Which African Countries are Located on the Equator? Which African Countries are Located on the Equator? Crossing the Equator, Gabon. Tim Makins/ Lonely Planet Images/ Getty Images By Anouk Zijlma Updated November 21, 2016. The equator is the imaginary line that separates the northern hemisphere from the southern hemisphere and runs across the center of the Earth at a latitude of exactly zero degrees. In Africa, the equator runs for almost 2,500 miles/ 4,020 kilometers through seven West , Central and East African countries just south of the Sahara Desert. Ironically, the list of African countries bisected by the equator does not include Equatorial Guinea . Instead, they are as follows: São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon , Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Uganda , Kenya and Somalia. Experiencing the Equator In the past, it was possible for intrepid travelers to follow the equator on its journey through Africa. However, the route is no longer safe, with several of the countries along the equatorial line plagued by civil war, terrorism, crippling poverty and piracy.

The imaginary line also traverses some of the most extreme environments on Earth - including the remote jungles of the Congo, the mist-soaked mountains of Uganda and the deep waters of the largest lake in Africa , Lake Victoria. continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World However, while traveling the length of the equator is no longer advisable, visiting it at least once is an unmissable African experience. The equator's position is directly related to that of the Earth's rotating axis, which moves slightly throughout the course of the year. Therefore, the equator isn't static - which means that the line drawn on the ground at some equatorial markers is not always entirely accurate. However, this is a technical detail, and these markers are still the closest that you can get to the center of the Earth. Pay any one of them a visit, and you'll be able to say that you've straddled the equator with one foot in each hemisphere. Africa's Equatorial Markers Often, the African equator is marked without much fanfare.

Usually, a sign at the side of the road is the only indication that you'll have of your momentous location - so it's important to research where the line is in advance so that you can keep a watchful eye out for it. In Kenya, there are signs announcing the equator in the rural towns of Nanyuki and Siriba, while similar signs exist on the Masala- Kampala road in Uganda, and the Libreville -Lambaréné road in Gabon. One of Africa's most beautiful equatorial markers belongs to its second smallest country, São Tomé and Príncipe. The island nation celebrates its equatorial location with a stone monument and a frieze of the world map located on tiny Rolas Island . The imaginary line also runs through Kenya's Meru National Park , and while there's no marker, there's a certain novelty to game-viewing directly on top of the equator. At luxury hotel Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club Resort , you can cross the equator just by walking from your room to the restaurant.

Equatorial Phenomena If you do find yourself on the equator, take a moment to test a few of the bizarre facts and theories connected with standing on the line between both hemispheres. The force of the planet's rotation causes a bulge in the Earth's surface at the equator, which means that you're further from the Earth's center here than anywhere else on the planet. Gravity therefore exerts less of a pull on your body, so that at the equator, you weigh approximately 0.5% less than you would at the Poles. Some also believe that the rotation of the Earth has an affect on the direction in which draining water flows - so that a toilet flushes clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere. This phenomenon is known as the Coriolis Effect and should dictate that at the equator, water flows straight down the drain. Most scientists agree that due to a high number of external factors, this can't be proven with any real accuracy - but it's still fun to check it out for yourself. This article was updated and re-written in part by Jessica Macdonald on November 21st 2016. Which African countries does the equator pass through?

| Reference.com Which African countries does the equator pass through? A: Quick Answer The equator passes through the African countries of Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia. In total, the equator passes through 12 countries. Full Answer In addition to the six African countries that the equator passes through, it also passes through Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Maldives, Indonesia, Kiribati and Sao Torne and Principe. The equator represents a great circle that is equal distance from both poles on the Earth, the North and South Poles. It divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The tropics are more likely to be found around the equator and as a result, temperatures are consistently hotter in these areas of the world than any others. Countries of the World - 2 | Britannica.com Countries of the World This general category includes a selection of more specific topics. Browse Subcategories: (240) Displaying 1 - 100 of 195 results Afghanistan landlocked multiethnic country located in the heart of south-central Asia.

Lying along important trade routes connecting southern and eastern Asia to Europe and the Middle East, Afghanistan has long been a prize sought by empire builders, and for millennia... Albania country in southern Europe, located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula on the Strait of Otranto, the southern entrance to the Adriatic Sea. The capital city is Tirana (Tiranë). Albanians refer to themselves as shqiptarë —often taken to mean... Algeria large, predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. From the Mediterranean coast, along which most of its people live, Algeria extends southward deep into the heart of the Sahara, a forbidding desert where the Earth’s hottest surface temperatures have... Andorra small independent European coprincipality situated among the southern peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains and bounded by France to the north and east and by Spain to the south and west. It is one of the smallest states in Europe. The capital is Andorra la... Angola country located in southwestern Africa. A large country, Angola takes in a broad variety of landscapes, including the semidesert Atlantic littoral bordering Namibia ’s “Skeleton Coast,” the sparsely populated rainforest interior, the rugged highlands...

Antigua and Barbuda islands that form an independent state in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, at the southern end of the Leeward Islands chain. There is one dependency, the small island of Redonda. The capital is St. John’s, on Antigua. Land Antigua’s... Argentina country of South America, covering most of the southern portion of the continent. The world’s eighth largest country, Argentina occupies an area more extensive than Mexico and the U.S. state of Texas combined. It encompasses immense plains, deserts,... Armenia country of Transcaucasia, lying just south of the great mountain range of the Caucasus and fronting the northwestern extremity of Asia. To the north and east Armenia is bounded by Georgia and Azerbaijan, while its neighbours to the southeast and west... Australia the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia’s capital is Canberra, located in the southeast between the larger and more important economic and cultural... Austria largely mountainous landlocked country of south-central Europe.

