Africa facts about nature. 50 interesting facts about the peoples of Africa. The most dangerous representatives of the fauna of the African continent

read Ukrainian

Learn the most interesting facts about the hottest continent in the world

Photo 1 of 17:© Depositphotos

The hot African continent is called the “Cradle of Humankind”, but what do we really know about Africa? We travel a lot, visit Europe, travel around America, but few of us have been to Africa. We know so little about this continent. Therefore, we invite you to get to know him better.

© Depositphotos

• During the so-called "scramble for Africa" ​​almost all countries were colonized by foreign countries. Only Ethiopia and Liberia remained independent.
• There are 54 countries in Africa and one disputed territory called Western Sahara.
• Prior to colonization, there were up to 10,000 different states and autonomous tribes in Africa with their own languages, customs and culture.
• Official statistics say that the most popular language on the continent is Arabic. It is spoken by over 170 million people. The second most popular is English (130 million people), followed by Swahili (100 million people), French (115 million people), and Hausa (50 million people).

© Depositphotos

• 2000 languages ​​are spoken on the continent.
• About 50% of Africans are under the age of 25.
• According to demographic trends, Africa's population will more than double by 2050, to 2.3 billion people.
• Africa is the poorest and least developed continent in the world. The total GDP of all African countries is only 2.4% of world GDP.
• About 40% of African adults do not have a secondary education.

© Depositphotos

• More than 5.4 million people died during the Second Congo War. In terms of the number of victims, this conflict is second only to the Second World War.
• There are more Internet users in New York than in all of Africa.
• The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. Its territory is larger than the continental United States.
• Africa is the second driest continent after Australia.
• There are more than 1 million Chinese citizens on the African continent. There are over 350,000 Chinese in Angola alone.

© Depositphotos

• Africa is the second largest continent in the world and covers about one-fifth of the earth's total land area. Its territory is about 30.2 million km².
• There are more than 25 million people living with HIV on the continent. So far, more than 17 million people have already died from this disease.
• Approximately 90% of all malaria cases in the world occur in Africa.
• Africa is the hottest continent in the world. Deserts and arid regions occupy more than 60% of its area.
• Africa has more than 30% of the Earth's mineral resources.

© Depositphotos

• Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Its population is 125-145 million people. Egypt is the second most populous country with over 76 million people.
• Algeria is the largest country in Africa. Its area is 2500 thousand km2.
• The smallest country is the island nation of Seychelles with a total area of ​​just over 453 square kilometers.
• Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. Its area is 69,490 km2.
• Egypt is the most popular tourist destination in Africa, attracting about 10 million visitors a year.

© Depositphotos

• Africa is home to the world's largest animal, the African elephant. It can weigh from 6 to 7 tons.
• Scientists believe that Africa was once part of a single super-continent called Pangea. Asia and South America separated from Africa about 80 million years ago. The African continent remains relatively stable and has not changed for a long time. Geologists believe that Madagascar separated from the African continent about 160 million years ago.
• The ancient Greeks and Romans originally used the term "Africa" ​​only to refer to the northern part of the continent. Translated from Latin, the word Africa means "sunny", and from the Greek Aphrike means "without cold".
• Historians estimate that about 7-12 million slaves were transported from Africa to the Americas between the 15th and 19th centuries.
• Since 2001, all countries of the continent, with the exception of Morocco, have joined the so-called "African Union".

© Depositphotos

• Islam is the dominant religion in Africa. Together with Christianity, these two religions cover 85% of the population of the continent. The remaining 15% of the population are atheists and representatives of traditional African religions.
• Nigeria is the fourth largest oil exporter in the world and the largest oil producer in Africa. Nigeria supplies the world market with about 2.2 million barrels every day.
• China is Africa's main trading partner. Trade volumes are about $200 billion a year.
• China's direct investment in Africa exceeds $50 billion.
• More than 90% of Africa's soils are unsuitable for agriculture.

