What are some preconceptions we have about Africa? Some may be thinking of a faraway land filled with exotic animals and a myriad of cultures whilst others might imagine a poverty-stricken wasteland filled with disease and conflict. The reality is that these statements vary greatly depending on which country in this vast continent one is referring to. To truly appreciate Africa, we must move beyond stereotypes and recognise its complexity.
Fun facts:
- Africa covers 30.3 million square kilometers (enough to fit in the U.S., China, India and Europe).
- There are over 3000 languages spoken in Africa, making up a third of all languages worldwide. (Introduction to African Languages)
- The continent’s urban population is expected to reach 1 billion by 2035, an increase of over 650 million.
On one hand, countries such as South Africa, Algeria, Mauritius are quite developed with flourishing economies and bustling nightlives. In fact, Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, was recently named the 6th best city for nightlife worldwide (timeout 2025). Education and innovation are also on the rise across parts of the continent. For example, in Senegal, a startup called Wave revolutionised mobile banking and was featured on the YC top earners list in 2021 alongside other tech giants such as Airbnb, Coinbase and Reddit.
Meanwhile, Rwanda has become a leader in drone technology, using them to deliver medical supplies to remote areas efficiently. Zipline, a drone delivery service started in Rwanda is the largest of its kind worldwide and has made over 1.4 million deliveries and flown almost 100 million miles.
On the other hand, countries such as Somalia, Sudan and the DRC are still enduring horrific wars, rampant diseases and are ranked some of the most dangerous places on Earth. These nations face some of the worst humanitarian crises the continent has ever seen with tens of millions facing starvation and lacking access to basic necessities such as shelter, food and water. Yemen is currently the second most dangerous country globally according to the ISJ (International Security Journal) which states:
‘The combination of relentless fighting, extreme poverty, and lack of essential services makes Yemen one of the most perilous countries in the world.’
In some cases, African nations cannot flourish economically due to governmental problems. For example, since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has been plagued with corrupt government officials and violent rebel factions. This has led to mass genocide across over 60 tribes and between 2013-2018, over 400,000 people were killed.
We can see from this quick overview that the continent of Africa varies drastically in terms of economic growth, technological development and political stability. So why does the misconception persist? Perhaps its due to traditional media constantly depicting the continent as a place of war, famine and disease. However, social media and African creators are changing these views, sharing authentic stories that prove Africa’s vibrancy and potential.
Bibliography:
Robert K.A. Gardiner and John F.M. Middleton (2018). Africa | People, Geography, & Facts. In: Encyclopædia Britannica. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Africa.
Beard, G. (2024). These are the world’s best cities for nightlife right now. Time Out Worldwide. [online] doi:https://doi.org/106168108/400/225.
Dabafinance (2024). Dabafinance – Senegal’s Wave only African startup on YC top earners list. [online] Dabafinance. Available at: https://dabafinance.com/en/news/senegals-wave-only-african-venture-on-yc-top-earning-startup-list [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
http://www.flyzipline.com. (n.d.). Zipline – Instant Logistics. [online] Available at: https://www.flyzipline.com.
International Security Journal. (2024). 15 Most Dangerous Countries in the World Ranked. [online] Available at: https://internationalsecurityjournal.com/dangerous-countries-in-the-world/#2_Yemen [Accessed 20 Feb. 2025].
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