Dedicated to… My cousin, Cory, because it’s his life dream to go to Africa

A is for Akwasidae Festival The Akwasidae Festival lasts 7 days long and is filled with games, culture, history, and crafts. Day one welcomes all the travelers into Kotoka where the festival kicks off. By day two, the crowd has traveled to Aburi to celebrate traditional crafts of Ghana, day three celebrations take place in Kumasi where most of the traditional villages are. Day four is a visit to the Asantehene Kingdom at Manhiya Palace. For day five the crowed moved to Kejeta where Africa’s largest open market is, to enjoy the crafts, foods, and cultures. Day six is dedicated to honoring the land at Kakum and Kakum National Park. And finally, day 7 ends the Akwasiade Festivals with a series of parades taking place all over Ghana.

B is for Berbers The Berber people live in North Africa from Morocco’s west coast to the Oasis of Siwa in Egypt. This people represent 80% of the population in Morocco and Algeria, over 60% in Tunisia and Libya, and 2% of the population in Egypt. The total population of Berber people is over 50 million. They are mostly Muslim and live I nthe mountains or in smaller settelments, and are said to be the original population of North Africa. Because they do not have a written language or much of a political influence, areas that are inhabited by Berbers remain rural.

C is for the Congo River Basin The Congo River Basin is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ad parts of the Republic of the Congo and extends into neighboring regions (Cameroon, Zambia, Angola, and the Central African Republican). It’s 1,400,000 sq mi/3,600,000 sq mi. there are enormous forests in the basin- a quarter of the world’s forests are here, and this basin is the home of many species of plants and animals. The river is surrounded by forests and is used as a transport for goods and people. Another benefit to the river is the hydroelectric power projects being developed. But there are problems with as well; there aren’t enough bridges for crossing the river and too many tributaries. The Congo River is 4,310 km in length making it the 2nd longest river in Africa. Since it flows near the Equator, it has a tropical climate with high temperatures and regular rainfall.

D is for Djedefre Djedefre is the 3rd king of the 4th Dynasty. His pyramid is Abu Rawash. He was the 1st to adopt and embraces sin god. Djedefre was around for an 8 year rule and lived to have 2 wives and at least 3 children. He was known for choosing to chose a pyramid alone and not with Giza

E is for Ethiopia The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is pretty cool with a capital of Addis, Ababa. It has a population of 85,237,383. As for natural resources, Ethiopia has small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potassium, natural gas, and hydropower! Also the country’s GDP Per Capita is $900.

F is for Fynbos The fynbos flower is extremely popular in Southwest areas of Africa. The King protea fynbos is the national flower of South Africa. Fynboses have a wide range of color and are composed of ericas (heathers), proteas, and grass-l;ike restios.

G is for Giraffe Scientifically named Giraffa Cameopardalis, giraffes are the tallest living mammal on the Earth. They can grow up to 6 meters an dlive up to becoming 28 years old. Giraffes are not territorial, but ehtey are interesting because they rarely migrate to other lands at the same time. The giraffe doesn’t have any predators except for the occasional hyena eating a calf, but that is very rare.

H is for Hawara Hawara is located near the Fayum oasis, to the South, even, of Medium, next to one of the channels connecting the Nile to the lake of the oasis. After having abandonned the plan to be buried at Dashur, the southern edge of the Memphite necropolis, Amenemhat III would chose this location, perhaps near to his palace, for his final interment. Amenemhat's pyramid at Hawara was built with a base length of 105m and a height of 58m, rising with a slope of 48°45'. The Hawara pyramid was thus built at a much lower slope than Amenemhat’s Dasjur pyramid had been abandonned because its lack of stability. The fear of collapse is probably what caused the builders of the Hawara pyramid to lower the slope with as much as 9°30".

I is for Igbo people living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria who speak Igbo, a language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Before European colonization, the Igbo were not united as a single people but lived in autonomous local communities. By the turn of the 21st century the Igbo numbered some 20 million. Most Igbo traditionally have been subsistence farmers, their staples being yams, cassava, and taro . Trading, local crafts, and wage labour also are important in the Igbo economy, and a high literacy rate has helped many Igbo to become civil servants and business entrepreneurs in the decades after Nigeria gained independence. It is notable that Igbo women engage in trade and are influential in local politics.

