Division of tectonic units in African continent

Africa has a long history of geological evolution and rich in mineral resources. Based on the previous research results, this paper summarized the geological background, division of tectonic units and characteristics of major tectonic units. The African continent is composed of Tethys tectonic domain and Gondwana tectonic domain, most of which belong to the Gondwana tectonic domain. It is mainly composed of Archean to Paleoproterozoic crystalline basement, overlying strata and Pan-African tectonic belt. According to the geological background and tectonic evolution of the African continent, combined with previous studies, the African continent can be divided into 2 grade Ⅰ tectonic units, 10 grade Ⅱ tectonic units, 55 grade Ⅲ tectonic units. These different grades of tectonic units give a comprehensive overview of the geological characteristics of the African continent.