(according to Bochart, from a Punic word, signifying Ear of Corn) one of the four great divisions, by the moderns called quarters, of the world, and one of the three called by the Greeks ἡπτάκοντα, or continents. By them it was also called Libya.

Africa lies south of Europe, and west of Asia. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean, which separates it from the former; on the north-east, by the Red-sea which divides it from Asia, and to which it is attached by a neck of land called the Isthmus of Suez, about 60 miles over, separating the Mediterranean from the Red-sea. On the west, south, and east, it is bounded by the main ocean; so that it is properly a vast peninsula, bearing some faint resemblance of a pyramid, the base of which is the northern part, running along the shores of the Mediterranean; and the top of the pyramid is the most southerly point, called the Cape of Good Hope. Its greatest length from north to south is 4300 miles, and its greatest breadth from east to west is 3500 miles; reaching from Lat. 37° N. to 35° S. and from Long. 17° W. to 50° E.

Though the greatest part of this continent hath been in all ages unknown both to the Europeans and Asiatics, its situation is more favourable than either Europe or Asia for maintaining an intercourse with other nations. It stands, as it were, in the centre of the three other quarters of the globe; and has thereby a much nearer communication with Europe, Asia, and America, than any one of these has with another. For, (1.) It is opposite to Europe in the Mediterranean, for almost 1000 miles in a line from east to west; the distance seldom 100 miles, never 100 leagues, and sometimes not above 20 leagues. (2.) It is opposite to Asia for all the length of the Red-sea, the distance sometimes not exceeding five leagues, seldom fifty (3.) Its coast for the length of about 2000 miles lies opposite to America at the distance of, from 500 to 700 leagues, including the islands; whereas America, unless where it may be a terra incognita, is nowhere nearer Europe than 1000 leagues; and Asia, than 2500.

As the equator divides this continent almost in the middle, the far greatest part of it is within the tropics; and of consequence the heat in some places is almost insupportable by Europeans, it being there greatly increased by vast deserts of burning sand.—It cannot be doubted, however, that, were the country well cultivated, it would be extremely fertile; and would produce in great abundance not only the necessaries, but also the luxuries, of life. It has been asserted, that the sugars of Barbadoes and Jamaica, as also the ginger, cotton, rice, pepper, pimento, cocoa, indigo, &c. of these islands, would thrive in Africa to as much perfection as where they are now produced. Nor can it be doubted, that the East-Indian spices, the tea of China and Japan, the coffee of Mocha, &c. would all thrive in some parts of the African coast; as this continent has the advantage of feeling no cold, the climate being either very warm or very temperate.

Whatever may be the case with the internal parts of Africa, it is certain that its coasts are well watered with many very considerable rivers. The Nile and the Niger may be reckoned among the largest in any part of the world, America excepted. The first discharges itself into the Mediterranean, after a prodigious course from its source in Abyssinia. The origin neither of the Nile, nor of the Niger, is certainly known; but that of the latter is supposed to run through a tract of land little less than 3000 miles. Both these rivers annually overflow their banks, fertilizing by that means the countries through which they pass. The Gambia and Senegal rivers are only branches of the Niger. Many vast ridges of mountains also run through different parts of this continent; but their extent is very little known. Some of the most remarkable are, (1.) Those called Atlas, lying between the 20th and 25th degree of north latitude, and supposed almost to divide the continent from east to west. (2.) The mountains of the moon, so called on account of their great height; supposed to be the boundaries between Abyssinia and some of the interior kingdoms. (3.) The mountains of Sierra Leon, so called on account of their abounding with lions, and likewise supposed to be the boundaries of some of the nations. (4.) Those called by the ancients the mountains of God, on account of their being subject to perpetual thunder and lightning. Of all these, however, little more is known than their names.

To what we have already said concerning the produce of Africa, we may add, that no part of the world abounds with gold and silver in a greater degree. Here also are a prodigious number of elephants; and it is surprising, that neither the ancient nor modern Europeans, notwithstanding their extravagant and insatiable thirst after gold and silver, should have endeavoured to establish themselves effectually in a country much nearer to them than either America or the East Indies; and where the objects of their desire are found in equal, if not greater, plenty.

Next to gold and silver, copper is the most valuable metal, metal; and on this continent is found in great plenty, inasmuch that the mountains of Atlas above mentioned are said all to be composed of copper ore. In short, Africa, though a full quarter of the globe, stored with an inexhaustible treasure, and capable of producing almost every necessary, conveniency, and luxury of life, within itself, seems to be utterly neglected both by its own inhabitants and all other nations: the former, being in a savage state, are incapable of enjoying the blessings offered them by nature; and the latter taking no further notice of the inhabitants, or their land, than to obtain at the easiest rate what they procure with as little trouble as possible, or to carry them off for slaves to their plantations in America.