© Depositphotos

• More than 240 million Africans suffer from chronic malnutrition.
• Equatorial Guinea is the richest country in Africa. GDP per capita is $16,507. Botswana comes in second with a GDP of $14,906. Zimbabwe is in last place with $589 a year.
• Chad has the second fastest growing economy in the world.
• The top 10 poorest countries in the world are in Africa.

Everyone has heard about Africa - such a distant hot country. According to scientists, it was this territory that became the home of the first people on the planet. At present, Africa is a haven for the poorest sections of mankind. The standard of living there leaves much to be desired, people live below the poverty line. And in some parts of Africa, even the primitive system has been preserved. Many tribes continue to live in complete harmony with nature. At the moment, some regions of this amazing country have not been fully explored, and it is still unknown what is hidden there - beyond the ocean.

In order for the reader to get at least a little acquainted with such an unusual state, we decided to collect in one article the most interesting facts about Africa. The geography of this country is unique. The most amazing realities will be presented below.

1. As is known from textbooks, the borders of states pass along the lines of rivers and mountains. But such a postulate does not apply to Africa. Here, the borders were drawn using ... an ordinary ruler. If you look at the political map (photo above), you can see this statement with your own eyes. Probably no other continent has such direct borders as here.
2. The Sahara is considered to be one of the largest deserts in the world. However, a small detail was overlooked. Indeed, in Antarctica there are also cold deserts that are larger than the Sahara. It is worth making a clarification: the Sahara is the largest hot desert.
3. Africa testify that almost all of these lands are colonial. What can not be said about Ethiopia. Perhaps that is why she now has a higher level of development.
4. Hippos were considered the most common animals on the continent. To date, they can be found only in the southern part of the country. The fact is that today hippos are massively exterminated.
5. Victoria Falls is the largest in the world.
6. Everyone associates Madagascar with a part of the African continent, although it is an independent unit.
7. Africa can literally be called a golden country. 50% of the world's gold production falls on this hot continent.
8. Cairo is the capital of Egypt and also one of the most populous cities in the world.
9. Another interesting fact about Africa is connected with the unusual town of Togo. Men need to be especially careful here, because the women of Togo are incredibly beautiful. But here lies the catch: if a man decides to make a compliment to a lady he likes, he must immediately marry her.
10. It is known from various educational programs that a certain percentage of African tribes live a primitive life. It is surprising that in the era of civilization, many of them do not even know how to make fire.
11. Africa is considered to be a second world country. But, surprisingly, it was here that the very first and successful heart transplant operation was performed.
12. The dunes in the Sahara are one of the most majestic and beautiful natural phenomena. As you know, they are taller than the Eiffel Tower.
13. The temperature of the sand on a hot day in the African deserts can exceed 80 degrees.

The Congo River is one of the most full-flowing. In its length, it is second only to the Nile, which, in turn, became a kind of beginning of the birth of civilization. It was on these shores that many peoples began their lives.

There are a huge number of rivers on the African continent. But, unfortunately, many of them dry up during the dry season.

The largest river in Africa received two names at once: the Blue and White Nile. The Blue Nile is a body of water with crystal clear water, in which the bottom is visible. White is distinguished by waters mixed with silt.

The locals don't like the Congo River

Rafting people love to come to Africa in order to go down at least once. It got its name not because of the color, as many might think. It was named after orange flamingos.

There is another interesting fact about Africa, based on reviews not only of tourists, but also of local residents. The population of the African continent does not like the Congo River. This is justified by the fact that the so-called tiger fish is found here. Representatives of this subspecies grow to a rather impressive size and pose a serious danger to fishermen.

There are a huge number of reservoirs on the continent that have not yet been explored by scientists. They were mapped recently, which is also quite surprising.

African rivers are famous for their abundance of waterfalls, which have a stepped character. This is a very picturesque phenomenon, especially if you see it live.

The Nile is the only river that runs through the driest desert, the Sahara.

Lake Tanganyika is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. It adjoins the Congo River.

Interesting facts about African animals deserve special attention. Everyone has heard about the representatives of the fauna of the Black Continent, and since childhood. Rhinos, lions, zebras... In the stories and poems of children's writers, animals from hot overseas countries are often mentioned. All these representatives of the fauna undoubtedly attract attention, but many are not even aware of their unusual habits.

