Africa - Rob Bowden

Africa is a continent of extremes. It has the world's largest desert (the Sahara), its longest river (the Nile) and one of its biggest geographical features (the Great Rift Valley). It is a continent of many different cultures, of extraordinary wildlife, breathtaking scenery, and great cities like Cairo, Nairobi and Lagos. But Africa is also the world's poorest region - a continent troubled by disease, hunger and conflict, and one that struggles to keep pace with the rest of the world.

This authoritative new series describes the history, landscape, culture, economy and people of this continent. This title is also packed full of fascinating facts, maps and statistics. A statistical compendium at the back provides a handy reference guide for key statistical data.

Rob Bowden is a development geographer who has taught international Environment and Development courses at the universities of Sussex and Brighton. He specialises in African issues and has written several children's books about the region. As well as writing, he runs an educational resourcing and consultancy company. He is a keen photographer and some of his images are used in his books. In 1999 his book 'Journey Through Africa' was highly commended by the Geographical Association and he has also been commended for his great contribution to education.