Africa
Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth’s total surface area and 20% of its land area. With 1.4 billion people as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world’s human population. Africa’s population is the youngest amongst all the continents; the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4. Despite a wide range of natural resources, Africa is the least wealthy continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, behind Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to different factors including geography, climate, tribalism, colonialism, the Cold War, neocolonialism, lack of democracy, and corruption. Despite this low concentration of wealth, recent economic expansion and the large and young population make Africa an important economic market in the broader global context.
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Obuasi
Obuasi is a town situated in southern Ghana, nestled in a hilly region approximately 100 miles (160 km) away from Accra. The town’s development was spurred by the discovery of a substantial gold deposit in 1897 and the construction of a railway from Sekondi in 1902. The Asante gold mine in Obuasi maintained its position as the country’s primary gold producer, outlasting others that were depleted. Renowned for its high…
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Parakou
Parakou is a town situated in central Benin, Western Africa. It serves as the endpoint for the Benin-Niger Railway, initially designed to reach the Niger River. The railway travels northward from Cotonou, which is Benin’s primary port and commercial hub on the Gulf of Guinea, to Parakou. From Parakou, goods need to be transported by road to reach the navigable Niger River, providing access to the landlocked country of Niger.…
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Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire is a town located in the Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville) and serves as the main port of the country. It is situated at the end of the Congo-Ocean Railway on the Atlantic coast, approximately 95 miles (150 km) north of the Congo River and 245 miles (394 km) west of Brazzaville, which is the national capital. From 1950 to 1958, Pointe-Noire held the position of capital of the…
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Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt is a vibrant and bustling city in southern Nigeria, situated along the Bonny River in the heart of the Niger Delta. It’s the capital and most populous city of Rivers State, boasting a population of over 3 million people. Port Harcourt wears many hats. It’s: A major economic hub: Renowned for its oil refining industry, Port Harcourt houses two major refineries that process a significant portion of Nigeria’s crude oil. Beyond…
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Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo, the capital city of Benin, is situated along the Gulf of Guinea in the western region of Africa. Found at the utmost southeastern tip of the country, it is positioned on a coastal lagoon and is believed to have been established in the late 16th century. Originally named Ajase, the city served as the capital of the Yoruba state of Popo. Subsequently, it transformed into the focal point of…
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Pretoria
Pretoria is one of South Africa’s three capital cities, serving as the administrative capital. The other two capitals are Cape Town (legislative capital) and Bloemfontein (judicial capital). Pretoria is located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, approximately 55 kilometres north of Johannesburg, the country’s largest city. The city is home to the executive branch of the South African government, including the official residence of the President (the Union Buildings)…
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African Countries
Republic of the Congo
The country known as the Republic of the Congo is situated in west-central Africa, right along the Equator. It is often referred to as Congo (Brazzaville) to distinguish it from its neighbouring country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is commonly known as the DRC or Congo (Kinshasa). The population of Congo is relatively small, with most people residing in urban areas. The capital city, Brazzaville, is the most…
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Santchou
Santchou is a commune and town in the Menoua division of the Western Region of Cameroon. It is located on the Noun River, about 50 kilometers northwest of the city of Dschang. Santchou is home predominantly to the Mbo people; this is reflected in the name. It is located on a plain and it is part of the region known as the Plain des Mbo. It is bordered to the…
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Sarh
Sarh is the second-largest city in Chad and serves as the capital of the Moyen-Chari region. It is located in the southern part of the country, near the Chari River. Formerly referred to as the French colonial Fort Archambault, it was founded by the colonial French Equatorial Africa, for returnees from the labour camps associated with the construction of the Congo-Ocean Railway. The French in Sarh constructed a significantly large textile complex in 1967. Geography Sarh,…
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Sekondi-Takoradi
Sekondi-Takoradi, a coastal city situated on the Gulf of Guinea in southern Ghana, is positioned along an embayment of the Atlantic Ocean. During the 17th century, both the Dutch and the British constructed forts in Sekondi, only to see them destroyed by the Ahanta. Fort Orange, originally built by the Dutch, was later reconstructed and acquired by the British in 1872; it now stands as a functioning lighthouse. The city…