Africa: Difference between revisions

'''Africa''' is the world's second-largest and second most-populous [[continent]], after [[Asia]]. At about 30.2 million km² (11.7 million sq mi) including its adjacent islands, it covers 20.4% of the total land area on Earth, and with over a billion human inhabitants in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of Earth's human population. The continent is surrounded by the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the north, the [[Suez Canal]] and the [[Red Sea]] to the northeast, the [[Indian Ocean]] to the southeast, and the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the west. There are 46 countries including [[Madagascar]], and 53 including all the island groups. Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones. Because of the lack of natural regular precipitation and irrigation as well as glaciers or mountain aquifer systems, there is no natural moderating effect on the climate except near the coasts.

The [[Rome|ancient Romans]] used the name ''Africa terra'' — "land of the Afri" (plural, or the singular ''Afer'') — for the northern part of the continent, corresponding to modern-day [[Tunisia]], where the [[Africa (province)|Roman province of Africa]] was located. The origin of ''Afer'' may be the [[Phoenicia|Phoenician]] '''afar'', meaning "dust"; the Afridi tribe, a [[Berber people|Berber]] tribe who dwelt in Northern Africa around the area of [[Carthage]]; the [[Greek language|Greek]] {{Greek Name3|Αφρική|aphrike}}, meaning "without cold"; or the [[Latin]] ''{{Latin Name2|aprica}}'', meaning "sunny." [[Judaism|Jewish]] historian [[Flavius Josephus]] asserted that Africa was named for [[Epher]], a grandson of [[Abraham]] through his son [[Midian]] ({{Bible ref|book=Genesis|chap=25|verses=4}}), whose descendants, he says, had invaded [[Libya]].

[[Christianity]] is no stranger to Africa, having been visited by Jesus himself when his parents fled to [[Egypt]] (a [[North Africa]]n country) to hide from the persecution of [[Herod]]. [[Peter|Peter the Apostle]] baptized an [[Ethiopia]]n eunuch, who may have returned to Africa to spread the [[Gospel]]. According to tradition, Christianity began in Africa in the 1^st century when [[Mark|Mark the Evangelist]] planted the church in [[Alexandria, Egypt]] around 43 AD.  

Little is known of the first couple of centuries, beyond the list of bishops of Alexandria. At first the church in Alexandria was mainly [[Greek language|Greek]]-speaking, but by the end of the 2^nd century the scriptures and Liturgy had been translated into three local languages. At the beginning of the 21^st century Christianity is probably the main religion in most of sub-Saharan Africa, while in the northern part of the continent it is a minority religion, where the majority of the population are [[Islam|Muslims]]. There has been tremendous growth of Christians in Africa. For example only nine million Christians were in Africa in 1900. By the year 2000, there were an estimated 380 million Christians, out pacing the African Muslim population. Much of the Christian growth in Africa is now due to African evangelism rather than Western missionaries. In South Africa (a Southern African country), it is rare to find a person with no religious beliefs.