Africa has a population second only to Asia and a youthful demographic structure. For a long time, its potential has been underestimated by Chinese overseas enterprises and entrepreneurs.
Africa is the world's second-largest continent, located in the Eastern Hemisphere, bordered by Europe to the north and Asia to the east. It spans the equator, featuring a diverse topography, including deserts, rift valleys, mountain ranges, lakes, plains, and rivers. The climate is predominantly characterized by desert and equatorial rainforest climates. Africa comprises five major regions: North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, and Central Africa, with a total area of approximately 29,648,481 square kilometers and consists of 54 countries.
According to United Nations data, Africa has the highest population growth rate among all major regions, and it is projected that the population of sub-Saharan Africa will double by 2050. Furthermore, Africa has a very young population structure, with a median age of 19 years. Therefore, Africa is expected to play a central role in global population size and distribution in the coming decades. The major religions in Africa include Islam, Christianity, and indigenous traditional religions, with the predominant ethnic groups including Caucasians in North Africa and various black ethnicities such as Nilotic and Bantu peoples south of the Sahara Desert.
According to data from the African Development Bank, in 2022, the economic growth rate in Africa slowed to 4.1%, but the development momentum remains strong, making it one of the most significant and robust regions in the world, surpassing Europe, North America, South America, and the global average, second only to Asia. In 2023, Africa's GDP is expected to rebound from 3.8% in 2022 to 4%, with prospects for strengthening due to anticipated improvements in the global economic situation. According to the "2022 African Economic Outlook Report," in 2023, more than 18 African countries are expected to have growth rates exceeding 5%, and this number is projected to increase to 22 in 2024.
