The true size of Africa

Years ago I saw a move called ‘the Ghost and the Darkness’.  It was a story of a failed British railway project that took place in the late 19^th century. The Uganda railway was built by the British in order to facilitate the transport of soldiers, war equipment, tea and coffee to what was then known as British East Africa. Apparently the movie was based on the Tsavo incident that took place from March through December 1898.

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Two male lions attacked and devoured 28 Indian workers. It is said that they simply killed most, and ate some. In the end the number was estimated to be up to 135 workers. It sabotaged the project, and the British couldn’t complete the railway.

This failed railway project was the first of its kind. It was an attempt to dominate Africa and to control its resources. It failed. Why? The British faced political opposition in various parts, but after the second Boer war in South Africa, and after the second world war, the whole of Africa was theirs for the taking. The railway was almost completed, and there were some minor political battles. Even though the Tsavo incident happened years before the British could secure the continent politically, the ripples of it were still felt no doubt. It was 10 years since the incident, and the rumours had grown. Two witch doctors returned in the form of two young male lions. Their aim – to sabotage the British rule of Africa.

The West can’t control Afrca, because they don’t  understand Africa.

The railway project eventually failed because of obstacles posed by geography and climate and economic issues after the second world war. What does that mean? It means that the landscape logistics were much bigger  than they estimated – and still is today. Everything takes longer to build in Africa because of its climate, geography, man eating lions and its sheer size.

World maps are not of much help either. It seems almost impossible to draw the spherical world onto a flat surface. There are a few options in interpreting the world as a map, and Europe and the USA have chosen and enforced the most convenient one for that.

The Mercator projection is the common world map, and it was created in 1596. See how it favours the richer countries of the North. The Gall-Peters projection is a more accurate map, if you suppose that it should be true to the real size of the continents (drawn 1974).

Seeing this, makes it quite clear why the British failed. Having had a distorted view of the world, they must have underestimated the scope of the project because of time and materials needed.

The Map below shows a typical world view, that is based on the Mercator projection. Next to it is the true size of Africa. In reality, you could fit the USA, China, Western and Eastern Europe, India comfortably inside Africa.

Here is a replica of the world map, as we have been taught in our schools

Look at the size of the Mighty USA! All the African countries are each similar in size to some European countries.

Now Look at the true size of Africa!

Look at how small the USA, and Europe actually is!

So, the richer countries know the power of illusion, and the advantage you can gain by propagating lies to make others feel smaller, weaker and insignificant.

It’s just that, well, sometimes the truth kicks in, and its then that you realize that you have shot yourself in the foot. Maybe if the British knew this, they would have been able to complete their railway from Cape to Cairo, and who knows, maybe the once mighty Queen of England would have ruled the world now.

God bless

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http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/19-maps-that-will-help-you-put-the-united-states-in-perspect#.qwMJJb1OJ