Africa is a continent comprising 63 political territories, representing the largest

of the great southward projections from the main mass of Earth's surface.[1] Within
its regular outline, it comprises an area of 30,368,609 km2 (11,725,385 sq mi),
excluding adjacent islands. Its highest mountain is Kilimanjaro; its largest lake
is Lake Victoria.

Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea and from much of Asia by the Red
Sea, Africa is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez
(which is transected by the Suez Canal), 130 km (81 mi) wide. For geopolitical
purposes, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt – east of the Suez Canal – is often
considered part of Africa. From the most northerly point, Ras ben Sakka in Tunisia,
at 37°21′ N, to the most southerly point, Cape Agulhas in South Africa, 34°51′15″
S, is a distance approximately of 8,000 km (5,000 mi); from Cap-Vert, 17°31′13″W,
the westernmost point, to Ras Hafun in the Somali Puntland region, in the Horn of
Africa, 51°27′52″ E, the most easterly projection, is a distance (also
approximately) of 7,400 km (4,600 mi).[1]

The main structural lines of the continent show both the east-to-west direction
characteristic, at least in the eastern hemisphere, of the more northern parts of
the world, and the north-to-south direction seen in the southern peninsulas. Africa
is thus mainly composed of two segments at right angles, the northern running from
east to west, and the southern from north to south.[1]

Main features

Satellite view of Africa

1916 physical map of Africa

The average elevation of the continent approximates closely to 600 m (2,000 ft)
above sea level, roughly near to the mean elevation of both North and South
America, but considerably less than that of Asia, 950 m (3,120 ft). In contrast
with other continents, it is marked by the comparatively small area of either very
high or very low ground, lands under 180 m (590 ft) occupying an unusually small
part of the surface; while not only are the highest elevations inferior to those of
Asia or South America, but the area of land over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) is also quite
insignificant, being represented almost entirely by individual peaks and mountain
ranges. Moderately elevated tablelands are thus the characteristic feature of the
continent, though the surface of these is broken by higher peaks and ridges. (So
prevalent are these isolated peaks and ridges that a specialised term—Inselberg-
Landschaft, island mountain landscape—has been adopted in Germany to describe this
kind of country, thought to be in great part the result of wind action.)[1]

As a general rule, the higher tablelands lie to the east and south, while a
progressive diminution in altitude towards the west and north is observable. Apart
from the lowlands and the Atlas Mountains, the continent may be divided into two
regions of higher and lower plateaus, the dividing line (somewhat concave to the
northwest) running from the middle of the Red Sea to about 6 degrees south on the
west coast.[1]

Africa can be divided into a number of geographic zones:

The coastal plains—often fringed seawards by mangrove swamps—never stretching far

from the coast, apart from the lower courses of streams. Recent alluvial flats are
found chiefly in the delta of the more important rivers. Elsewhere, the coastal
lowlands merely form the lowest steps of the system of terraces that constitutes
the ascent to the inner plateaus.
The Atlas range—orthographically distinct from the rest of the continent, being
unconnected with and separated from the south by a depressed and desert area (the
Sahara).[1]
Plateau region

Topography of Africa
There are many plateaus in Africa.

The high southern and eastern plateaus, rarely falling below 600 m (2,000 ft), have
a mean elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The South African plateau, as far as
about 12° S, is bounded east, west and south by bands of high ground which fall
steeply to the coasts. On this account South Africa has a general resemblance to an
inverted saucer. Due south, the plateau rim is formed by three parallel steps with
level ground between them. The largest of these level areas, the Great Karoo, is a
dry, barren region, and a large tract of the plateau proper is of a still more arid
character and is known as the Kalahari Desert.[1]

The South African plateau is connected towards East African plateau, with probably
a slightly greater average elevation, and marked by some distinct features. It is
formed by a widening out of the eastern axis of high ground, which becomes
subdivided into a number of zones running north and south and consisting in turn of
ranges, tablelands and depressions. The most striking feature is the existence of
two great lines of depression, due largely to the subsidence of whole segments of
the Earth's crust, the lowest parts of which are occupied by vast lakes. Towards
the south the two lines converge and give place to one great valley (occupied by
Lake Nyasa), the southern part of which is less distinctly due to rifting and
subsidence than the rest of the system.[1]

Farther north the western hollow, known as the Albertine Rift, is occupied for more
than half its length by water, forming the Great Lakes of Tanganyika, Kivu, Lake
Edward and Lake Albert, the first-named over 400 miles (640 km) long and the
longest freshwater lake in the world. Associated with these great valleys are a
number of volcanic peaks, the greatest of which occur on a meridional line east of
the eastern trough. The eastern branch of the East African Rift, contains much
smaller lakes, many of them brackish and without outlet, the only one comparable to
those of the western trough being Lake Turkana or Basso Norok.[1]Africa is a
continent comprising 63 political territories, representing the largest of the
great southward projections from the main mass of Earth's surface.[1] Within its
regular outline, it comprises an area of 30,368,609 km2 (11,725,385 sq mi),
excluding adjacent islands. Its highest mountain is Kilimanjaro; its largest lake
is Lake Victoria.

Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea and from much of Asia by the Red
Sea, Africa is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez
(which is transected by the Suez Canal), 130 km (81 mi) wide. For geopolitical
purposes, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt – east of the Suez Canal – is often
considered part of Africa. From the most northerly point, Ras ben Sakka in Tunisia,
at 37°21′ N, to the most southerly point, Cape Agulhas in South Africa, 34°51′15″
S, is a distance approximately of 8,000 km (5,000 mi); from Cap-Vert, 17°31′13″W,
the westernmost point, to Ras Hafun in the Somali Puntland region, in the Horn of
Africa, 51°27′52″ E, the most easterly projection, is a distance (also
approximately) of 7,400 km (4,600 mi).[1]

The main structural lines of the continent show both the east-to-west direction
characteristic, at least in the eastern hemisphere, of the more northern parts of
the world, and the north-to-south direction seen in the southern peninsulas. Africa
is thus mainly composed of two segments at right angles, the northern running from
east to west, and the southern from north to south.[1]

Main features

Satellite view of Africa

1916 physical map of Africa
The average elevation of the continent approximates closely to 600 m (2,000 ft)
above sea level, roughly near to the mean elevation of both North and South
America, but considerably less than that of Asia, 950 m (3,120 ft). In contrast
with other continents, it is marked by the comparatively small area of either very
high or very low ground, lands under 180 m (590 ft) occupying an unusually small
part of the surface; while not only are the highest elevations inferior to those of
Asia or South America, but the area of land over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) is also quite
insignificant, being represented almost entirely by individual peaks and mountain
ranges. Moderately elevated tablelands are thus the characteristic feature of the
continent, though the surface of these is broken by higher peaks and ridges. (So
prevalent are these isolated peaks and ridges that a specialised term—Inselberg-
Landschaft, island mountain landscape—has been adopted in Germany to describe this
kind of country, thought to be in great part the result of wind action.)[1]

As a general rule, the higher tablelands lie to the east and south, while a
progressive diminution in altitude towards the west and north is observable. Apart
from the lowlands and the Atlas Mountains, the continent may be divided into two
regions of higher and lower plateaus, the dividing line (somewhat concave to the
northwest) running from the middle of the Red Sea to about 6 degrees south on the
west coast.[1]

Africa can be divided into a number of geographic zones:

The coastal plains—often fringed seawards by mangrove swamps—never stretching far

from the coast, apart from the lower courses of streams. Recent alluvial flats are
found chiefly in the delta of the more important rivers. Elsewhere, the coastal
lowlands merely form the lowest steps of the system of terraces that constitutes
the ascent to the inner plateaus.
The Atlas range—orthographically distinct from the rest of the continent, being
unconnected with and separated from the south by a depressed and desert area (the
Sahara).[1]
Plateau region

Topography of Africa
There are many plateaus in Africa.

The high southern and eastern plateaus, rarely falling below 600 m (2,000 ft), have
a mean elevation of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The South African plateau, as far as
about 12° S, is bounded east, west and south by bands of high ground which fall
steeply to the coasts. On this account South Africa has a general resemblance to an
inverted saucer. Due south, the plateau rim is formed by three parallel steps with
level ground between them. The largest of these level areas, the Great Karoo, is a
dry, barren region, and a large tract of the plateau proper is of a still more arid
character and is known as the Kalahari Desert.[1]

The South African plateau is connected towards East African plateau, with probably
a slightly greater average elevation, and marked by some distinct features. It is
formed by a widening out of the eastern axis of high ground, which becomes
subdivided into a number of zones running north and south and consisting in turn of
ranges, tablelands and depressions. The most striking feature is the existence of
two great lines of depression, due largely to the subsidence of whole segments of
the Earth's crust, the lowest parts of which are occupied by vast lakes. Towards
the south the two lines converge and give place to one great valley (occupied by
Lake Nyasa), the southern part of which is less distinctly due to rifting and
subsidence than the rest of the system.[1]

Farther north the western hollow, known as the Albertine Rift, is occupied for more
than half its length by water, forming the Great Lakes of Tanganyika, Kivu, Lake
Edward and Lake Albert, the first-named over 400 miles (640 km) long and the
longest freshwater lake in the world. Associated with these great valleys are a
number of volcanic peaks, the greatest of which occur on a meridional line east of
the eastern trough. The eastern branch of the East African Rift, contains much
smaller lakes, many of them brackish and without outlet, the only one comparable to
those of the western trough being Lake Turkana or Basso Norok.[1]