The September (2005) issue of the National Geographic magazine is all about Africa. It's a very informative issue and covers African politics, economics, culture, health and more. The photos are of course stunning. I was also pleased to see an article by one of my favorite African authors, Alexandra Fuller.

Here are some basic facts listed in the magazine that I found interesting:

• Percent of population under age 25: 71
• Number of languages spoken: Over 2000
• Number of democratic countries: 19 of a total of 53 nations
• Average income: 50 percent of Africans live on less than $1 a day
• Number of firearms in sub-Saharan Africa: 30 million
• Average life expectancy: 46 in sub-Saharan Africa and 67 in North Africa
• Least literate country: Burkina Faso with a 12.8 percent rate