth reaches 230 meters, and in terms of fullness it is second only to the Amazon ().
The shortest people in the world, the pygmies, live in Africa. The average height of the pygmies is about 135 cm.
The East African Rift Valley is the largest fault in the earth's crust.
It was in Africa, on the territory of Libya, that the highest temperature on the planet in the entire history of observations was recorded - more than 58 degrees.
With a length of 1760 km, the Mozambique Channel off the African coast is the longest in the world.
In the African country of Togo, according to local traditions, a man who has made a personal compliment to an unmarried woman should take her as his wife.
Africa has the lowest average duration of countries in the world. This is caused by poverty, lack of water, lack of medicine and famine in a number of countries.
One of the main African natural attractions is the Victoria Falls. It is the only one in the world that has a width of more than 1 km with a water fall height of more than 100 meters ().
There are approximately 1 million ethnic Chinese in Africa.
9 out of 10 malaria cases in the world occur in Africa.
More than half of the African population is under the age of 25.
The Republic of South Africa once hosted the world's first successful human heart transplant.
About 30% of all the mineral wealth of our planet is hidden in the bowels of Africa.
Deserts and semi-deserts occupy almost 2/3 of all of Africa.
The largest African country is Algeria and the smallest is the Seychelles. Algeria is approximately 5500 times larger in area than the Seychelles ().
Egypt is the most visited country in Africa by foreigners. More than 10 million tourists visit it every year.
African Lake Victoria is not only the largest in Africa, but also the second largest freshwater lake in the world.
At the beginning of the 21st century, all African countries, except Morocco, joined the African Union. In 2017, Morocco did join it.

The article tells about the life of various indigenous peoples of Africa. Contains information about their customs and traditions. Gives an understanding that Aboriginal people live not only in Australia.

Tribes of Africa

The indigenous peoples of Africa are as diverse as the lands over which they have roamed for many millennia. Despite the fact that the culture on the "Black Continent" is actively progressing, the wild tribes still have a huge influence. Today there is a tendency to blur the lines and contradictions between different African peoples. However, the belonging of any African to any of the tribes is regarded as a sign of great honor and pride. Indigenous people sacredly honor the traditions and customs of their ancestors.

Only in Kenya and Tanzania there are up to 160 different tribes. Many of them converted to Christianity. But faith in ancestors and spirits has not lost its relevance. People remain faithful to traditions, but they bring in borrowings from other religious traditions.

The most famous and numerous tribes can be considered:

Masai;
Bantu;
Zulus;
samburu;
Bushmen.

Rice. 1. Masai.

African wild tribes

Africa is a unique place in the vast territories of which, to this day, more than 5 million people live. It is this number of the population that refers to the representatives of wild African tribes.

What have we learned?

We learned about the most common and numerous tribes that live on the territory of the black continent. We found out that modern civilization is inevitably advancing and interfering more and more often, making changes in the habitual way of life of numerous indigenous African peoples.

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