J is for Jackal Jackals, which are found in South and East Africa, have a dog like appearance. The stand about 40cms tall, and weigh an average of 8kgs. Jackals eat nearly anything that is avaliable from plants, to rodents, to lizards to insects and carrion.

K is for Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is the largest national park in South Africa. It’s located in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, west of the Lebombo Mountains on the Mozambique. It was established in 1898. Then in 1926, the park was named after Paul Kruger, former president of the South African Republic. The park has an area of 7,523 sq mi being about 200 miles long and 25-50 miles wide. The area is generally flat terrian with low ranches of hills.

L is for Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and chief reservoir of the Nile, lying mainly in Tanzania and Uganda but bordering on Kenya. Among the freshwater lakes of the world it is exceeded in size only by Lake Superior in North America, its area being 26,828 square miles (69,484 square km). The lake’s surface is 3,720 feet (1,134 m) above sea level, and its greatest ascertained depth is 270 feet (82 m). Many archipelagos are contained within the lake, as are numerous reefs, often just below the surface of the clear waters.

M is for Monkey The vervet monkey is a medium to large African monkey, approximately 18 to 26 inches (cm) in size and weights around 7 to 17 pounds )kilos). They are grey or slightly greenish-grey in colour however the face, hands, feet and the tip of their tail are black. They also have a white band on their forehead which makes them easily identifiable. They feed on leaves, flowers, fruit and other such vegetarian foods, however they also consume small insects to small birds or rodents. They inhabit East Africa near a source of water, and of course trees.

N is for Nile River The Nile River is the world’s longest river, running about 4000 miles from East Africa to the Mediterranean. Studies have shown that the River gradually changed its location and size over millions of years. The Nile flows from the mountains in the south to the Mediterranean in the north. Three rivers flowed into the Nile from the south and thus served as its sources: the Blue Nile, the White Nile and the Arbara. Along most of its length through Egypt, the Nile has scoured a deep, wide gorge in the desert plateau.

O is for Omo Valley The town of Konso was the entrance to the Omo Valley. There are many different tribes that inhabit the Omo Valley, all of which have very original and traditional ways of life dating back to the beginning of their cultures. Remains of early hominids dating back nearly four million years have been found in the Omo Valley- evidence of their almost continuious “human” presence. The three dominating tribes in the area are the Hamar, Karo, and Surma. As the Harma and Karo are traditional allies in times of war., the Harma and Karo are famous for their unique and intricate beadwork, animal skin clothing, rolled ochre-red hair, and graphic clay facial and body designs.

P is for Palm Wine Palm Wine music, or as it's know in Sierra Leone, Maringa, dates back to the days when Portuguese sailors introduced guitars to West Africa. Early African guitarists played at gatherings where revelers drank palm wine,  the naturally fermented sap juice of the oil palm. The music with it's origins in the Kru-speaking people of Liberia combined elements from Trinidadian calypso with local melodies and rhythms. The music was first made internationally famous by Ebenezer Calender and his Maringar Band.

Q is for Qattara Depression The Qattara Depression is an aris Libyan Desert (Eastern Sahara) basin in nothwestern Egypt. It covers about 7,000 square miles (18,100 square km) and contains salt lakes and marshes, and it descends to 435 feet (133 metres) below sea level. During World War II, because it was impassable to military traffic, the depression formed a natural anchor at the southern end of the British defense lines at El-Alamein (Al-Alamayn; in northwestern Egypt) against the final advance of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s German army in July 1942. In the late 1970s oil deposits were discovered in the southern part of the depression.

R is for Rwanda Formally the Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda is a country in central Africa and just east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a total of 26,338 sq km, has a temperate climate for the most part and mild climate in the mountains. The terrain is grassy with lots of hills, but since most of the country is savanna grasslands the population is predominantly rural- but as life is very rural in Rwanda, Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa. Rwanda has a population of 10,473,282, 84% of the population is Hutu, and 56.5% of the population is Roman Catholic,. The official language is Kinyarwana, and the capital is Kigali.

S is for Spring hare The Pedetes Capensis- or more commonly know as Springhare- is a small rodent inhabiting South Africa. It is around 35-45 cm in length, and weighs an average of 3 kg. Their long tail is another 36-47 cm in length. The color can vary from a red-brown to a pale grey. The tip of their tails are black. The springhare has more developed hind legs than most other hares. Hence its name, the springhare has an extraordinarily good jumping ability. It can jump more than two metres in a single bound. They maintain a kangaroo like appearance with their over-developed hind legs. They feed on plant matter, but have also been known to eat insects. Amongst its predators are snakes, weasels, jackals and man.

