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The African Union covers almost the entirety of continental Africa and several off-shore islands. Consequently, it is wildly diverse, including the world's largest hot desert (the Sahara), huge jungles and savannas, and the world's longest river (the Nile).
Contents
- Overview
- Extreme points
- Countries bordering the African Union
- Previous borders
- Founding of the OAU May 25 December 13 1963
- December 13 1963 July 13 1964
- July 13 December 16 1964
- December 16 1964 October 1965
- October 31 1965
- October 31 1966 July 13 1964
- August 1968 September 24 1968
- September 24 1968 October 12 1968
- October 12 1968 November 19 1973
- November 19 1973 February 11 1975
- February 11 July 18 1975
- July 18 February 27 1976
- February 27 June 29 1976
- June 29 1976 June 27 1977
- June 27 1977 June 1980
- June 1980 February 22 1982
- February 22 1982 November 12 1984
- November 12 1984 March 21 1990
- March 21 June 1990
- June 1990 May 24 1993
- May 24 1993 June 6 1994
- June 6 1994 2011
- 2011 January 30 2017
- January 30 2017 present
- References
Overview
The AU presently has an area of 29,922,059 km² (18,592,705 mi²), with 24,165 km² (15,015 mi²) of coastline. The vast majority of this area is on continental Africa, while the only significant territory off the mainland is the island of Madagascar (the world's fourth largest), accounting for slightly less than 2% of the total.
Extreme points
African Union at large
Countries bordering the African Union
The AU has two land borders: Morocco borders the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula borders the Gaza Strip for 11 km (6.8 mi) and Israel for 400 km (248 mi) on its western frontier. Since it is Asian, the Sinai is the only territorial region of the AU on another geopolitical continent.
Previous borders
The AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity, an international organization that gradually included sovereign African states as the continent was decolonized. The membership of the African Union, and consequently its borders, have not changed since its founding.
Founding of the OAU: May 25 – December 13, 1963
December 13, 1963 – July 13, 1964
July 13 – December 16, 1964
December 16, 1964 – October 1965
October 31, 1965
October 31, 1966 – July 13, 1964
August 1968 – September 24, 1968
September 24, 1968 – October 12, 1968
October 12, 1968 – November 19, 1973
November 19, 1973 – February 11, 1975
February 11 – July 18, 1975
July 18 – February 27, 1976
Cape Verde, Comoros, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe join the OAU.
February 27 – June 29, 1976
June 29, 1976 – June 27, 1977
June 27, 1977 – June 1980
June 1980 – February 22, 1982
Zimbabwe joins the OAU.