10 Misconceptions About Africa
1. Africa Is A Country... Africa is as much a continent as Asia or
Europe. It is a vast continent , second in
size only to Asia. Africa comprises 55 recognized states(countries), with
other territories being de facto independent states with
limited recognition. The multicolored
regions visible within the borders of the map are separate countries.
2. Africa Is Full Of Villages …. Being an expansive continent with diverse
climatic conditions, Africa has dense settlements in some areas, and sparse
in others. However, to say that Africans only reside in villages would be a
gross lapse of judgment. Pictured above are Cairo, Johannesburg, and
Nairobi, all of which are sprawling, busy cities, home to millions of
people. They have brick-and-mortar buildings, public transport, and every
other conceivable modern amenity. And of course, all of these and more are
found in Africa.
3. Africa is a Huge Desert/Rainforest …… Another sorry misconception people
hold about Africa is about its geography.
Africa is not just the Sahara desert or the rainforests. It certainly isn't
searing hot everywhere, neither does it perpetually rain all year round.
Geographically speaking, the African continent has the unique distinction
of stretching from the northern temperate
zone to the southern, with the Equator
running through it. The geographic diversity of Africa is simply
breathtaking. As an example, we've got you the Victoria Falls, the Blyde
River Canyon, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and a view of the Indian Ocean as seen from
Cape Town.
4. Where animals roam the streets...... No they don't! A significant part
of Africa's wildlife lies safely ensconced in its many game reserves. Now,
these parks and reserves could be located a few minutes outside the cities,
but this does not mean that citizens have regular encounters with lions and
giraffes in their backyard. Yes,
occasional incidents of animals wandering into the city limits are reported
– but they are far and few in between. Wild animals are not too pro-
urbanization, you see.
5. Which Is Why People carry spears
and shields Everywhere ……. As ridiculous as it sounds, this misconception
seems to have stemmed
from a wide-eyed tourist's overactive
imagination. To think that the Maasai people are a precise representation
of all Africans is mirthful, to say the least.
Various ethnic groups inhabit Africa, and
keeping in terms with their lifestyle,
they may carry weapons as a safeguard.
But to extend this assumption to all Africans is definitely a long shot.
6. In Africa, you can contract several
diseases....... Traveling to any African nation makes
several people fill with dread. Africa,
like any other continent, has problems that have stemmed from its
environment, its people, and its culture.
Certain parts of Africa can do with a lot
of improvement when it comes to public
health services. Having said that, one
can also find state-of-the-art medical
care in several pockets, spread across
the continent. Generalizing Africa to be
a disease-ridden continent is simply
unjustified.
7. Or become someone's meal ………….. It is highly unlikely that you'll be
stranded in the Sahara for weeks on end, or that you'll be mauled to death
by a herd of wild buffaloes. Unless you're one of those over enthusiastic
tourists who try to get too close to a lion to capture Nat Geo-like images,
your chances of being gobbled up by a
wild cat are virtually none. Since ages,
Africans have peacefully coexisted with
animals in a harmonious setting, so it
goes without saying that your safety is vouched for.
8. All Africans are dark skinned....... Ever heard of South Africa being
referred to as the 'Rainbow Nation'?
Well, several countries in Africa have been home to European settlements.
The Dutch came to South Africa, the
French came to Côte d'Ivoire, the
Portuguese came to Namibia, and the
list goes on. Besides the Europeans,
African nations also have several people
of Chinese, Indian, and Malaysian origin.
If you're looking for diversity, this is
where you find it.
9. Who speak African …………. African is not a language full of click-
clicks and kluck-klucks. Hell, African
isn't even a language! And if you're
confusing it with Afrikaans, then open
your eyes to this fact. Afrikaans is one
among the eleven official languages
spoken in South Africa. Across the continent, however, you'll hear around
2,000 different languages and dialects.
Among these are the Afro-Asiatic, the
Nilo-Saharan, the Niger-Congo, the Yoruba,Hausa and Igbo speakers of
Nigeria in West Africa, and the
Khoisan language families, besides
French, German, and English being
spoken in several former colonies.
10. And survive on charities ……………… On paper, Africa seems to have it all-
abundant natural resources, diamond mines, oil reserves, tourist
attractions,
and cultural history. But a closer inspection reveals the appalling state
of affairs brought upon by greedy government officials, hand in glove with
vested interests from non-African countries. Africa is not the pet project
of UNICEF, or even Angelina Jolie, for
that matter. It is a continent with a few
of its own citizens trying to devour it from within.
