Africa

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Africa is a continent directly to the south of Europe. Little was known of its extent during the Middle Ages, and it was assumed that it blocked off a sea route to India from the West. In medieval cartography the so called T-O maps showed Africa as roughly the same size as Europe, but with everything East of the Nile being part of Asia.

In the 15th century, Vasco da Gama eventually found the route around Africa and its full size was appreciated.