The most agile and fast animals - the lion, the antelope and the cheetah - live in Africa. Representatives of these species are capable of speeds up to 110 km per hour. True, for too long they will not be able to hold it, so they run exclusively for short distances.

The elephant is the most massive inhabitant of the planet (on land). Such a large body saves him from predator attacks. Nobody dares to attack an elephant. On average, the weight of a giant is about 6 tons. The only creature that threatens the life of such a powerful representative of the fauna is, of course, a man.

The tallest animal on the planet is the giraffe. Its height reaches 5 meters. Thanks to its long neck, it can eat the most delicious, but hard-to-reach twigs on plants.

And one more interesting fact about Africa: colorful cute zebras, despite their relationship with horses, have never been tamed by humans, and the absurd nature of the striped beauties is to blame. But by crossing, it was possible to bring out zebroids - a cross between a zebra and a horse or donkey. And a few more interesting facts about the color of these cuties. Each zebra has a unique pattern of black and white stripes, similar to human fingerprints. The cub recognizes its mother from the drawing. And the most interesting thing: zebra milk is pink!

Penguins live in Africa

Probably, many will be surprised by the fact that penguins live on this hot continent, because these representatives of the animal world are associated with Antarctica. It turns out that they feel quite good in "warm places". As for the continent we are considering, here they are located in Namibia and the Southern Republic. It is this coast that is washed by cold continental waters.

The most dangerous representatives of the fauna of the African continent

Hippos are among the most dangerous animals on the planet, despite the fact that they feed exclusively on grass. Clumsy in appearance, they vehemently protect their offspring, and if a person accidentally approaches, the animal will evaluate this as an attack.
Hippo skin secretes a certain enzyme that easily resists the scorching sun.

Hyenas are the most aggressive animals on the planet. In some cases, they are much more dangerous than a lion. After all, their jaws are much stronger and have a stranglehold.

The lion is the symbol of Africa. Graceful, but very lazy predator. He sleeps about 20 hours a day and wakes up exclusively to have a snack.

And finally, the most interesting fact about Africa: in terms of the danger provided, not a single animal, even the largest and most predatory, can be compared with a small tsetse fly. Thousands of people and animals die from its bite.

Unusual African peoples

Interesting facts about reflect the whole flavor of this distant continent. Some of them are presented below.

1. Pygmies are a primitive African tribe. The level of their development is stuck somewhere in the Stone Age. It is very interesting to observe such a contrast.
2. African women are very fond of gallant men who compliment them. But the latter must be pronounced with extreme caution, otherwise you will have to get married.
3. Many have heard about women's harems, moreover, many men dreamed about them. But few people know that in certain parts of Africa, it is women who have their own male harems.
4. The matabi tribe is very fond of kicking the ball. Their love for football is boundless, therefore, in the absence of sports equipment, they are happy to use ... a human skull, and this does not bother them at all.

Listed below are a variety of facts about Africa - geographical, economic, political, and many others. Of course, these are not all the facts about Africa, it would be impossible to list all the facts about this continent, but, nevertheless, these are interesting and curious facts.

