Pangea Aƒriƙan

Fresh free fonts for 430 million

Crossing continents and connecting cultures: on its mission to expand typographic diversity across the globe, our popular geometric sans’ next stop is Africa. Designed by Christoph Koeberlin, Pangea Afrikan™ is permanently free of charge and included in the Standard License!

Nsateaa nyinaa nnyɛ pɛ. (All fingers are not the same. Twi proverb)

Unless otherwise stated, the images used are subject to Unsplash licenses.

Story

It’s only been a year and a half since Pangea was first released but thanks to the ongoing donation of a quarter of all designer royalties, over 75,000 trees have been planted and at least 2,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide has been offset. Meanwhile, Pangea also continues to pursue its second major goal: connecting cultures and continents. One way in which it does this is by promoting underrepresented languages.

From the outset, Pangea included European Latin, Greek, Extended Cyrillic (including overlooked languages such as Kyrgyz or Bashkir) and Vietnamese as well as characters for the transcription of Arabic and Sanskrit. The next language extension milestones planned are Hebrew and Arabic (Persian, Urdu, Dari as well as Pashto).

Designer Christoph Koeberlin sees Pangea as an inclusive typeface family. Its name refers to his approach of considering different cultures and continents as part of a common whole. His continuous language extensions challenge Western conventions, as more often than not successful typefaces usually only represent the alphabets of Europe and America. Pangea Afrikan marks an important milestone in this respect: it adds Latin African to its language toolbox. Providing support for languages including Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Lingala, Mende, and Umbundu, as well as some indigenous North American languages such as Lushootseed and Navajo–the languages of over 430 million people.

Fontwerk’s mission is to make typography affordable and accessible to all. We don’t want to make extensive language support like Cyrillic, Greek or Arabic an expensive additional barrier or obstacle to great typography. With this comprehensive update, we even go one big step further based on Christoph’s suggestion: Pangea Afrikan is permanently free of charge and included in the Standard License! We hope that brands, agencies and individual designers will be able to benefit from this.

Stylistically, the extension remains true to the tried and tested Pangea formula: the space-saving compactness of the narrow typefaces of the mid-20th Century is transferred to a straightforward, geometric sans serif. That means a stately x-height, ascenders that correspond to the capital letters, and letters that are hardly open. The font owes its finely balanced lightness to diagonal ends and round dots. With two optical sizes, Pangea Afrikan and Pangea Afrikan Text, something that is rather rare in the geometric genre, users get enormous flexibility and design consequence.

This update does not however, mean the end of the language extension. Together with local designers, additional Non-Latin alphabets such as N’Ko or Geʽez are in the works. These will also be available to existing and future customers at no cost. Until then, however, a little patience is required and it is important to trust the Tanzanian proverb ‘Haraka Haraka haina baraka’ (Hurry hurry has no blessings).

Further Information

In his blog, Christoph describes the genesis of this project in more detail and makes suggestions for a Latin character set that goes beyond the borders of Europe and the Americas.

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Glyphs

Uppercase

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Lowercase

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z

Latin Accents

Á
Ă
Ǎ
Â
Ä
À
Ā
Ą
Ã
Æ
Ǣ
Č
Ç
Đ
É
Ě
Ê
Ë
È
Ē
Ę
Ǧ
Ħ
Í
Ǐ
Î
Ï
Ì
Ī
Į
Ĩ
Ļ
Ł
NJ
Ń
Ň
Ņ
Ŋ
Ñ
Ó
Ǒ
Ô
Ö
Ò
Ō
Ø
Õ
Œ
Ŕ
Ŗ
Š
Ə
Ú
Ǔ
Û
Ü
Ù
Ű
Ū
Ũ
Ŵ
Ÿ
Ž
á
ă
ǎ
â
ä
à
ā
ą
ã
æ
ǣ
č
ç
đ
é
ě
ê
ë
è
ē
ę
ǧ
í
ǐ
î
ï
̇
ì
ī
į
ĩ
ļ
ł
nj
ń
ň
ņ
ŋ
ñ
ó
ǒ
ô
ö
ò
ō
ø
õ
œ
ŕ
ŗ
š
ə
ú
ǔ
û
ü
ù
ű
ū
ũ
ŵ
ÿ
ž

