How did Africa’s geography and environment shape its history and contribute to its diverse population?

“The Land and Peoples of Africa

How did Africa’s geography and environment shape its history and contribute to its diverse population?

The world’s second-largest continent after Asia, Africa covers 20 percent of the earth’s land surface, and African cultures are enormously diverse both within and across regions. It is difficult and mistaken to make broad generalizations about African life — statements that begin “African culture is …” or “African people are …” are virtually meaningless. African peoples are not and never have been homogeneous, and this rich diversity makes the study of African history both exciting and challenging.

Nok Woman
Hundreds of terra-cotta sculptures such as the figure of this woman survive from the Nok culture, which originated in the central plateau of northern Nigeria in the first millennium b.c.e.

She is seated with her arms resting on her raised knees. Her hair is covered by a scarf, and she has wide eyes.