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Africa is the most populous and the only black continent . Despite the delayed development in the continent , Africa is an interesting continent to visit and in it abounds lots of talents. There are lots of known and interesting information but there are much more unknown facts about Africa that are worth mentioning. Answers Africa brings you the including geography facts, fun facts and Africa travel facts that will definitely interest you.

1. Second Largest Continent

Africa is the second largest continent in the world. The second largest in both land mass and population. It covers about a fifth of the earth’s total land area. The land mass is about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) and this includes adjacent islands, it covers six percent of the Earth’s total surface area.

See Also: What is Africa Known For?

1. Africa Was Once Joined To Other Continents

One interesting fact about Africa that is truly amazing is that long before humans were around (the early Mesozoic Era), Africa was joined to the other continents in a massive continent called Pangaea. Over millions of years this huge continent broke apart shaping the world landscape as we know it today in what has been referred to the continental drift. This was at first a speculation and was first put proposed by Abraham Ortelius in 1596. Later on, the concept was independently (and more fully) developed in 1912 by Alfred Wegener and the theory of continental drift was superseded by the theory of plate tectonics, which builds upon the previous continental drift and better explains the former concept.

1. Hippos Kill More People in Africa Than Lion and Crocodile

The African hippopotamus is unbelievably responsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other large animal . Male hippos make it a point of duty to actively defend their territories which often times run alongside the river banks. Female hippos are known to become quite protective and aggressive most especially if they anticipate any form of threats towards their babies, which would normally stay in the water while the mother hippo feeds on the river banks. Hippos have well structured jaws in which up to 20 inch canine teeth are installed.

1. The Lowest Point in Africa is Lake Assal

The lowest point in Africa is Lake Assal which is located in central-eastern Djibouti at the western end of Gulf of Tadjoura in the Tadjoura Region, touching Dikhil Region, at the top of the Great Rift Valley. The crater lake lies 155 meters below sea level. This water body also takes the third position for lowest land depression on Earth following the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee. The level of saltiness in the lake is so high becoming 10 times more concentrated than that of the sea. Assal is the world’s largest salt reserve, which is presently exploited under four concessions awarded in 2002 at the southeast end of the lake.

1. Africa is The Home of the Human Species

Another interesting fact about Africa is that according to information provided by the Human Origins, early humans first migrated out of Africa into Asia probably between 2 million and 1.8 million years ago. They entered Europe somewhat later, between 1.5 million and 1 million years. Species of modern humans populated many parts of the world much later. For instance, people first came to Australia probably within the past 60,000 years and to the Americas within the past 30,000 years or so. The beginnings of agriculture and the rise of the first civilizations occurred within the past 12,000 years.