Together with Switzerland, it forms what has been characterized as the neutral core of Europe, notwithstanding Austria’s full membership since 1995 in the supranational European Union (EU).... Azerbaijan country of eastern Transcaucasia. Occupying an area that fringes the southern flanks of the Caucasus Mountains, it is bounded on the north by Russia, on the east by the Caspian Sea, on the south by Iran, on the west by Armenia, and on the northwest by... Bahamas, The archipelago and state on the northwestern edge of the West Indies. Formerly a British colony, The Bahamas became an independent country within the Commonwealth in 1973. The name Bahamas is of Lucayan Taino (Arawakan) derivation, although some historians... Bahrain small Arab state situated in a bay on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and some 30 smaller islands. Its name is from the Arabic term al-bahrayn, meaning “two seas.” Located in one of the world’s...

Bangladesh country of south-central Asia, located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga]) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent. The riverine country of Bangladesh (“Land of the Bengals”) is one of the most densely... Barbados island country in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, situated about 100 miles (160 km) east of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Roughly triangular in shape, the island measures some 20 miles (32 km) from northwest to southeast and about 15 miles (25 km)... Belarus country of eastern Europe. Until it became independent in 1991, Belarus, formerly known as Belorussia or White Russia, was the smallest of the three Slavic republics included in the Soviet Union (the larger two being Russia and Ukraine). While Belarusians... Belgium country of northwestern Europe. It is one of the smallest and most densely populated European countries, and it has been, since its independence in 1830, a representative democracy headed by a hereditary constitutional monarch. Initially, Belgium had... Belize country located on the northeast coast of Central America.

Belize, which was known as British Honduras until 1973, was the last British colony on the American mainland. Its prolonged path to independence was marked by a unique international campaign... Benin country of western Africa. It consists of a narrow wedge of territory extending northward for about 420 miles (675 kilometres) from the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, on which it has a 75-mile seacoast, to the Niger River, which forms part of... Bhutan country of south-central Asia, located on the eastern ridges of the Himalayas. Historically a remote kingdom, Bhutan became less isolated in the second half of the 20th century, and consequently the pace of change began to accelerate. With improvements... Bolivia country of west-central South America. Extending some 950 miles (1,500 km) north-south and 800 miles (1,300 km) east-west, Bolivia is bordered to the north and east by Brazil, to the southeast by Paraguay, to the south by Argentina, to the southwest... Bosnia and Herzegovina country situated in the western Balkan Peninsula of Europe.

The larger region of Bosnia occupies the northern and central parts of the country, and Herzegovina occupies the south and southwest. These historical regions do not correspond with the two... Botswana country in the centre of Southern Africa. The territory is roughly triangular—approximately 600 miles (965 km) from north to south and 600 miles from east to west—with its eastern side protruding into a sharp point. Its eastern and southern borders are... Brazil country of South America that occupies half the continent’s landmass. It is the fifth largest country in the world, exceeded in size only by Russia, Canada, China, and the United States, though its area is greater than that of the 48 conterminous U.S.... Brunei independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is bounded to the north by the South China Sea and on all other sides by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, which also divides the state into two disconnected... Bulgaria country occupying the eastern portion of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Founded in the 7th century, Bulgaria is one of the oldest states on the European continent.

It is intersected by historically important routes from northern and eastern... Burkina Faso landlocked country in western Africa. The country occupies an extensive plateau, and its geography is characterized by a savanna that is grassy in the north and gradually gives way to sparse forests in the south. A former French colony, it gained independence... Burundi country in east-central Africa, south of the Equator. The landlocked country, a historic kingdom, is one of the few countries in Africa whose borders were not determined by colonial rulers. The vast majority of Burundi’s population is Hutu, traditionally... Cabo Verde country comprising a group of islands that lie 385 miles (620 km) off the west coast of Africa. Praia, on Santiago, is the capital. Cabo Verde is named for the westernmost cape of Africa, Cape Verde (French: Cap Vert), which is located in nearby Senegal... Cambodia country on the Indochinese mainland of Southeast Asia. Cambodia is largely a land of plains and great rivers and lies amid important overland and river trade routes linking China to India and Southeast Asia. The influences of many Asian cultures, alongside... Cameroon country lying at the junction of western and central Africa.

Its ethnically diverse population is among the most urban in western Africa. The capital is Yaoundé, located in the south-centre of the country. The country’s name is derived from Rio dos Camarões... Canada second largest country in the world in area (after Russia), occupying roughly the northern two-fifths of the continent of North America. Despite Canada’s great size, it is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries. This fact, coupled with... Central African Republic landlocked country located in the centre of Africa. The area that is now the Central African Republic has been settled for at least 8,000 years; the earliest inhabitants were the probable ancestors of today’s Aka (Pygmy) peoples, who live in the western... Chad landlocked state in north-central Africa. The country’s terrain is that of a shallow basin that rises gradually from the Lake Chad area in the west and is rimmed by mountains to the north, east, and south. Natural irrigation is limited to the Chari and... Chile country situated along the western seaboard of South America.

It extends approximately 2,700 miles (4,300 km) from its boundary with Peru, at latitude 17°30′ S, to the tip of South America at Cape Horn, latitude 56° S, a point only about 400 miles north... China country of East Asia. It is the largest of all Asian countries and has the largest population of any country in the world. Occupying nearly the entire East Asian landmass, it occupies approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth. Among the... Colombia country of northwestern South America. Its 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of coast to the north are bathed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, and its 800 miles (1,300 km) of coast to the west are washed by the Pacific Ocean. The country is bordered by Panama,... Comoros an independent state comprising three of the islands of the Comorian archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa. A fourth island of the Comorian archipelago, Mayotte, is claimed by the country of Comoros but administered by France....

