Central Africa forms the basin of Africa’s second-longest river, the Congo. East Africa, by contrast, is a high plateau. Above this rise Africa’s two highest peaks: Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Kenya in Kenya. Southern Africa also consists of a plateau, marked with some saucer-like depressions, such as the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana. Here, the Okavango River flows into an inland depression. The coastal plains are narrow, except in Mozambique and Somalia. Africa as a continent has enjoyed a boom in tourism in the last two decades. Now approximately all the leading air lines are offering cheap flights to Nairobi as well as other cities.
The region also includes Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island and the small island nations of the Comoros, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.
Central Africa has a hot and mostly rainy climate. Rainforests cover much of the northern part of the Congo basin, with savanna in the south. Savanna covers most of East Africa, where temperatures are lower. Much of Southern Africa is also covered by savanna, but some areas are dry. The Namib Desert in the southwest is one of the world’s driest places, while the Kalahari in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa is semi-desert. The southern parts of South Africa have a temperate climate. The area around Cape Town in the southwest has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.
The Congo basin contains many rainforest animals. Some, such as the mountain gorilla of eastern Congo and Rwanda, are rare because of hunting. Other endangered animals include monkeys and the okapi, a relative of the giraffe.
In Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa there are 24 independent countries and one French island territory named Reunion. The countries are all republics, except for Lesotho and Swaziland in the south, which have kings as their head of state. The boundaries between the countries were drawn in colonial times, when the region was ruled by European powers. Some boundaries divide people belonging to the same ethnic group. Somali people, for example, live not only in Somalia, but also in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and northern Kenya. This has created problems along Somalia’s borders.
Agriculture employs about two-thirds of the people in this part of Africa. However, many farmers produce barely enough to support their families. Different crops are grown depending on the climate. Corn is a major food crop, while coffee, tobacco, tea and various fruits are important exports.
Natural resources include oil in Gabon and Congo; copper in Zambia; diamonds in Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, and Namibia; gold in South Africa; and uranium in Namibia and South Africa. However, apart from South Africa, the region lacks large-scale manufacturing centers. South Africa is the most developed country in this part of Africa, but many of its black Africans are poor.
In recent years, several kinds of African popular music have developed. Dance is another popular pastime. Soccer is the leading sport, but cricket and rugby football are also widely played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and other countries.
Africa is one of the most visited continents by tourists from all over the world. It is indeed one of the favorite destinations for the tourists due to its vast variety of natural splendors and thriving locations. Most tourists book their cheap flights to Africa by booking them in advance. If you’re planning to visit Africa and want to know more; consult a travel agent and make sure that you book your Africa flights in advance.
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