Numerals & Currency Symbols

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
¤
$
¢
£
¥
฿
ƒ
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Punctuation

.
,
;
!
¡
?
¿
&
@
·
*
#
/
|
\
(
)
{
}
[
]
-
­
_
«
»
"
'

Mathematical Signs & Symbols

+
×
÷
=
>
<
±
~
¬
^
µ
%

Arrows & Shapes

Ligatures

ff
fft
ft
tt

Greek

Β
Ε
Θ
Λ
β
ε
θ
λ
ω
΄
΅

Languages

Abron
Acheron
Achinese
Achuar-Shiwiar
Adamawa Fulfulde
Adangme
Afar
Afrikaans
Aghem
Aguaruna
Aja (Benin)
Amahuaca
Amarakaeri
Amis
Andaandi
Anii
Anuta
Ao Naga
Apinayé
Arabela
Aragonese
Arbëreshë Albanian
Asháninka
Ashéninka Perené
Asturian
Asu (Tanzania)
Atayal
Awa-Cuaiquer
Awetí
Baatonum
Bafia
Bagirmi Fulfulde
Balinese
Bambara
Baoulé
Bari
Basa (Cameroon)
Basque
Batak Dairi
Batak Karo
Batak Mandailing
Batak Simalungun
Batak Toba
Bemba (Zambia)
Bena (Tanzania)
Biali
Bikol
Bini
Bislama
Boko (Benin)
Bora
Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
Borgu Fulfulde
Bouna Kulango
Breton
Bushi
Candoshi-Shapra
Caquinte
Caribbean Hindustani
Cashibo-Cacataibo
Cashinahua
Cebuano
Central Alaskan Yupik
Central Atlas Tamazight
Central Aymara
Central Mazahua
Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde
Chachi
Chavacano
Chayahuita
Chickasaw
Chiga
Chiltepec Chinantec
Chokwe
Chuukese
Cofán
Congo Swahili
Cook Islands Māori
Cornish
Corsican
Creek
Dagbani
Dehu
Dendi (Benin)
Dinka
Ditammari
Dongolawi
Duala
Dyula
Eastern Abnaki
Eastern Arrernte
Eastern Maninkakan
Eastern Oromo
Embu
Ese Ejja
Ewe
Ewondo
Falam Chin
Fanti
Fijian
Filipino
Fon
Foodo
Friulian
Ga
Galician
Ganda
Garifuna
Ga’anda
Gen
Gheg Albanian
Gilbertese
Gonja
Guadeloupean Creole French
Guinea Kpelle
Gusii
Gwichʼin
Haitian
Hakha Chin
Hani
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hiligaynon
Hopi
Huastec
Hän
Ibibio
Igbo
Iloko
Indonesian
Ixcatlán Mazatec
Jamaican Creole English
Japanese
Javanese
Jola-Fonyi
Kabiyè
Kabuverdianu
Kabyle
Kaingang
Kako
Kalaallisut
Kalenjin
Kamba (Kenya)
Kanuri
Kaonde
Kaqchikel
Karelian
Kasem
Kekchí
Kenzi
Khasi
Khoekhoe
Kikuyu
Kimbundu
Kinyarwanda
Kituba (DRC)
Kongo
Konzo
Koyra Chiini Songhay
Koyraboro Senni Songhai
Krio
Kuanyama
Kwasio
K’iche’
Ladino
Lakota
Lamnso’
Langi
Latin
Ligurian
Lingala
Lobi
Lombard
Lozi
Luba-Katanga
Luba-Lulua
Lukpa
Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)
Maasina Fulfulde
Madurese
Makhuwa
Makhuwa-Meetto
Makonde
Makwe
Malagasy
Malaysian
Mam
Manx
Maore Comorian
Maori
Mapudungun
Marshallese
