TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Africa A1 - Dlova, Ncosa C. A1 - Mosam, Anisa A1 - Ajose, Frances O. A. A2 - Kelly, A. Paul A2 - Taylor, Susan C. A2 - Lim, Henry W. A2 - Serrano, Ana Maria Anido PY - 2016 T2 - Taylor and Kelly's Dermatology for Skin of Color, 2e AB - The African continent is the second largest continent in the world, at 11.7 million miles squared, which is 20.4% of the Earth’s total land surface.1 Fittingly, it is also the second most populous continent, with 853.6 million inhabitants, which is 14.72% of the world’s human population.1 The continent is divided into 54 recognized countries, and the average life expectancy at birth is 58 years.2a There are six African countries that lie directly on the equator, and this has implications on the inhabitants’ exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. The Nile River is the longest river in the world and runs a course of 4.132 miles through Africa, providing a valuable source of nourishment, but at the same time acting as a breeding ground for transmittable skin diseases in certain regions.2 This continent is considered by most paleoanthropologists to be the oldest inhabited place on Earth, with many considering Africa to be the area where the human species originated.1 SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - dermatology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1161550389 ER -