Congo, Democratic Republic of the DRC country located in central Africa. Officially known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country has a 25-mile (40-km) coastline on the Atlantic Ocean but is otherwise landlocked. It is the second largest country on the continent; only Algeria... Congo, Republic of the country situated astride the Equator in west-central Africa. Officially known as the Republic of the Congo, the country is often called Congo (Brazzaville), with its capital added parenthetically, to distinguish it from neighbouring Democratic Republic... Costa Rica country of Central America. Its capital is San José. Of all the Central American countries, Costa Rica is generally regarded as having the most stable and most democratic government. Its constitution of 1949 provides for a unicameral legislature, a fair... Côte d’Ivoire country located on the coast of western Africa. The de facto capital is Abidjan; the administrative capital designate (since 1983) is Yamoussoukro. Land Côte d’Ivoire is bounded to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso, to the east by Ghana, to the south...

Croatia country located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is a small yet highly geographically diverse crescent-shaped country. Its capital is Zagreb, located in the north. The present-day republic is composed of the historically Croatian... Cuba country of the West Indies, the largest single island of the archipelago, and one of the more-influential states of the Caribbean region. The domain of the Arawakan-speaking Taino, who had displaced even earlier inhabitants, Cuba was claimed by Christopher... Cyprus an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea renowned since ancient times for its mineral wealth, superb wines and produce, and natural beauty. A “golden-green leaf thrown into the Sea” and a land of “wild weather and volcanoes,” in the words of the Greek... Czech Republic country located in central Europe. It comprises the historical provinces of Bohemia and Moravia along with the southern tip of Silesia, collectively often called the Czech Lands. In 2016 the country adopted the name “Czechia” as a shortened, informal...

Denmark country occupying the peninsula of Jutland (Jylland), which extends northward from the centre of continental western Europe, and an archipelago of more than 400 islands to the east of the peninsula. Jutland makes up more than two-thirds of the country’s... Djibouti small strategically located country on the northeast coast of the Horn of Africa. It is situated on the Bab el Mandeb Strait, which lies to the east and separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden. Formerly known as French Somaliland (1896–1967) and... Dominica island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante to the north and Martinique to the south. The country has been a member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1978.... Dominican Republic country of the West Indies that occupies the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles chain in the Caribbean Sea. Haiti, also an independent republic, occupies the western third of the island. The Dominican...

East Timor island country in the eastern Lesser Sunda Islands, at the southern extreme of the Malay Archipelago. It occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor, the small nearby islands of Atauro (Kambing) and Jaco, and the enclave of Ambeno surrounding the... Ecuador country of northwestern South America. Ecuador is one of the most environmentally diverse countries in the world, and it has contributed notably to the environmental sciences. The first scientific expedition to measure the circumference of the Earth,... Egypt country located in the northeastern corner of Africa. Egypt’s heartland, the Nile River valley and delta, was the home of one of the principal civilizations of the ancient Middle East and, like Mesopotamia farther east, was the site of one of the world’s... El Salvador country of Central America. El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated of the seven Central American countries. Despite having little level land, it traditionally was an agricultural country, heavily dependent upon coffee exports. By the... Equatorial Guinea country located on the west coast of Africa.

It consists of Río Muni (also known as Continental), on the continent, and five islands (known collectively as insular Equatorial Guinea): Bioko (formerly Fernando Po), Corisco, Great Elobey (Elobey Grande),... Eritrea country of the Horn of Africa, located on the Red Sea. Eritrea’s coastal location has long been important in its history and culture—a fact reflected in its name, which is an Italianized version of Mare Erythraeum, Latin for “Red Sea.” The Red Sea was... Estonia country in northeastern Europe, the northernmost of the three Baltic states. Estonia’s area includes some 1,500 islands and islets; the two largest of these islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, are off mainland Estonia’s west coast. Estonia has been dominated... Ethiopia country on the Horn of Africa. The country lies completely within the tropical latitudes and is relatively compact, with similar north-south and east-west dimensions. The capital is Addis Ababa (“New Flower”), located almost at the centre of the country.... Fiji country and archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean.

It surrounds the Koro Sea about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) north of Auckland, New Zealand. The archipelago consists of some 300 islands and 540 islets scattered over about 1,000,000 square miles (3,000,000... Finland country located in northern Europe. Finland is one of the world’s most northern and geographically remote countries and is subject to a severe climate. Nearly two-thirds of Finland is blanketed by thick woodlands, making it the most densely forested... France country of northwestern Europe. Historically and culturally among the most important nations in the Western world, France has also played a highly significant role in international affairs, with former colonies in every corner of the globe. Bounded by... Gabon country lying on the west coast of Africa, astride the Equator. A former French colony, Gabon retains strong ties to France and to the French language and culture. The capital is Libreville. Land Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to... Gambia, The country in western Africa situated on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by the neighbouring country of Senegal.

It occupies a long narrow strip of land that surrounds the Gambia River. The land is flat and is dominated by the river, which is navigable... Georgia country of Transcaucasia located at the eastern end of the Black Sea on the southern flanks of the main crest of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Russia, on the east and southeast by Azerbaijan, on the south... Germany country of north-central Europe, traversing the continent’s main physical divisions, from the outer ranges of the Alps northward across the varied landscape of the Central German Uplands and then across the North German Plain. One of Europe ’s largest... Ghana country of western Africa, situated on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Although relatively small in area and population, Ghana is one of the leading countries of Africa, partly because of its considerable natural wealth and partly because it was the... Greece the southernmost of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Geography has greatly influenced the country’s development. Mountains have historically restricted internal communications, but the sea has opened up wider horizons. The total land area of Greece... Grenada island country of the West Indies.

