LIST OF COUNTRIES IN AFRICA

The second largest continent on Earth, Africa has more countries than any other continent on Earth.
Africa, the most culturally diverse continent in the world, is home to more than 1800 distinct ethnicities. With a history that begins with the oldest known ancestors of man, the continent's cultural wealth easily matches its natural attractions.

ALGERIA | ANGOLA | BENIN | BOTSWANA | BURKINA FASO | BURUNDI | CAMEROON | CAPE VERDE | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC | CHAD | COMOROS | CONGO | COTE D'IVOIRE | DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO | DJIBOUTI | EGYPT | EQUATORIAL GUINEA | ERITREA | ETHIOPIA | GABON | THE GAMBIA | GHANA | GUINEA | GUINEA-BISSAU | KENYA | LESOTHO | LIBERIA | LIBYA | MADAGASCAR | MALAWI | MALI | MAURITANIA | MAURITIUS | MOROCCO | MOZAMBIQUE | NAMIBIA | NIGER | NIGERIA | RÉUNION | RWANDA | SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE | SENEGAL | SEYCHELLES | SIERRA LEONE | SOMALIA | SOUTH AFRICA | SUDAN | SWAZILAND | TANZANIA | TOGO | TUNISIA | UGANDA | WESTERN SAHARA | ZAMBIA | ZIMBABWE

ALGERIA

Official Name: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria

Area: 2,381,741 sq km (919,595 sq mi)

Location: Northern Africa; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and the Western Sahara

Capital: Algiers (population 1,687,579 [1987 estimate])

Other major cities: Oran (population 916,000), Constantine (662,330) (1987 estimate)

Population: 29,852,000(1998 estimate)

Population density: 12 persons per sq km (about 31 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 39 percent (male 5,923,391; female 5,712,088 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.18 percent (1997 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 68.62 years (male 67.5 years; female 69.79 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 47.1 deaths per 1000 live births (1997 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 61.6 percent (male 73.9 percent; female 49 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Primary education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of six and fifteen. In the early 1990s some 4.6 million pupils attended primary schools, 2.3 million were enrolled in secondary schools and another 147,418 attended vocational schools. By the mid-1990s nearly 300,000 were pursuing higher education.

Languages: Arabic is the official language and is spoken by about 83 percent of the population; most of the remainder speak Berber. French, the colonial language, is still widely read and spoken by many educated Algerians.

Ethnic groups: Arabs, Berbers, or people of mixed Arab-Berber ancestry make up 99 percent of the population; Europeans constitute less than 1 percent.

Religions: Sunni Islam is the state religion and is practiced by 99 percent of the population; 1 percent of the population are Christians or Jews.

Climate: The Tell region in the north has warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters , with an annual rainfall of between 400 and 1000 mm (16 to 39 in). During the summer an exceedingly hot, dry dust and sand filled wind, the sirocco (known locally as the Chehili), blows north from the Sahara. To the south the climate becomes increasingly dry, with an annual rainfall in the High Plateau and Saharan Atlas from about 200 to 400 mm (about 8 to 16 in). The Sahara is a region of daily temperature extremes, wind, and great aridity; annual rainfall is less than 130 mm (5 in) in all places.

Land, plants, and animals: The Tell region, between the northern Mediterranean coast and the mountainous Tell Atlas area, contains most of Algeria's arable land. The country's principal river, the Chelif (725 km/450 mi long), flows from the Tell Atlas to the Mediterranean Sea. Lying to the south and southwest is the High Plateau, a level, sparsely vegetated highland region. During rainy periods, basins collect water, forming large, shallow lakes that become salt flats, called chotts, or shotts, during dry seasons. The mountains of the Saharan Atlas lie south of this region. More than 90 percent of the country's total area lies in the Algerian Sahara, covered mostly by gravel with vast regions of sand dunes. Rising above the desert to the south, are the Ahaggar Mountains, with Mount Tahat (3003 m/9852 ft), the highest peak in Algeria.

Remnants of forests exist in a few areas of the higher Tell and Saharan Atlas. Scattered plant life in the Sahara consists of drought-resistant grasses, acacia, and jujube trees. Wildlife includes scavengers, such as jackals, hyenas, and vultures, as well as antelope, hares, gazelles, and reptiles.

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Currency: The Algerian dinar

ANGOLA

Official name: Republic of Angola

Former name: People's Republic of Angola

Area: 1,246,700 sq km (498,680 sq mi)

Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and the Republic of Congo

Capital: Luanda (population 1.2 million [1988 estimate])

Other major cities: Huambo (population 203,000), Benguela ( 155,000), Lobito (150,000), Lubango (105,000) (1983 estimate)

Population: 10,342,899 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 9 persons per sq km (about 23 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 45 percent (male 2,393,009; female 2,327,186 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.7 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.3 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 46.8 years (male 44.7 years; female 49.1 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 138.9 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): 42 percent (male 56 percent; female 28 percent [1990 estimate])

Education: Education is officially compulsory for children age seven to 15, but the majority of the population is rural and poor. Educational reforms enacted in the 1990s have produced an increase in primary school enrollment to 1.3 million students in 1993. Angola's only university is Agostinho Neto University, built in 1976 in Luanda.

Languages: Portuguese is the official language. More than 90 percent of the population speaks Bantu languages. The most commonly spoken include Kimbundu, Umbundu, and Kikongo.

Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37 percent, Kimbundu 25 percent, Bakongo 13 percent, mestico (of African and European descent) 2 percent, European 1 percent, other 22 percent

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 47 percent, Roman Catholic 38 percent, Protestant 15 percent

Climate: Angola is a tropical country. It is semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; the north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April). Annual rainfall ranges from 50 mm (about 2 in) near the Namibe desert to 1500 mm (about 60 in) in the central plateau.

Land, plants, and animals: Angola is the seventh largest country in Africa. The majority of the land is comprised of meadows, pastures, forests, and woodlands. Less than 3 percent of the land is arable. The primary rivers, the Cuanza and Cunene, drain to the Atlantic Ocean. Angola has no major lakes.

Natural resources: Petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium, manganese

Currency: The new kwanza

BENIN

Official Name: Republic of Benin

Former Name: Dahomey

Area: 112,620 sq km (43,483 sq mi)

Location: West Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, and Togo.

Capital: Porto-Novo (population 164,000 [1984 estimate])

Other major cities: Cotonou (population 533,212 [1992 census]) and Parakou (92,000 [1984 estimate])

Population: 5,902,178 (1997 estimate)

Population density: 52 persons per sq km (about 136 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 48 percent (1997 estimate)

Population growth rate: 3.3 percent (1997 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 53.2 years (male 51.2 years; female 55.2 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 102.7 deaths per 1000 live births (1997 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population 37 percent (male 48.7 percent; female 25.8 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: In 1975, Benin made education free and compulsory. However, literacy rates have only increased to 24 percent and only 61 percent of all primary-school age children are enrolled in schools.

Languages: French is the official language, but most people speak an African language. Yoruba and Fon are the most common languages in the south, and there are at least six major languages spoken in the north.

Ethnic groups: There are at least 42 different ethnic groups represented in Benin's population. The Fon, or the Dahomeans, and the closely related Adja group account for at least 59 percent of the total population, and they are the major ethnic groups in the south. In the north the Bariba and Somba (together about 15 percent of total population) are the largest ethnic groups. The Yoruba (9 percent of total population) predominate in the southeast.

Religions: About 70 percent of the population adhere to indigenous beliefs. Christians and Muslims account for 15 percent of the population each.

Climate: Tropical in the south, semiarid in the north. The south receives about 1300 mm (about 51 in) of rainfall a year, mostly between March and July and October and November. The average temperatures in the south range from 20°C (68°F) to 34°C (93°F). The temperatures in the north are nearly the same. In the north the rainy season occurs between May and September and annual rainfall averages 890 mm (about 35 in).

Land, Plants, and Animals: Benin is mostly flat to undulating plains, with some hills and low mountains. At one time, dense tropical forest covered much of the land near Benin's coast. Most of this forest has been cleared, except near the rivers. Palm trees now dominate the south. Central Benin is covered by woodlands, and northern Benin is savanna. Animals found in Benin include elephants, buffalo, antelope, panthers, monkeys, crocodiles, and wild ducks.

Natural Resources: Offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, and timber

Currency: The CFA franc

BOTSWANA

Former name: Bechuanaland

Area: 600,372 sq km (231,805 sq mi)

Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Capital: Gaborone (population 133,791 [1991 estimate])

Other major cities: Francistown (population 65,026), Selebi-Pikwe (39,769), Molepolole (36,928), Kanye (31,341), Serowe (30,706) (1991 estimate)

Population: 1,477,630 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 2 persons per sq km (about 6 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 42 percent (male 317,254; female 309,617)

Population growth rate: 1.63 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 4.26 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 46.01 years (male 44.94 years; female 47.11 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 54.2 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 69.8 percent (male 80.5 percent; female 59.9 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Most primary schools are supervised by district councils and township authorities, and are financed from local government revenues assisted by grants-in-aid from the central government. In the mid-1990s Botswana's primary schools had an annual enrollment of about 301,400, and secondary schools about 99,600; about 4500 students were enrolled in the University of Botswana in Gaborone.

