Africa

Africa is a continent on Earth, and is the second-largest continent after Asia.

Background
At about 30,221,532 km² (11,668,545 mi²) including adjacent islands, it covers 6.0% of the Earth's total surface area, and 20.4% of the total land area. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. There are 46 countries, including Madagascar, and 53 island groups.

Africa, particularly central eastern Africa, is widely regarded [within the scientific community] to be the origin of humans and the Hominidae family (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their possible ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago – including Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus afarensis, Homo erectus, Homo habilis and Homo ergaster – with among the latest being Homo sapiens found in Ethiopia being dated to ca. 200,000 years ago this is the most important continent on Earth as to seeing what lies beneath its sands.

Ancient history
Africa has always played a key role in human history, being the birthplace of humanity as a species. Periodical waves of outward migration resulted in the spread of several species to more distant parts of the world, including the earliest known migrations of Homo erectus, and several later migrations of Homo sapiens. During the Forerunner-Flood war, the Librarian built a structure in East Africa, near Mount Kilimanjaro.

Battle of Earth
On October 2552, the Prophet of Regret found Earth in search of the Portal. They landed only in one spot in the country of Kenya, in and around the city of Mombasa. Regret's forces tried to hold onto and capture the city from the UNSC Defense Force, but failed. Then, his flagship, Solemn Penance, jumped into Slipspace, damaging the city. After this, more Covenant ships appeared, glassing Mombasa and its surroundings to uncover the Portal to the Ark, which had been buried under the ground for more than a hundred thousand years.

Four weeks later, the uncovering process of the Portal was complete. The Prophet of Truth came to Earth on his Dreadnought, landing in the center of the Portal. The UNSC, believing the structure to be the Ark, attempted to stop the Covenant from activating it, with no effect. Truth and his fleet escaped through the Portal, and a Flood-infected ship arrived just after, followed shortly by the Sangheili. To prevent the Flood from spreading and consuming the planet, the Fleet of Retribution glassed a large portion of the continent, bringing a bitter and violent close to the battle.

In 2555, the portal was activated again, leading to a massive invasion of Earth by Retriever Sentinels sent by 000 Tragic Solitude, that was stopped by the human and Sangheili forces at Installation 00.

Major locations

 * Egypt
 * East African Protectorate
 * Republic of Kenya
 * Mombasa
 * New Mombasa
 * Old Mombasa
 * Nairobi
 * Voi
 * Tsavo
 * Tsavo Highway
 * The Portal
 * United Republic of Tanzania
 * Arusha
 * Mount Kilimanjaro
 * Zanzibar Island
 * Diego Garcia

List of appearances

 * i love bees
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa
 * Iris
 * Halo 3: The Cradle of Life
 * Halo 3
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Sadie's Story
 * Halo Legends
 * Origins
 * Halo Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Palace Hotel
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: Silentium
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: New Blood
 * Halo: Spartan Strike
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo 5: Guardians