It is the southernmost island of the north-south arc of the Lesser Antilles, lying in the eastern Caribbean Sea about 100 miles (160 km) north of the coast of Venezuela. Oval in shape, the island is approximately 21... Guatemala country of Central America. The dominance of an Indian culture within its interior uplands distinguishes Guatemala from its Central American neighbours. The origin of the name Guatemala is Indian, but its derivation and meaning are undetermined. Some... Guinea country of western Africa, located on the Atlantic coast. Three of western Africa’s major rivers—the Gambia, the Niger, and the Sénégal —rise in Guinea. Natural resources are plentiful: in addition to its hydroelectric potential, Guinea possesses a large... Guinea-Bissau country of western Africa. Situated on the Atlantic coast, the predominantly low-lying country is slightly hilly farther inland. The name Guinea remains a source of debate; it is perhaps a corruption of an Amazigh (Berber) word meaning “land of the blacks.”... Guyana country located in the northeastern corner of South America.

Indigenous peoples inhabited Guyana prior to European settlement, and their name for the land, guiana (“land of water”), gave the country its name. Present-day Guyana reflects its British and... Haiti country in the Caribbean Sea that includes the western third of the island of Hispaniola and such smaller islands as Gonâve, Tortue (Tortuga), Grande Caye, and Vache. The capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti, whose population is almost entirely descended... Honduras country of Central America situated between Guatemala and El Salvador to the west and Nicaragua to the south and east. The Caribbean Sea washes its northern coast, the Pacific Ocean its narrow coast to the south. Its area includes the offshore Caribbean... Hungary landlocked country of central Europe. The capital is Budapest. At the end of World War I, defeated Hungary lost 71 percent of its territory as a result of the Treaty of Trianon (1920). Since then, grappling with the loss of more than two-thirds of their... Iceland island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Lying on the constantly active geologic border between North America and Europe, Iceland is a land of vivid contrasts of climate, geography, and culture.

Sparkling glaciers, such as Vatna Glacier (Vatnajökull),... India country that occupies the greater part of South Asia. It is a constitutional republic consisting of 29 states, each with a substantial degree of control over its own affairs; 6 less fully empowered union territories; and the Delhi national capital territory,... Indonesia country located off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia in the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is an archipelago that lies across the Equator and spans a distance equivalent to one-eighth of Earth’s circumference. Its islands can be grouped into the Greater... Iran a mountainous, arid, ethnically diverse country of southwestern Asia. Much of Iran consists of a central desert plateau, which is ringed on all sides by lofty mountain ranges that afford access to the interior through high passes. Most of the population... Iraq country of southwestern Asia. During ancient times the lands now comprising Iraq were known as Mesopotamia (“Land Between the Rivers”), a region whose extensive alluvial plains gave rise to some of the world’s earliest civilizations, including those... Ireland country of western Europe occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major island of the British Isles.

The magnificent scenery of Ireland’s Atlantic coastline faces a 2,000-mile- (3,200-km-) wide expanse of ocean, and its geographic isolation has helped... Israel country in the Middle East, located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded to the north by Lebanon, to the northeast by Syria, to the east and southeast by Jordan, to the southwest by Egypt, and to the west by the Mediterranean Sea.... Italy country of south-central Europe, occupying a peninsula that juts deep into the Mediterranean Sea. Italy comprises some of the most varied and scenic landscapes on Earth and is often described as a country shaped like a boot. At its broad top stand the... Jamaica island country of the West Indies. It is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea, after Cuba and Hispaniola. Jamaica is about 146 miles (235 km) long and varies from 22 to 51 miles (35 to 82 km) wide. It is situated some 100 miles (160 km) west... Japan island country lying off the east coast of Asia.

It consists of a great string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through the western North Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire land area is taken... Jordan Arab country of Southwest Asia, in the rocky desert of the northern Arabian Peninsula. Jordan is a young state that occupies an ancient land, one that bears the traces of many civilizations. Separated from ancient Palestine by the Jordan River, the region... Kazakhstan country of Central Asia. It is bounded on the northwest and north by Russia, on the east by China, and on the south by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Aral Sea; the Caspian Sea bounds Kazakhstan to the southwest. Kazakhstan is the largest... Kenya country in East Africa famed for its scenic landscapes and vast wildlife preserves. Its Indian Ocean coast provided historically important ports by which goods from Arabian and Asian traders have entered the continent for many centuries. Along that coast,... Kiribati island country in the central Pacific Ocean. The 33 islands of Kiribati, of which only 20 are inhabited, are scattered over a vast area of ocean.

Kiribati extends 1,800 miles (2,900 km) eastward from the 16 Gilbert Islands, where the population is concentrated,... Korea, North country in East Asia. It occupies the northern portion of the Korean peninsula, which juts out from the Asian mainland between the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and the Yellow Sea; North Korea covers about 55 percent of the peninsula’s land area. The country... Korea, South country in East Asia. It occupies the southern portion of the Korean peninsula. The country is bordered by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to the north, the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to the east, the East China Sea to the south,... Kuwait country of the Arabian Peninsula located in the northwestern corner of the Persian Gulf. A small emirate nestled between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is situated in a section of one of the driest, least-hospitable deserts on earth. Its shore, however,... Kyrgyzstan country of Central Asia. It is bounded by Kazakhstan on the northwest and north, by China on the east and south, and by Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the south and west.

Most of Kyrgyzstan’s borders run along mountain crests. The capital is Bishkek (known... Laos landlocked country of northeast-central mainland Southeast Asia. It consists of an irregularly round portion in the north that narrows into a peninsula-like region stretching to the southeast. Overall, the country extends about 650 miles (1,050 km) from... Latvia country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states. Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United... Lebanon country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea; it consists of a narrow strip of territory and is one of the world’s smaller sovereign states. The capital is Beirut. Though Lebanon, particularly its coastal region, was the site of some... Lesotho country in Southern Africa. A scenic land of tall mountains and narrow valleys, Lesotho owes a long history of political autonomy to the mountains that surround it and protect it from encroachment. Since the Neolithic Period, the mountain kingdom was...

Liberia country along the coast of western Africa. Liberia’s terrain ranges from the low and sandy coastal plains to rolling hills and dissected plateau further inland. The country is home to a lush rainforest containing a rich diversity of flora and fauna.... Libya country located in North Africa. Most of the country lies in the Sahara desert, and much of its population is concentrated along the coast and its immediate hinterland, where Tripoli (Ṭarābulus), the de facto capital, and Banghāzī, another major city,... Liechtenstein western European principality located between Switzerland and Austria. It is one of the smallest countries of Europe; its capital is Vaduz. Geography The eastern two-thirds of the country is composed of the rugged foothills of the Rhätikon Mountains,... Project MUSE - Africa A to Z: Continental and Country Profiles Africa A to Z: Continental and Country Profiles Third Edition Pieter Esterhuysen Publication Year: 2013 The popularity of the first two editions of this book necessitated a third revised and updated version to record the many challenges in Africa since the first edition appeared in 1998. Africa is a vast and fascinating continent whose population has exceeded the one billion mark.

Africa A-Z attempts to provide, in a concise manner, the facts for an elementary understanding of the continent and its complex problems. The book falls into two main sections; the five chapters on the first main section focus on the continent as a whole, dealing with its physical and human diversity, its eventful history and Africansí struggle for economic survival. The second main section contains profiles of 58 independent countries, ranging from Algeria to Zimbabwe. Presentation of the profiles is uniform, in that the same themes are covered in each profile. The data panels with the profiles contain data not provided in the text. The maps, appearing throughout the text were produced by AISAís cartography department. Download PDF pp. v-vi The popularity of the first two editions of this book, necessitated a third, revised and updated version to record the many changes in Africa since the second edition appeared in 2008. Africa is a vast and fascinating continent whose population exeeds one billion. Africa also has more politically independent states than any other continent... Part 1: Continental Profile Download PDF pp. 3-22 Extending over an area of more than 30 million km2, Africa is the world’s second largest continent.

The equator bisects the continent, the two halves stretching almost equally far north and south to more or less the latitudes 37° N and 35° S. Longitudinally, it lies astride the 20° E meridian, the bulge of West Africa reaching about 15° W and, to the east, the Horn of Africa (Somalia) stretching to about 52° E... 2. Peoples and Origins Download PDF pp. 23-44 Recording Africa’s history has occupied the attention of historians since the rise of the early civilisations around the Mediterranean Sea. Until the enormous expansion of source materials brought about by the information explosion of the 20th century, historians relied on the written accounts of travellers, traders, scribes, administrators and students of indigenous African societies, such as the preachers of the Christian and Islamic faiths... 3. Colonial to Present Times Download PDF pp. 45-62 It was during the period of colonial rule that modern Africa took on many of its most familiar characteristics.

The imposition of alien overlordship, the colonial experience and the African reaction to these were by no means uniform, but throughout Africa the impact of these events was revolutionary, whether measured in political, economic or social terms... 4. Developing Economies pp. 63-78 Notwithstanding their great diversity, the economies of Africa have many features in common. African economies are comparatively small and heavily dependent on the production of a few agricultural or mineral products that are exported to the industrial countries of the northern hemisphere, mostly in unprocessed form and subject to the vagaries of international demand... 5. Regional Economic Groupings Download PDF pp. 79-90 The size of most African economies – per capita income – is commonly seen as a major obstacle to their development. Since the early 1960s, therefore, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca) has encouraged member states to combine their economies into sub-regional markets that would ultimately form one Africa-wide economic union... Part 2: Country Profiles A-Z Contents Download PDF pp.

94-97 Algeria, with land measuring 2 381 741 km2 and a population of 37,367,226 as of July 2012, is currently the largest country in Africa after Sudan split into Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan in 2011. As about 85% of the country consists of Sahara desert, almost the entire population is concentrated in the well-watered coastal zone between the Atlas mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea. Only 3% of the country is suitable for crop cultivation... Angola Download PDF pp. 98-102 Angola fronts on the Atlantic Ocean and is the largest country in the southern African region. It had an estimated population of about 13 million in 2010, the bulk of whom are concentrated in the western third of the country that includes the Angolan highlands running parallel with the coast. About one quarter of the total population lives in Luanda, the largest seaport and urban area. The city is also the national capital. The small Angolan province of Cabinda is separated from the rest of the country by the Congo River estuary... Benin Download PDF pp.

103-106 Benin is a narrow sliver of land in West Africa sharing common borders with Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Togo. The country extends from its narrow coastline on the Gulf of Guinea as far as the Niger River, a distance of about 650 km... Botswana Download PDF pp. 107-111 Botswana is a large, landlocked country, located in the heart of the Southern African region. Its borders (with Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe) stretch over vast distances. As much of Botwana lies in the dry Kalahari (Kgalagadi) Basin, the climate is semi-arid. River courses are dry most of the time, except in the northwest where the perennial Okavango and Linyanti-Chobe... Burkina Faso Download PDF pp. 112-115 Formerly known as Upper Volta, the country lies in the heart of Western Africa, to the south of the middle section of the great Niger River. The country lies across the upper reaches of the Volta River system and is the smallest of three landlocked countries in this part of Africa... Burundi Download PDF pp.

116-119 Bordering on the northeastern end of Lake Tanganyika, Burundi is one of Africa’s smaller countries. It is enclosed on all sides by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and by Tanzania, except in the north where it borders on Rwanda, which is largely similar to Burundi in size and complexion... Cameroon Download PDF pp. 120-124 Triangular-shaped Cameroon is wedged between Western and Central Africa. The country forms a bridge between moist and arid Africa, between Christians and Muslims, between English and French-speakers and between Bantu-speaking and other African linguistic groups. There are great physical differences between Cameroon’s north, south, east and west... Cape Verde Download PDF pp. 125-128 Lying about 500 km west of Dakar (in Senegal), the Atlantic Ocean state of Cape Verde comprises several islands, of which nine are inhabited, and a number of islets. Six of the islands lie to the north, in a group called the Windward Islands... Central African Republic (CAR) Download PDF pp. 129-134 This large landlocked country lies almost exactly in the middle of the African continent.

It is one of the remotest places in Africa, being far from the sea and regular transport routes. Much of the Central African Republic (CAR) is gently undulating plateau, forming a watershed between rivers fl owing southward into the great Congo Basin or northward to Lake Chad... Ceuta and Melilla Download PDF pp. 135-136 Ceuta and Melilla are tiny Spanish exclaves situated on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast; they are sometimes collectively referred to as Spanish North Africa, the sole foreign-ruled territory in the African continent (see map of Morocco, p244)... Chad Download PDF pp. 137-141 Chad occupies a central and strategic position north of the equator. Its capital, N’Djamena, located some 1 500 km from the nearest seaport, is among the most remote of African cities. From its southern savanna zone Chad stretches over a distance of nearly 2 000 km to its northern border (with Libya)... Comoros Download PDF pp. 142-146 The Comoros archipelago consists of four main islands spread across the northern end of the Mozambique Channel between Africa and Madagascar.

Three of the islands, Grand Comoro (Ngazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani) and Moheli (Mwali) constitute the Union of Comoros, an independent federal republic with a total area of 1 862 km2 and a combined population of about 600 000... Congo, Republic (Brazzaville) Download PDF pp. 147-151 Congo Brazzaville lies in the Congo basin, on the western side of the lower stretch of the great Congo River. On the river’s eastern side lies the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The equator cuts through the northern part of Congo Brazzaville which is covered by dense evergreen rainforest, while the southern half is made up of low bush-covered plateaus, separated from the Atlantic coast by the Mayombe escarpment... Côte d’Ivoire Download PDF pp. 152-158 Offi cially known as Côte d’Ivoire in all languages, this square-shaped country is one of a dozen Western African countries fronting on the Atlantic Ocean’s Gulf of Guinea.

It is a low-lying area (on average less than 500 m above sea level) with a wet and humid equatorial climate over the southern half; ... Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) Download PDF pp. 159-163 The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the third largest country in Africa (2 344 885 km2) after Sudan and Algeria, and is almost twice the size of South Africa. It borders on nine countries. The DRC lies in the Congo River Basin, which includes Congo Brazzaville, southern Cameroon and the southeastern parts of the Central African Republic... Djibouti Download PDF pp. 164-167 In area, Djibouti is one of Africa’s smallest mainland countries, larger only than Swaziland and The Gambia. The country is adjacent to the Horn of Africa on the African side of the Gulf of Aden, at the southern end of the Red Sea. From the Gulf of Aden another stretch of sea, the Gulf of Tadjoura, juts deep into Djibouti... Egypt Download PDF pp.

168-174 Egypt is strategically located at the junction of Africa and Asia, fronting on both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea; the 165 km Suez Canal to the northeast links the two seas. The Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez, extending from the Red Sea, separates the arid Sinai Peninsula from the rest of Egypt, which is dominated by the trough-like... Equatorial Guinea Download PDF pp. 175-179 Equatorial Guinea consists of a chunk of African mainland, wedged between Cameroon and Gabon, and several islands of which Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea is the largest. The square-shaped mainland area has a 300 km coastline and extends about 200 km inland, with a surface area of some... Eritrea Download PDF pp. 180-184 Eritrea is one of Africa and the world’s newest states, having seceded from Ethiopia in 1993. A prominent natural feature of Eritrea is the high escarpment overlooking the Red Sea to the east.

The country’s major towns, including the national capital, Asmara, are located in the highlands on the western side of the escarpment... Ethiopia Download PDF pp. 185-192 This large country, extending over more than one million km2, forms the heartland of the Horn of Africa region. With much of its territory lying above 2 000 m, Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most mountainous regions; the national capital of Addis Ababa is situated more or less in the middle of the country, about 2 450 m above sea level... Gabon Download PDF pp. 193-197 Gabon is a medium-sized, sparsely populated country located on the Atlantic side of the vast Congo River basin. The equator runs just south of the great Gabon Estuary, near the country’s northern border with Equatorial Guinea... The Gambia Download PDF pp. 198-202 The Gambia is enclosed by Senegal in Western Africa and is the smallest state on the African continent. The country is a sliver of land along the lower reaches of the river with the same name.

