Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent (the first being Asia). At about 30.3 million km (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of its total land area. With /1e9 round 1 billion people as of , it accounts for about 16% of the world's human population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos. It contains 54 fully recognised sovereign states (countries), nine territories and two "de facto" independent states with limited or no recognition. 

Africa's average population is the youngest amongst all the continents; the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4. Algeria is Africa's largest country by area, and Nigeria is its largest by population. Africa, particularly central Eastern Africa, is widely accepted as the place of origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago, including "Sahelanthropus tchadensis", "Australopithecus africanus", "A. afarensis", "Homo erectus", "H. habilis" and "H. ergaster"—with the earliest "Homo sapiens" (modern human) found in Ethiopia being dated to circa 200,000 years ago. Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones.
What is the largest continet? What is the most populous? What is the second largest? How big is it What is the second most populous continent How many people live in it How much of the world's population is that What Sea is to the north What ocean is to the southeast What about to the west How many countries are in Africa How many territories? What is it's median age? In what year? What was the worldwide median age at that time What is Africa's largest country by size By population? What is the scientific name for great apes? Where was the earliest Homo sapiens found? To what year was it dated
Asia Asia Africa 30.3 million km Africa 1 billion people 16% Mediterranean Sea Indian Ocean Atlantic Ocean 54 fully recognised countries nine 19.7 2012 30.4 Algeria Nigeria Hominidae clade central Eastern Africa around seven million years ago