From the lovely scenic mountains of the south, to the beautiful beaches of the west, and the exotic parks of east, the regions of Africa contain some of the most breathtaking views in the world.

Starting today, you can take virtual tours of some of the most iconic landmarks and monuments in Ghana, Senegal and Uganda. That means Street View now covers 81 countries from across the world, and seven in Africa.

If you have an eye for cultural entertainment, you can now also take a virtual walk inside the National Theatre of Ghana, home to the three resident companies of the National Dance Company, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the National Theatre Players.

Explore amazing African art by taking a tour of Senegal’s imposing African Renaissance monument, a 49 meter tall bronze statue on top of one of the twin hills just outside Dakar, Senegal.

Other iconic landmarks now in Street View include the stunning Lake Retba, a unique lake known for its pink waters, and take a “drive” through major roads and towns including Dakar, Saint Louis, Thies and Touba.

We partnered with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to capture imagery of some of Uganda's most beautiful and iconic National Parks, home to an amazing variety of wildlife. With our Street View Trekker, either carried by our team or mounted on a vehicle, we travelled through seven parks, including the stunning Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is home to 10 primate species, including chimpanzees, and more than 600 species of birds.

We're excited that what began with a few South African cities in 2009, has now expanded to many other cities in seven countries across the continent. From Cape Town to Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and now Ghana, Uganda and Senegal, we're glad that more people from around the world can get a glimpse of this beautiful continent. We think you'll be tempted to pack your own cameras to explore in person as well!

Starting today we’re rolling out an update to Google Maps on Android that provides helpful everyday info—in real time—at the bottom of your home screen. Just swipe up and you’ll see three tabs that will help you find a nearby restaurant, beat traffic, or catch the next bus.

Under the places tab, you’ll see curated lists of places to eat and drink like “best dinners,” “cheap eats” or “business dining,” around you or in any location you choose. In one tap you can also search for other everyday spots like ATMs, pharmacies, gas stations and grocery stores. Peek at images of the area or read a short description of the neighborhood to get the lay of the land.

Under the driving tab, if you have your home and work addresses saved, you’ll see real-time ETAs to home and work, as well as a nearby traffic conditions report and expected delays on the road ahead. If you don’t need turn-by-turn directions but want real-time traffic info as you take your usual route, you can tap on “start driving” to go directly into driving mode.

With  the transit tab, you’ll never have to sprint to the bus again. If you have your home and work addresses saved, you’ll see a recommendation for which bus or train to take, when the next one’s coming, and an ETA for when you’ll arrive at work or home. If you’re headed somewhere else, you can swipe down to find nearby transit stations along with real-time schedules.

When you're on the go, there's no time for apps that can't keep up.Whether you need to get to work or you’re just looking for a quick bite around you, Google Maps gives you the personalized information about your world to make decisions and get around with confidence.

It’s Friday night and you hit the road early enough to make it to a movie, grab some buttery popcorn, and catch the previews. But when you get to the theater, parking is hard to come by and you spend the next 20 minutes circling the lot and side streets until a spot finally opens up. You get to your seat just in time for the opening credits…and no popcorn!  

Factoring in time for parking can make or break a night out, let alone making it to that big meeting on time. So in 25 metro areas throughout the U.S., we’ve introduced a new parking difficulty icon in Google Maps for Android that’ll give you a heads up on what kind of parking crunch to prepare for when you’re on the go.

To see how hard it might be to park where you’re headed, just get directions to your destination and look for the parking difficulty icon in the directions card at the bottom of the screen. Parking difficulties range from limited to medium to easy and are based on historical parking data (similar to how we calculate Popular Times and Visit Duration).

For now, look out for parking difficulty icons in the following metro areas across the U.S.: San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Portland and Sacramento.

It’s Friday night and you hit the road early enough to make it to a movie, grab some buttery popcorn, and catch the previews. But when you get to the theater, parking is hard to come by and you spend the next 20 minutes circling the lot and side streets until a spot finally opens up. You get to your seat just in time for the opening credits…and no popcorn!  

Factoring in time for parking can make or break a night out, let alone making it to that big meeting on time. So in 25 metro areas throughout the U.S., we’ve introduced a new parking difficulty icon in Google Maps for Android that’ll give you a heads up on what kind of parking crunch to prepare for when you’re on the go.

To see how hard it might be to park where you’re headed, just get directions to your destination and look for the parking difficulty icon in the directions card at the bottom of the screen. Parking difficulties range from limited to medium to easy and are based on historical parking data (similar to how we calculate Popular Times and Visit Duration).

For now, look out for parking difficulty icons in the following metro areas across the U.S.: San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington, DC, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Portland and Sacramento.

Last year, we introduced a new ride services mode to Google Maps as a convenient option for people to easily get where they need to go. Since then we’ve added a number of new ride service partners in the U.S. and worldwide. Today, we’re starting to roll out an updated ride services experience to make it even easier for you to book a ride directly from Google Maps, on both Android and iOS globally.

A new look

With today's updates, you'll now see more types of ride options and more actionable information. When you open ride services mode, instead of a long list of ride service providers and ride options, you’ll see the map you know and love, along with a carousel of ride service providers in your area. Just tap on your preferred provider to see a complete list of ride options and special offers or promotions.

Book an Uber ride directly within Google Maps

We’re also trying out a new integration that lets you book, complete and pay for an Uber ride without ever leaving Google Maps—even if you don’t have the Uber app installed on your device. Once you sign into your existing Uber account (or create one), you can book an Uber ride, track your driver on the map, and connect with your driver—all from within the Google Maps app. Here’s how it works:

You can even take a look at information about your destination while en route. So menus, hours and other helpful details are only a swipe away.

From booking a ride to reserving a table at a local restaurant, booking your favorite fitness class to ordering delivery for a night in, Google Maps no longer just shows you the information you're looking for. It also makes it easier to get things done in the real world — all in one place.