• Africa is the second continent of the world, both in terms of size and population. As of 2013, almost 15 percent of the world's population lived in Africa.
• More than a billion people (1.1 billion) live in Africa, and the number of languages ​​spoken in Africa exceeds 1,500. One in four of the world's languages ​​are spoken in Africa.
• The total size of Africa is just over 30 million square kilometers, which is about one-fifth of the entire land area of ​​the Earth. Based on this, the African continent is larger than India, China, Mexico, and the United States, as well as a large part of Europe combined.
• During the early Mesozoic era, Africa was connected to all the other continents, and together they formed a supercontinent called Pangea. Subsequently, Pangea broke up into continents, which took on the form familiar to us today.
• Even though Africa is the second largest continent in the world, Africa's coastline is the shortest of all the other continents.
• World civilization began in Africa. The pharaonic civilization of ancient Egypt is the oldest literate civilization. According to historical records, the Egyptian state began its existence around 3300 BC.
• Islam is the dominant religion in Africa. Christianity follows. In addition, the most widely spoken language in Africa is Arabic.
• It is predicted that by 2050, about 38% of all Christians in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa (Black Africa region).
• Africa is the most central continent of the world geographically. Both the prime meridian (longitude - 0 degrees) and the equator (latitude - 0 degrees) are located on the territory of the African continent.
• The largest country in Africa is Algeria. Its area is almost 2.4 million sq. km. The smallest country in Africa is the Seychelles (an island state with an area of ​​​​only 453 sq. Km.).
• Africa's most populous country is Nigeria (2015 population estimate 184 million).
• Nigeria has the highest GDP ($568 billion in 2015) of all African countries. The lowest GDP in Africa is in Sao Tome and Principe ($335 million in 2015).
• At its closest point to Europe, Africa is separated from Europe by only 14.3 kilometers of water.
• The Nile River in Africa is the longest river in the world. Its total length is 6,650 km, it flows through 11 countries and flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
• The largest African island located in the Indian Ocean (along the east coast of Africa) is Madagascar. It is also the fourth largest island in the world.
• Victoria Falls, located along the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The main source of water for the falls is the Zambezi River.
• The largest lake in Africa is Lake Victoria. It is also the second largest freshwater lake in the world (with an area of ​​68,000 square kilometers).
• The Sahara Desert, located in Africa, is the world's largest hot desert (with an area of ​​​​9.4 million square kilometers), and the third largest desert in the world, after the Arctic (second largest) and Antarctic (first largest) .
• Africa's highest point is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Its height is 5,895 meters above sea level.
• As the tallest animal in the world, and the largest, it comes from Africa. This is a giraffe, and an African elephant, respectively.
• The giraffe is listed as an endangered species in at least 7 African countries.
• The hippopotamus is the deadliest animal in Africa. Hippos in Africa kill more people than crocodiles and lions combined.
• Today, Bushmen living in southern Africa use the same tools found in a cave inhabited 44,000 years ago.
• About 41 per cent of children in Africa between the ages of 1 and 5 are actively involved in child labour.
• In Africa, as in Asia, people have to walk an average of 6 km. a day to get water for various purposes.
• 39 percent of children under 5 living in Burundi are underweight.
• Over 90 per cent of all malaria cases in the world occur in Africa. Every year, 3,000 children die from this disease.
• In the African state of Swaziland, one in four adults is HIV positive.
• The total number of people infected with HIV in Africa is estimated at 25 million.
• The Second Congolese War, which lasted from 1998 to 2006, claimed the most lives (5.4 million) than any other war since the Second World War. Eight African states were involved in this conflict.
• The Seychelles had a female literacy rate of 92 percent in 2010, according to the World Bank. The same rate at the same time was 13 percent in Chad and 15 percent in Niger.
• As of 2010, it took 216 days in Guinea-Bissau to complete all the procedures required to open a business. In Rwanda, the same thing could be done in only 3 days.
• Only 24 percent of the inhabitants of the villages and villages of Black Africa have standard sanitary conditions. In cities, this figure is 42 percent.
• The African country of Tanzania has the highest number of people in the world with albinism (lack of the melanin pigment that gives color to the skin, hair, and membranes of the eye, as a result of which a dark-skinned person can look like a light-skinned person). Various medicine men and healers in Africa capture people with albinism and use their organs in their rituals, which they believe will cure the disease.
• The Witwatersrand Mountains in South Africa contain almost half of all the gold mined in Africa.
• More people speak French in Africa than in France itself.
• Most of the world's fastest distance runners come from the Kalenjin tribe in Kenya.
• Egypt is the most popular tourist destination in Africa. More than 10 million people visit the country every year as tourists. In addition, Cairo - the capital of Egypt - is the largest city in Africa.
• In northern Africa, there are two Spanish exclaves - Melilla and Ceuta.
• The national flag of Mozambique depicts a Kalashnikov assault rifle. This is the only state flag in the world with the image of a machine gun.
• All African states were colonized by Europeans, with the exception of two: Ethiopia and Liberia. Ethiopia was an Orthodox Christian country, while Liberia was a country of African-American settlers who were slaves.
• To date, African countries are united by one organization - the African Union (AU). AS was established in 2001. Only one African country - Morocco - is not a member of the AU.
• The two most popular sports in Africa are football and cricket. They both appeared in Africa during the colonial era.
• Africa has over 100 million Facebook accounts.

