Africa is the second largest continent on planet Earth. The first in size is the mainland Eurasia. There is another part of the world, which is also called Africa. This article will consider Africa as the mainland of the planet.

In terms of its area, the size of Africa is 29.2 million km2 (with islands - 30.3 million km2), which is about 20% of the entire land surface of the planet. Mainland Africa washed by mediterranean sea on the north coast, the west coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east the continent is washed by the Indian Ocean, and northeast coast washes the Red Sea. There are 62 states in Africa, of which 54 independent states, and the population of the entire continent is about 1 billion people. By clicking on the link you can see full list African countries in the table.

The size of Africa from north to south is 8,000 kilometers, and when viewed from east to west, it is approximately 7,500 kilometers.

Extreme points on mainland Africa:

1) The easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Ras Hafun, which is located on the territory of the state of Somalia.

2) Most northern point This mainland is Cape Blanco, which is located in the Republic of Tunisia.

3) The westernmost point of the continent is Cape Almadi, which is located on the territory of the Republic of Senegal.

4) And, finally, the southernmost point of the African continent is Cape Agulhas, which is located on the territory of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa).

Relief of Africa

Most of the mainland is made up of plains. The following relief forms predominate: highlands, plateaus, stepped plains and plateaus. Conditionally divide the mainland into High Africa(where the heights of the mainland reach a size of over 1000 meters - the southeast of the mainland) and Low Africa (where the heights reach a size mostly less than 1000 meters - the northwestern part).

The highest point on the mainland is Mount Kilimanjaro, which reaches a height of 5895 meters above sea level. Also in the south of the mainland there are the Drakon and Cape Mountains, in the east of Africa there is the Ethiopian Highlands, and to the south of it is the East African Plateau, in the northwest of the continent are the Atlas Mountains.

In the north of the mainland is the largest desert on the planet - the Sahara, in the south is the Kalahari Desert, and in the southwest of the mainland there is the Namib Desert.

At the same time, the lowest point of the mainland is the bottom of the salt lake Assal, the depth of which reaches 157 meters below sea level.

Climate of Africa

The climate of Africa can be put in first place among all the continents in terms of warmth. This is the most hot mainland, since it is completely located in the hot climatic zones of the planet Earth and is crossed by the equator line.

Central Africa is located in the equatorial belt. This belt is characterized by high precipitation and there is no change of seasons. To the south and north of the equatorial belt are the subequatorial belts, which are characterized by the rainy season in summer and the dry season in winter. high temperatures air. If you follow further south and north after the subequatorial belts, then the northern and southern tropical belts follow, respectively. Such belts are characterized by low precipitation at fairly high air temperatures, which leads to the formation of deserts.

African inland waters

The inland waters of Africa are uneven in structure, but at the same time vast and extended. On the mainland, the longest river is the Nile River (the length of its system reaches 6852 km), and the Congo River is considered the most full-flowing river (the length of its system reaches 4374 km), which is famous for being the only river that crosses the equator twice.

There are lakes on the mainland. The largest lake is Lake Victoria. The area of ​​this lake is 68 thousand km2. The greatest depth in this lake reaches 80 m. The lake itself is the second in its area on planet Earth from fresh lakes.

30% of the land mass of mainland Africa is desert, in which water bodies can be temporary, that is, dry up completely at times. But at the same time, usually in such desert regions, groundwater can be observed, which are located in artesian basins.

Flora and fauna of Africa

The African continent is famous for its diversity of both flora and fauna. Tropical rainforests grow on the continent, which are replaced by light forests and savannahs. In the subtropical zone, mixed forests can also be found.

The most common plants in the forests of Africa are palms, ceiba, sundew and many others. But in the savannas, most often you can find thorny shrubs and small trees. The desert is distinguished by a small variety of plants growing in it. Most often these are grasses, shrubs or trees in oases. Many areas of the desert have no vegetation at all. A special plant in the desert is the amazing Velvichia plant, which can live for more than 1000 years, it releases 2 leaves that grow throughout the life of the plant and can reach a length of 3 meters.

Diverse in Africa and animal world. In savannah areas, grass grows very quickly and well, which attracts many herbivorous animals (rodents, hares, gazelles, zebras, etc.), and, accordingly, predators that feed on herbivorous animals (leopards, lions, etc.).

The desert at first glance may seem uninhabited, but in fact there are many reptiles, insects, birds that hunt mainly at night.

