FUN FACTS ABOUT AFRICAN REGIONS – East Africa

Fun Facts About East Africa

East Africa is a region with natural beauty, rich culture. From ancient calendars to lava lakes, the countries in this region each have their own uniqueness. Here are some fun and interesting facts about some of these countries;

Ethiopia:

Ethiopia is known as the Land That Measures Time Differently. Its calendar has 13 months and uses a 12 hour time system.
It is the only country in Africa that was not colonized by the Europeans.
Ethiopia is home to 11 medieval churches that were carved straight into solid rock. The most famous, St. George’s Church (Bete Giyorgis), is shaped like a perfect cross.

Kenya

Kenya is often referred to as the “Cradle of Mankind.” Some of the oldest and most important hominid fossils have been discovered in the Great Rift Valley, offering evidence of human evolution.
Kenya produces the most famous long-distance runners in the world.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a national park inside it (Nairobi National Park).

Tanzania

Tanzania is home to Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro
Tanzania also has the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater.
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is home to the incredible Great Wildebeest Migration, where over 1.5 million animals migrate across the plains.

Uganda

Uganda is known as “The Pearl of Africa” due to its beauty and natural wealth.
Uganda is the source of the Nile River. Its journey begins at Lake Victoria, where the Victoria Nile, Uganda, flows over 6,600 kilometers northward to Egypt.

Rwanda

Rwanda is known as the land of a Thousand Hills.
It was the first country in the world to use drone technology for national blood delivery.
Rwanda is one of the only places on Earth where you can walk into the jungle and meet endangered mountain gorillas in the wild. Every year, baby gorillas get a naming ceremony called Kwita Izina.

Burundi

In Burundi, the Royal Drummers and their sacred “karyenda” drums are a world-renowned cultural tradition, with the drums being considered sacred. Historically the drums are only played by those authorized by the king.
Burundi produces some of the finest Arabica beans in the world.

South Sudan

South Sudan is the youngest country in the world, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
It is home to The Sudd, largest wetlands in Africa.

Eritrea

The capital, Asmara, is known as “Little Rome” for its stunning Art Deco architecture, built during Italian colonial rule.
Eritrea’s Dahlak Archipelago is an island located in the Red Sea and has some of the cleanest, most untouched coral reefs in the world.
Until recently, Eritrea was essentially a cash-only economy, with no ATMs and widespread credit card use.

Djibouti

Djibouti is home to Lac Assal, one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world,saltier than the Dead Sea and the lowest point in Africa.
Djibouti is a hotspot for swimming with whale sharks, especially from November to January.

Somalia

Somalia has more camels than any other country in the world.
It has the longest Coastline in Mainland Africa. With over 3,300 km of coastline, Somalia borders both the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
It is home to Africa’s oldest and most beautiful prehistoric cave paintings.Laas Geel cave paintings date back 5,000–10,000 years .