As a climate scientist with a specialty in climate change and variability in Africa, I have had a number of opportunities to visit various regions of Africa. The continent is huge – almost four times the size of the contiguous U.S. – with 54 nations populated by people with distinct cultures and customs.Despite an abundance of natural resources, many countries in Africa struggle to develop and provide their citizens with education, adequate food and clean water — in large part due to the legacy of colonialism and the disruptions of the slave trade. Their future development is further hampered by climate change that is raising temperatures, changing patterns of precipitation and increasing the intensity of rainfall.
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