Africa is a large continent. This is why its natural conditions and livelihoods vary greatly. 

The African continent is home to almost 50 nations. The borders of many African nations were formed during the colonial era, in the 19th and 20th centuries. During this era, many European nations used parts of Africa as their colonies. The European colonists drew borders between their colonies without regard to the native African population. This is why many African nations are home to tens of different ethnic groups. 


The map on the right shows the 22 largest African nations:
1. Sudan, 2. Algeria, 3. Congo, 4. Libya,
5. Chad, 6. Niger, 7. Angola, 8. Mali, 9. South Africa,
10. Ethiopia, 11. Mauritania, 12. Egypt, 13. Tanzania, 14. Nigeria,
15. Namibia, 16. Mozambique, 17. Zambia, 18. Somalia,
19. the Central African Republic, 20. Madagascar, 21. Botswana, 22. Kenya.