PSA: Africa is not a country

[illusion88]

I know this may come as a shock to some, so you might want to sit down before you read this...

Africa is not a country. It is a continent with many countries in it, but it is not a country by itself. I actually had this argument with a co-worker the other day. She was telling the kids about how humans came from "the country africa". I was eating lunch at the time so I let her finish the story before I mentioned it to her. She kept insisting that Africa was a country AND a continent (like Australia).

 

[axelfox]

Source?

 

[FoBoT]

how many countries does the continent of Africa currently have?

 

[RedArmy]

Shens

 

[blackdogdeek]

you should have asked her "is [tanzania, zambia, ethiopia, morocco, etc, other countries within africa] a country?"

then you could ask "so how can there be a country within a country?"

 

[tailes151]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
how many countries does the continent of Africa currently have?

A lot.

 

[Tuktuk]

I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Wow, some people are dumb.

 

[illusion88]

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

 

[BatmanNate]

When I was in South Africa (a country, thanks) I visited the "cradle of mankind" as they call it. Neat experience.

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: illusion88

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

and Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, South Africa and Madagascar are definately the same country

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: illusion88

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

the reasoning for war is usually some archaic set of ignorant values, and nothing much has changed....

 

[OutHouse]

here is another shocker. there are millions of africans who are white. :shocked:

 

[preslove]

Where do you work op?

 

[Wreckem]

How many nations does Africa have?

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: illusion88
I know this may come as a shock to some, so you might want to sit down before you read this...

Africa is not a country. It is a continent with many countries in it, but it is not a country by itself. I actually had this argument with a co-worker the other day. She was telling the kids about how humans came from "the country africa". I was eating lunch at the time so I let her finish the story before I mentioned it to her. She kept insisting that Africa was a country AND a continent (like Australia).

Has she never looked at a map and seen AFRICA on it?

 

[Tuktuk]

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: illusion88

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

and Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, South Africa and Madagascar are definately the same country

Somalia may become two countries if a large portion of the population has their way (Somaliland), Egypt and South Africa are an exception rather than the rule, and Madagascar is an island so border changes aren't too common. The rest of the countries change borders and names relatively often. Morocco is also made up of an area that claims independence and considers itself a seperate group from the Moroccans.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Citrix
here is another shocker. there are millions of africans who are white. :shocked:

APARTIDE FAILED?!


WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?!


:|

 

[tfinch2]

SHENS!

 

[cyclohexane]

Originally posted by: preslove
Where do you work op?

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: Tuktuk

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: illusion88

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

and Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, South Africa and Madagascar are definately the same country

Somalia may become two countries if a large portion of the population has their way (Somaliland), Egypt and South Africa are an exception rather than the rule, and Madagascar is an island so border changes aren't too common. The rest of the countries change borders and names relatively often. Morocco is also made up of an area that claims independence and considers itself a seperate group from the Moroccans.

Yes, but they are still part of Africa, and not the same country. There is no desire for a "National African Government". Therefore there is no confusion. Africa is a country. True or False.

 

[Toonces]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
How many nations does Africa have?

thousands...

nation /= state

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: UNESC0

Originally posted by: Wreckem
How many nations does Africa have?

thousands...

nation /= state

Duh thats why Im asking. I know Nigera has about 300 different languages, and dozens of different nations. I'm asking because maybe theres an expert of Africa.

 

[Tuktuk]

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: Tuktuk

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: illusion88

Originally posted by: Tuktuk
I think there is confusion in this because the countries of Africa were more or less arbitrarily created and have shifted so much that national identity is a joke on the continent.

yeah, cause all those border wars they fought in the 1960s-1980s were for sh!ts and giggles.

and Morocco, Egypt, Somalia, South Africa and Madagascar are definately the same country

Somalia may become two countries if a large portion of the population has their way (Somaliland), Egypt and South Africa are an exception rather than the rule, and Madagascar is an island so border changes aren't too common. The rest of the countries change borders and names relatively often. Morocco is also made up of an area that claims independence and considers itself a seperate group from the Moroccans.

Yes, but they are still part of Africa, and not the same country. There is no desire for a "National African Government". Therefore there is no confusion. Africa is a country. True or False.

No sh!t.. I'm just saying there is confusion because very few African nations have made an identity for themselves in the world. They're "just another African" country, and therefore when things happen there they are just referred to as "in Africa" because it gets the point across better than "in Gabon."

edit: I'm not disputing that the person mentioned in the OP is an idiot when it comes to geography, I'm just saying why I think this mistake is more likely then someone thinking Asia is a country.

 

[johnjbruin]

God damn it - South Africa is a country