Only a small part of this continent was known to the ancients, viz. the kingdom of Egypt, and the northern coast, comprehending little more than what is now known by the name of Barbary. It was divided into Africa Propria, and Africa Interior. Africa Propria comprehended only the Carthaginian territories. Africa Interior comprehended all other nations to the southward of these territories, or those at a greater distance from Rome. The only kingdoms, however, with which the Romans had any connection, were the Numidians, the Mauritians, and the Gætuli. All these, as well as Egypt, were swallowed up by that enormous power, and reduced to the condition of Roman provinces. But the Romans never seem to have penetrated beyond the tropic of cancer. There appears, indeed, to have been some intercourse between them and the Ethiopians: but the latter always preserved their liberty; and we find their queen Candace mentioned in the times of the apostles, when the Roman power was at its highest pitch.

Between the tropic of cancer and the equinoctial line, a multitude of savage nations were supposed to have their residence, known by the names of Melanogætuli, Nigrites, Blemyes, Dolopes, Aftacuri, Lophophagi, Ichthyophagi, Elephantsphagi, &c. (which are taken notice of, as well as the others already mentioned, under their proper names); but that Africa was a peninsula, seems to have been totally unknown both to the Europeans and Asiatics for many ages.

It is probable indeed, that some of the Phoenicians, and their offspring the Carthaginians, were not so ignorant; as they carried navigation to a much greater height than either the Greeks or Romans: but their discoveries were all concealed with the greatest care, lest other nations should reap the benefit of them; and accordingly we can now find no authentic accounts concerning them. The navigation round Africa, in particular, is recorded by the Greek and Roman writers rather as a strange amusing tale than as a real transaction; and as neither the progress of the Phoenician nor Carthaginian discoveries, nor the extent of their navigation, were communicated to the rest of mankind, all memorials of their extraordinary skill in naval affairs seem in a great measure to have perished, when the maritime power of the former was annihilated by Alexander's conquest of Tyre, and the empire of the latter was overturned by the Romans.

That the peninsula of Africa, however, was in reality sailed round by the Phoenicians, we have on indisputable authority; for some of that nation undertook the voyage, at the command of Necho king of Egypt, about 604 years before the Christian era. They sailed from a port in the Red Sea, and after three years returned by the Mediterranean; and the very objections that were made to the veracity of their accounts at that time, are unanswerable proofs to us that this voyage was really accomplished. They pretended, that, having failed for some time, the sun became more and more vertical, after which he appeared in the north, and seemed to recede from them; that as they returned, the sun gradually seemed to move southwards; and, after becoming vertical once more, appeared then in the south side of them as before they set out. This, which we know must certainly have been the case, was deemed incredible at that time, and universal ignorance concerning the extent of this continent prevailed till the 15th century. The first attempts towards attaining a knowledge of Africa was made by the Portuguese in 1412. Notwithstanding their vicinity, they had never ventured beyond Cape Now, situated in about N. lat. 27°: it had received its name from a supposed impossibility of passing it. This year they proceeded 160 miles farther, to Cape Bojador; which stretching a considerable way into the Atlantic ocean, with rocky cliffs, appeared so dreadful to the navigators, that they returned without any attempt to pass it. In an attempt to double this formidable cape, they discovered the Madeira islands in 1419; but Cape Bojador continued to be the boundary of their continental discoveries till 1433; when they penetrated within the tropics, and in a few years discovered the river Senegal, Cape de Verde, and the islands which lie off that promontory. In 1449, the western islands, called the Azores, were discovered; and in 1471, they first penetrated beyond the line; and were surprised to find, that the torrid zone, contrary to the opinion of the ancients, who imagined it to be burnt up with heat, was not only habitable, but fertile and populous. In 1484, they proceeded 1500 miles beyond the line; so that they began to entertain hopes of finding that way a passage to the East Indies: and two years afterwards, the Cape of Good Hope was discovered by Bartholomew de Diaz; but it was not till the year 1497, that the Portuguese, under Vasquez de Gama, actually doubled this cape, and discovered the true shape of the continent. Thus the coasts of Africa were made perfectly known; and probably the knowledge concerning its interior parts would have been much greater than it is, had not the general attention been called off from this continent by the discovery of America in 1492.