Africa has become famous for such animals as elephant, giraffe, hippopotamus, a wide variety of monkeys, zebras, leopards, dune cats, gazelles, crocodiles, parrots, antelopes, rhinos and much more. This continent is amazing and unique in its own way.

If you liked this material, share it with your friends in in social networks. Thank you!

Etymology of the names of physical and geographical objects in Africa
Gulf of Aden. Gulf of the Indian Ocean. The name was given to the city of Aden in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. According to one version, the toponym is based on the Arabic root in the meaning of "settlement". According to another interpretation, the name was formed by the term from the ancient Semitic-Hamitic languages ​​\u200b\u200bedinu - plain, steppe, which clearly reflects natural features.

Azores. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese called Ilhas dos Azores - "islands of hawks" for the abundance of these birds off the coast and in the archipelago.

Amirant Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They were discovered by the expedition of Admiral Vasco to Gama and named after him llhas de Almitante - "The Admiral's Islands".

Annobon. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Named by the Portuguese Anno Bon - "Good Year" (New Year), because. they first set foot on the island on January 1, 1474.

Atlas. Atlas mountains. In northwest Africa. The name has a direct connection with the name of the mythical titan Atlas, who holds the earth on his mighty shoulders. The ancient Greeks deified these mountains, worshiping the mountain spirit in the form of a petrified giant supporting the Earth. So says the legend. Apparently, this was facilitated by a possible primary source from (the Berber word "adrar", which means "mountain"

Augrabis. Waterfall on the river Orange. The name comes from the Hottentot aukrebis, "great noise".

Afar. Tectonic depression in Djibouti. The lowest place in Africa (-153 m above sea level). The name is given by the name of the Afar people living in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Ahaggar. Mountain range in the Central Sahara. The name comes from the name of the Tuareg tribe Kel-Ahaggar. The ethnonym, apparently, is based on the Arabic term "Akhgar" - a cave, i.e. "ahaggar" - "cave dwellers", "cave spirits".

Bab el Mandeb Strait. Separates Africa and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The name comes from the Arabic words "bab" - gate, "mandib" - tears, i.e. means "gate of tears". The toponym-metaphor reflects the difficult conditions of navigation in the strait.

White Nile. The name of the middle course of the Nile to the confluence of the Blue. The Arabic name for the Bahr el-Abyad river is "white river". According to experts, the definition of "white" refers either to the cloudy color of the water, or corresponds to an unknown color orientation.

Benguela current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. The name is given after the city of Benguela in Angola: in one of the Bantu languages, benguela means "country of reeds".

Benue. Leyy tributary of the river. Niger. The name comes from the Batta language, where be is "water", nue is "mother", i.e. means
"mother of waters"

Bioko. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. The Portuguese, having discovered Bioko, called it Formosa - "Beautiful" for the abundance of lush vegetation and the presence of fresh water. Later, the island was called Fernando Po in honor of the Portuguese discoverer, and in the 70s of the XX century, Macias Nguema Biyogo and the honor of the President of Equatorial Guinea. Bioko is a modified name, so it is difficult to call the true meaning.

Bush. General name for shrub formations in South Africa. The Dutch and English geographic term bush is "bush".

Vaal. River, right tributary of the river. Orange, The name was given by the Dutch Boer colonists for the color of the water: vaal - "muddy", "gray". The toponym is included in the name of one of the provinces of South Africa - Transvaal (Transvaal) - "beyond the Vaal".

wadi, oueddy. The general name of the beds of temporary watercourses in North Africa, filled with water only during the rainy season. The Arabic geographical term "wadi", "wedd" - a dry channel, a valley.

Weld. The name of an arid plateau in southern Africa. In Dutch and Afrikaans (the language of Afrikaners), veld is a vernacular geographic term meaning "field".

Victoria. Lake in East Africa, the largest on the mainland. Unlike the Victoria Falls, named by D. Livingston in honor of the Queen of Great Britain, the name of Lake Victoria was given by the traveler D. Speke. Therefore, at present, located on the shores of the lake, young African countries other names are proposed: Umoja - "unity", Uhuru - "freedom", Shirikisho - "unification", Uhuru na Umoja - the state motto of Tanzania, inscribed on the coat of arms of the state.

Victoria. Waterfall on the river Zambezi. It was discovered by the outstanding English traveler David Livingston and named after the Queen of Great Britain. Locals call the waterfall Mosi-oa-Tunya - "thundering smoke", or Seongo - "place of the rainbow".

