A is for Africa This large continent has 54 countries. Around 2000 different languages are spoken here African people come from large families called tribes.

A is for Algeria Algeria is the largest country in Africa People here speak Arabic and Berber Many school children in Algeria don’t have anything other than their school books to read.

B is for beads Boys and girls in many african tribes wear beads. They wear them on their head, ears or neck. The colors of the beads have a meaning White= peace;  Blue=water; Red=warrior/bravery

C is for canoe Canoe down the Zambezi river and you might just spot wild elephants, hippos or crocodiles waiting for their next meal!

D is for djembe (African Drum) The Djembe is a drum that has a special use. Different beats are used to announce births, deaths and celebrations. They are even used for storytelling!

E is for Egypt Egypt – the land of pyramids and pharohs is home to the river Nile – the longest river in the world. The people of Egypt are called Egyptians

F is for feathers Many tribes in Africa wear feathers as part of their headress. These Samburu men are warriors taking part in a celebration. Wearing feathers shows that you are important.

G is for goatherds Goatherds herd their flock of goats high up in the mountains of Tunisia. Goats are reared for their nutritious milk, meat , wool and hide.

H is for houses You will find all kinds of houses in Africa Mud houses, brick houses, tree houses, tent houses, straw houses, and towering concrete houses.

I is for Indigo Indigo is a blue powder made from the indigo plant. It is used to dye clothes blue.

J is for jackal There are so many different jackals that are native to Africa. They hunt as packs just like wolves.

K is for kola nuts Kola nuts are offered to guests to show warmth and friendship. These nuts grow on pods in tall trees. It is also used to make medicine

L is for Lion The African Lion is an endangered animal Lions live in groups called prides Lions in their natural habitat can only be found in Africa and India.

M is for mask In many parts of Africa, masks are sacred objects and are brought out only for special occasions. Masks could be made of wood, clay, wool or straw

N is for Namibia The great Kalahari desert lies here Namibia has 8 official languages of which English and German are a part.

o is for ornaments African people like to dress up their bodies with ornaments. In some tribes, body markings are another kind of ornament

P is for pottery Pottery is the art of making pots Pots are used to store water Some tribes paint traditional designs on their pots.

Q is for Queen Not so long ago, there were powerful kings and queens in Africa. Nowadays there are only a few. This is the queen mother of the Ashanti people of West Africa.

R is for River Africans believe rivers are sacred because they bring life Some of Africa’s important rivers are the Nile, Congo and the Zambezi.

S is for sunsets Sunsets are spectacular on the African savannah Tour operators offer special sunset safaris so that people can experience its beauty and watch the animals that come out at sundown.

T is for turban People living in the deserts of africa wear turbans to protect themselves from the harsh winds Some may wear it for religious reasons.

U is for Umbrella Tree The African Umbrella tree is called that because it looks like an umbrella. These trees can grow to a height of 100 ft. Girraffes love to eat their leaves.

V is for village A village is where many people live together, sharing their traditions and beliefs. Many African villages still don’t have electricity!

W is for weaving Some tribes weave their own fabrics from locally produced cotton. Every region has its own story of how weaving began.

X is for xylophone The African xylphone is a musical instrument made from wood and gourds. The xylophone is played in accompaniment to drums

Y is for Yam Festival The yam festival is a popular holiday in Nigeria and Ghana. It is celebrated like a harvest festival and communities celebrate by cooking yam and playing games.

Z is for Zambia & Zimbabwe Zambia and Zimbabwe are two countries that share the worlds largest waterfall between them - The Victoria Falls