This part of the project includes ~17.5 million sq.km of continental sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and 591,740 sq.km of Madagascar, giving a total of ~18.1 million sq.km covering 42 countries. The area excludes hot and cold desert regions based on the recently revised Köppen-Geiger climate classification developed at the University of Vienna, as well as non-desert areas of Northern Africa, small island nations, protectorates and national territories.