This is a profile of African countries and an introduction to Africa as a whole. Subjects covered include a brief history of the African continent since the advent of colonial rule,the continent's racial and ethnic diversity, a look at a number of countries from a historical and contemporary perspective, Africa's vast resources and economic potential, the new scramble for Africa, and much more. It's helpful to those who are learning about Africa for the first time and those who don't know much about the continent. Even those who know about the continent may find this work to be useful.