Languages: English is the official language, but most people speak Setswana, a Bantu language.

Ethnic groups: The Tswana are the largest ethnic group in Botswana. There are also significant populations of Kalanga and San.

Religions: About half the population practices indigenous beliefs, and the rest are Christians.

Climate: The climate of Botswana is semiarid and subtropical, with warm winters and hot summers. The average annual rainfall varies from about 640 mm (about 25 in) in the north to less than 230 mm (less than 9 in) in the Kalahari Desert.

Land, plants, and animals: Most of Botswana is a flat to gently rolling tableland; the Kalahari Desert lies in the southwest. Savanna vegetation predominates in most parts of the country. Principal species include acacia, bloodwood, and Rhodesian teak. Wildlife is abundant and includes lions, giraffes, leopards, antelope, elephants, crocodiles, and ostriches.

Natural resources: Diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, asbestos, coal, iron ore, silver

Currency: The pula

BURKINA FASO

Official name: Burkina Faso

Former name: Upper Volta

Area: 274,200 sq km (about 105, 869 sq mi)

Location: inland West Africa, bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

Capital: Ouagadougou, population 500,000 [1990 estimate])

Other major cities: Bobo-Dioulasso, population 250,000, Koudougou, population 70,000 (1990 estimate).

Population: 11,141,000 (1998 estimate)

Population density: 38 persons per sq km (about 98 persons per sq mi).

Population below age 15: 44.9 percent

Population growth rate: 2.53 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 46.7 years (male 45.3 years; female 48.1 years [1995-2000 projection]

Infant mortality rate:123 deaths per 1000 live births (1995-2000 projection)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 19 percent (male 29.5 percent; female 9.2 percent [1995 estimate]

Education: officially compulsory for children ages 7 to 13, but less than one-third of all children aged 6 to 11 attended school in the early 1990s, and only 7 percent of those aged 12 to 17. Far fewer girls than boys attend school. In the mid-1990s Burkina Faso's primary schools had an annual enrollment of about 650,195, secondary schools about 116,033, and vocational schools about 8808; about 9452 students were enrolled at the university level.

Languages: French is the official language, but not widely spoken outside of cities. More than half the population speaks Moore; the rest speak a variety of Mande languages.

Ethnic groups: Most people belong to two major West African cultural groups, the Voltaic and the Mande. The Voltaic are the most numerous and include the Mossi, who constitute about 60 percent of the population. Other principal ethnic groups are the Fulani, Lobi, Bobo, Sénufo, Gourounsi, Bissa, and Gourmantche.

Religions: About 65 percent of the population adhere to indigenous beliefs. About 25 percent are Muslim, and 10 percent Christian (mainly Roman Catholic).

Climate: The climate of Burkina Faso is semiarid; the weather is cool and dry from November through March, hot and dry from April through May, and warm and rainy from June through October. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1000 mm (more than 40 in) in the southwest to less than 250 mm (less than 10 in) in the north. Average temperatures in Ouagadougou vary from 24° C (76° F) in January to 28° C (83° F) in July.

Land, Plants and Animals: Burkina Faso is located on a plateau sloping generally to the south and situated from about 200 to 700 m (about 650 to 2300 ft) in elevation. The plateau is drained to the south by the Black Volta (Mouhoun), Red Volta (Nazinon), and White Volta (Nakanbe) rivers and to the east by small rivers connecting with the Niger; none are navigable. Most of the country is covered with savannah grasses and small trees. Animals include elephants, hippopotamuses, buffalo, antelope, and crocodiles.

Natural Resources: Mineral resources include manganese and gold, as well as small deposits of copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, silver, iron ore, cassiterite (tin ore), and phosphates. Except in the southwest of the country, water is scarce and most of the soils are relatively poor.

Currency: The CFA franc, issued by the Central Bank of West Africa (500.5 CFA francs equal U.S.$1, January 1996).

BURUNDI

Official name: Burundi

Area: 27,834 sq km (10,750 sq mi)

Location: Central Africa, bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), and Lake Tanganyika.

Capital: Bujumbura (population 300,000 [1993 estimate])

Other major cities: Gitega (population 95,000 [1987 estimate])

Population: 5,943,057 (July 1996 estimate)

Population Density: 228 persons per sq km (about 590 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 14: 47 percent

Population growth rate: 1.54 percent (1996 estimate)

Total Fertility Rate: 6.55 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life Expectancy at birth: Total population: 51.2 years (male 52.9 years; female 49.7 years [1995-2000 projection])

Infant mortality rate: 102.2 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rates (age 15 and over can read and write): Total population:35 percent (male: 49.3 percent; female: 22.5 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Schooling is free and officially compulsory for children aged 7 through 12. In the early 1990s about 631,039 students annually attended primary schools, and about 46,500 attended secondary schools. The University of Burundi (founded in 1960), located in Bujumbura, is the leading institution of higher education; it had an enrollment of about 3800 in the early 1990s.

Languages: Kirundi and French are the official languages. Swahili is spoken along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area.

Ethnic Groups: The chief ethnic groups are the Hutu, a Bantu-speaking people making up about 85 percent of the population, and the Tutsi, a Nilotic-speaking people forming about 14 percent of the total. Since October 1993, hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled Burundi and crossed into Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo because of ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions.

Religions: About 67 percent are Christian ( 62 percent are Catholic, 5 percent are Protestant), 32 percent practice indigenous beliefs 32 percent, and Muslims constitute one percent of the population.

Climate: The climate is tropical, moderated in most places by altitude. The average annual temperature is 20° C (68° F) on the plateau and 23° C (73° F) in the Great Rift Valley. Dry seasons are from May to August and from January to February.

Land, Plants, and Animals: Burundi is mostly a hilly plateau region, with an elevation ranging between 1400 and 1800 m (between 4600 and 5900 ft). Elevations decrease gradually to the east and southeast. The narrow western margin of the country, bordering the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyika, lies in the trough of the Great Rift Valley. The main rivers are the Rusizi, the Malagarasi, and the Ruvuvu. Savanna vegetation, a grassland interspersed with trees, predominates in most of the country. Eucalyptus, acacia, and oil palm are the most common trees. Wildlife is diverse. Elephant, hippopotamus, crocodile, wild boar, leopard, antelope, and flying lemur are common, as are the guinea hen, partridge, duck, goose, quail, and snipe.

Natural resources: Mineral resources include nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum, which has not yet been exploited, and vanadium. Current environmental issues facing Burundi include soil erosion because of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations.

Currency: The Burundi franc

CABINDA *

Official name: Republic of Cabinda

Area: 12,000 sq km

Location: Cabinda is bounded on the N by the Congo Republic, on the E and S by Zaïre, and on the W by the Atlantic Ocean.

Capital: Tchiowa (Cabinda City)

Population: 1,500,000

Languages: Ibinda is the official language. English, German, Italian, and French are the commercial languages. Bantu, Lingala, Kikongo de Leta are the social languages.

Climate: Equatorial, Tropical rain forest.

Land, Plants, and Animals: The greater part of the country's a low plateau which in general terminates along the west in a series of cliffs of no great height. The surface soils are either sands or clays, and there are considerable areas of marshland. In the north-east the land is higher and is much cut up by rivers.

Natural resources: Petroleum, Diamonds, Gold, Magnesium, Phosphates, Uranium, Gas, Tropical Wood, Coffee, Cocoa, Palm Oil, Bananas, Fish, etc.

Currency: Cabinda Escudo (CBE)

CAMEROON

Former name: French Cameroon and British Cameroon

Area: 475,440 sq km (183,568 sq mi)

Location: Coastal West Africa, bordered by Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea

Capital: Yaoundé (population 800,000 [1992 estimate])

Other major cities: Douala (population 1,200,000), Garoua (population 160,000), Maroua (population 140,000) (1992 estimate)

Population: 14,261,557 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 28 persons per sq km (about 72 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 46 percent (male 3,295,924; female 3,266,429) (1997 estimate)

Population growth rate: 2.9 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.9 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 52.6 years (male 51.55 years; female 53.68 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 78.7 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 63.4 percent (male 75 percent; female 52.1 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: High rate of school attendance; about 2.1 million children attended primary and preprimary schools in the early 1990s; in secondary schools, about 410,000. The University of Yaoundé, which was established in 1962, has faculties of law, arts, and science. More than 64,500 students are enrolled in institutions of higher education.

Languages: French and English are both official languages, but French is more widely used; 24 major African languages are represented in Cameroon.

