Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Speak Swahili | 25 Easy Swahili Words to Impress Your Friends

Africa - Language - Swahili

Speak Swahili | 25 Easy Swahili Words to Impress Your Friends

Kiswahili or Swahili is one of the top ten languages spoken in Africa.

Swahili is spoken in the African countries of Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania (Zanzibar), and Uganda with over 140 speakers as either a first or second language. Even though Swahili uses the same alphabet as English, the letters Q and X are not used in Swahili.

Swahili is the culture of many groups uniquely blended together. Swahili was given its name by the Arabs in the 16th century meaning “people of the coast” in Arabic. The word for the Swahili language is Kiswahili. The name comes from the plural sawahili of the Arabic word sahil, which means boundaries or coast. With ki- at the beginning of the word, Kiswahili means coastal language.


Learning A B C's in Africa

25 Easy Swahili Words to Impress Your Friends

  • Amani [Ah-Mah-Nee] - Peace
  • Asante [Ah-Sah-Nteh]- Thank You
  • Baba [Bah-Bah] -Father
  • Ghali [Ghah-Lee] -Expensive
  • Hata [Hah-Tah] -Forever
  • Jambo [Jah-Mboh] -Hello
  • Jiko [Jee-Koh] -Kitchen
  • Kahawa [Kah-Hah-Wah] -Coffee
  • Kanisa [Kah-Nee-Sah] - Church
  • Kuzwe [Kooz-Way] - Name
  • Kwaheri [Kwah-Heh-Ree] -Goodbye
  • Maji [Mah-Jee] - Water
  • Mbinguni [M-Been-Goo-Nee] -Heaven
  • Nguvu [N-Goo-Voo] -Power
  • Pesa [Peh-Sah]- Money
  • Pole Pole [Poh-Leh] - Slowly
  • Rafiki [Rah-Fee-Kee] - Friend
  • Rahisi [Rah-Hee-See] -Cheap
  • Shamba [Shah-Mbah] -Garden
  • Shule [Shoo-Leh] - School
  • Soko [Soh-Koh] -Market
  • Tafadhali [Tah-Fah-Thah-Lee] -Please
  • Usiku [Oo-See-Koo] -Night
  • Yetu [Yay-Too] -Day
  • Zetu [Zay-Too] –Bread
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    Reading his school book in Tanzania Africa
    Reading his school book in Tanzania Africa

    Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

    Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

    Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

    Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

    Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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    African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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