The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan [38]
Languages: Kiswahili, English, African languages
Adventures: The Gede Ruins, a Swahili village abandoned in the 12th century, and baobob trees
LESOTHO
Declared independence in 1966 from the United Kingdom
Languages: Sesotho, English, Zulu, Xhosa
Adventures: Ancient rock shelter paintings in Malealea
LIBERIA
Settled in 1847 by freed African slaves from the United States of America
Languages: English and about 20 ethnic group languages
Adventures: Firestone Plantation, the world’s largest rubber plantation; and the forest elephants and pygmy hippos at Sapo
LIBYA
Declared independence in 1951 from Italy
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English
Adventures: The ancient Greek architecture of Cyrene
MADAGASCAR
Declared independence in 1960 from France
Languages: Malagasy and French
Adventures: Parc National de Ranomafana and its 12 species of lemur
MALAWI
Declared independence in 1964 from the United Kingdom
Languages: Chichewa, Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitonga
Adventures: Mt. Mulanje for some of the best hiking in Africa
MALI
Declared independence in 1960 from France
Languages: French, Bambara, numerous African languages
Adventures: The Mosques of Timbuktu
MAURITANIA
Declared independence in 1960 from France
Languages: Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Adventures: Chinguette is the seventh holiest city of Islam
MAURITIUS
Declared independence in 1968 from the United Kingdom
Languages: Creole, Bhojpuri, French
Adventures: Tamarin Waterfalls
MOROCCO
Declared independence in 1956 from France
Languages: Arabic, Berber dialects, French
Adventures: Fès el-Bari, the largest living medieval city in the world
MOZAMBIQUE
Declared independence in 1975 from Portugal
Languages: Emakhuwa, Xichangana, Portuguese, Elomwe, Cisena, Echuwabo, other Mozambican languages
Adventures: Wimbi beach and its spectacular coral reefs
NAMIBIA
Declared independence in 1989 from South Africa
Languages: English, Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo, Herero, and Nama
Adventures: Bubbling hot springs at Fish River Canyon
NIGER
Declared independence in 1960 from France
Languages: French, Hausa, Djerma
Adventures: Climb the minaret of the Great Mosque for a view of Agadez
NIGERIA
Declared independence in 1960 from United Kingdom
Languages: English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Adventures: Visit the Shrine of Oshuno, the River Goddess, in the sacred forest
RWANDA
Declared independence in 1962 from Belgium
Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili
Adventures: Rare mountain gorillas at the Parc National des Volcans
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
Declared independence in 1975 from Portugal
Languages: Portuguese
Adventures: Snorkel at Logoa Azul and see the giant baobob trees
SENEGAL
Declared independence in 1960 from France
Languages: French, Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Adventures: Three million birds migrate from Europe to the Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj
SEYCHELLES
Declared independence in 1976 from the United Kingdom
Languages: Creole, English
Adventures: At Valée de Mai, the Seychelles black parrot and the rare coco de mer palm trees
SIERRA LEONE
Declared independence in 1961 from the United Kingdom
Languages: English, Mende, Temne, Krio
Adventures: Dive to underwater shipwreck sites and coral in the Banana Islands
SOMALIA
Declared independence in 1960 from the United Kingdom
Languages: Somali, Arabic, Italian, English
Adventures: Las Geel has Neolithic rock art paintings in caves and shelters
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Declared independence in 1910 from the United Kingdom, and again in 1994 from minority white rule
Languages: Afrikaans, English, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Northern Sotho, Sesotho, Setswana, SiSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga
Adventures: Cable cars to the top of Table Mountain; Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was once imprisoned, now a national monument
SUDAN
Declared independence in 1956 from Egypt and the United Kingdom
Languages: Arabic, Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Nilotic dialects, Nilo-Hamitic, English
Adventures: