why is Africa called a "Dark Continent"?
353158
A former name for Africa, so used because its hinterland was largely unknown and therefore mysterious to Europeans until the 19th century. Henry M. Stanley was probably the first to use the term in his 1878 account Through the Dark Continent.
158333
That's like asking what makes babies cry.  There are too many different causes to explain it fully, but the origin of many of these problems came from "the scramble for africa," when at the Berlin Conference of 1885, European nations including Britain, France, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Belgium met in order to divide up the African continent amongst themselves.  In the process, they paid no attention to the territories of various ethnic groups.  Some groups found themselves neighbors of others they had long warred with - some groups found themselves split down the middle.  This all relates back to interstate conflict via the issue of sovereignty.  Ethnic groups war with each other over land as well as the resources reaped from these lands.  On a continent where drought and famine run rampant, land is the most important resource.  \n\nThis explanation really referrs to small-scale conflict, but large-scale conflict, meaning that which involves heads of state and/or military involvement, also is based on sovereignty.  Think about it.  Most of these countries are only 40-50 years into their independence, which they had to fight global superpowers to achieve.  Even the African UNION's charter is devoted mostly to respecting one another's borders and rights to rule their own lands - SOVEREIGNTY.  It's about resources, it's about machismo, it's about ethnic conflit and high-level corruption... interstate conflict in Africa is a huge topic.  If you narrow your question down a little, I'd be happy to help.  Email me (I have a Master's Degree in African Politics, so you can trust me!)
644010
Africa is an extremely rich continent. It's natural resources have been barely touched. Unfortunately for the Africans its wealth is held by very few and is used to make other people and nations rich.
112557
africa has everything
854980
The Eurpeans wouldnt have liked to undergo hardships in tropical parts of arfica. They are from milder climates, and they can not bear to work hard in trpoics. So they didnt conquer entire africa. If they had managed to do so, the entire world would be full of whites and yellows. And perhaps all the natives of africa would be working all over the word.
1096570
Good question.  My answer is that (a)the corrupt element controls the guns and the military and (b) the history of Africa is the history of TRIBALISM ('my people don't like your people and we never will'). Tribal animosities are encouraged by the dictators. Things don't seem to be getting better -- maybe the conern over the dark continent is just a waste of time and effort.
89971
good question.  Many argue that Africa has no native tradition of democracy and rule of law in a modern context.  Europeans colonised the majority of the continent and forced or otherwise encouraged the natives to abandon their traditional lifeways in favor of "western civilisation" Upon Europe's withdraw at the end of the colonial period, Africans were essentially left high and dry, no longer versed in the ways of their ancestors (political or practical systems) and unable to emulate the traditions of Europe for whatever reason.  Attempts at democracy and market-based economic systems, much less a universal idea of basic human rights have mostly failed in the face of Tribal warfare, government corruption, and bald-faced criminal intent.  Why can't they do better?  Who knows...maybe "European"-style values cannot be easily assimilated into an alien land without the included negative aspects- corruption, abuse, greed.\n\nOScar- to say Africa was living in peace with no problems is outright fantasy- The fact that Africa was misappropriated and abused by Europe in no way justifies such claims. Africa was a mess long before the white man set foot there.  War, disease, strife, violence- all these existed in spades.  You are simply falling into the white liberal guilt trap of pretending everyone else in the world were somehow pure and innocent of such notions.  The fact that Europe and Asia just did it better (or worse) doesn't mean that Africa, the Americas, etc, would not have done the same if they had the ability to.
626058
Since it is believed that people are originally from Africa, dark colored skin would have been the norm.  However, as people migrated north they weren't getting as much sun because they had to cover up to keep warm.  However, black people who get very little sun develope vitamin D deficiency because your body requires sunlight to make the last step of the synthesis go.  So, their skin needed to let more light in and it was beneficial to them to evolve lighter colored skin.  \nHave you noticed (part of it is interbreeding with white people, of course) that American blacks, who have been in the US about 200 years, are not nearly as dark black as native Africans anymore?
959259
Very good question, I don't know why black people are called African Americans. Some black people have never even been to Africa. But it everyone wants to get technical we are all African Americans. when life frist started we all came from Africa. When all the contenients were together it was call something like( shit I forgot the name ) but africa was the center of it all . even in biblicul times, it said we all came from that region. So again we are all African american in a way
171299
Africa is the world's second-largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30,370,000 km² (11,730,000 sq mi) including its adjacent islands, it covers 5.9% of the Earth's total surface area, and 20.3% of the total land area. With over 840,000,000 people (as of 2005) in 61 territories, it accounts for more than 12% of the world's human population.
1165373
I traveled the world, many times and have spent much time in Africa, and have to say that Africans by far the most racist, bigoted people I have ever encountered, but you like to call it Tribalism" a cute way of referring to the fact that blacks in Africa hate each other more than anybody else, so since you have the most experience, who are we to argue with you.
126250
Africa is a continent and it has many countries. Each country has a captal.
624563
I'd have to say it had more to do with perceived superiority and protection, I'm not sure which order. Speaking to South African friends, life is not valued in Africa, in general, but it was to the Afrikaners. Therefore, they felt they needed protection against the blacks. (Of course, these are gross generalizations.)
950769
Probably becuase poverty is always a relative concept. Being the richer nations they probably still see Africa as the "Dark Continent" back from their sea-faring days.\n\nThat said...\n\nMost other countries probably have more than their share of poverty in their own country to be worried about poverty in another country.
1046459
Cause lots of African countries used to be french colonies.
1032668
Antarctica is the continent
763098
South America and Africa are moving apart at 5.7cm a year. See link for evidence.