Virunga. Volcanic mountains in East Africa. The name in the language of the Nyoro people means "volcano".

Volta. River in West Africa. The name Rio-da-Volta - "river of return" was given by the Portuguese, because. in the 15th century their ships stopped at the mouth of the river before returning to their homeland. In Ghana, on the Volta created the reservoir of the same name - one of the largest in the world (8480 km 2).

Guardafuy. Cape in the east of the Somali Peninsula. Scientists believe that the name is derived from the Portuguese word guardafu, distorted by the Arabs - "beware", which is associated with dangerous navigation conditions. There has long been a legend that, as if at the easternmost tip of the Somali peninsula, there is a magnetic mountain that attracts the iron parts of ships approaching it. As a result, the ships, approaching it, crashed against the rocks. In fact, here is the narrowest shelf zone. With strong winds, high waves, poor visibility, the ships were often carried out to the peninsula, and they crashed on the coastal reefs. The word "Guardafui" was a warning to sailors who sailed past this cape.

Gulf of Guinea. Gulf of the Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Africa. It is named after the historical and geographical region of Guinea, washed by it. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym Guinea. According to one of them, the name is based on the name of the Berber tribe Kinava (the Arab scientist Ibn-Yakut mentioned the region of Kinava in the 13th century). Another point of view is based on the fact that the toponym is formed by the Berber words "agwinau" - "black" or "iguaven" - "mute" (i.e., those who do not know the language of the Berbers) and referred to the territory inhabited by black tribes. Later Europeans corrupted the original word into Gunua, Ginua and finally Guinea.

Strait of Gibraltar. Separates Africa from the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Named after the rock of Gibraltar on the European side of the strait. The modern form of the name of the rock arose as a result of the centuries-old use and transformation of the primary Arabic Jebel el-Tariq - "mountain of Tariq".

Blue Nile. The largest tributary of the Nile. In Ethiopia, the river is called Abbai - "father of waters", and in the Arab countries Bahr el-Azraq - "blue river". The color name, according to some scientists, reflects the color of the water in the river, which carries bluish silt.

Good Hope. Cape in southern Africa. Discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator B. Dias and named by him Cabo Tormentoso - "Cape of Storms". King João II of Portugal did not like the name and, at his behest, the cape was renamed Cabo da Bona Esperanza - "Cape of Good Hope", referring to the hope of reaching a fabulously rich and attractive India for Europeans. Some historians believe that B. Dias immediately named the cape after Good Hope, and the above version is only a historical legend. However, it is impossible to prove or disprove this hypothesis due to the lack of sources contemporary to Dias' voyage.

dragon mountains. Located in South Africa. It is assumed that the mountains are named after one of the European colonizers, the harrow Drakenstein. Etymologically, the surname consists of two words: draken - "dragon", stein - "stone".

Zambezi. River in South Africa. Previously, the name of the river on the maps was transmitted in various ways; Ambezi, Luambezi, Liambey, etc. According to modern toponymists, the primary form of the name is Ambezi (or Ambey), which means "big river" in the local Bantu languages. The name of the river in the middle course in the Tonga language, Murongo-Mucuri, has the same meaning, which is a tracing paper of the main toponym.

Zanzibar. An island in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. The toponym comes from the Persian term "bar" - "shore", "edge" and the ethnonym "zinj", which is based on the Arabic or Persian "zang", "zeng" - "black". Zinji is the collective name for the Negroid tribes of East Africa in medieval Muslim literature.

Green Cape. It is located on the peninsula of the same name to the east of Cape Almadi. Named in 1445 by the Portuguese D. Diasem Cabo Verde - "Green Cape", because. was the first dry land covered with tropical flora, which contrasted sharply with the sands of the Sahara.

Cape Verde Island. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after m. Green, against which it is located. The transfer of the name of the islands into other languages ​​is accepted in the form of a translation, in contrast to the name of the state located on them.

Needle. Cape, the southernmost tip of Africa. Discovered in 1488 by B. Dias and named by him Cabo Sao Brandao - St. Brandan's Cape, because. the discovery took place on the day of this saint. However, the name was soon changed, and the cape was mapped under the name Agulhas - Agulhas. The word agulha in Portuguese means "needle", "arrow". Modern toponymists see the Portuguese metaphorical term agulha as the basis of the name, meaning "peak", "top". Proceeding from this, the toponym is interpreted as "cape of peaks", and the reason for the nomination was the sharpness of the rocky cape.

