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The Continent of Africa

This great division of the globe lies in the Eastern hemisphere S. of Europe, and is separated from that continent by the Mediterranean Sea. It is also S.-W. of Asia, with which it is connected by the Isthmus of Suez. It may, however, be described in brief as an insular continent since it has of recents years been disconnected from Asia by the Suez Canal. The continent lies between 37° 20′ N. and 35° S. lat. and 17° 33′ W. and 51° 22′ E. long. It is, therefore, almost wholly in the tropical regions. The greatest length of this mysterious land, when we measure from Cape Agulhas, just E. of Cape of Good Hope, to Cape Bon, which is near Bizerta in Tunis, is about 4330 geographical m.; while the greatest width, taking Cape Verd on the Atlantic side, and Cape Gardafui on the Indian Ocean, is 4000 geographical m. Figuring the entire area of the country, excluding Madagascar and other African islands, we have about 11,360,000 statute sq. m.