North Africa Facts a Lot of People Don’t Know

December 30th, 2008

To further appreciate travel, one must know the background of the place. It’s history, significant people, why certain monuments are so important, and so forth. It also helps the ease of travel because you are not left with surprises that might get you deep into trouble. Some customs that are alright in your place might be considered offensive in another.

If you are planning to travel around North Africa, there are a few things you have to know about the region. It is a beautiful place that is rich in culture, and has a lot of sight that you will remember for the rest of your life. Here are a few North Africa facts that you should know.

North Africa facts: Egypt

One of the oldest civilizations in the world is Egypt. There are countless wonders found in this vast country. Pyramids are one of the greatest man made structures in the world. It made the Egyptians ahead of their time when they were built. It truly is a wonder because of the exact measurements that the Pyramids had, considering the limited technology they had during that time. They were built mostly from man power with the help of simple machines such as pulleys. During the height of the Egyptian civilization, it was the Pharaohs that were probably the most powerful people in the planet.

North Africa facts: Bonjour!

Some people might find it surprising, but one of the most used languages in North Africa is French. Most parts of Africa were colonized by the French, and this is why you’ll hear a lot of French speakers in this part of the African continent. These include Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. It was around the 1800s that France, Britain, and Portugal colonized most of Africa.

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Must-know West Africa Facts

December 20th, 2008

We live in a world where we are constantly entertained and distracted from the things that are really happening around us. We have our computer games, sitcoms, movies, stand-up comedy, fashion, and sports. These activities are fun to engage in but what they do is distract our minds from the truth.

A lot of people still don’t know a lot of things that are happening all over the globe. The situation is very harsh especially in Africa where people are starving, sick, and in constant danger of their lives. It is important to know some West Africa facts so that we may have a little drive to stand up and do something (a simple donation of $1 will go a far way). Here are some facts that you have to know about some countries in West Africa.

West Africa facts: Mali

Mali is known to be one of the poorest countries in the world and the distribution of wealth is very unequal. What makes it harder for them is that the country consists mostly of desert terrain (Sahara), and it is hard to inhabit such a harsh environment. This is one of the few reasons why Mali has very little resources.

West Africa facts: Senegal

The hard truth about Senegal is that people are in constant fear for their lives. There is a lot of separatist violence caused by the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau by doing cross-boarder raids. What makes it even worse is that it lead to another problem which is arms smuggling. Because of these separatists, a lot of assault weapons are smuggled into Senegal by arms merchants. It becomes and endless cycle of violence and arms smuggling.

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Interesting Facts about South Africa that will Surprise You

December 19th, 2008

16There are quite a lot of unknown and interesting facts about South Africa that people often overlook.  Here are some facts that will surprise you about this country.

History and Nature

•    The world’s second highest waterfall called Tugela Falls can be found here.  Its water tumbles down from 850 meters.
•    Two billion years ago, a meteor plummeted to South Africa.  In fact, the world’s oldest meteor scar can be found there in Vredefort Dome right across Vaal River and very near Parys.

•    Some of the world’s most ancient rocks are in Barberton, Mpumalanga – they are formed over three billion years ago.  And because they are the most accessible formations, NASA scientists come to gain idea on how life might have formed on distant planets.

•    Out of the 18,000 indigenous vascular species of plants found in South Africa, 80% are uniquely from South Africa itself.

•    Another interesting fact about South Africa is the biodiversity of its grasslands which are greater than the rainforests since there are 30 species of plants per square kilometer living there.

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True Facts about Africa: Johannesburg can be a Tourist Destination too

December 19th, 2008

As the richest and largest city in South Africa, Johannesburg is at the center of the country’s economy.  Some facts about Africa Johannesburg include its hectic and fast-paced lifestyle, which further complements its culture of making money and getting ahead.

Johannesburg Past

In 1886, who would have known that an unemployed miner will find a stone that bears traces of gold?  This event began the discovery of Johannesburg, which was then considered as the richest treasure trove.

Due to this, people from around the world have flocked to the city, and this landscape has changed overnight.  There were shantytowns that came up, which later transformed into the modern concrete cities you can see today.

At the time, Johannesburg was known as the world’s gold capital.  And because of these discovered facts about Africa Johannesburg, the country was propelled into economic boom.

Johannesburg Present

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Exceptional Facts about Africa Language that is Worth Knowing

December 19th, 2008

In Africa, it is estimated that there are 1,800 languages spoken across the continent.  There are some languages such as Yoruba, Hausa, and Swahili that millions of people speak.  However, there are others such as Dahalo, Shabo, and Laal which are only spoken by a few hundred.

Some exceptional facts about Africa language include the following:

•    The only country in Africa that speaks the same language (Somali) among their people is Somalia.
•    Many African languages include a clicking sound that is usually pronounced as other sounds at the same time.  In order to do this properly, you must learn it early in childhood.
•    There is a wide diversity of sign languages in Africa, wherein many of their genetic classification has not yet been worked out.
•    For special purposes, several languages in the continent are also whistled.
Language Families

Generally, African languages are divided into four families namely, Khoisan, Niger-Congo, Nilo-Saharan, and Afro-Asiatic.  These classifications do not include several other languages that are unclassified, as well as sign languages.

When you look at the history of many African countries, you will notice that they have searched for national unity after gaining independence.  Because of this, they elected only one language for people to use in education and government.

In recent years however, there has been an increasing awareness of the facts about Africa language and they realized the great importance of multilingualism or linguistic diversity.

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Shocking Facts about Africa Population that was Recently Studied

December 19th, 2008

There are more than six billion people living in Africa.  Although it’s the world’s second largest continent, the population density in a few of its regions is quite low.  This is partly due to the huge Sahara desert – this area is occupying at least one-fourth of its landmass yet it’s not fit for habitation.