The River Gambia is one of Africa’s finest waterways, owing to its great depth and navigability by ocean-going vessels... Ghana Download PDF pp. 203-209 Ghana is a medium-sized country, located between Togo and Côte d’Ivoire in Western Africa. Ghana has a seafront on the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean). The coastline is rather straight, lacking natural harbours. There are two artificial harbours (built along breakwaters jutting into the sea): the largest is Tema, near Accra, the national capital; ... Guinea Download PDF pp. 210-215 Fronting on the Atlantic Ocean, this kidney-shaped country borders on six other Western African countries. The coastline is marked by numerous estuaries and mangrove swamps. The largest city and national capital, Conakry, is situated on the rocky Kaloum peninsula, jutting out to a small group of islets, the Los Islands... Guinea-Bissau Download PDF pp. 216-220 To distinguish it from Guinea, its southern neighbour, the name Bissau was added to the name of Guinea-Bissau at independence.

Bissau is the country’s only city, main seaport and the national capital. Guinea-Bissau is one of Africa’s smaller countries and lies wedged between Senegal and Guinea on Western Africa’s Atlantic coast... Kenya Download PDF pp. 221-225 Kenya has a population of over 30 million and is almost equal in size to Botswana or Madagascar. The northern parts of the country border on Ethiopia and the remainder forms part of the Great Rift Valley, with escarpments and highlands on both sides of the valley... Lesotho Download PDF pp. 226-230 The Kingdom of Lesotho is one of the smallest African countries with rugged mountains, heavy rainfall, winter snow and a bracing climate. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it borders on the Free State Province to the north, west and southwest; ... Liberia Download PDF pp. 231-236 Liberia lies on Western Africa’s Atlantic coast, between Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Its coastline of some 600 km is fairly straight with shallow mangrove-fringed lagoons and no natural harbours.

From the broad coastal plain the land rises to a plateau with low hills and mountain ranges... Libya Download PDF pp. 237-243 Libya is one of five northern African countries fronting on the Mediterranean sea. It is the second largest (after Algeria) of the five countries, constituting Northern Africa. Libya’s vast area of nearly two million km2 is mostly Sahara desert, dotted by numerous oases... Madagascar Download PDF pp. 244-250 Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo – nearly twice the size of the British Isles. It lies across the Mozambique Channel, about 400 km from Africa’s southeast coast. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through the island’s southern portion. Madagascar measures about 1 570 km from north to south and about 570 km from east to west, through its broadest part... Malawi Download PDF pp. 251-255 Landlocked Malawi is a long and narrow stretch of land located on the western and southern side of Lake Malawi. Malawi shares borders with Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Compared with its neighbours, Malawi is a small country. A large part (24 400 km2) is covered by water (Lake Malawi and smaller lakes such as Malombe, Chiula and Chilwa)... Mali Download PDF pp. 256-262 Mali forms a link in a chain of enormous countries, extending across the Sahara Desert, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. In landlocked Mali most places are remote from the nearest foreign seaport. The country is shaped like butterfly wings with one wing larger than the other; this northern ‘wing’ consists almost entirely of Sahara sands... Mauritania Download PDF pp. 263-269 Mauritania is a very large, sparsely populated country on the western bulge of Africa where it fronts on the Atlantic Ocean. It forms a geographical and cultural bridge between Northern and Western Africa. Much of the country is real desert but the southern portion falls within the semi-arid Sahel zone that extends across the continent. The land rises from fl at coastal plains in the west to low plateau in the rest of the country that reaches heights of more than 500 m above sea level only in a few places...

Mauritius Download PDF pp. 270-274 Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean, with a total area of 1 860 km2 (about 58 km by 47 km) and an estimated population of 1.2 million. Mauritius lies 800 km east of Madagascar and 2 400 km from Durban in South Africa... Mayotte Download PDF pp. 275-277 The island of Mayotte (or Maore) is geographically part of the Comoros Archipelago but is French territory remaining politically separate from the independent island state comprising Mayotte’s three sister islands (see Comoros Profile)... Morocco Download PDF pp. 278-285 Morocco is one of only three monarchies remaining in Africa, the others being Lesotho and Swaziland in Southern Africa. The Kingdom of Morocco is located in the northwestern corner of Africa, in the part of Africa nearest to Europe, and which is also the westernmost outpost of the Arab-Muslim world... Mozambique Download PDF pp.

286-290 Mozambique is a long strip of land, stretching from the south (bordering South Africa) far to the north (bordering Tanzania). The country’s coastline extends over nearly 2 500 km. Most of the country is made up of coastal plains and low-lying lands with a total area of 799 380 km2... Namibia Download PDF pp. 291-297 Namibia’s large territory lies to the south of Angola on the west coast of the Southern African subcontinent; other neighbours are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The country’s 1 500 km coastline stretches from the Orange (Gariep) River, in the south, to the Kunene River in the north, all of it consisting of the Namib Desert whose desolate northern section is known as the Skeleton Coast... Niger Download PDF pp. 298-303 Enormous Niger lies in the middle of five similarly large countries extending across the Sahara Desert and its Sahel borderlands (the others being Mauritania, Mali, Chad and Sudan).