1. Africa is the hottest of all continents on earth

2. In terms of area, Africa is second only to Eurasia

3. Most scientists believe that Africa is the birthplace of mankind

4. The study of Africa is carried out by a special science - African studies. A scientist who deals with this science is called an Africanist.

5. The term "Africa" ​​appeared thanks to the inhabitants of the ancient city of Carthage. Afri they called the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. In the translation of the Phoenician language, the word "Afri" means - dust. When the Romans captured Carthage, they began to call the territory Afri without hesitation.

6. There are other versions of the origin of the word Africa. According to these versions, Africa is: “without cold”, “sunny”, “homeland”, “foamy country”.

7. There are 54 states and 10 dependent territories (colonies of other states) on the territory of Africa

8. Now Africa has over 1.1 billion people. this is one sixth of the population of our planet.

9. The African continent is conditionally divided into northern, southern, eastern, western and central Africa.

10. The most popular language in Africa is Arabic.

11. In total, there are more than 2,000 languages ​​and dialects in Africa.

12. More than 3,000 nationalities and ethnic groups live in Africa.

13. The largest state in Africa by area is Sudan.

14. The most populated country in Africa is Nigeria. 195 million people live in this country.

15. The largest city in Africa is Cairo. It is home to 17 million people.

16. Africa has the longest V world - the river Nile. The length of the river is 6500 kilometers.

17. If you look at the political map of the African continent, you will notice that the borders between many states run in a straight line. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, there are few landmarks in the desert for drawing the border. Secondly, the territories of African states were divided mainly by Europeans, and they did not particularly bother themselves by drawing borders between African countries.

18. In Africa, the highest temperature on the planet is recorded - +58 degrees.

20. The highest mountain in Africa is Mount Kilimonjaro. Its height is 5835 meters. At this peak is the only glacier on the African continent.

21. Africa's largest lake is Lake Victoria. It ranks second in the ranking of the largest lakes in the world.

22. Africa is home to over 1,000 species of mammals.

23. The tallest animal in the world, the giraffe, lives in Africa.

24. Africa is home to the largest animal in the world - the African elephant.

25. The tallest animal in the world, the cheetah, lives in Africa.

26. In Africa, trees with unusual names grow: bottle, soap, milk, sausage and bread.

27. Penguins live in Africa. In the south of the continent live the so-called spectacled penguins.

28. Pyramids are not only in Egypt. More than 200 pyramids are located on the territory of the state of Sudan. True, they are much smaller than the Egyptian ones.

29. The Tutsi people living in Africa are considered the tallest people on the planet.

30. People The Mbuti tribe living in Africa is considered the shortest people on the planet.

31. Less precipitation than in Africa falls only on another continent - Antarctica.

32. The most dangerous living creature in the world lives in Africa. This is a tsetse fly.

33. The poorest countries in the world are in Africa.

1. Africa is the most contrasting and mysterious of the 5 continents of our planet.

Researchers and tourists from all over the world are attracted not only by its natural and animal diversity, but also by numerous tribes and nationalities.

2. Scientists number from 3 to 8 thousand different African peoples. Such a scatter is due to the complexity of the study and the fact that many of the local ethnic groups are very similar to each other, including culturally, and the territorial scatter is quite large.

3. In total, more than 1.1 billion people live in Africa. This is a lot, given that a third of the continent is occupied by the lifeless Sahara desert.

4. Of the total world population, Africa accounts for about 15%.

5. Nearly half of Africa's population lives in the ten largest African cities.

6. Although a very diverse population lives on the expanses of the vast African continent, most of these people seem similar to foreigners, but this is absolutely not the case. They differ in traditions, customs and way of life.