While in areas that support agriculture, population density here is slightly higher and closer to world average.  Certain facts about Africa population include the following:

•    Countries that are more economically developed have lower birth and death statistics.
•    On the other hand, less developed countries have high birth and death rates.
•    Wars, diseases, and famine have affected population growth over the last decade.
•    Currently as a whole, the continent has 3% population growth rate.

Demographic Study

However, there was a recently published demographic study reviewing current and projected population trends in the Sub-Saharan areas of Africa.  It also covers the development of the region as well.  Basically, this study demolished the general idea that there is under-population in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The study was commissioned and coordinated by French agencies (AFD and CEPED).  A joint team of specialist academics and scientists from Ivory Coast, France, Cameroon, and Belgium performed the work.

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Some Interesting Facts about Africa that You Don’t Know

December 19th, 2008

Do you know that Africa is one of the most interesting continents in the world because it has been proven that human life begun there?  About five million years ago, the oldest and most ancient humanoid bones were found in Africa.

Some interesting facts about Africa also includes the following:

•    Population. – a complete census of the population was never done in Africa due to its huge size
•    Inhabitants – plenty of wild animals and a large number of tribal beings live there
•    Language – over a thousand varieties are being used in the entire area

Nature and Tourist Attractions

Africa has the shortest coastlines and bays.  The largest desert in the world – Sahara Desert – is found there.  In fact this desert is so huge that it is said to be larger than continental U.S.  Another desert is the Namib Desert which is considered to be the oldest living desert today.

If you want to see an abundant and diverse wildlife, you better check out Africa.  With its gorillas, great white sharks, and 2,300 species of birds (among others), you will never run out of animals to watch.

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Encouraging Travel: Africa Facts for Kids

December 10th, 2008

Most of us know how crucial the early development of children is. It is at these stages that the child is like a sponge that absorbs everything around him or her. He or she also starts to form interests at this stage and this is why it’s so important that the child is exposed to a lot of things.

Travel can be one of the best things that any person can experience. You get a first-hand experience of different cultures, people, and customs. This can truly change your paradigm, and it is one of the best educational tools out there. Imagine being actually at the places that you’ve only read about in history books. This is the reason why it’s a good idea to expose your kids to travel. One way to get them into the habit is by telling them interesting things about a certain place. If it’s Africa, here are a few Africa facts for kids.

Africa facts for kids: They have Zebras!

Zebras are black and white striped animals that run across the plains of Africa. They look a lot like horses, and the main difference between them are the stripes. These stripes are what you would call “Camouflage”. This helps them hide from dangerous predators such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and wolves. Zebras are herbivorous animals, which mean they only eat plants.

Africa facts for kids: Traveling the Forests

Forests make up 25% of Africa’s landmass. It is at these forests that a lot of animals seek shelter, and most of them are located at the Congo basin. A variety of species of plans and animals can be found in these forests and this is why it is so colorful. It can be easy to get lost in these forests, and that’s why it’s a good idea to get a local guide when traveling these parts of Africa. A guide would know what places are nice to go to, and which ones are dangerous. He or she would also know a number of survival tactics, and can teach you these so that the next time you will be prepared.

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Knowing Aids in Africa Facts

November 30th, 2008

Most of us are lucky to be eating 3 complete meals a day, have a good solid education, and have a strong healthy body (with health insurance to back it up). This is the reason why we should be very thankful for ever little thing that comes into are lives. Not everyone has the luxury of living like that.

AIDS has become a wide spread epidemic all over the world, and a cure is yet to be found. This is something that is either transmitted through sexual intercourse, or from a mother to her child. The hard thing about it is that symptoms do not show until around 6 months of being infected. What AIDS stands for is Auto Immono-Deficiency Syndrome. What this does is that it completely robs you of your immune system, so every little bacterium proves to be something fatal.

One continent that has huge issues with the virus is Africa. If you have no idea about what’s happening there, then here are a few aids in Africa facts that you should know about.

Aids in Africa Facts: Big Problem

The hard truth is that AIDS is widespread in Africa, where people have other problems such as hunger, poverty, and civil unrest. The people there are always in danger of their lives, and the sad thing is that a lot of people in developed countries are not even aware about it. It is believed that Africa has more than 60% of the people infected with AIDS all over the world.

Aids in Africa Facts: Proposed solutions

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South Africa Facts for the First Time Tourist

November 20th, 2008

Travel really is one of the best joys a man can experience in life. It is through exploring the world that you get to know about different cultures, and appreciate history even better. The world is just too big for us to stay in one place, and there are so many wonders out there that are waiting to be explored.

All of these wonders are better appreciated when you know a little bit more about its history, and significance to mankind. Let’s say you’re in the UK, come across Stone Henge and don’t know anything about it. You might just thing it’s just a pile of rocks. If you are planning a trip to South Africa, then it would be ideal to know South Africa Facts upon traveling to that beautiful place.

South Africa Facts: Colonization

Since its Africa, you might expect the people there to be dominantly black. The truth is that there are a lot of white people in South Africa, since it was colonized by the Europeans around the 14th century. One of the darker facts about South Africa was the time of the Apartheid. This was a legal system that forced the segregation of races. Black South Africans were stripped of their citizenship.

It was a trying time and many have stood against this bigotry. One of these men was Nelson Mandela. He fought against the Apartheid and was imprisoned for terrorism. He endured prison time for 27 years but eventually came out victorious; bloody, but unbowed. Now, South Africa enjoys equality just like in the United States, and the United Kingdom. It is now a place of harmony where people can live hand in hand together.

South Africa Facts: Great Beaches

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