The future of the "cradle of mankind" is inextricably linked to the rest of the planet. As National Geographic magazine stated in last year's special Africa issue, "Africa is alive with stories of renewal....The continent embodies the challenge facing humankind: How to survive, and make a better life for ourselves, while sustaining a balance with nature." As they have for two and a half million years, Africans are using their strength and resolve to create a positive future for themselves and later generations.

Africa: No Lost Cause

National Geographic magazine's editor-in-chief reveals why he remains optimistic about a continent plagued with social and environmental ills.

In September 2005, National Geographic published an issue devoted entirely to Africa. When you do a single-topic issue, you don't know what the readers' response will be. But what happened exceeded our expectations. It became the most popular issue we'd ever put on the newsstands, selling more than 200,000 copies -- about 25 percent more than our average newsstand sales. So we asked ourselves why the Africa issue had connected so well with readers, and it came down to one overriding fact: Of all the publications in the world, there's not one that is more authoritative and has a longer history of covering Africa than National Geographic. Our readers expect that kind of authority from us, especially when the subject is as beautiful, diverse, and fascinating as Africa....  Read more.