7. Africans use about 1.5 thousand different languages ​​​​and dialects. The most common among them is Arabic.

8. Due to the significant ethno-cultural diversity, most Africans speak at least two languages.

9. In Africa, more people speak French than in France itself or in the French-speaking provinces of Canada.

10. The whole Dinka people living in the territory of the Sudan, has about 4,000,000 representatives. Their main occupation is cattle breeding, therefore, from childhood, boys are taught to take care of animals, and the welfare of each family is measured by the number of cattle.

11. In Africa, a larger percentage of the population is under the age of 15 than on any other continent on Earth.

12. The average population density in Africa is only slightly above 30 people per square kilometer. This is much lower than in Europe or Asia.

13. Over the past half century, the average life expectancy here has increased by 15 years, from 39 to 54. True, this is still very small when compared with other countries.

14. The Second Congo War, which lasted from 1998 to 2006, claimed the lives of about 5.4 million people. In terms of the number of victims of all wars in world history, it is second only to the Second World War.

15. In the north of Namibia, the original Himba tribe lives, whose representatives carefully protect the established way of life from strangers, practically do not wear modern clothes and do not enjoy the benefits of civilization. Despite this, many residents of the settlements can count, write their own name and speak some phrases in English.

RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTRY OF MALI

16. In some African countries, in particular in Mali, slavery is still widespread.

17. More than half of Africa's population does not have access to clean drinking water.

18. The population of African countries is growing rapidly. According to the forecasts of a number of scientists, by 2050 the population of Africa will double.

19. Most of the population of Africa is Muslim. In second place is Christianity.

20. Many unusual peoples live in Africa. Despite the global distribution of the benefits of civilization, the way of life of most of them is fundamentally different from the life of a modern person, not to mention the outfits, traditions and unique value system, so each of the peoples of Africa can be considered amazing in its own way.

BANTU WOMEN

21. Bantu is one of the most amazing and most developed peoples in Africa, among which there are politicians and cultural figures. But, despite this, the Bantu managed to preserve the traditional flavor, centuries-old traditions and rituals.

22. Unlike most peoples inhabiting the hot continent, they are not afraid of civilization and often invite tourists to their excursions, which provide them with a good income.

CUSTOM: MALE ORIGINATION IN THE HAMAR TRIBE

23. Hamar rightfully belong to the amazing tribes of Africa and one of the friendliest in southern Ethiopia. One of the most famous Hamar customs is initiation into men after reaching adulthood, for which a young man needs to run 4 times from side to side on the backs of bulls. It is noteworthy that the rite of the young men are naked, which symbolizes childhood, with which they say goodbye. If after three attempts he fails to do this, the next rite can be performed only after a year, and if successful, he receives from his father the first property (a cow) and can look for a wife.

24. At the Khamar, another rather cruel ritual is performed, in which all girls and women can take part: they perform a traditional dance in front of men and receive blows from them on the back with thin rods in response. The number of scars left is the main source of pride, an indicator of a woman's strength and endurance, which increases her value as a wife in the eyes of men.

25. Hamars are allowed to have as many wives as they are able to pay ransoms (dauri) for them in the form of 20-30 heads of cattle. But the highest status remains with the first wife, which is confirmed by wearing a collar with a handle made of metal and leather.

ON THE STREETS OF NIGERIA

26. About 16-17% of the total African population lives in Nigeria, the most populous and at the same time almost the poorest country on this continent.

AFRICAN BUSHMEN

27. The Bushmen people living in southern Africa still use the same tools that were used by their ancestors more than 44 thousand years ago, judging by the archaeological finds.

28. All women like to be complimented. And yes, it's good for men too. But, probably, compliments are most valued in the state of Togo - here a man who has made a compliment to a woman is obliged to marry her.

29. The Matabi tribe (West Africa) is very fond of football. And so much so that they are not stopped by the lack of a quality ball. They solved the problem simply, often instead of a ball, a human skull is used here.

30. Many have heard about the female harems of the sultans, but in the state of Malaya, in some parts of it, women keep the harems of men.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MASAI TRIBE

31. Masai are often found on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, which occupies a special place in the beliefs of this amazing tribe.

