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.

African Cob Earth Houses

Earth or Cob houses are not new, in fact old methods of building clay and mud homes in Africa are now popular in cities since the demand is high. Humans need to maintain a connection to their natural world. The African natural environment integrates all living things in the natural world. 

African Cob Earth House 

The inspiration for natural housing materials such as sand, straw and clay from the natural world in both rural and urban African communities has not changed in thousands of years. African people have always maintained a connection with the natural world.

African Cob Earth House


The use of natural elements and materials in all aspects of traditional African life is a testimony to the profound way that nature shapes the existence of African people. Natural elements such as stone, wood, animal hides and feathers, mud, clay, shells, flowers, grasses, trees, leaves, branches, chalk and other natural elements have been shaped into shelters, household goods, medicine, clothing and jewelry for thousands of years.

African Earth houses construction is as strong as concrete and lasts for a thousand years, in fact parts of the Great Wall of China were built with rammed earth and it's still standing today. In America earth houses are known as Cob homes. Cob refers to the building material, which is a mix of clay, sand, and straw with lime sometimes mixed in.

Earth or Cob houses are not new, in fact old methods of building clay and mud homes in Africa are now popular in cities since the demand for houses is high and construction cost in 30% less than conventional building techniques and creating a host of new jobs.

African Earth houses are both affordable and Eco-friendly on a continent where most things are very sustainable and renewable natural resources are plentiful. Most houses are made with a mixture of sand gravel and nontraditional with just a little bit of cement added. After making the mix, mud is put into blocks and sun-dried to form bricks. These mud bricks are then used to make walls, and are plastered with the same mud mix.

Compared to conventional buildings made of concrete, earth homes have good indoor air quality. Earth houses are naturally insulated, so they will be cool in summers and warm in winters helping to save electricity. African Earth houses might last a thousand years.


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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

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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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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