Go-Amin-Dada; Edward. Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. and named Edward in honor of the Crown Prince of Great Britain. In 1971, President Idi Amin Dada came to power in Uganda, and the lake was named after him. To this day, both names have been preserved behind the reservoir.

Cabarega. Waterfall and national park on the river. Victoria Nile in Uganda. The waterfall was discovered in the 19th century. and named Murchison in honor of Rodrik Murchison, eminent geologist, president of the Royal Geographical Society of London. In 1962, it was renamed in honor of the national hero of Uganda, the fighter against the British colonialists Kabarega Chwa II.

Kalahari. A semi-desert region in South Africa. At the heart of the toponym is a geographical term from the Hottentot language karaha - "area of ​​sand and stone." The popular interpretation of the name from the Tswana language in the past, where karri-karri - "tormented by thirst" or "painful", is now recognized by toponymists as unlikely. The Dutch Boer settlers called the semi-desert Bosjeveld - "field of thorny bushes", which reflected the specifics of vegetation.

Cameroon. Volcanic massif in Equatorial Africa. The Portuguese slave merchant Fernand Gomizh, sailing past the coast of Africa in the equatorial waters of the Gulf of Guinea, noticed a high mountain, about which he wanted to know more. He sent a detachment of daredevils deep into the mainland. On the way, they met an obstacle in the form of a small river with clean clear water, which was very useful, since they needed to replenish their drinking water supplies. Having filled the barrels with delicious water, the sailors saw an abundance of crabs in the river, after which, for fun, they caught crabs and shrimp and delivered them to the ship. And the river flowing in close proximity to the mountain was called Rio des Camaroes (camarues), which means "river of crabs" in Portuguese. At the same time, Mount Cameroon also received this name, and later the state was named that way. Locals have long had a superstitious fear of the snowy volcanic peak of Cameroon and call it "Maongo ma Loba", which means "mountain of heaven" or "mountain of God".

Canary Islands. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Spain. The islands were known in ancient times under the Latin name Insulas Fortunatae. The Spaniards, who visited the archipelago at the beginning of the 15th century, called them islas Canarias - "dog islands". According to one version, the sailors saw a large number of dogs on the shores of the islands, which was the reason for the appearance of the toponym. According to another version, the archipelago was named after the main island of Gran Canaria. and the island - according to the fabulous country of Canaria, mentioned in medieval European legends.

Canary Current. Cold current in the Atlantic Ocean. Named after the Canary Islands.

Cape Mountains. Located in southern Africa. They are named after the Cape Colony founded by the Dutch, which received its name from its original location on the Cape of Good Hope (Dutch. Kaar - "cape"). With the expansion of the colony, the name spread to the mountains. Folk etymology connects the toponym with the Dutch kaar - "profit", i.e. the colony was supposedly so named for the fact that it brought a lot of income to the treasury. However, there is no scientific evidence for this interpretation.

Carr. General name for semi-desert plateaus and intermountain depressions in South Africa. The name is based on the Hottentot geographical term karusa, modified by the Boers - "dry", "anhydrous", which clearly reflects the natural conditions.

Kenya. Volcanic massif in East Africa. Toponymists see the Masai term "kee-niya" as the basis of the toponym - " white mountain", which is associated with the presence of glaciers and snow on the top of the mountain.

Kilimanjaro. Volcanic massif in East Africa. The highest point of the mainland. Scientists associate the origin of the name Kilimanjaro with a word distorted by Europeans from the Swahili language, which means "mountain of the god of cold", or, according to another version, "mountain that shines".

Comoros. Archipelago in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. The islands have been known to the Arabs since the 8th century, and it was they who named the archipelago Jezair al-Komr - "Islands of the Moon", which was associated with the spread of the cult of this luminary. The Portuguese borrowed the Arabic name in a distorted form of Somoges, which was fixed on European maps.

Congo; Zaire. River in Equatorial Africa. The mouth of the river was discovered in the 15th century. the Portuguese D.Kan called it Rio da Padrao - "padran river" (padran - a stone pillar that the Portuguese erected in honor of discoveries, carving on it a coat of arms, the name of the king and discoverer). The name did not stick, and the river was renamed Congo - that was the name of the country and the people who lived in it before the arrival of Europeans. Local residents call the river differently in different parts of the course: Nzadi or Nzari - "a river that absorbs all others" or "great river" (a distorted form of Zaire appeared from this name), Zembere - "mother of waters"; Kulla - "great water", and in the upper reaches of Lualaba - "big rea".