Ethnic groups: Nearly one-third the population are Cameroon Highlanders (31 percent), one-fifth are Equatorial Bantu (19 percent); some two-hundred ethnic groups are represented in the population of which 11 percent are Kirdi, 10 percent Fulani, 8 percent Northwestern Bantu, 7 percent Eastern Nigritic, and less than 1 percent are non-African. The remaining 13 percent are from other African ethnic groups.

Religions: About half the population adheres to indigenous beliefs (51 percent), about one-third are Christian (33 percent), and the remainder are Muslim (16 percent).

Climate: Tropical near the coast, dry inland. Average annual rainfall is about 4060 mm (about 160 in) along the coast; precipitation in the western mountains is year-round, as much as 10,160 mm (400 in) annually; in the north, which has a dry season from October to April, yearly rainfall averages 380 mm (about 15 in). Average temperature along the coast is 25° C (77° F), on the central plateau 21° C (70° F), and in the dry north 32° C (90° F).

Land, plants, and animals: Cameroon has a dense rain forest along its coastal plain, with mountains in the west, including an active volcano, Mount Cameroon (4095 m/14,435 ft), the highest peak in western Africa. In the center is the Adamawa Plateau, becoming savanna plains in the north. Rivers flowing through Cameroon include the Sanaga, Nyong, Mbéré, Logone, and the Benue, linking up with the Niger River system.
Animals include elephants, lions, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, and antelope.

Natural resources: Timber, petroleum, bauxite, and iron ore

Currency: The CFA franc (Communauté Financière Africaine franc)

CAPE VERDE

Official Name: Republic of Cape Verde

Area: 4033 sq km (1557 sq mi)

Location: Cape Verde is an archipelago, consisting of ten islands and five islets, in the Atlantic Ocean, due west of the westernmost point of Africa, near Senegal and Mauritania. The windward, or Barlavento, group of islands on the north includes Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santa Luzia, Sal, and Boa Vista; the leeward, or Sotavento, group on the south includes São Tiago, Brava, Fogo, and Maio.

Capital: Praia, São Tiago (population 61,644 [1990 estimate])

Other major cities: Mindelo, São Vicente (47,109 [1990 estimate])

Population: 449,066 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 111 people per sq km (about 288 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 46 percent (male 91,409; female 89,810 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.9 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population 63.4 years (male 61.5 years; female 65.4 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 54.3 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): 71.6 percent (male 81.4 percent; female 63.8 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Six years of primary school are compulsory.

Languages: Portuguese is the official language; the national language, however, is Crioulo, a Creole based on archaic Portuguese incorporating many African elements.

Ethnic groups: More than two-thirds of the people of Cape Verde are mulatto (of mixed African and European descent) and are known as Creoles, or mesticos. Nearly all of the remainder are of African ancestry.

Religions: Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, but is often fused with indigenous beliefs.

Climate: The climate is tropical and dry, showing little variation throughout the year. The average temperature in Praia, the capital, ranges from 20° to 25° C (68° to 77° F) in January and 24° to 28° C (75° to 83° F) in July. Winds are frequent, occasionally carrying clouds of sand from the Sahara in Africa to the east. Precipitation is slight and irregular, and the islands are subject to drought. Average precipitation in Praia is 260 mm (10 in) nearly all of which falls from August through September.

Land, plants, and Animals: The islands are volcanic in origin, and all but three-Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio-are mountainous. The highest point, Pico do Cano (2829 m/9281 ft) on Fogo, is also the group's only active volcano. Vegetation is sparse and consists of various shrubs, aloes, and other drought-resistant species. Wildlife is also limited and includes lizards, monkeys, wild goats, and a variety of birdlife.

Natural Resources: Cape Verde is located in the midst of rich fishing grounds, although the industry has yet to develop to its potential. Mineral resources are meager and primarily include pozzolana (a volcanic rock used in making cement) and salt.
Salt is mined on Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio, with annual production of about 7000 metric tons.

Currency: The Cape Verdean escudo

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Former Name: Central African Empire

Area: 622,436 sq km (about 240,323 sq mi)

Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), bordered by Cameroon, Chad, Congo, and Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Capital: Bangui (population 451,690 [1988 estimate])

Population: 3,274,426 (1996 estimate)

Population below age 15: 44 percent (male 738,623; female 731,163 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.1 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 45.24 years (male 44.4 years; female 46.1 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 111.7 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 60 percent (male 68.5 percent; female 52.4 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Education is officially compulsory, however, only about half of the eligible children of the Central African Republic receive primary education. Secondary and higher education facilities are limited. In the early 1990s about 308,400 pupils annually attended primary schools, and about 47,200 students were enrolled in secondary and technical institutions.

Languages: French is the official language, but Sango, an African language, is the most commonly spoken. Many other African languages are also spoken.

Ethnic groups: The main ethnic groups of the Central African Republic are the Baya, Banda, Sara, Mandjia, Mboum, and M'Baka.

Religions: Approximately 24 percent of the total population follow African religions, 25 percent are Protestant, 25 percent are Roman Catholic, 11 percent are other, 5 percent are Muslim.

Climate: Hot and humid; the average annual temperature is about 26° C (about 79° F). Annual rainfall varies from about 1800 mm (about 70 in) in the Ubangi River valley to about 200 mm (about 8 in) in the semiarid north.

Land, Plants, and Animals: The Central African Republic is situated on the northern edge of the Zaire (Congo) River Basin. Most of the land is a plateau that ranges in elevation from about 610 to 790 m (about 2000 to 2600 ft). Savanna vegetation covers most of the country except for a dense rain forest in the southwest. Open grassland is found in the extreme north, and a dense rain forest covers a major part of the southwestern area. The country is drained by several major rivers, the Bamingui and Ouham rivers in the north, and the Ubangi, a tributary of the Zaire, in the south. Commercially valuable trees include the sapele mahogany and the obeche. Many species of wildlife are found in the country.

Natural Resources: Although relatively undeveloped, mineral resources include diamonds, uranium, iron ore, gold, lime, zinc, copper, tin.

Currency: 1 Communauté Financière Africaine franc

CHAD

Area: 1,284,000 sq km (495,753 sq mi)

Location: Central Africa, south of Libya

Capital: N'Djamena (population 500,000 [1992 estimate])

Other major cities: Sarh (population 113,400), Moundou (102,000) (1988 estimate)

Population: 6,976,845 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 5 persons per sq km (about 14 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 44 percent (male 1,586,873; female 1,579,086 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.7 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 47.6 years (male 45.2 years; female 50 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 120.4 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write in French or Arabic): Total population: 48.1 percent (male 62.1 percent; female 34.7 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: In the 1990s there were 591,417 primary and 72,641 secondary students, attending approximately 2500 schools. In the late 1980s there were 3000 students enrolled at institutions of higher education, including the University of Chad.

Languages: French and Arabic are the official languages. Hausa is spoken in the Lake Chad region; Sara and Sango are spoken in the south. More than 100 different languages and dialects are spoken in all.

Ethnic groups: The north is inhabited mainly by Muslim peoples, including Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai, Fulbé, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba. Mostly non-Muslims live in the south: Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei, Massa; of the 150,000 non-indigenous inhabitants, 1000 are French.

Religions: Half the population is Muslim, one-fourth is Christian, and the remaining one-fourth adhere to traditional beliefs.

Climate: The Saharan north is hot, dusty and dry throughout the year. South of the desert there is a hot, dry season from March to July; a rainy season from July to October, with average rainfall 250 to 750 mm (about 10 to 30 in); and a cool, dry season during the remaining months. Rainfall is higher in the south, averaging 1145 mm (about 45 in).

Land, plants, and animals: Chad's land-locked terrain is dominated by the low-lying Chad Basin (elevation about 250 m/820 ft), which rises gradually to mountains and plateaus on the north, east, and south. The greatest elevations are reached in the Tibesti massif in the north, with a maximum height of 3415 m (11,204 ft) at Emi Koussi. The northern half of the republic lies in the Sahara. The only important rivers, the Logone and Chari (Shari), are located in the southwest and flow into Lake Chad. The lake doubles in size during the rainy season.

Natural resources: petroleum (currently being developed), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish

Currency: CFAF (Communauté Financière Africaine franc)

COMOROS

Official Name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

Area: 2170 sq km (838 sq mi)

Location: A group of three islands, Njazidja, Mwali and Nzwani, off the coast of Southern Africa in the Mozambique Channel, approximately two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique. These three islands broke from French rule in 1975, while a fourth island, Mayotte, remained a French dependency.

Capital: Moroni (population 25,600 [1993 estimate])

Other major cities: Mutsamudu (population 14,700) on Nzwani, Fomboni (8200) on Mwali

Population: 569,237 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 500 persons per sq km (1300 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 48 percent

Population growth rate: 3.6 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.7 children per women (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 58.7 years (male 56.4 years; female 61 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 75.3 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 57.3 percent (male 64.2 percent; female 50.4 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Many children attend Islamic schools and state education is officially compulsory from the age of seven to 16. Although 75 percent of the school age group attend primary school, only 17 percent (20 percent of men, 15 percent of women) complete secondary schooling.