Masai
Matsés
Mattokki
Mauritian Creole
Mbelime
Mende (Sierra Leone)
Meriam Mir
Meru
Meta’
Metlatónoc Mixtec
Mezquital Otomi
Minangkabau
Mirandese
Miyobe
Mizo
Mi’kmaq
Moba
Mohawk
Montagnais
Mossi
Mundang
Murrinh-Patha
Murui Huitoto
Mwani
Mískito
Naga Pidgin
Nateni
Navajo
Ndonga
Neapolitan
Ngazidja Comorian
Ngiemboon
Ngomba
Nigerian Fulfulde
Niuean
Nobiin
Nomatsiguenga
North Marquesan
North Ndebele
Northeastern Dinka
Northern Kissi
Northern Qiandong Miao
Northern Uzbek
Nuer
Nyamwezi
Nyanja
Nyankole
Nyemba
Nzima
Occitan
Ojitlán Chinantec
Orma
Oroqen
Otuho
Palauan
Paluan
Pampanga
Papantla Totonac
Papiamento
Paraguayan Guaraní
Pedi
Pichis Ashéninka
Piemontese
Pijin
Pintupi-Luritja
Pipil
Pohnpeian
Potawatomi
Pulaar
Pular
Purepecha
Páez
Quechua
Romansh
Rotokas
Rundi
Rwa
Samburu
Samoan
Sango
Sangu (Tanzania)
Saramaccan
Sardinian
Scots
Scottish Gaelic
Secoya
Sena
Serer
Seri
Seselwa Creole French
Shambala
Sharanahua
Shawnee
Shilluk
Shipibo-Conibo
Shona
Shuar
Sicilian
Siona
Soga
Somali
Soninke
South Marquesan
South Ndebele
Southern Aymara
Southern Dagaare
Southern Qiandong Miao
Southern Sotho
Sranan Tongo
Standard Estonian
Standard Malay
Sukuma
Sundanese
Susu
Swahili
Swati
Tachelhit
Tagalog
Tahitian
Taita
Tasawaq
Tedim Chin
Tem
Teso
Tetum
Tetun Dili
Ticuna
Timne
Tiv
Toba
Tojolabal
Tok Pisin
Tokelau
Tonga (Tonga Islands)
Tonga (Zambia)
Tosk Albanian
Totontepec Mixe
Tsafiki
Tsonga
Tswana
Tumbuka
Tuvalu
Twi
Tzeltal
Tzotzil
Uab Meto
Umbundu
Upper Guinea Crioulo
Urarina
Venda
Venetian
Veps
Võro
Waama
Waci Gbe
Wallisian
Walser
Wangaaybuwan-Ngiyambaa
Waorani
Waray (Philippines)
Warlpiri
Wasa
Wayuu
West Central Oromo
West-Central Limba
Western Abnaki
Western Frisian
Western Niger Fulfulde
Wik-Mungkan
Wiradjuri
Wolof
Xavánte
Xhosa
Xwela Gbe
Yagua
Yanesha’
Yangben
Yanomamö
Yao
Yapese
Yindjibarndi
Yom
Yoruba
Yucateco
Zapotec
Zarma
Zulu
Zuni
Záparo
Credits & Details
Design Contributions
  • Gabriel Richter (Italics)
  • Paul Hanslow (Consultancy)
Mastering, Production

Christoph Koeberlin
Igino Marini (Spacing/Kerning)

Marketing

Christoph Koeberlin (Naming)
Fungi Dube (Graphic Design, Imagery)
Ivo Gabrowitsch (Copywriting, Specimen)
Lucy Beckley (English Translation)

Design Period
2019–2021
Release Date
December 20, 2021; Latest update August 27, 2022 (Variable Fonts)
Recommended Use

Advertising & Packaging
Editorial & Publishing
Logo, Branding & CI
Poster & Billboards
Responsive Designs