Red sea. Sea of ​​the Indian Ocean between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In ancient Egypt, it was called the Great Greens, later - the Arabian Gulf, among the Greeks Pelagos Eritre ("erythros" - "red"), from where it came into European languages ​​in a translated form. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym. According to one of them, the name is given for the red hue of the water in the sea. Another version is based on the ancient color orientation among the peoples of the East, where the south was indicated by red. Another interpretation of the toponym was noted - from the ethnic name of the ancient tribe of the Khamarites, which meant "red".

Kruger. National park in South Africa. Named in honor of Stephanus Kruger - President of the Boer Republic of Transvaal: commander of the Boer army in the war with Great Britain 1899-1902.

Libyan desert. Located in the Sahara. The name is given by the ancient name of Africa - Libya, which comes from the ethnonym "libu".

livingstone waterfalls. Located in the lower reaches of the river. Congo (Zaire). Named after the outstanding explorer of Africa, a Scot by origin, D. Livingston.

Limpopo. River in South Africa. The etymology of the name is unknown. The Dutch Boer colonists called the Crocodil River - "Crocodile River" for the abundance of these reptiles in its waters.

Mauritius. Island in the Indian Ocean. The Dutch, having captured the island, named it Mauritius - Mauritius in honor of the Dutch prince Mauritius (Mauritius; Maurice) of Orange.

Maghreb. The common Arabic name for the northwest of Africa since the early Middle Ages: "Maghrib" - West.

Madagascar. Island in the Indian Ocean. Known to Arab sailors as Jezira al-Komr - "island of the moon", which is associated with the cult of this luminary. In the XVI century. The Portuguese named the island Sao Lourenzo - St. Lawrence, because saw the land of Madagascar on the day of this saint. The French, having conquered the island in the 19th century, called it Ile Dauphine - "the island of the Dauphin" (ie the heir to the throne). Malagasy call their homeland Nossi Damba - "island of wild boars" or Tani-Be - "great". The toponym Madagascar in the distorted form Madeigaskar is first found in Marco Polo (XIII century). According to scientists, it is based on the ethnic name Malagasy, as the inhabitants of the island are now called.

Madeira. Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Belongs to Portugal. The Portuguese called Maderia - Forest, because. indeed was covered with forests, later completely cut down. The earliest names of the archipelago: among the Carthaginians Al-Agnam - "island of goats" (for the abundance of these animals), among the Romans Insulae Purpurinae - "islands of purple" (for the paint mined there).

Manyara. National park in Tanzania. Named after the lake Manyara, around which is located. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Mascarene Islands. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Opened in the 16th century. Portuguese expedition of Pedro de Mascarenhas (Mascarenhas) and named after him.

Mobutu-Sese-Seko. Lake in East Africa. Opened in the 19th century. The British named Albert in honor of Queen Victoria's husband. In 1973, it was renamed in honor of the President of Zaire, Mobutu Ssse Seko. The locals call the reservoir Mbutan Nzighe - "the reservoir of dead shells" for the abundance of shellfish on the shores, or Nyasa - the geographical term for "lake" in the Bantu languages. Perhaps one of these names will become the new official, which is associated with the death of President Mobutu.

Mozambique Channel. Divides Africa and about. Madagascar. Named after the state of Mozambique. A similar origin of the name of the warm Mozambique Current in the Indian Ocean.

Nakuru. National park in Kenya. Named after the lake Nakuru, within the limits of which he was created. The etymology of the hydronym is unknown.

Namib. Desert in southwestern Africa. There are two versions of the origin of the toponym from the languages ​​of the Hottentot tribes. According to one of them namib - "shield"; on the other - "that which is bypassed" (dangerous, lifeless). The second interpretation reflects the complexity of natural conditions in the desert,

Nasser. Reservoir on the river. Nile in Egypt. It is named after the President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, during whose reign the reservoir was created and the Aswan Dam was built.

Ngorongoro. Reserve in Tanzania. Named after vol. Ngorongoro, in the crater of which it is located. The etymology is unknown.

Niger. River in West Africa. The name is a Berber name of the river N "Egiren - "river" distorted by the Portuguese and other Europeans. In different parts of the course it has different names in local languages: in the upper Jolib - "big water"; in the middle and lower Kuara - "river", Issa Bari - "great river" Mayo - "river" The explanation of the name from the word niger in the meaning of "black" from European languages ​​is considered incorrect by modern toponymists.

