FACTS AND FIGURES

Text Box: Health Malaria 90% most of the people who have malaria live in the sub-Saharan Africa 3,000 children under the age of five die each day from malaria in Africa 1-5% of GDP in Africa covers costs of malaria control and lost labour days Did you know, that Africa would have been an estimated US $100 billion better off in 1999 if malaria had been eliminated years ago? Aids 17 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have died of AIDS At least 25 million people in Africa are HIV-positive. 12 million children who have lost their parents to AIDS face a precarious future. Hospitals The world's biggest hospital is in Soweto.   Text Box: Culture Ancient Egyptians The ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. Beer Apart from Muslim nations, Ghana has the lowest per capita consumption of beer in Africa, yet its brewery industry is one of the most competitive Weddings Did you know that in Africa it is almost impossible to hold a small wedding? The idea of a private wedding is unknown and is greatly frowned upon. Friends and relatives expect to be invited to a wedding and to play a role in the ceremony. Languages More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa Somalia is the only country in the world where all the citizens speak one language, Somali. The Berbers of North Africa have no written form of their language.    

Text Box: Language Kiswahili The word "Crossword" in Kiswahili is "chemshebongo" which, when translated, means "boil brains". In East & Central Africa the British Army was still remembered. One regiment was known in Kiswahili as "Magi Bareedi Askari", translated this is "Water Cold Soldiers" or in other words the "Cold Stream Guards". Misc Diamonds The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless colour and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels. Windmills Did you know there are about 280 000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia? Most Populated Country With a population of more than 113 million, Nigeria is easily the most populated country in Africa and the 10th most populous country in the world  

 

Text Box: Africa, second-largest of the Earth's seven continents - covering about 30,330,000 sq km (11,699,000 sq mi), which makes up about 22 per cent of the world's total land area. Largest Country Sudan, Republic of, republic in north-eastern Africa, the largest country of the African continent. Sudan has a total area of 2,505,800 sq km (967,490 sq mi). Smallest Country The smallest African country is The Seychelles covering an area of 453 sq km but Gambia is the smallest of the mainland African states, covering an area of 11,300 sq km (4,363 sq mi). Largest City Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is the largest city in Africa with an estimated 9.2 million population Highest Point highest point on the continent is the perpetually snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Point - (5, 5.963 m/19,340 ft) in Tanzania.  m (4,710 ft), making it the second deepest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Baikal. Longest River The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 miles), is the longest river in Africa and in the world. It is formed from the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria.  

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