WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AFRICA?
Fact: More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa.                         With a population of more than 113 million, Nigeria is easily the most populated country in Africa and the 10th most populous country in the world.                          17 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have died of AIDS.                          The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 miles), is the longest river in Africa and in the world.                          Four of the five fastest land animals live in Africa - the cheetah (70 mph), wildebeest, lion, and Thomson's gazelle (all about 50 mph).                          Africa, second-largest of the Earth's seven continents - covering about 30,330,000 sq km (11,699,000 sq mi), which makes up about 22 per cent of the world's total land area.                          Sudan, Republic of, republic in north-eastern Africa, the largest country of the African continent. Sudan has a total area of 2,505,800 sq km (967,490 sq mi).                          Apart from Muslim nations, Ghana has the lowest per capita consumption of beer in Africa, yet its brewery industry is one of the most competitive.                            The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless colour and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.                            Madagascar is the home of the worlds largest as well as the smallest chameleons! Almost half of the world’s chameleon species live on the island of Madagascar.                            The Namib is the world's oldest desert, and the only desert in Africa inhabited by elephant, rhino, giraffe and lion.                            The Sahara Desert alone is expanding southwards at an average of 0.8 km (½ mile) a month.                        Somalia is the only country in the world where all the citizens speak one language, Somali.