The Romans for a long time maintained their power in Africa: but in the year 426, Bonifacius, supreme governor of all the Roman dominions in this quarter, being compelled to revolt by the treachery of another general called Attila, and finding himself unable to contend with the whole strength of the Roman empire, called in Geoteric king of the Vandals to his aid; who thereupon abandoned the provinces he had seized in Europe, and passed over into Africa. Bonifacius, however, being soon after reconciled to his empress Placidia, endeavoured in vain to persuade the Vandals to retire. Hereupon a war ensued, in which the barbarians proved victorious, and quickly overran all the Roman provinces in Africa. In the year 435, a peace was concluded; when Numidia and some other countries were ceded to the Vandals, who soon after seized all all the rest. These barbarians did not long enjoy their ill-gotten possessions: for, about the year 533, Belisarius drove them out, annexing the provinces to the eastern empire; and in 647, the Saracens, having conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt (which anciently was not included in the meaning of the word Africa,) Phoenicia, Arabia, and Palestine, broke like a torrent into Africa, which they quickly subdued. Their vast empire being in 936 divided into seven kingdoms, the African states retained their independency long after the others were subdued by the Turks: but in the beginning of the 16th century, being afraid of falling under the yoke of Spain, they invited the Turks to their assistance; who first protected, and then enslaved, them. They still continue in a kind of dependence on the Ottoman empire. They are not, however, properly speaking, the subjects of the grand Signior, but call him their protector, paying him an annual tribute. On the coasts, the natives are almost all addicted to piracy; and with such success have they carried on their employment, that the greatest powers in Europe are become their tributaries, in order to procure liberty to trade on the Mediterranean.

Concerning even these states, which are nearest to Europe, very little is known; but the interior nations are scarce known by name; nor do almost any two of the most learned moderns agree in their division of Africa into kingdoms; and the reason is, that no traveller hath ever penetrated into these inhospitable regions. In the year 1774, indeed, an account appeared in our newspapers and magazines, of a Mr Bruce, who had entered Abyssinia, probably the ancient Ethiopia, where he remained upwards of two years; after which he found means to return, bringing along with him many great curiosities: but this gentleman, contrary to the general disposition of travellers, could never be prevailed upon to make his discoveries public, and disclaimed what was published by others concerning his travels; and indeed none of those vague accounts contained anything very singular, except the horrible custom ascribed to the Abyssinians of eating living animals; which, however problematical, we subjoin in the note †. According to the best accounts we have been able to procure concerning those regions of Africa lying beyond Egypt and Barbary, they are divided in the following manner. On the western coast, to the south of Barbary, lie the kingdoms of Beldigerid, Zanara, Negroland, Loango, Congo, Angola, Benguela, and Terra de Natal. On the eastern coast beyond Egypt, are those of Nubia, Adel, Ajan, Zanguebar, (between these two a huge desert is interposed,) Monomatapa, and Sofola. In the interior parts, the kingdoms of Lower Ethiopia, Abex, Monemuge, and Matanan, are made mention of. The southernmost part, called Cafraria, is well known for the habitation of the Hottentots, the most degenerate of all the human species.

The chief trade carried on by the Europeans with the more savage African nations, is the purchasing, or carrying off by force when it is in their power, slaves for their colonies in other countries; and because they have been remarkably successful in this iniquitous trade, it hath been gravely asserted, that these barbarous nations are descended from Canaan the son of Ham, whom Noah cursed, and prophesied that he should be a servant of servants to his brethren: but, not to insist on the absurdity of supposing the villany of any nation a punishment sent from God, it may justly be questioned whether the term "servant of servants" will not apply to ourselves rather than to them. Certain it is, that the interior parts of Africa have never been conquered by any nation. A set of lawless banditti, pretending to be defended from other vagabonds driven out of Troy by the Greeks, enslaved the greatest part of the known world, and this island among the rest. After a number of ages, the Romans were driven out by other banditti, and these again by others; so that for a space of time much longer than the slave-trade hath yet existed, the European and most Asiatic nations were servants to those who had themselves been accounted the most contemptible of the human race; but during all this time the Africans enjoyed liberty, and do still enjoy it, notwithstanding the wicked advantages the Europeans take of the barbarism of the negroes to make them sell one another. No European nation hath ever made a nation of negroes yield up their country to them, or pay them an annual tribute; nor have they even been able to introduce their customs among them; so that, on the whole, instead of being the greatest slaves, we cannot help thinking the barbarous nations in Africa are the only people on earth that have never yet been enslaved by others.—The most probable conjectures concerning the peopling, &c. of those kingdoms of Africa concerning which we have any credible accounts, are mentioned under their proper names, as they occur in the order of the alphabet.