Languages: French and Arabic are the official languages, but most people use one of the island dialects, collectively called Shimasiwa. Shimasiwa dialects are related to Swahili.

Ethnic groups: The population formed by successive settlements over at least 1000 years, including migrations from Madagascar. Residents trace lineage back to Kilwa, Zanzibar, islands off the coast of Tanzania, and even Arabia and the Persian Gulf region. Some citizens descended from slaves from Mozambique. Today no strong ethnic conflicts divide the population; rivalries between the islands are more important than ethnic differences.

Religions: Sunni Muslims comprise 86 percent of the population, and Roman Catholics form the only significant religious minority.

Climate: The islands, which lie within the region of the Indian Ocean monsoons, experience the dry season between April and October, with heavy rains and cyclones the rest of the year. Daily temperatures seldom rise above 30°C (85°F), and 5080 mm (200 in) of rain per year fall on the slopes of Karthala, the site of the heaviest rainfall in Comoros. In spite of heavy rainfall, Njazdja retains no water due to the porous nature of its volcanic rock. Islanders build cisterns to store rainwater for the dry season. In Nzwani, however, streams flow from the mountains throughout the year.

Land, Plants and Animals: All three islands are of volcanic origin and are mountainous. The island shores are rocky, with offshore islets and a steeply sloping seabed. Njazidja has virtually no topsoil, but the volcanic rocks nevertheless support a dense rainforest. The other islands have soils that are rich in minerals and very fertile, providing ideal conditions for the growth of sugarcane, ylang-ylang trees (the blossoms of which are used to make a perfume), vanilla, cloves, and a wide variety of tropical fruits and flowers. A variety of flycatcher called Humblot's flycatcher breeds only on Njazidja. The seas off the Comoros are the home of the famous coelacanth, a fish that was thought to be extinct for millions of years until 1938, when one was caught live.

Natural Resources: Flowers and spices constitute the basic commercial crops, and grow readily in the fertile soil of Mwali and Nzwani.

Currency: The Comorian franc

CONGO

Former Name: Congo/Brazzaville

Area: 342,002 sq km (132,047 sq mi)

Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon, bordered by Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire)

Capital: Brazzaville (population760,300 [1990 estimate])

Other major cities: Pointe-Noire (population 387,774 [1990 estimate])

Population: 2,527,841 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 8 persons per sq km (about 20 per sq mi) (1995 estimate)

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 557,996; female 552,022 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.2 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.15 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 45.7 years (male 44.2; female 47.3 [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 108.1 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 74.9 percent (male 83.1 percent; female 67.2 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Education is free and compulsory for children ages six to 16. In the early 1990s about 502,900 pupils annually attended primary schools, and more than 183,000 attended secondary schools, including technical and teacher-training schools.

Languages: French is the official language; Lingala and Kikingo are the most widely spoken African languages.

Ethnic groups: There are four major ethnic groups, the Bakongo (the major ethnic group, accounting for about 50 percent of the total population), the Mboshi, the Sanga, and the Teke who live in the central region. There are 75 sub groups of these four major ethnic groups. About 12,000 Pygmies also live in the Republic of the Congo, as do 8500 Europeans.

Religions: About half the population follows traditional religious beliefs. Most of the remainder are Christian, primarily members of the Catholic church. Fewer than 1 percent are Muslim.

Climate: The climate is tropical, with mostly high heat and humidity. While the Mayumbe Mountains experience a long dry season, parts of the Congo Basin receive more than 2500 mm (more than 100 in) of rainfall annually. Average temperatures in Brazzaville are 26° C (78° F) in January and 23° C (73° F) in July, with an annual rainfall of about 1500 mm (about 60 in). Temperatures along the coast are slightly cooler.

Land, Plants, and Animals: Along the Atlantic coast is a low, treeless plain, which rises inland to the Mayumbe Mountains, an almost completely forested region with an average elevation of about 550 m (about 1800 ft). In the south central region is the fertile valley of the Niari River. To the north lies the central highlands region, the Batéké Plateau. The plateau is cut by numerous tributaries of the Zaire (Congo) and Ubangi rivers. Dense tropical rain forests cover approximately half of the country and constitute a major natural resource. The principal commercial species are okoumé (a mahogany) and limba (a hardwood). Savannah vegetation is found in the northeast and the higher plateau areas. Wildlife is diverse and abundant, including antelope, giraffes, cheetahs, crocodiles, and numerous birds, and snakes.

Natural Resources: Resources include offshore petroleum potash, gold, iron ore, lead, and copper.

Currency: 1 Communauté Financière Africaine franc

COTE D'IVOIRE

Official name: Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

Former Name: Ivory Coast

Area: 322,462 sq km (122,503 sq mi)

Location: Western Africa; borders the North Atlantic Ocean, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Liberia

Capital: Yamoussoukro (population 106,786 [1988 estimate]) has been the official capital since 1983, however, Abidjan (population 2,700,000 [1990 estimate]) is the de facto capital and contains the administrative center. It is also where most foreign governments maintain their official presence.

Other major cities: Bouaké (population 329,850), Daloa (121,842) (1988 estimates), Gagnoa (population 59,500 [1986 estimate])

Population: 14,762,445 (1996 estimate) (including at least 3 million immigrant workers and their families)

Population density: 45 persons per sq km (about 116 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 47 percent (male 3,537,190; female 3,496,749 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.9 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 44.8 years (male 43.6 years; female: 46 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 82.4 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 40.1 percent (male 49.9 percent; female 30 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Education is free and primary education is compulsory. A vast television education program was established in the early 1970s that has helped to improve literacy rates. In the early 1990s about 1.5 million students annually attended primary schools and about 423,000 attended secondary and vocational schools.

Languages: French is the official language and a large percentage of the population uses French, especially for written communication. There are, however, over 60 other languages spoken in Côte d'Ivoire, with Dioula being the most widely used.

Ethnic groups: The population of Côte d'Ivoire contains over 60 different ethnic groups. The largest groups are: Baule 23 percent, Bete 18 percent, Senufo 15 percent. Other groups include Malinke, Agni, Kru, Voltaic, and Mande peoples. There is likewise a significant Lebanese community. A large number of immigrants come from Liberia, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

Religions: About 60 percent of the population adhere to indigenous beliefs. About 20 percent are Christians (mostly Roman Catholic) and 20 percent are Muslims.

Climate: The climate is tropical along the coast, semiarid in the far north, and the center varies between forest and savanna. In the southern region temperatures vary between 22° C (72° F) and 32° C (90° F) and there are two rainy seasons, April to July and October to November. In the central part of the country, the temperatures are more extreme and they range from 12° C (54° F) and 40° C (104° F). Annual rainfall averages is 2100 mm (83 in) in coastal Abidjan and 1200 mm (about 48 in) in Bouaké, on the central plain.

Land, plants, and animals: Côte d'Ivoire is flat with some undulating plains, except for mountains in the northwest region. The north central region has savanna. From the coast to the southern central region there is dense forest containing obeche, mahogany, and iroko. Animals include the jackal, hyena, panther, elephant, chimpanzees, crocodiles, and various lizards and venomous snakes

Natural resources: Natural resources include rich, arable soil and forests containing commercially valuable hardwoods. Côte d'Ivoire has mineral deposits of gold, iron ore, manganese ore, diamonds, and petroleum. Hydroelectric plants on the Bia and Bandama rivers also provide a significant amount of electricity.

Currency: The Communauté Financière Africaine franc

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Former Name: Republic of Zaire

Area: 2,344,885 sq km (905,365 sq mi)

Location: Central Africa, bordered by Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia

Capital: Kinshasa (population 3,804,000 [1991 estimate])

Other major cities: Lubumbashi (formerly Elisabethville; population 739,082), Kisangani (formerly Stanleyville; 373,397) (1995 estimate)

Population: 46,498,539 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 19 persons per sq km (about 48 per sq mi) (1995 estimate)

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 5,201,585; female 5,003,503 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.7 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.6 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 46.7 years (1996 estimate)

Infant mortality rate: 108 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write in French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba): Total population: 77.3 percent (male 86.6 percent; female 67.7 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: About 60 percent of Congolese children between the ages of six and 11 attend primary school; attendance at secondary school has risen rapidly since the early 1960s. In the late 1980s about 4.4 million pupils annually attended primary schools, about 508,000 attended secondary schools, and 558,000 attended vocational and teacher-training schools.

Languages: Although over 200 languages are spoken, French is the official language and the principal business and social language. Four African languages are also widely spoken: Swahili in the east, Kikongo in the area between Kinshasa and the coast, Tshiluba in the south, and Lingala along the Zaire River.

Ethnic groups: More than 200 ethnic groups live in Congo, about 80 percent of which are Bantu-speaking peoples. Sudanese peoples live in the north, and small numbers of Nilotic, Pygmy , and other peoples are present in various areas. The largest single groups are the Kuba, Bakongo (Kongo), Mongo, (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic). A small number of Europeans live in Congo.

