Food for thought about the African Continent

Africa is bigger than China, India, the contiguous U.S. and most of Europe—combined!

The African continent has a land area of 30.37 million sq km (11.7 million sq mi) — enough to fit in the U.S., China, India, Japan, Mexico, and many European nations, combined.

Interestingly, the problem with maps is not that Africa is sized incorrectly.
Using the animation below, you’ll see that Africa is actually the most accurately sized continent using the common Mercator map projection:

The Mercator projection attempts to place the spherical shape of the world onto a cylinder, causing areas closest to the poles to be “stretched”.

Africa, which straddles the Equator, barely changes in size — meanwhile, the countries furthest from the Equator become inflated from their true sizes on this type of map.
This means that the sizes of European and North American countries are distorted, giving us an inaccurate mental “measuring stick” for judging the relative sizes of other countries.
This has implications not only for Africa, but for the whole Southern Hemisphere: South America, India, the Middle East, and even Australia are “bigger” than they may initially appear on a map

In reply to Slipfeeler

Very interesting read

True true story...ah suh mih hear sometime ago.

In reply to BeatDball

They like to depict the continent of Africa, as smaller than North America and even Europe. Not only have they been historically stealing and dispossessing Africa of its natural resources but they like to paint every negative picture of the continent that they are robbing, while keeping it in a state of Un-development, so it exists just a producers of raw materials but not as a major manufacturing producer. All of that is now changing, have you guys seen modern Ivory Coast? Looks a lot like Dubai. Have you seen the massive influx of Americans, Canadians, UK and some Caribbean people heading to help in the development of Ghana, if you see the pics, Accra is now a modern city with all the modern amenities, it might be difficult to differentiate some parts of Accra from New York or Miami.

In reply to Slipfeeler

Most maps are not physical maps anyway, size is based on economy and political power. If Africa had a union similar to The EU and a currency based on its mineral resources it’d be one of the strongest currencies in the world

In reply to Brerzerk

Without the continent of Africa, the entire Western economy would fall apart, for they all rely on resources from the continent, that’s why underdevelopment of Africa is key to their continued success but all of that is about to change with African countries developing their own major manufacturing companies.

In reply to Slipfeeler
THIS

[

Trinidad is playing an outsize role in Ghana- oil and banking in particular.

I am considering a long term living space in Ghana to spend a few months, I am a snow bird and I am fed up Arizona and Florida.

In reply to Slipfeeler

In reply to Emir

I know 2 Trinis who have gone to Ghana and also read about our people heading to work in the oil industry,no bad thing.Ghana has always been considered the most developed African country politically,that has helped in all other developments.

My brothers we have already bought property in Ghana and looking to build soon, instead of retiring in Florida. Many Caribbean people making the move, Americans, Canadians and from UK, have been making the move since the Homecoming year of 2019. Check out the YouTube videos.

https://youtu.be/vH4YqVJnxOY?si=iDUaaDOI-XbtjGzb%3Cimg%20src=



https://youtu.be/WGADwCpuRmA?si=5pM8O-BVwYQSezTP

In reply to Emir

Check out The Gambia for real peace and quiet. Cost much less than Ghana too.

In reply to Brerzerk

Tanzania too is quiet and crime free but non-citizens cannot own property. Ghana is way ahead of the others for you do not need a Visa if you use a Jamaican or most Caribbean passports. Plus once you get there, just apply for a Ghana Non-citizen Card, which you receive immediately and it allows you to open bank account, purchase property and obtain drivers license, plus it allows you to live in Ghana, just renew that card every year until you receive Ghana citizenship. It’s very cheap to build a mansion in Ghana and the country is open for all kinds of business ventures.

In reply to Slipfeeler

Funny enough, I'm right now at Dulles Airport on my way to Ghana. Covid kept me away for a while but I'm back on track now.

--Æ.

In reply to Slipfeeler



Who are 'they'? Are you arguing that there was too much colonisation or too little?

In reply to KTom

Colonization deprived them of developing Africa , didn't you know such!!!
The colonists have been gone for generations...

Its sad, how they forget the African rulers sold out all their land and mineral rights to foreigners

Now the buyers are stealing rights...that they own...

Isn't such an amazing deduction by pseudo intellects on this site ?

All of the countries are in diferent stages of economic development and unfortunately some of them are autocratic regimes .i would personally only live in south africa but i like tanzania and zanzibar is a beautiful island

In reply to KTom

What?? If you do not know who are “They”, then you probably need to enlighten or educate yourself.

Hint: Start by reading Walter Rodney’s book on, “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa”.

In reply to sgtdjones

So your focus is on blaming the victim, while ignoring centuries of European colonialism and underdevelopment of most countries on the African continent, except Ethiopia. Americans and Europeans continue to dominate various industries including mining and oil drilling, so all undeveloped countries are forced to sell mining and drilling rights, just like T&T and Guyana, with Jamaica already sold oil drilling rights to multinationals. So, your argument is confounding with the ridiculous assumption that only African countries, sell lands or rights to mine or drill.

In reply to JayMor

Have a safe an enjoyable trip my brother, make sure to visit Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park, Kumar Nkrumah National Park, the Aburi Botanical Garden, among others. I will be there in August.

In reply to Slipfeeler




If I knew who 'they' were, I wouldn't be asking. This is a discussion forum, isn't it? You are being invited to discuss the matter. In addition to revealing the identities of 'they', could you specify what is meant by Europe and Africa (as entities they sound rather monolithic) and by the term 'underdevelopment' (compared to what?), and the time frame(s) involved.



May I ask when you last read this book? I see that it was published in 1972. Do you have any other recommendations that were published in the last 50 years?

Is it your opinion that Europe also underdeveloped Asia and the Americas?

In reply to KTom

Okay I am understanding that you need some directions. Okay let me help you out by encouraging to watch these two videos, then post your comments. Apparently by virtue of your own admission, you are ill-equipped to argue with me, so let’s at least attempt to start from level ground:

https://youtu.be/hOwnDQC7Z6I?si=GDvbC97t65QtDgKR


https://youtu.be/Li7CpoEhaFY?si=UBmN5wE9Ylm0m8bq

In reply to KTom

More help coming your way Uncle Tom, read about the Ties that Bind Asia, Europe and United States:

https://www.adb.org/publications/ties-bind-asia-europe-and-united-states


Then read about the differences in Decolonization between Asia and Africa (1945-1960):

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/asia-and-africa

In reply to Slipfeeler


GB 22:59 / 29:33 Legacy Of Colonisation Has Left Africans Feeling Inferior - Chihombori-Quao

Dr. Arikana Says France Is The Biggest Problem In Africa & Hold Back Development


Neither video appears to involve Rodney's 'How Europe Underdeveloped Africa'. I enquired as to how recently you had read this book because I was concerned that a lack of familiarity would hamper your ability to answer my questions. Now I doubt that you may have read it all. Please clarify the situation. Do you presently own a copy?

In reply to Slipfeeler



Ok , how long has it been since the colonials left?
What was accomplished since then to now?
We sold all rights to foreign entities by such existing Dictators/ governments. So where is the problem?
Now such entities are successful , we claim raping and thieving of citizens minerals and lands.



Your thread is about Africa , why is it that Caribbean nationals always bring up other governments that focus on the gist of such threads.
Where lies the ridiculous assumption ?