Editing Africa (section)

== Etymology ==

The name Africa has ancient origins and was used in different forms by Mediterranean societies. In early classical use, it was associated most closely with the northern part of the continent, especially the region around ancient [[Carthage]] and the Roman province of Africa. Over time, the name came to refer to a much larger geographic area.

Several explanations have been proposed for the origin of the name. One interpretation connects it to Latin usage, while another connects it to earlier local or Phoenician terms. The precise origin remains uncertain. In later European, Arabic, and global usage, Africa became the standard name for the continent as a whole.

The continent has also been known through regional names, especially in older texts. North Africa was often described through terms connected to Libya, Egypt, the Maghreb, and Ethiopia. Sub-Saharan Africa was described through a wide range of local, Arabic, and European terms, many of which referred to specific peoples, kingdoms, trade regions, or ecological zones instead of the continent as a single unit.