Religions: About 50 percent of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo are Roman Catholic, while 20 percent are Protestant and 10 percent are Muslim. Most of the rest adhere to traditional animist beliefs, although Syncretic sects, such as Kimbanguism, which combines Christian and traditional elements, likewise have a significant number of followers.

Climate: Except in the upland regions, the climate of the country is extremely hot and humid. The average annual temperature is about 27° C (about 80° F) in the low central area, with extremes considerably higher in February, the hottest month. In areas with altitudes above about 1500 m (about 5000 ft) the average annual temperature is about 19° C (about 66° F). The average annual rainfall is about 1520 mm (about 60 in) in the north and 1270 mm (50 in) in the south.

Land, Plants, and Animals: The dominant physical feature of the country is the Zaire River basin. This region, constituting the entire central area, is a vast depression that slopes upward on all sides into plateaus and mountain ranges. The highest mountain group in this area is the Mitumba Range, on the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern border. The Ubangi River, chief northern tributary of the Zaire, rises on the northwestern slopes of this range. In the southeast the basin is fringed by rugged mountain country, sometimes called the Katanga, or Shaba, Plateau. This region, about 1220 m (about 4000 ft) above sea level, contains rich copper fields, uranium, and other mineral deposits.
In the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo the mountain chains are collectively designated the Kwango-Kwilu Plateau. Virtually impenetrable equatorial forests occupy the eastern and northeastern portions of the country. The largest, known variously as the Ituri, Great Congo, Pygmy, and Stanley Forest, extends east from the confluence of the Aruwimi and Zaire rivers nearly to Lake Albert, covering some 65,000 sq km (some 25,000 sq mi). In this area, on the Ugandan border, is the Ruwenzori Range, containing the Democratic Republic of Congo's highest point, Margherita Peak (5109 m/16,762 ft). Large regions of the Congo Basin consist of savannah land.
Vegetation consists of rubber trees of various species, oil palms, coffee and cotton, banana, coconut palm, and plantain, teak, ebony, African cedar, mahogany, iroko, and redwood trees. Animals include the elephant, lion, leopard, chimpanzee, gorilla, giraffe, hippopotamus, okapi, zebra, wolf, buffalo, mamba, python, crocodile, parrot, pelican, flamingo, cuckoo, sunbird, heron, and the spur-winged plover. Insects include ants, termites, and mosquitoes, including the Anopheles mosquito, host of the malaria parasite. Another disease-bearing insect, prevalent in the lowlands, is the South African Tsetse Fly, disseminator of sleeping sickness.

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower potential

Currency: The zaire

DJIBOUTI

Official name: Republic of Djibouti

Former name: French Territory of the Afars and Issas; French Somaliland

Area: 22,000 sq km (13,675 sq mi)

Location: Eastern Africa; borders the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, Eritrea, Somalia

Capital: Djibouti (population 348,000 [1993 estimate])

Other major cities: Roseau (population 20,755 [1991 estimate])

Population: 616,000 (1998 estimate); population swelled in 1992 due to the influx of 20,000 Somali refugees.

Population density: 43.1 persons per sq km (69 persons per sq mi [1998 estimate])

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 92,920; female 92,584 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.5 percent (1997 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 50.6 years (male 48.7 years; female: 52.6 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 104.6 deaths per 1000 live births (1997 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 46.2 percent (male 60.3 percent; female 32.7 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Primary and secondary schools are mostly taught in French, though Islamic teaching has recently been emphasized, due to Saudi Arabia's expressed willingness to subsidize such efforts. In 1995-96, there were 591,784 primary school students; 10,008 secondary school students; 104 teacher-training school students; 1,748 vocational school students; and 130 students enrolled at institutions of higher education.

Languages: Arabic and French are the official languages; Somali and Afar are also widely spoken.

Ethnic groups: Some 60 percent of the population is Somali, 35 percent is Afar, and a small minority of 5 percent are French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian.

Religions: 94 percent of the population is Muslim, while the remaining 6 percent are Christian.

Climate: The climate of Djibouti is torrid and dry, although humidity is high in the monsoon season from June to August. The average annual rainfall varies from 210 mm (about 8 in) in December to 400 cm (about 16 in) in June.

Land, plants, and animals: Djibouti's landscape is extremely varied, ranging from low desert plains in the west and south to mountains in the north. Most of the country is volcanic desert and still geologically active. As rainfall is infrequent, vegetation is minimal. Wildlife includes antelopes, gazelles, hyenas, jackals, and ostriches. Offshore in Djibouti's waters marine life includes tuna, barracuda, and grouper.

Natural resources: Minerals (include gypsum, mica, amethyst, sulfur); geothermal energy, natural gas; livestock, fish

Currency: 1 Djiboutian franc

EGYPT

Former Name: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Official Name: Arab Republic of Egypt

Area: 1,001,450 sq km (about 386,662 sq mi)

Location: North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by the Gaza Strip, the Red Sea, Sudan, and Libya

Capital: Cairo (population 6,052,800 [1986 estimate])

Other major cities: Alexandria (population 2,917,300), Giza (3,700,100), Port Said (399,800), Suez (326,800) (1986 estimate)

Population: 63,575,107 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 64 persons per sq km (164 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: Total population: 36 percent (male 12,080,281; female 11,556,970 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.9 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 61.43 years (male 59.5 years; female 63.5 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 72.8 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 51.4 percent (male 63.6 percent; female 38.8 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Education is compulsory for children between the ages of six and 11; 89 percent of primary school-age children were enrolled in school in the mid-1990s. Secondary school enrollment was 65 percent, including vocational and teacher training schools. 17 percent of college-age Egyptians attended universities or other institutions of higher education during this time. Egypt has 13 state universities, as well as numerous technical colleges and institutes of art and music.

Languages: Arabic is the official language; English and French are also used by educated classes.

Ethnic groups: Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers of Hamitic descent make up 99 percent of the population, while Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European groups (mostly Italian and French) make up the remaining 1 percent.

Religions: Muslim 94 percent, Coptic Christian and other 6 percent

Climate: The climate is hot, dry, and dusty over most of the country; the hot season is from May to September and the cool season from November to March. In the coastal region average annual temperatures range from a maximum of 37° C (99° F) to a minimum of 14° C (57° F). Wide variations of temperature occur in the deserts, ranging from a maximum of 46° C (114° F) during daylight hours to a minimum of 6° C (42° F) after sunset. During the winter season desert temperatures often drop to 0° C (32° F). The most humid area is along the Mediterranean coast, where the average annual rainfall is about 200 mm (8 in). Precipitation decreases rapidly to the south; Cairo receives on average only about 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain a year, and in many desert locations it may rain only once in several years.

Land, plants, and animals: Egypt is situated on a desert plateau bisected by the Nile River. Less than one-tenth of Egypt is settled or under cultivation, principally along the valley and delta of the Nile, in desert oases, and around the Suez Canal. Over 90 percent of the country is in the desert, including the Libyan Desert west of the Nile, the Arabian Desert in the east, and the Nubian Desert in the south. The Sinai Peninsula consists of sandy desert in the north and rugged mountains in the south. The vegetation of Egypt is confined largely to the Nile delta, the Nile Valley, and the oases. Wild animals include gazelles, desert fox, hyena, jackal, wild ass, boar, jerboa, ichneumon, lizards, poisonous snakes, crocodile, hippopotamus, and numerous species of birds and insects.

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Currency: The Egyptian pound

ERITREA

Official Name: State of Eritrea

Former Name: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Area: 121,144 sq km (46,774 sq mi)

Location: Northeastern Africa; borders the Red Sea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and the Sudan and included the Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea

Capital: Asmara (population 400,000 [1993 estimate])

Population: 3,427,883 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 28 per sq km (73 per sq mi); approximately 80 percent of Eritrea's population lives in rural areas.

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 781,169; female 770,497 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.8 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: 50.3 years (male 48.57 years; female 52.1 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 118.9 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 20 percent (1993 estimate)

Education: Few schools functioned during the war of independence that ended in 1993. Officially, seven years of primary education are now compulsory, with lower grades taught in native languages and higher grades in Arabic or English.

Languages: The main language groups are: Tigrinya, Tigre, Kunama, Hedareb, Afar, Bilien, Saho, Nara and Rashaida. Arabic is also widely spoken, but English is used in secondary schools and universities.

Ethnic groups: Ethnic Tigrinya 50 percent, Tigre and Kunama 40 percent, Afar 4 percent, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3 percent, other 3 percent

Religions: Muslim, Monophysite creed of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Climate: The narrow coastal plain receives little rainfall and is extremely hot, with a mean annual temperature of 30° (86°F). The mean annual temperature in Asmara, located in the plateau highlands, is 16° C. The plateau receives 400-500 mm (16-20 inches) rainfall per year, while the hill country north and west of the core plateau generally receives less. The Denakil depression in the southeast has been the site of some of the highest temperatures recorded on earth, and receives practically no rain.

