Who discovered Africa in 1492?

Africa was known to various ancient civilizations long before 1492. Here’s a more detailed explanation:

Ancient Egyptians: The civilization of Ancient Egypt, located in North Africa along the Nile River, is one of the oldest in the world, dating back to around 3100 BCE. Egypt was well-known to ancient cultures across the Mediterranean, including the Greeks and Romans.
Phoenicians and Carthaginians: The Phoenicians, an ancient seafaring people, established the city of Carthage in North Africa (modern-day Tunisia) around the 9th century BCE. Carthage became a major power in the Mediterranean and was known to the Greeks and Romans.
Greeks and Romans: The Greeks explored parts of North Africa, including Egypt and Libya, and established colonies in the region. The Romans later expanded their empire into North Africa, making it a vital part of their empire, particularly for grain production.

Arab Traders and Explorers: From the 7th century CE onward, Arab traders and explorers had extensive knowledge of Africa. The Trans-Saharan trade routes connected North Africa with sub-Saharan Africa, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture.
West African Empires: During the medieval period, powerful empires such as the Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, and Songhai Empire thrived in West Africa. These empires were known for their wealth, particularly in gold, and were well-known to both Arab and European traders.

15th Century Exploration: In the 15th century, before Columbus’s voyage in 1492, the Portuguese had already begun exploring the coast of Africa. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal sponsored expeditions along the West African coast in the early 1400s, leading to increased European knowledge of Africa.
Bartolomeu Dias: In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese explorer, became the first European to round the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, opening a sea route to Asia.

By 1492, Africa was already well-known to Europeans, Arabs, and other civilizations. The continent was not “discovered” in the sense that the Americas were by Columbus, as Africa had been part of the known world for millennia. The year 1492 is significant in history primarily for the European discovery of the Americas, not Africa.