T is for Tuareg The Tuareg people are predominently nomadic people of the sahara desert, mostly in the Northern reaches of Mali near Timbuktu and Kidal. The Tuareg are often referred to as "Blue Men of the desert " - because their robes are dyed indigo blue. They live in small tribes with between 30 and 100 family members and keep camels, goats, cattle and chicken which graze the land. The sword is a Tuareg's most valued possession. Many are passed from generation to generation and said to be protected by the victories of its past owners. Women process milk, make butter, prepare animal skins, make clothes and bedding from skin, collect firewood and water. Men drive the animals take responsibility for selling. Men will take camels to towns to sell them, returning with millet which they use as flour for bread making. Other purchases will include sugar and tea. Most outputs, however, are consumed by the family.

U is for Uganda The Republic of Uganda is a country in Eastern Africa, west of Kenya with an area of 241,038 sq km. its natural resources include copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, and gold. Uganda is landlocked, fertile, and a well-watered country with many lakes and rivers. Uganda has a population of 32,369,558. in Uganda there are many different ethnic groups, but the most popular religion is Protestant with 42% of the population belonging to it. The capital is Kampala.

V is for Van Zyl’s Golden Mole Scientifically named the Cryptochloris zyli, the Van Zyl’s Golden Mole is found in South Africa. The first species was collected in 1937 by Giden van Zyl. They are a burrowing animal, and spend the majority of their time underground. They range in size between 8 cm to 20 cm. Their decreasing numbers are due to habitat clearance or destruction and preyed upon by domesticated cats and dogs.

W is for Wildebeest The name wildebeest (lit. “wild animal” or “cattle”)stems from South African Dutch and Afrikaans.  The wildebeest’s height is 45-55 inches at the shoulder.  It averages 350- 550 pounds. Its habitat consists of grassy plains and open woodlands in southern, central, and eastern Africa. Wildebeeste mainly eat grass. Their life span in captivity can be as much as 21 years. Female wildebeest (cows) are smaller than the male and have horns.  Males (bulls) also have horns.

X is for Xhosa The Xhosa people are people who skeak Bantu languafes and live in south-east South Africa, and in the last two centuries throughout the southern and central-southern parts of the country. Xhosa-speaking peoples are divided into several subgroups with related but distinct heritages. The main subgroups are the Bhaca, Bomvana, Mfengu, Mpondo, Mpondomise, Xesibe, and Thembu. The name "Xhosa" comes from that of a legendary leader called uXhosa. There is also a theory that the word xhosa derives from a word in some Khoi-khoi or San language meaning "fierce" or "angry", the amaKhosa being the fierce people. The Xhosa refer to themselves as the amaXhosa and to their language as isXhosa about 8 million Xhosa people live across the country.

Y is for Yaounde Yaounde is the capital of Cameroon and the second largest city in the country, after Douala. It is in the center of the country at about 750 meters above sea level. The city was founded in 1888 by German traders as a base for ivory trade and an agricultural research station. As Yaounde may not be a big ivory industry any more, industries there today include tobacco, dairy products, breweries, clay, glass, and lumber.

Z is for Zebra There are three different types of zebra that are 3 found in Africa. The Burchell’s zebra is built like a stocky pony. Its coat pattern can vary greatly in number and width of stripes. The stripes are a form of disruptive coloration which breaks up the outline of the body. Their shiny coats dissipate over 70% of incoming heat. Burchell's zebras inhabit savannas, from treeless grasslands to open woodlands; they sometimes occur in tens of thousands in migratory herds on the Serengeti plains. The Burchell's zebra’s social system is based on a harem of females led by a stallion. When a foal is born the mother keeps all other zebras (even the members of her family) away from it for 2 or 3 days, until it learns to recognize her by sight, voice and smell. The zebra, though water dependent, is a very adaptable grazer, able to eat both short young shoots and long flowering grasses. It is often a pioneer in the grassland community—the first to enter tall or wet pastures

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ABC Book of Africa Rebecca Ramirez 7th 11-5-09