Here are 7 facts about Africa that may come as a surprise.
1.*Over 25% of the world’s languages are spoken only in Africa*
There are thought to be around 2,000 languages in use on the continent. All are considered official languages of the African Union. Nigeria alone has over 500 living languages.
*2.It is the world’s hottest continent and the second driest after Australia* . Despite being nearly four times the size of Europe, its straighter shores mean it has a shorter overall coastline.
3.*The African population is much younger than the rest of the world*
Over 50% of Africans are under the age of 20, compared to a global median age of 30. Africa has the world’s highest child-dependency ratio – with 73 children under the age of 15 for every 100 people of working age. That’s nearly double the global average.
4.*Africa’s population will more than double to 2.3 billion people by 2050*
Nigeria’s population alone is expected to rise from 180 million to 440 million people. 40% of the global population will be African by the year 2100, up from 9% back in 1950.
5.*More than half of the world’s mobile money accounts are in Africa*
12% of African adults have access to one, compared to just 2% worldwide. In Kenya the figure stands at 58%. Across the continent only a third of adults have access to a traditional bank account.
6.*Almost 40% of adults in Africa are illiterate*
Two-thirds of them are women. Progress in improving literacy on the continent has been slow – in 1990 the proportion of adults who couldn’t read and write stood at 48%, according to UNESCO statistics .
7.*Africa has around 30% of the earth’s remaining mineral resources*
This includes over 40% of gold reserves and 90% of platinum reserves. Nigeria is the world’s fifth largest exporter of oil, ahead of Iraq and Kuwait, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Source : World Economic Forum on Africa .
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