32. Representatives of the Masai tribe imagined themselves to be the highest people of Africa, true beauties and favorites of the gods. In connection with such self-conceit, they often treat other nationalities with contempt and do not hesitate to steal animals from them, which sometimes leads to armed conflicts.

33. The Maasai live in a dwelling made of branches covered with manure, which is often built by women. They feed mainly on the milk and blood of animals, and meat is rare in their diet. In the absence of food, they pierce the cow's carotid artery and drink blood, and then close up this place with fresh manure in order to repeat the "meal" after a while.

34. A distinctive sign of the beauty of this amazing tribe is the drawn-out earlobes. At the age of 7-8 years, the earlobes are pierced with a piece of horn and gradually expanded with pieces of wood. Due to the use of heavy jewelry, the earlobes sometimes hang down to shoulder level, which is considered a sign of superior beauty and respect for their owner.

PYGMIES OF AFRICA

35. Part of the population of Africa is made up of pygmies, who are the shortest people on Earth.

36. African Pygmies and Andaman Islanders: what can be common between these peoples? It turns out that these are the only people on Earth who do not know about the existence of fire.

Tanzanian Pygmies

37. But in the African people of Watuzi, the tallest men - most of the representatives of this African tribe are 2 meters tall and even more.

MILITARY AND CRUEL MURSI

39. Men of this tribe often arrange fierce fights among themselves for leadership. If such a showdown ends with the death of one of the participants, the survivor has to give his wife to the family of the deceased in the form of compensation.

40. It is customary for men to adorn themselves with fang earrings and horseshoe-shaped scars, which are applied in case of killing an enemy: first, the symbols are carved on the hands, and when there is no room left for them, other parts of the body are used.

41. Mursi women look very unusual. A stooped back, a sagging belly and chest, and instead of hair on the head, a headdress made of dry branches, animal skin and dead insects is an amazing description of a typical representative of the beautiful half of Mursi. Complements their image - a clay disc (debi), inserted into the cut on the lower lip. Girls themselves have the right to decide whether to cut their lips or not, but for brides without such decoration they give a much smaller ransom.

MEN FROM THE KARO TRIBE

42. Karo is one of the few African tribes, there are no more than 1000 people in it. They are mainly engaged in cattle breeding, but men can spend long months hunting and even work in nearby cities.

43. Women at this time are engaged in household chores and another important craft - dressing skins.

44. Representatives of this tribe can top the list of the most amazing masters in Africa in terms of decorating their bodies. To this end, they cover themselves with ornaments applied with vegetable paints, chiseled chalk or ocher, use feathers, beads, shells and even beetle elytra and corn cobs as decorations. At the same time, the male half of the population is painted much brighter, since it is important for them to have the most intimidating appearance.

45. Another notable detail in Karo men and women is a pierced lower lip, into which nails, flowers, and simply dried twigs are threaded.

46. ​​The population of the African country of Tanzania is interesting. There are more albinos living there than in any other country in the world.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NUBA TRIBE

47. An amazing Nuba tribe lives on the border of Sudan and South Sudan, which has family customs unusual even for Africa. At the annual dances, girls choose future husbands for themselves, but before receiving such a status, a man is obliged to build a house for his future family. Until that time, young people can only secretly meet at night, and even the birth of a child does not give the right to the status of a legal spouse.

48. When the housing is ready, the girl and the guy are allowed to sleep under the same roof, but in no case eat. Such a right is given to them only a year later, when the marriage will pass the test of time and will be considered official.

49. A distinctive feature of the Nub for a long time was the absence of any division into classes and monetary relations. But in the 70s of the XX century, the government of Sudan began to send local men to work in the city. They returned from there in clothes and with little money, so they felt like real rich people among their fellow tribesmen, which gave rise to envy among others and contributed to the prosperity of theft.

50. Thus, the civilization that reached the Nuba did them much more harm than good. But still, among them there are representatives who continue to ignore the benefits of civilization and adorn their bodies only with numerous scars, and not clothes.

LEADER OF THE ZULU

photo from internet