The pyramids at Giza can be seen in the center of this image taken from the International Space Station in 2012, with the modern Cairo metropolitan area to the left and the Sahara desert on the right. <strong>Scroll through the gallery for more photos of the continent taken from space.</strong>
Cairo, Egypt —
The pyramids at Giza can be seen in the center of this image taken from the International Space Station in 2012, with the modern Cairo metropolitan area to the left and the Sahara desert on the right. Scroll through the gallery for more photos of the continent taken from space.
NASA Image and Video Library
The Sierra Leone river, captured in 2014 by the NASA Terra spacecraft.
River, Sierra Leone —
The Sierra Leone river, captured in 2014 by the NASA Terra spacecraft.
NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
A crew member on the International Space Station captured this image of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, covered in snow and ice in 2007.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania —
A crew member on the International Space Station captured this image of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, covered in snow and ice in 2007.
NASA Image and Video Library
The Richat Structure, a geographical feature in the Sahara, is pictured in 1993 sitting in the Gres de Chinguetti Plateau in central Mauritania, northwest Africa.
Gres de Chinguetti Plateau, Mauritania —
The Richat Structure, a geographical feature in the Sahara, is pictured in 1993 sitting in the Gres de Chinguetti Plateau in central Mauritania, northwest Africa.
NASA Image and Video Library
The ancient city of Carthage in Tunisia is pictured here, as photographed by a crew member on the International Space Station in 2006.
Carthage, Tunisia —
The ancient city of Carthage in Tunisia is pictured here, as photographed by a crew member on the International Space Station in 2006.
NASA Image and Video Library
This image of the Tibesti Mountains, Chad, was taken in 1997. The squid-like shape the lava made as it flowed down the flanks of the Pic Tousside provided astronauts with a visual marker as they flew across northern Africa.
Tibesti Mountains, Chad —
This image of the Tibesti Mountains, Chad, was taken in 1997. The squid-like shape the lava made as it flowed down the flanks of the Pic Tousside provided astronauts with a visual marker as they flew across northern Africa.
NASA Image and Video Library
The Tifernine dunes of east-central Algeria are pictured in this image, captured in 1995. "The dunes lie in a basin of dark-colored rocks heavily cut by winding stream courses (top right)," explains the caption in the Nasa Image and Video Gallery. "Very occasional storms allow the streams to erode the dark rocks and transport the sediment to the basin. Winds then mold the stream sediments into the complex dune shapes so well displayed here."
Tifernine dunes, Algeria —
The Tifernine dunes of east-central Algeria are pictured in this image, captured in 1995. "The dunes lie in a basin of dark-colored rocks heavily cut by winding stream courses (top right)," explains the caption in the Nasa Image and Video Gallery. "Very occasional storms allow the streams to erode the dark rocks and transport the sediment to the basin. Winds then mold the stream sediments into the complex dune shapes so well displayed here."
NASA Image and Video Library
This view taken from the International Space Station in 2000 shows Djibouti, the capital city of the country of the same name, in East Africa.
Djibouti, Djibouti —
This view taken from the International Space Station in 2000 shows Djibouti, the capital city of the country of the same name, in East Africa.
NASA Image and Video Library
The world's oldest Christian monastery, in the remote mountainous area of eastern Egypt, can be seen in this image taken in 2010 by NASA Terra spacecraft.
St. Anthony Monastery, Egypt —
The world's oldest Christian monastery, in the remote mountainous area of eastern Egypt, can be seen in this image taken in 2010 by NASA Terra spacecraft.
NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
This hypersaline lake, called Lake Afrera, is in the Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia, it can be seen in this image taken by the NASA Terra spacecraft in 2014.
Lake Afrera, Ethiopia —
This hypersaline lake, called Lake Afrera, is in the Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia, it can be seen in this image taken by the NASA Terra spacecraft in 2014.
NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
This image taken from the International Space Station 2009 shows the Betsiboka River in Madagascar.
Betsiboka River, Madagascar —
This image taken from the International Space Station 2009 shows the Betsiboka River in Madagascar.
NASA Image and Video Library
The swollen Limpopo River was captured by the NASA Terra spacecraft as it flew over South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2013.
Limpopo River, South Africa —
The swollen Limpopo River was captured by the NASA Terra spacecraft as it flew over South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2013.
NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi is pictured in this Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) image from 2016.
Lilongwe, Malawi —
Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi is pictured in this Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) image from 2016.
NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
This radar image from 1999 shows the Atlas mountains and parts of Morocco.
Atlas mountains, Morocco —
This radar image from 1999 shows the Atlas mountains and parts of Morocco.
NASA/JPL
Winds moving north caused the deep red dunes that can be seen in this image of the Sossus Vlei clay pan in Namibia, taken by an astronaut in 2001.
Sossus Vlei, Namibia —
Winds moving north caused the deep red dunes that can be seen in this image of the Sossus Vlei clay pan in Namibia, taken by an astronaut in 2001.
NASA Image and Video Library