Youth Life
Interesting Facts You Might Not Know About Africa
Africa is an amazing continent that is distinctly unique among the seven continents. Africa is rich in cultural heritage and diversity, a wealth of natural resources, offers breathtaking tourist attractions, and contains some of the most intricate political systems.
Explore this incredible continent with some of the most interesting facts about Africa below .
1. The Gambia has only one university.
2. Equatorial Guinea is Africa’s only Spanish speaking country.
3. South Africa is the most visited African country.
4. Nigeria has the richest Black people in Africa.
5. Samuel Eto’o is the highest paid Footballer of all time, he received about £350,000 weekly in Russia in 2011.
6. A person from Botswana is called a Motswana, the plural is Batswana.
7. A person from Lesotho is called a Mosotho.
8. A person from Niger is called a Nigerien.
8. A person from Burkina Faso is called a Burkinabe.
9. Nigeria has won more football cups than England.
10. Zimbabwe’s President, Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the world’s most educated President with 7 degrees, two of them are Masters.
11. Al-Ahly of Egypt is the richest club in Africa.
12. Didier Drogba is Chelsea’s highest goalscorer in European competition.
13. Johannesburg, South Africa is the most visited city in Africa.
14. Zinedine Zidane wanted to play for Àlgeria, but the selector rejected him, saying they are already many players like him in the team.
15. President Jacob Zuma was given a special award by Fifa for refereeing on Robben Island during his years as a political prisoner.
16. President Robert Mugabe was jailed for 11 years for fighting for freedom.
17. President Robert Mugabe is Africa’s oldest Head of State and the world’s second oldest Head of State. He was born in 1924.
18. The Seychelles are the most educated Africans. Seychelles’ literacy rates (Adult: 92%, Youth: 99%) Zimbabwe is 2nd (Adult:
91.2%,Youth: 99%).
19. Rwanda is a better country for gender equality than England and USA.
20. Somalia got its first ATM on October 7, 2014.
21. South Africa has the most Grammy award winners in Africa.
22. Ethiopia has the most airports in Africa.
23. Ethiopia’s economy is growing faster than China’s.
24. Eritrea’s President, Isaias Afwerki is the least richest President in Africa.
25. Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country, it has existed for over 3,000 years without being colonized.
26. Haile Selassie 1 was the 225th and last Emperor of Ethiopia.
27. Nigeria has the most monarchs in the world.
28. Angola has more Portuguese speakers than Portugal.
29. President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos has ruled Angola since 1979.
30. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is Africa’s longest serving Head of State. He has ruled Equatorial Guinea since August 3, 1979 when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Nguema. His son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue is his Vice President and will succeed him if he resigns.
31. George Weah of Liberia is the first man to win World, European and African footballer of the year in the same year.
32. Swaziland is the only remaining absolute monarch in the world.
33. The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa followed by Swaziland.
34. King Sobhuza ll of Swaziland took the longest time in reigning Swaziland, 62 years as he was crowned in 1921 and died in August 1982 at the age of 83 years.
34.1. King Sobhuza II of swaziland, married 70 wives, who gave him 210 children between 1920 and 1970.
35. Zimbabwe is the only country in the world were almost everyone was a billionaire at one point