Nile. The longest river in Africa and the whole world. The oldest form of the name of the river Aur is "hidden" (i.e., with an unknown source). The Egyptians called her Hapi in honor of the god of fertility and harvest. Modern Arabs call the river El-Bahr - "river". The toponym Nile in the form of Neilos is first found among the ancient Greeks. The Romans borrowed it as Nilus. According to one version, the toponym is based on the ancient Semitic term "nagal" - "river", changed by the Greeks. According to another version, the Greeks borrowed from the Libyan tribes the word lil - "water", distorting it into nil. Philologists note the possibility of such a transformation.

Nubian desert. Located in northeast Africa. It is named after the historical region of Nubia, located between the Nile rapids. The toponym is based on the ancient Egyptian word "nuba" - "gold". In ancient times, the largest mines were located here, from where gold came to the palace of the pharaohs.

Nyasa; Malawi. Lake in East Africa. The toponym is formed by a popular geographical term from the Bantu languages ​​nyasa - "lake". In the Republic of Malawi, the lake is officially called Malawi after the main people of this country.

Orange. River in South Africa. The Hottentots called it Kai Garib - Big River, the Dutch settlers of the Boers Groat River with the same meaning. At all times, people often gave names to objects (rivers, lakes) according to the color of the water or the coast. But the name of the Orange River has nothing to do with color. This name was given to her by settlers from the Netherlands (Holland) Boers in honor of the princes of Orange - the then rulers of the Netherlands. With someone's light hand, and perhaps through transformation, the name Oranskaya turned into Orange.

Principe. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Opened in the 15th century. Portuguese expedition and named Principi - "first", because. was the first island discovered by this expedition. According to another version - "Prince".

Reunion. Island in the Indian Ocean. Named at the end of the 18th century by the French Reunion - "Connection", because. the inhabitants of the island decided to unite with Fr. Mauritius into a single administrative region. The name has changed several times: in the XVI century. Portuguese Santa Apollonia (in honor of St. Apollonia), in the 19th century. - Bonapart (in honor of Napoleon), Ile de Burbon - "Bourbon Island" (in honor of the dynasty of kings). Since 1848 - again Reunion.

Rwenzori. Mountain range in East Africa. The height of the mountains is reflected in their name: in the local Bantu languages ​​ruwenzori means "lord of the clouds". A national park in Uganda is also named after the mountains.

Savannah. Borrowed by the Spaniards at the end of the 15th century. from the language of the Carib Indians (or Arawaks), where sabana is "high-grass plain", "open space". General name for a zonal landscape type.

San Tome. Island in the Gulf of Guinea. Opened by the Portuguese on the day of St. Tome (Thomas) and named Sao Tome in his honor.

Sahara. Desert in North Africa. The name is formed by the Arabic geographical term "sahara" - "desert" in the plural form, i.e. Sahara - "deserts". According to philologists, the term is based on the Arabic "ashar" - "reddish", which reflects the dominant color and color background of the desert.

Sahel. A band of semi-deserts and desertified savannahs in North Africa. The name was given by the Arabs in the Middle Ages; "sahel" - "coast", "edge", "border", or rather - "coast of the desert".

Saint Helena island. Located in the Atlantic Ocean. Discovered by the Portuguese on St. Helena and is named after her. Received worldwide fame as a place of exile and death of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Seychelles. Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Named in the 18th century. French in honor of the Minister of Finance Moro de Setelle (Seychelles)

Senegal. River in West Africa. According to one version, the toponym is based on the name of the Berber tribe Senega, go Sankhaya. Other toponymists believe that the name of the ancient city of Senegana was transferred to the river. In the past, the toponym was explained as "navigable", but due to lack of evidence, modern scientists do not consider this option.

Serengeti. National park in Tanzania. It is named after the Serengeti plateau, within which it is located. The toponym is based on the term from the Maasai language serenget - "open space", which fully corresponds to geographical realities - vast savannahs on the territory of the plateau.

Socotra. Island in the Indian Ocean. The name of the island was given by Indian sailors: Dvipa Sakhadara - "the island of the harbinger of good luck." Later, this name, reflecting the importance of the island as the most important junction on the ancient sea routes from India to the west, was transformed under the influence of the Arabic language into Socotra.