Two of Africa's most interesting geographical features are the Nile River System and Sahara Desert; both impressive in so many ways.

The great kingdoms of West Africa developed between the 9th and 16th centuries. The Kingdom of Ghana (Ghana Empire) became a powerful empire through its gold trade, which reached the rest of Africa and parts of Europe. Ghanaian kings controlled gold-mining operations and implemented a system of taxation that solidified their control of the region for about 400 years.The Sahara's animal and plant communities have adapted to the region's extremely dry conditions. The kidneys of the jerboa, a type of rodent, produce highly concentrated urine that minimizes water loss. A dromedary camel ( Camelus dromedarius) conserves water by changing its body temperature so it doesn't sweat as the day gets hotter. The scorpion limits its activities to the night, burrowing into the cooler sands beneath the surface during the day. As a predator, the scorpion also absorbs water from the flesh of its prey. Lake of Size: Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake by area, is also the world's largest tropical lake and the source of the White Nile.

The Neanderthals arose some 200,000 years ago and inhabited regions in northern Africa and across parts of southern Europe. There is also clear evidence that they had control of fire, lived in caves, as well as open-air structures of stone and vegetation. Pretty remote are the Marquesas Islands (part of French Polynesia). The archipelago is located in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,725 km southeast of Hawaii. The nearest mainland is 5,000 km away at the southwestern coast of Mexico; the second-nearest significant land is the east coast of New Zealand, 5,230 km away. By far the largest desert is Antarctica with 14.2 million km², followed by the Arctic region located at the northernmost part of Earth. Both are polar deserts, also known as ice deserts, zones of the Earth, which feature an ice cap climate (arid and very cold). A short distance east of this rift valley is Mount Kilimanjaro – with its two peaks Kibo and Mawenzi, the latter being 5,889m (19,321ft), and the culminating point of the whole continent– and Mount Kenya, which is 5,184m (17,008ft). Hardly less important is the Ruwenzori Range, over 5,060m (16,600ft), which lies east of the western trough. Other volcanic peaks rise from the floor of the valleys, some of the Kirunga (Mfumbiro) group, north of Lake Kivu, being still partially active. [1] This could cause most of the cities and states to be flooded with lava and ash.

What is Africa known for?

Africa’s most pressing issues can be framed through the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). All 192 members of the United Nations and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to meet the goals by 2015. These goals are: This is the case with the two largest of the type, Tanganyika and Nyasa, the latter with depths of 800m (2,600ft). Caspian Sea, 2. Lake Superior, 3. Lake Victoria, 4. Lake Huron, 5. Lake Michigan, 6. Lake Tanganyika, 7. Lake Baikal, 8. Great Bear Lake, 9. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa), 10. Great Slave Lake. A traditional totora reed raft on Lake Titicaca, seen from Sun Island, Bolivia. Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America and known as the "highest navigable lake" in the world. The Great Lakes abut everything from rainforest to savanna plant communities. However, invasive species like the water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes) and papyrus ( Cyperus papyrus) have begun to take over entire shorelines, endangering animals and plants.

The Bantu Migration had an enormous impact on Africa’s economic, cultural, and political practices. Bantu migrants introduced many new skills into the communities they interacted with, including sophisticated farming and industry. These skills included growing crops and forging tools and weapons from metal. West of Lake Chad is the basin of the Niger, the third major river of Africa. With its principal source in the far west, it reverses the direction of flow exhibited by the Nile and Congo, [1] and ultimately flows into the Atlantic— a fact that eluded European geographers for many centuries. An important branch, however— the Benue— flows from the southeast. Vast Wetland: The Okavango Delta in Botswana is one of the largest inland deltas in the world, with its waters evaporating instead of flowing into the sea. Meanwhile, the Egyptians continued to spread their culture across Northern Africa, and kingdoms were created in Ethiopia and Sudan. The then-growing Roman Empire continued to expand its influence, and in 30 BC Egypt became a province of Rome; Morocco the same in 42 AD. The Swahili Coast stretches about 1,610 kilometers (1,000 miles) along the Indian Ocean from Somalia to Mozambique. The nearby coral reefs and barrier islands protect the coast from severe weather.Self-government brought more than its share of civil wars, coup d'états and ethnic conflicts to the newly emerged countries. Add to that mix some horrible genocides, along with famines and out-of-control disease (HIV/AIDS), and Africa was teetering on the edge, and in many areas still does today.

The Great Sphinx, Egypt: Another ancient masterpiece located in Egypt, the Sphinx is the body of a lion and the head of a human. The state is located on the Africa Map and has been very popular in the whole world. Great heat is experienced in the lower plains and desert regions of North Africa, removed by the great width of the continent from the influence of the ocean, and here, too, the contrast between day and night, and between summer and winter, is greatest. (The rarity of the air and the great radiation during the night cause the temperature in the Sahara to fall occasionally to freezing point.)River Reverence: The Nile River, flowing over 6,650 kilometers, is commonly regarded as the longest river in the world, supporting ancient civilizations for millennia. The topographical variation in Africa isn't just about the distinction between heights; it's about the deep-rooted history embedded within. Central to this variation is the Ethiopian Highlands. Often referred to as the "Roof of Africa," this elevation isn't merely a cluster of mountains and valleys; it's an emblem of Africa's ancient civilizations. Volcanic Vigor: The Virunga Mountains, spanning Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, comprise eight significant volcanoes, two still active. Other deserts are amply spread throughout, in and around countries such as Algeria, Libya, Kenya, Niger, and others. The people of the Kingdom were known as the Sabeans. They ruled the region between the tenth to the sixth century BC. The Sabean society collapse came after the spice route was changed.