what's inside: physical features

The physical features of Africa are very diverse. Lean about Mount Kilimanjaro, the great Nile River, and many more physical features of the African continent.

Deserts

Deserts

Did you know that deserts occupy more than 25% of the total geography of Africa? Learn what differentiates the Gobi from the Sahara, northern deserts from southern, and more. See more »

Lakes

Lakes

The most notable African lakes are along the Great Rift Valley. Learn about Lake Albert, Lake Chad and Lake Tanganyika and other famous African lakes. See more »

Mountains

Mountains

African mountains are quite diverse in size and terrain. Learn more about Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro and other mountain ranges. See more »

Peninsulas

Peninsulas

There are a number of different African peninsulas, the most notable being the Horn of Africa. Explore the peninsulas of Africa in this section. See more »

Rivers

Rivers

From the Nile to the Congo, African rivers have long provided arterial waterways for human populations and animal migration. Learn about these and other African rivers. See more »

Other

Other

There are a number of other physical features in Africa, including plateaus and man-made features. Learn about the Aswan Dam, the Gaza Strip and the Suez Canal. See more »

featured articles

The Tenere

Ténéré, a vast region within the Sahara. It makes up most of the Republic of Niger and stretches into southeastern Algeria and northwestern Chad, bounded by the Ahaggar and Aïr mountains and the Djado Plateau.

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The Congo River

Congo River, a river of equatorial Africa and one of the great rivers of the world.

The Witwatersrand hill range

Witwatersrand, or Rand, South Africa, a gold-mining area in Gauteng Province. Since 1886, when gold was first discovered there, it has been one of the world's great gold producers.