Human evolution is the evolutionary process leading up to the appearance of modern humans. Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people are believed to be originated from ape-like ancestors. Humans are primates. Physical and genetic similarities show that the modern human species i.e. Homo sapienshas a very close relationship to another group of primate species, the apes. Humans and the great apes (large apes) of Africa-- chimpanzees and gorillas-- share a common ancestor that lived between 8 and 6 million years ago. Human first evolved in Africa, and much of human evolution occured on that continent. The fossils of early humans who lived between 6 and 2 million years ago come entirely from Africa.