Land, plants, and animals: Eritrea's topography consists of four types of land surface. The Red Sea coastal plain widens to include the Denakil Desert in the South. The south central plateau highland is the most agriculturally fertile and densely populated part of the country. To the north of the highlands lie hill country, and to the west lie broad plains. These plains lie to the west of the Baraka River and north of the Setit River. The Mereb (or Gash), the Baraka, and the Anseba flow from the plateau west into Sudan, while the Falkat, Laba, and Alighede flow from the northern highlands to the Red Sea. Off the coast, more than a hundred small islands make up the Dahlak Archipelago.

Natural resources: Eritrea's resources have supported a largely agricultural way of life. The nation possesses potentially valuable potash deposits and possibly gold, iron, and petroleum, but exploration and exploitation of its mineral resources were severely hindered by three decades of war. The Red Sea is rich in fish, but commercial fishing in Eritrea is also relatively underdeveloped.

Currency: The birr

ETHIOPIA

Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Area: 1,130,000 sq km (436,300 sq mi)

Location: Eastern Africa; bounded by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and the Sudan.

Capital: Addis Ababa (population 2,200,186 [1993 estimate])

Population: 58,039,000 (1995 estimate)

Population density: 51 persons per sq km (133 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 46 percent (male 13,492,323; female 13,444,656 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.7 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.94 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth:Total population: 46.9 years (male 45.7 years; female 48 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 122.8 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 35.5 percent (male 45.5 percent female 25.3 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Free education exists from primary school through the college level, but regular school facilities are available to only about one-third of the children of school age. In the early 1990s about 2.8 million students attended primary and secondary schools run by the government and religious groups. Addis Ababa University (1950) has branches in several locations.

Languages: Amharic is the official language; Tigrinya, Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, and English are also spoken.

Ethnic groups: The Amhara, a highland people partly of Semitic origin, and the related Tigreans constitute about 32 percent of the total population. The Oromo people living mainly in central and southwestern Ethiopia, constitute about 40 percent of the population. The Shangalla, a people found in the western part of the country from the border of Eritrea to Lake Turkana, constitute about 6 percent of the population. The Somali, who live in the east and southeast, notably in the Ogaden region, are approximately equal in number to the Shangalla. The Denakil inhabit the semidesert plains east of the highlands. The non-indigenous population includes Yemenis, Indians, Armenians, and Greeks.

Religions: About 40 percent of the people of Ethiopia are Christians, many from the Ethiopian Orthodox Union church, an autonomous Christian sect headed by a patriarch and closely related to the Coptic church of Egypt. Christianity is predominant in the north; all the southern regions have Muslim majorities, who represent about 45 percent of the country's population. The south also contains considerable numbers of animists. The Falashas, who practice a type of Judaism that probably dates back to contact with early Arabian Jews, were airlifted to Israel in 1991 during Ethiopia's civil war.

Climate: The principal rainy season occurs between mid-June and September, followed by a dry season that may be interrupted in February or March by a short rainy season. The tropical zone has an average annual temperature of about 27° C (about 80° F) and receives less than about 510 mm (about 20 in) of rain annually. The subtropical zone, which includes most of the highland plateau has an average temperature of about 22° C (about 72° F) with an annual rainfall ranging from about 510 to 1530 mm (about 20 to 60 in).

Land, plants, and animals: The Ethiopian Plateau, a high table land covering more than one-half the total area of the country is split by the Great Rift Valley. In the north, the plateau is cut by many rivers and deep valleys, and capped by mountains in the region surrounding Lake T'ana (the lake in which the Blue Nile rises). The northeastern edges of the plateau are marked by steep escarpments, which drop to the sunbaked coastal plain and the Denakil Desert. Along the western fringe the plateau descends gradually to the desert of Sudan. Along the southern and southwestern limits, the plateau lowers toward Lake Turkana (formerly called Lake Rudolf).
The lower areas of the tropical zone have sparse vegetation, but in the valleys and ravines almost every form of African vegetation grows profusely. Afro-alpine vegetation is found on the highest slopes. The giraffe, leopard, hippopotamus, lion, elephant, antelope, and rhinoceros are native to most parts of the country. The lynx, jackal, hyena, and various species of monkey are also common. Birds of prey include the eagle, hawk, and vulture. Heron, parrot, and such game birds as the snipe, partridge, teal, pigeon, and bustard are found in abundance. Among the many varieties of insects are the locust and tsetse fly.

Natural resources: The resources of Ethiopia are primarily agricultural. The plateau area is fertile and largely undeveloped. The wide range of soils, climate, and elevations permits the production of a diversified range of agricultural commodities. A variety of mineral deposits exist; iron, copper, petroleum, salt, potash, gold, and platinum are the principal ones that have been commercially exploited.

Currency: The birr

GABON

Official Name: Gabonese Republic

Area: 267,667 sq km (103,347 sq mi).

Location: Bounded on the northwest by Equatorial Guinea, on the north by Cameroon, on the east and south by the Republic of Congo, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Capital: Libreville (population 365,650 [1993 estimate])

Other major city: Port-Gentil (population 164,000), Franceville (75,000) (1988 estimate)

Population: 1,172,798 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 5 persons per sq km (about 13 persons per sq mi); over half the population lives in cities, and much of the interior is uninhabited.

Population below age 15: 34 percent (male 199,730; female 199,369 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.5 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 3.85 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 55.59 years (male 52.72 years; female 58.56 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 90.1 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population 63.2 percent (male 73.3 percent; female female53.3 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Schooling is official compulsory in Gabon for all children between the ages of six and 16, though not all children in that age group actually attend school. In the early 1990s about 210,000 pupils were annually attending primary schools, and about 56,700 students were enrolled in secondary schools. The country has technical institutions and teachers colleges, as well as a university, the Université Omar Bongo (founded in 1970).

Languages: The official language is French, but many Gabonese speak dialects of Bantu.

Ethnic groups: The ethnic makeup of the Gabonese is diverse. Of the country's approximately 40 ethnic groups, most belong to the Fang, Pounou, Nzeiby, or Téké groupings. Europeans, mostly French, form a small but prominent minority. Pygmies are believed to have been the original inhabitants of the country, but only a few thousand remain.

Religions: About 60 percent of the population is Christian, primarily Roman Catholic. Most of the remainder, except for a small Islamic community, follow traditional beliefs.

Climate: Gabon has a hot and humid climate. The temperature varies only slightly throughout the year, hovering around 27° C (80° F). The dry seasons stretch from February to April and October to November. In Libreville, the annual rainfall often exceeds 2500 mm (100 in).

Land, plants, and animals: Coastal lowlands gird the western shores of Gabon. The interior contains a plateau zone that extends over the entire northern and eastern sections of Gabon and part of the south. The Cristal and Chaillu mountains cut across the interior, sending numerous rivers down to the Atlantic. Dense equatorial rain forest covers three quarters of the country.

Natural resources: Gabon is rich in mineral resources. Deposits of uranium, manganese, and petroleum dot the country, all of which are being exploited. Large deposits of iron ore, considered among the richest in the world, have also been discovered. Other Gabonese resources include lead and silver ore; stands of okoume, mahogany, kevazing and ebony make the forests of Gabon valuable.

Currency: The Communauté Financière Africaine franc

THE GAMBIA

Official name: Republic of the Gambia

Area: 11,295 sq km (4,361 sq mi)

Location: Western Africa; borders the North Atlantic and Senegal

Capital: Banjul (formerly called Bathurst) (population 44,188 [1983 estimate])

Population: 1,204,984 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 87 persons per sq km (about 225 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: Total population: 46 percent (male 286,422; female 285,379 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 3.6 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.1 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 53.4 years (male 51.2 years; female 55.8 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 80.5 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 38.6 percent (male 52.8 percent; female 24.9 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Primary education in the Gambia is free but not compulsory. In the early 1990s, nearly 52 percent of all eligible primary-school aged children attended school, but only 15 percent of all children between the ages of 14 and 20 attended school.

Languages: English is the official language, but each ethnic groups uses its own language. The most common languages are Mandinka, Wolof, and Fulani.

Ethnic groups: The population comprises the Mandinka, accounting for 42 percent of the population; the Fulani, who predominate the eastern part of the country and account for 18 percent of the population; the Wolof, who live mainly in Banjul and the western part of the country; the Jola, who live in the western region; the Serahuli; and a small Aku community.

Religions: About 90 percent of the population are Muslims. About 9 percent are Christian and 1 percent adhere to indigenous beliefs.

Climate: Sub-tropical with distinct hot and cool seasons. The temperatures range from 16°C (about 60°F) in the cool season, which lasts from November to May, to 43°C (110°F) in the summer. The rainy season lasts from June to November and the average annual rainfall is about 1020 mm (about 40 in).

