Sub-Saharan Africa generally refers to the area of Africa south of the Sahara Desert, also known as the sub-Saharan region or lower Sahara. It overlaps heavily with the old tropical zone in terms of physical geography, with a predominantly highland terrain. The entire terrain slopes from southeast to northwest, and it is a concentrated area of tropical climate. The region includes more than 40 countries with all or part of their territory located south of the Sahara Desert, with a population of about 1.2 billion. The main religious beliefs are Christianity, Islam and local traditional religions. Sub-Saharan Africa is considered to be the possible birthplace of modern humans. It has also nurtured glorious ancient civilizations, including the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires. Today, Africa is a vibrant and promising continent full of energy and hope.
