Africa is an incredible destination to choose as part of your twin or multi-centre holiday. It is the world's second most populated and second largest continent in the world. At nearly 12 million sq miles of beautiful vastness, including adjacent islands, it actually covers six percent of the planet's entire surface area and approximately 20 percent of its total land mass area. With an incredible 1.1 billion people (recorded as of 2013), it comprises of around 15% of the world's entire human population. This amazing continent is encircled by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Red Sea and the Suez Canal along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. Africa also incorporates Madagascar and various other interesting archipelagos. Africa has 54 fully recognized sovereign states (what is to be considered "countries"). The climate of Africa differentiates greatly, and it is actual and ideal location for a winter sun holiday, given that the seasons oppose that of the UK. With diverse ranges of tropical climates to subarctic on its highest peaks. The northern half of Africa is primarily desert, or arid and dry, while its central and southern sections contain both very dense jungle (rainforest) and in contrast, desolate savanna plains. In between all of this diversity there is a convergence, where vegetation patterns such as steppe and sahel and dominate the land. Africa is the hottest continent on the planet and 60% of the entire land area consists of deserts and drylands .The record for the highest-ever recorded temperature was in Libya in 1922 reaching an astounding 58°c! South Africa is no doubt the most popular destination on the continent, and you can enjoy temperatures from 25°c to 35°c during the UK winters.