Page 9 - Africa Is Not a Country, 2nd Edition

BURUNDI (boo-RUN-dee)
Capital: Gitega (gee-TAY-guh) (political capital), Bujumbura
(boo-jum-BOO-rah) (commercial capital). Population:
12.2 million. Independence Day: July 1, 1962. Currency:
Burundi franc.
Burundi lies two degrees below the equator in the Great Rift
Valley. This series of deep cracks in Earth forms steep-sided
valleys, which in Africa extend more than 3,000 miles
(4,828 km) from Eritrea to Mozambique. The Great Rift Valley
is known for its lakes, mountains, fertile soils, and fossils.

ALGERIA (al-JIR-ee-uh) CABO VERDE (KAW-boh VAIR-day)
Capital: Algiers (al-JIRZ). Population: 43.6 million. Capital: Praia (PRAH-yah). Population: 589,451.
Independence Day: July 5, 1962. Currency: Algerian dinar. Independence Day: July 5, 1975. Currency: escudo.
Soccer teams from Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria, Cameroon, Cabo Verde is an archipelago of fifteen islands, 620 miles
and South Africa competed with the best men’s teams from (998 km) off the coast of Senegal. Though known as the
around the globe at the 1998 World Cup in France. In the Green Cape, the islands can suffer long periods of drought.
championship game, two of France’s victorious goals against This is one reason why almost twice as many Cabo Verdeans
Brazil were scored by Zinedine Zidane, a French citizen, live away from the islands as on them.
whose family is from Algeria.
CAMEROON
ANGOLA (an-GOH-luh) Capital: Yaoundé (YAI-oun-DAI). Population: 28.5 million.
Capital: Luanda (loo-AHN-dah). Population: 33.6 million. Independence Day: January 1, 1960 (East Cameroon);
Independence Day: November 11, 1975. Currency: kwanza. October 1, 1961 (West Cameroon independence and
Angola’s national dish, Muamba de Galinha, is a chicken federation with East Cameroon). Currency: Central African
stew that includes palm oil, tomatoes, okra, and squash. CFA franc.
It is served with funge, a traditional side dish made from Cameroonian children and their families usually share a taxi
cassava flour. and the fare with strangers. This is called taxi en ramassage.
Ramassage is a French word for “pickup.”
BENIN (beh-NEEN)
Capital: Porto-Novo (PAWR-toh NOH-voh). Population: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
13.3 million. Independence Day: August 1, 1960. Currency: Capital: Bangui (bahn-GEE). Population 5.3 million.
West African CFA franc. Independence Day: August 13, 1960. Currency: Central
From the sixteenth to the late nineteenth century, Benin African CFA franc.
was known as the kingdom of Dahomey. Abomey was the The Central African Republic is one of fourteen countries in
capital of this wealthy state, which stretched into present-day Africa to use the CFA franc. Six countries use the Central
Togo and Nigeria. Its ancient stories are woven into colorful African CFA franc and eight countries use the West African
tapestries by local artists and sold all over the world. CFA franc. Even though they are two currencies, they work
alike and are both linked to the exchange rate of the euro. The
BOTSWANA (bots-WAH-nah) Economic Community of West African States has proposed a
Capital: Gaborone (gah-boh-ROH-nay). Population: new currency called the eco that may eventually replace the
2.3 million. Independence Day: September 30, 1966. CFA franc, which has been in circulation since 1945.
Currency: pula.
One hundred thebe equal 1 pula, and 11 pula equal about CHAD
1 US dollar. In addition to being the nation’s currency, pula Capital: N’Djamena (uhn-jah-MEE-nah). Population:
(meaning “rain”) is also the national motto. The blue stripes 17.4 million. Independence Day: August 11, 1960. Currency:
on the flag represent rainwater. Central African CFA franc.
Chad’s northern sector is in the Sahara,
BURKINA FASO (boor-KEE-nah FAH-soh) the world’s largest desert. Sahara means
Capital: Ouagadougou (wah-gah-DOO-goo). Population: “desert” in Arabic; it is about the same
21.3 million. Independence Day: August 5, 1960. Currency: size as the continental United States.
West African CFA franc. In addition to Chad, the Sahara
Until 1984, Burkina Faso was called Upper Volta, after stretches through Egypt, Tunisia,
the headwaters of the Volta Rivers. Burkina Faso is a Mossi Libya, Sudan, Niger, Mauritania,
phrase that means “land of honorable people.” Morocco, and Mali.

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