Ibn Battuta's Epic 30-Year Journey Across Africa and Asia

The 14th-century Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta traveled ~117,000 km—farther than Marco Polo—visiting over 40 modern countries. His Rihla (journey) spanned:

• North & West Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali (Timbuktu), Niger River.
• East Africa: Red Sea coast, Somalia (Mogadishu), Swahili Coast (Mombasa, Zanzibar, Kilwa), Great Zimbabwe.
• Middle East: Mecca/Medina (multiple Hajjes), Yemen, Oman, Persia, Iraq, Anatolia, Levant, Jerusalem.
• Central & South Asia: Delhi Sultanate (served as judge), Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bengal.
• Southeast Asia & China: Sumatra, Vietnam, Philippines, Quanzhou, Beijing (claimed).

His account remains a primary source for medieval Islamic world geography, culture, and politics.