Af·ri·ca ( f r -k ) The second-largest continent, connected to Asia by the Isthmus of Suez and lying between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic and Indian oceans. |
Africa [ˈæfrɪkə]
n
(Placename) the second largest of the continents, on the Mediterranean in the north, the Atlantic in the west, and the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean in the east. The Sahara desert divides the continent unequally into North Africa (an early centre of civilization, in close contact with Europe and W Asia, now inhabited chiefly by Arabs) and Africa south of the Sahara (relatively isolated from the rest of the world until the 19th century and inhabited chiefly by Negroid peoples). It was colonized mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries by Europeans and now comprises independent nations. The largest lake is Lake Victoria and the chief rivers are the Nile, Niger, Congo, and Zambezi. Pop.: 755 919 000 (1998 est.). Area: about 30 300 000 sq. km (11 700 000 sq. miles)
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| Noun | 1. |  Africa - the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian OceanBoer War - either of two wars: the first when the Boers fought England in order to regain the independence they had given up to obtain British help against the Zulus (1880-1881); the second when the Orange Free State and Transvaal declared war on Britain (1899-1902) Barbary - a region of northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast between Egypt and Gibraltar; was used as a base for pirates from the 16th to 19th centuries Nubia - an ancient region of northeastern Africa (southern Egypt and northern Sudan) on the Nile; much of Nubia is now under Lake Nasser eastern hemisphere, orient - the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia Maghreb, Mahgrib - the region of northwest Africa comprising the Atlas Mountains and the coastlands of Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia African country, African nation - any one of the countries occupying the African continent East Africa - a geographical area in eastern Africa Namibia, Republic of Namibia, South West Africa - a republic in southwestern Africa on the south Atlantic coast (formerly called South West Africa); achieved independence from South Africa in 1990; the greater part of Namibia forms part of the high Namibian plateau of South Africa Angola, Republic of Angola - a republic in southwestern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean; achieved independence from Portugal in 1975 and was the scene of civil war until 1990 Burundi, Republic of Burundi - a landlocked republic in east central Africa on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika Cameroun, Republic of Cameroon, Cameroon - a republic on the western coast of central Africa; was under French and British control until 1960 Central Africa, Central African Republic - a landlocked country in central Africa; formerly under French control; became independent in 1960 Republic of Chad, Tchad, Chad - a landlocked desert republic in north-central Africa; was under French control until 1960 French Congo, Republic of the Congo, Congo - a republic in west-central Africa; achieved independence from France in 1960 Belgian Congo, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zaire - a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960 Cote d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire - a republic in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; one of the most prosperous and politically stable countries in Africa Benin, Dahomey, Republic of Benin - a country on western coast of Africa; formerly under French control Togo, Togolese Republic - a republic on the western coast of Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; formerly under French control Afars and Issas, Republic of Djibouti, Djibouti - a country in northeastern Africa on the Somali peninsula; formerly under French control but became independent in 1997 Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Spanish Guinea - a country of west central Africa (including islands in the Gulf of Guinea); became independent from Spain in 1968 Abyssinia, Ethiopia, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Yaltopya - Ethiopia is a republic in northeastern Africa on the Red Sea; formerly called Abyssinia Roman Empire - an empire established by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Roman Empire and the eastern or Byzantine Empire; at its peak lands in Europe and Africa and Asia were ruled by ancient Rome Ruanda, Rwanda, Rwandese Republic - a landlocked republic in central Africa; formerly a German colony Botswana, Republic of Botswana - a landlocked republic in south-central Africa that became independent from British control in the 1960s Arab Republic of Egypt, Egypt, United Arab Republic - a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC Kenya, Republic of Kenya - a republic in eastern Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1963; major archeological discoveries have been made in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya |
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