Africa is the world┐s second largest continent, after Asia. It covers roughly 30,200,000 square kilometres, which is one-fifth of the earth┐s land surface. This is about three times the area of Europe. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the north separating Africa from Europe. To the east is the Indian Ocean and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean. The Red Sea is the narrow body of water separating Africa from the Arabian lands in the northeast. Roughly triangular in shape, the continent is almost as broad as it is long. Its greatest north-south length is 8,000 kilometres, and at its widest point it spans 7,440 kilometres.
Africa is divided into five major regions; Southern Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, Western Africa, and the Sahara or Northern Africa, all varying greatly in terms of climate and vegetational zones.