Land, plants, and animals: Almost all of Gambia borders on the Gambia River. The country's land varies between sand and swamp land. Mangroves, oil palm, rubber vine, cedars, and mahogany trees thrive in this environment. Animals include the leopard, wild boar, crocodile, hippopotamus, and several species of antelope. Some game birds as the guinea fowl and the sand grouse are also plentiful.

Natural resources: Natural resources include the Gambia River, one of Africa's best navigable waterways, fish, and soil suited to growing peanuts.

Currency: The dalasi

GHANA

Official name: Republic of Ghana

Former name: Gold Coast

Area: 238,537 sq km (92,099 sq mi)

Location: Western Africa; borders Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and the Atlantic Ocean.

Capital: Accra (population 953,500 [1990 estimate])

Other major cities: Kumasi (population 399,300), Sekondi (116,500) (1990 estimate)

Population: 17,698,271 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 73 persons per sq km (about 190 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 3,928,741; female 3,891,591 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.2 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 56.49 years (male 54.5 years; female 58.6 years [1997])

Infant mortality rate: 80.3 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Male: 75.9 percent; female: 53.5 percent.

Education: Primary school and the first three years of secondary school are free and officially compulsory. In the late 1980s nearly 2.3 million children were enrolled in primary schools and almost 770,000 were enrolled in secondary schools.

Languages: English is the official language of Ghana and is used in schools. There are at least nine other languages used in Ghana, including Akaupem-Twi, Asante-Twi, Dagbani, Dangbe, Ewe, Fanti, Ga, Kasem, and Nzima, which are also used in schools.

Ethnic groups: There are at least seven major ethnic groups in Ghana, including the Fante, Asante, Nzima, Ahanta, Ga, Moshi-Dagomba and Gonja peoples.

Religions: About 62 percent of the population are Christian. About 22 percent adhere to indigenous beliefs and about 16 percent are Muslim.

Climate: The climate of Ghana is tropical, but temperatures vary with season and elevation. In most areas there are two rainy seasons, from April to July and September to November. In the north, however, this is one rainy season lasting from April to November. Annual rainfall in the southern areas is 1100 mm (43 in) and 2100 mm (83 in) in the north. The harmattan, a dry desert wind, is felt in the north from December to March and in the south in January. The average annual temperature is 26° C (79° F).

Land, plants, and animals: Ghana is mostly lowland with a small range of hills on the eastern border. Eastern Ghana also has one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, Lake Volta, which was created from the Volta River by the Akosombo Dam. The vegetation varies from savanna in the northern two-thirds of the country to a tropical forest zone in the south; much of the natural vegetation in central Ghana has been destroyed by land clearing for agriculture. The southern forests include the giant silk cotton, African mahogany and cedar trees. Animals include the leopard, hyena, buffalo, elephant, wildhog, antelope, and monkey. Ghana also has many species of reptiles including the cobra, python, puff adder, and horned adder.

Natural resources: Mineral resources include gold, diamonds, manganese ore, bauxite. Ghana also has small deposits of petroleum and natural gas. Forests and access to the ocean are also valuable resources.

Currency: The Cedi

GUINEA

Official Name: Republic of Guinea

Former Name: French Guinea

Area: 245,857 sq km (94,925 sq mi)

Location: Guinea is bounded on the north by Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali, on the east and southeast by Côte d'lvoire, on the south by Liberia and Sierra Leone, on the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

Capital: Conakry (population 705,000 [1989 estimate])

Other major cities: Kankan (population 278,000 [1989 estimate])

Population: 7,405,375 (1997 estimate)

Population density: 30 persons per sq km (78 people per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 44 percent (male 1,625,046; female 1,632,953 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.1 percent (1997 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.66 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth (total): Total population: 45.5 years (male 43.2 years; female 47.9 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 134.1 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 35.9 percent (male 49.9 percent; female 21.9 percent[1995 estimate])

Education: Education is free and officially compulsory for all children between the ages of seven and 12, but in the early 1990s only about 37 percent of eligible children actually attended school. Private schools were nationalized by 1962. The universities at Conakry and Kankan, along with 21 other institutions, provide higher education.

Languages: While French is the official language, almost every Guinean speaks one of eight national languages: Malinke, Soso, Fulani, Kissi, Basari, Loma, Koniagi, or Kpelle.

Ethnic groups: Fulani constitute 35 percent of the population, the largest group. Most other Guineans are from the Mande group, either Malinke, in northeastern Guinea, or Soso, in the coastal areas.

Religions: About 85 percent of the population practices Islam. Most of the remainder adhere to traditional beliefs. Christians form a small portion of the total population.

Climate: The dominant factor in the consideration of climatic variation is altitude. Rainfall varies most and temperature varies least in lower Guinea. Rainfall in Conakry averages 4300 mm (about 170 in) in a year, while temperature averages 27° C (81° F). In the mountainous plateau region, less rain falls and the mean temperature is 7° (13°) degrees lower. The climate in the highlands is equatorial with no clearly distinguishable seasons. The rainy season in the remainder of the country occurs from April or May to October or November. In terms of heat, April is the cruelest month; July and August are the wettest.

Land, plants and animals: Guinea divides into four major topographic regions. Lower Guinea, the coastal plain, extends in from the coastline. Beyond the plain is middle Guinea, the Fouta Djallon (Futa Jallon), a mountainous plateau region with an average elevation of 910 m (about 3000 ft). The savannas of Upper Guinea undulate gently, breaking occasionally into rocky outcroppings of some elevation. In the extreme southeast are forested highlands. The vegetation of Guinea includes dense mangrove forests along the coast, sedge in the Fouta Djallon, savanna woodland in upper Guinea, and rainforest in the highlands. Animal life abounds. Snakes and crocodiles are common, as are tropical birds, including like parrots. Mammals include leopards, hippopotamuses, wild boars, antelopes, and civets.

Natural resources: Bauxite ore, iron ore, diamonds, gold, petroleum, uranium, cobalt, nickel, platinum

Currency: The Guinea franc

GUINEA-BISSAU

Official name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Former name: Portuguese Guinea

Area: 36,120 sq km (about 13,945 sq mi).

Location: Western Africa; borders the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Guinea

Capital: Bissau (population 200,000 [1994 estimate])

Population: 1,178,584 (1997 estimate)

Population density: 32 persons per sq km (about 83 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 43 percent (male 251,873; female 250,950 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.4 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born per woman (1997 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 48.3 years (male 46.6 years; female 49.9 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 115.8 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 54.9 percent (male 68 percent; female 42.5 percent [1996 estimate])

Education: In the late 1980s about 650 primary and secondary schools had a combined annual enrollment of more than 86,100 students. The country has several teacher training colleges. The government has undertaken a program to lower the high adult illiteracy rate, which stood at 81 percent in 1980.

Languages: The official language is Portuguese, but many people speak Crioulo, which combines Portuguese with African elements.

Ethnic groups: The Balanta, Fulani, Malinke, Mandyako, and Pepel constitute the major ethnic groups, while Cape Verdians form a small but significant minority.

Religions: A little over one half the population follows traditional beliefs; 38 percent are Muslim and 8 percent are Christian.

Climate: The climate is tropical, with a mean annual temperature of 25° C (77° F). The rainy season lasts from June to November, bringing an average of 1950 mm (about 77 in) of rainfall.

Land, plants and animals: Vegetation consists of mangrove and rain forest on the coastal plain and a savanna woodland on the interior plateau.

Natural resources: Tropical hardwoods, bauxite, phosphate, petroleum

Currency: The Guinea-Bissauan peso

KENYA

Official name: Republic of Kenya

Former name: British East Africa

Area: 582,646 sq km (224,960 sq mi)

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania; bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania

Capital: Nairobi (population 1,504,900 [1990 estimate])

Other major cities: Mombasa (population 442,369 [1985 estimate]), Kisumu (population 167,100 [1984 estimate]), Nakuru (population 150,000 [1991 estimate])

Population: 28,176,686 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 48 persons per sq km (about 123 persons per sq mi [1995 estimate])

Population below age 15: 44 percent (male 6,403,826; female 6,264,971 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.27 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 4.45 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 55.6 years (male 55.5; female 55.7 [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 55.3 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 78.1 percent (male 86.3 percent; female 70 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Though not compulsory, the first eight years of primary school are free. In the early 1990s approximately 5.4 million pupils annually attended about 14,690 elementary schools, about 614,000 students attended the more than 2750 secondary and teacher-training schools.

Languages: Swahili is the official language, although Kikuyu, Luo, and English are also widely spoken. Nearly all Kenyan ethnic groups have distinct languages.

Ethnic groups: The largest of Kenya's over 30 ethnic groups are the Bantu-speaking Kikuyu, Luhya, and Kamba; the Nilotic-speaking Luo; and the Paranilotic-speaking Kalenjin. Small numbers of Asians, Europeans, and Arabs reside in Kenya.

