Africa is the second-largest continent, in both land area and population.

1. Africa is the second-largest continent, in both land area and population.  • It is also the warmest continent, with a broad swath of Africa in the tropics. • Only at the higher elevations, found on Mt. Kilimanjaro and other mountain slopes, can parts of Africa be considered cold.  • The Sahara Desert separates the northern part of Africa, which is generally dry, from the southern part, which has wide savannahs, rainforests and other land forms.  • The Mediterranean lies between Europe and Africa, which touches the Middle East on its far eastern side. •   While the Sahara has been a barrier to commerce, the Mediterranean has historically provided routes to facilitate trade with Europe and the Middle East.  • The Nile River in Egypt brought water and fertile soil to an area which was otherwise desert, allowing an early civilization to grow up along the river.  • The Congo River and the Niger River are other major waterways, both south of the Sahara Desert. •  Scientist believe that Africa is the original home of the human species.  • From Africa, humans spread through the Middle East into Europe and Asia in successive waves of migration

4. Rivers and Waterways Savannas Rain Forests