Africa is a vast continent whose population in fast approaching one billion. African also has more politically independent states than any other continent. Africa A-Z attempts to provide, in a concise manner, the facts for an elementary understanding of the continent and its complex issues. The book falls into two main sections. The five chapters in the first section focus on the continent as a whole, dealing with its physical and human diversity, its eventful history and Africans' struggle for economic survival. The second main section contains profiles of 57 independent and non-independent countries, ranging from Algeria to Zimbabwe.