Religions: About 40 percent Protestant, 30 percent Catholic, and 6 percent Muslim. The remaining 24 percent follow traditional religions.

Climate: Kenya is divided into two almost equal parts by the equator. The region north of the equator is hot and receives comparatively little rain. The southern region falls into three meteorological zones. The coast is humid with an average annual temperature ranging from about 24° C (about 76° F) in June and July to about 28° C (about 82° F) in February, March, and April; the highlands are relatively temperate; and the Lake Victoria region is tropical.

Land, plants, and animals: Kenya covers several well-defined topographical zones extending from the Indian Ocean coast upward to lofty mountain ranges that reach elevations of more than 3050 m (10,000 ft) above sea level. From a low coastal strip the terrain rises gradually to a broad, arid plateau that covers the largest portion of the country. The region west of the plateau contains great volcanic mountain chains, of which the principal peak is Mount Kenya (5199 m/17,058 ft). The southern and southeastern portions of the country are heavily forested, and in the west, the immense depression of the Great Rift Valley is demarcated by a succession of steep cliffs. The chief rivers of Kenya are the Tana and Galana (known as the Athi in its upper course). Besides a small portion of Lake Victoria, Kenya contains almost all of Lake Turkana (formerly called Lake Rudolf).
Along the coast are forests containing palm, mangrove, teak, copal, and sandalwood trees. Forests of baobab, euphorbia, and acacia trees cover the lowlands to an elevation of approximately 915 m (approximately 3000 ft). Extensive tracts of savanna (grassland), interspersed with groves of acacia and papyrus, characterize the terrain from about 915 to 2745 m (about 3000 to 9000 ft). The principal species in the dense rain forest of the eastern and southeastern mountain slopes are camphor and bamboo. The alpine zone (above about 3350 m/11,000 ft) contains large senecios and lobelias.
The major animal species are the elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, giraffe, lion, other large cats, birds and reptiles.

Currency: The Kenyan shilling

LESOTHO

Official name: Kingdom of Lesotho.

Former name: Basutoland

Area: 30,350 sq km (12,140 sq mi)

Location: Southern Africa; completely encircled by South Africa

Capital: Maseru (population 109,382 [1986 estimate])

Population: 1,970,781 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 65 persons per sq km (about 169 per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 41 percent (male 408,723; female 406,849 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 1.9 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 4.32 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 52.1 years (male 50.1 years; female 54.1 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 81.6 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over can read and write): Total population: 71.3 percent (male 81.1 percent; female 62.3 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: Education is compulsory between the ages of six and 13. Nearly all of Lesotho's school-age children attend primary school. Christian missions under the direction of the Minister of Education operate most schools, which are free at the primary level. In the early 1990s nearly 362,700 pupils annually attended some 1200 primary schools, and about 53,500 pupils attended secondary and vocational schools. The National University of Lesotho (1966), in Roma, is attended yearly by about 1400 students and has a teaching staff of more than 200. The Lesotho Agricultural College (1955) is in Maseru. Lesotho has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa.

Languages: English is the official language, but Sesotho (southern Sotho), Zulu and Xhosa are widely spoken.

Ethnic groups: The vast majority of the population is ethnic Sotho; there is a tiny minority of approximately 1600 Europeans and 800 Asians.

Religions: Christian 80 percent; Indigenous beliefs 20 percent

Climate: The climate is mild, with hot summer days in the lowlands relieved by cool nights. Winter can be cold, particularly in the mountains, and heavy snows occasionally occur. Precipitation falls mostly from October through April. In Maseru, located in the lowlands, average temperatures range from 14° to 28° C (57° to 82° F) in January and from -1° to 16° C (30° to 61° F) in July. The city averages 690 mm (27 in) of precipitation annually.

Lands, plants, and animals: Mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains. 66 percent of the land is comprised of meadows and pastures. Less than 10 percent is arable.

Natural resources: Water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals

Currency: The loti

LIBERIA

Official name: Republic of Liberia

Area: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq mi)

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Capital: Monrovia (population 421,058 [1984 estimate])

Other major cities: Buchanan (population 24,000 [1984 estimate])

Population: 2,109,789 (1996 estimate); due to civil war, hundreds of thousands of Liberians are living as refugees outside the country.

Population density: 31 persons per sq km (about 79 persons per sq mi)

Population below age 15: 45 percent (male 584,918; female 579,728 [1997 estimate])

Population growth rate: 2.1 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.2 children born per woman (1996 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 59 years (male 56.4 years; female 61.7 years [1997 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 108.1 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 38.3 percent (male 53.9 percent; female 22.4 percent [1995 estimate])

Education: The Compulsory Education Act of 1912 provides for compulsory, free education for children between the ages of six and 16. However, government attempts to implement this law have been hindered by the scarcity of educational facilities and only a small minority of children receive education.

Languages: English is the official language, but is spoken by barely one-fifth of the population. Most of the population speaks at least one language from the Niger-Congo language group of about 20 languages. Some of the more widely spoken languages are Mande, West Atlantic, and Kwa.

Ethnic groups: The majority of the population comes from one of 15 different ethnic groups. These groups include the Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella. About 5 percent of the population are Americo-Liberians who descended from former American slaves.

Religions: About 70 percent of the population adhere to indigenous beliefs. About 20 percent are Muslim and 10 percent are Christians.

Climate: The climate is tropical and humid, particularly during the June to July rainy seasons and the October to November rainy seasons. Annual rainfall varies from 2240 mm (88 in) in the interior to 5200 mm (205 in) along the coast. The average temperature in Monrovia is about 26° C (79° F) in January and 24° C (76° F) in July.

Land, plants, and animals: Liberia is mostly flat with some hills and low mountains in the northeast that reach elevations of about 900 m to 1200 m (3000 to 4000 ft). The interior is heavily forested with cotton, fig, mahogany, ironwood, and various kinds of palms, as well as rubber trees. Animals include pygmy hippopotamus, chimpanzees, elephants, buffalo, and monkeys.

Natural resources: Natural resources include minerals, such as iron ore, and forest products like wood and rubber. Liberia also has hydroelectric power plants on the Saint Paul River which provide a significant amount of hydroelectric power.

Currency: The Liberian dollar

LIBYA

Official name: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Area: 1,759,540 sq km (679,358 sq mi)

Location: Northern Africa; borders Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Tunisia, Republic of Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria

Capital: Tripoli (population 1,500,000 [1994 estimate])

Other major cities: Banghazi (population 800,000 [1994 estimate])

Population: 5,445,436 (1996 estimate)

Population density: 3 persons per sq km (about 8 persons per sq mi); more than 85 percent of the people live in urban areas.

Population below age 15: Total population: 48 percent (male 1,269,813; female 1,226,851 [1995 estimate])

Population growth rate: 3.67 percent (1996 estimate)

Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born per woman (1995 estimate)

Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 64.7 years (male 62.5 years; female 67 years [1996 estimate])

Infant mortality rate: 59.5 deaths per 1000 live births (1996 estimate)

Literacy rate (age 15 and over who can read and write): Total population: 76.2 percent (male 87.9 percent; female 63 percent [1997 estimate])

Education: Primary education in Libya is free and compulsory. In the early 1990s some 1,239,000 pupils were enrolled annually in primary schools, and about 215,500 students attended secondary, vocational, and teacher-training schools. Libya also has five universities.

Languages: Arabic is the official language, although Berber is sometimes spoken and English and Italian are used in trade.

Ethnic groups: The indigenous population of Libya is mostly Berber and Arab in origin; about 17 percent of the population consist of foreign workers and their families from the Mediterranean region and South Asia.

Religions: Islam is the state religion, and about 97 percent of all Libyans are Sunni Muslim. A small number are Roman Catholic.

Climate: Climatic conditions in Libya are characterized by extreme heat and aridity. Desert and subdesert regions have little precipitation. On the coast the annual rainfall rarely exceeds 400 mm (16 in).

Land, plants, and animals: About 90 percent of Libya is made up of barren, rock-strewn plains and sand sea, with two small areas of hills rising to about 900 m (about 3000 ft) in the northwest and northeast. In the south the land rises to the Tibesti massif along the Chad border.
Most of Libya is either devoid of vegetation or supports only sparse growth. Date palms and olive and orange trees grow in the scattered oases, and junipers and mastic trees are found in the higher elevations. Wildlife includes desert rodents, hyena, gazelle, and wildcat. Eagles, hawks, and vultures are common.

Natural resources: The principal resource of Libya is petroleum. Others include natural gas, gypsum, limestone, marine salt, potash, natron.

Currency: The Libyan dinar

MADAGASCAR

Official name: Republic of Madagascar

Former name: Malagasy Republic

Area: 587,040 sq km (226,658 sq mi)

Location: Southern Africa; island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Capital: Antananarivo (population 1,052,835 [1993 estimate])

Other major cities: Toamasina (population 127,441), Mahajanga (100,807), Fianarantsoa (99,005) (1993 estimate)

Population: 14,155,000 (1995 e