Niger is the largest country in Western Africa, stretching from the Niger River, running through its southwestern corner, to the Djado Plateau on Niger’s northern borders with Algeria and Libya... Nigeria Download PDF pp. 304-312 Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the continent’s leading oil producer. Physically, it is the largest of the Western African countries fronting on the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria’s most prominent natural feature is the Y-shaped river system formed by the Niger River and its main tributary, the Benue... Réunion Download PDF pp. 313-315 Réunion is not an independent state; the island is an integral part of France with the status of a French Overseas Department. It is the largest island in the Mascarene group of islands, located in the Indian Ocean, about 650 km east of Madagascar... Rwanda Download PDF pp. 316-321 One of Africa’s smaller countries, Rwanda borders on Lake Kivu, between Uganda and Burundi.

Rwanda is slightly smaller than Burundi, its southern neighbour, and it shares many other similarities with Burundi, so that the two of them are often spoken of as twin countries... São Tomé and Príncipe Download PDF pp. 322-326 São Tomé and Príncipe is an island state, comprising a larger main island, another smaller island and a number of rocky islets, about 300 km off the coast of Gabon. São Tomé, located on the equator, is the larger island whose central peak rises to over 2 000 m above sea-level... Senegal Download PDF pp. 327-333 Senegal is the western-most country in Africa. Its capital, Dakar, lies on the Cape Verde Peninsula, the continent’s most westerly point. The entire country is low, fl at plateau, except in the southeast where the land rises to Guinea’s Futa Jallon Highlands... Seychelles Download PDF pp.

334-338 The Seychelles island state comprises some 115 islands and islets, lying scattered over a marine area of some 1.3 million km2 in the Indian Ocean, just south of the equator (between 0 °S and 10 °S) and about 1 600 km east of the African ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam... Sierra Leone Download PDF pp. 339-344 Sierra Leone takes its name from the mountainous peninsula jutting into the sea next to an enormous river estuary. It is a conspicious landmark on the rather monotonous West African coastline. The capital, Freetown, lies on this peninsula, overlooking the estuary of what is called the Sierra Leone River... Somalia Download PDF pp. 345-351 Extending over 3 000 km, Somalia’s barren coastline is longer than that of any other African country. On the map the coastline resembles a rhino horn, hence the designation Horn of Africa for this part of the continent.

The Ras Hafun Peninsula, just south of Cape Guardafui (Ras Asir) at the Horn’s tip, is Africa’s most easterly point... South Africa Download PDF pp. 352-359 The Republic of South Africa occupies the larger part of Africa south of the Tropic of Capricorn which traverses South Africa’s Limpopo Province. Independent Lesotho is enclosed by South African territory and independent Swaziland nearly so... South Sudan Download PDF pp. 360-363 South Sudan, a landlocked country of about 644 000 sq km, lies in the northeastern part of Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic to the west, by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south-west, by Uganda and Kenya to the south, by Ethiopia to the west and by the Republic of Sudan to the north... Sudan Download PDF pp. 364-372 Until July 2011, Sudan was the largest country in Africa. The secession of South Sudan left the North a much smaller territory. Now with a significantly reduced population and diminished resources, Sudan is the third largest country in Africa... Swaziland Download PDF pp.

373-377 Swaziland is the second smallest country in the African continent (only The Gambia is smaller). It is landlocked, being enclosed by South Africa (on the north, west and south) and by Mozambique (on the east). Swaziland lies between South Africa’s Drakensberg range and the Lebombo Mountains that demarcate the Mozambique border... Tanzania Download PDF pp. 378-382 Tanzania covers about 945 000 km2, with a population estimated at 35 million including about 900 000 people in Zanzibar. Its surface area includes the southern half of Lake Victoria, eastern half of Lake Tanganyika and the other smaller lakes in the country. Tanzania borders on Lake Malawi in the far south... Togo Download PDF pp. 383-389 Togo is a small elongated country on the West African coast. It covers about 57 000 km2, extending 540 km inland from a 56 km coastline on the Gulf of Guinea.

It lies, on average, 500 m above sea level, except in the mountain ranges of the southwest (Togo Mountains) and northeast (Atakora Mountains) where the mountains reach heights of over 900 m... Tunisia Download PDF pp. 390-395 Located on the western side of the great Gulf of Sirte in the Mediterranean Sea, Tunisia is the smallest independent country in Northern Africa. However, its proportion of arable land is among the largest in Africa. The northern fifth of the country is an extension of the Algerian Tell zone that enjoys a temperate Mediterranean cimate with winter rainfall... Uganda Download PDF pp. 396-400 Uganda is a landlocked country located in East Africa bordering Sudan on the north, Kenya on the east and Tanzania and Rwanda on the south. The Democratic Republic of Congo lies to the west. Uganda is much smaller than its neighbours; with a population of about 23 million and a surface area of 241 000 km2, which includes some 44 000 km2 of inland water, including much of Lake Victoria... Western Sahara Download PDF pp.

401-404 Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) is a disputed territory that has been administered by the Kingdom of Morocco since 1976. It fronts on Africa’s north Atlantic coast, where the Sahara Desert meets the ocean. The territory’s coastline extends over 1 100 km between Morocco and Mauritania. In the northeast, Western Sahara has a short common border with Algeria... Zambia Download PDF pp. 405-409 Zambia is a landlocked state in southern Africa with a total area of 752 614 km2 and an estimated population of 9.7 million. About half the population is urbanised with the majority of the urban population living in the capital Lusaka and in the Copperbelt towns on the northern border... Zimbabwe Download PDF pp. 410-414 Zimbabwe lies on the central Southern African plateau and is landlocked. About 8% of the land area is used for crop cultivation. Towards the northeast is Harare, the largest urban centre (pop over 2 million) and national capital. Bulawayo (pop about 1 million) some 440 km southwest from Harare, is the second largest city...

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Question: Which is the westernmost of the six African countries on the equator?
Answer: Gabon