Western Africa

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Western Africa
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Western Africa

• The most populated sub-region of Africa south of
  the Sahara.
• 200 million people 40 of the total.
• Have more links to the world economic system than
  C. Africa.
• Nearer to Europe and a longer coastline the
  region was well explored and colonized by the
  British and French.

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Western Africa

• From 1400's slave traders and prospectors.
• 1800's French British.
• British and French established plantations for
  growing caco and palm oil and some mining.
• 12 of the 15 countries have roads built to
  connect ports with internal plantations and
  mines.
• The population growth outstrips and economic
  growth.

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Western Africa
Ghana Coast

• Nigeria, Ghana Ivory Coast were the most
  economically advanced African countries, but
  since independence between 1957 -1964, internal
  rivalries, changing governments, smuggling,
  shifting world markets and population explosion
  have halted progress.

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• Countries with south-facing coasts have greater
  range of productive environments coastal
  tropical forests and inland savannas.
• Muslims in the north, Christians in the south.
• West facing coastlines have savannas or deserts.

• Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are land-locked with
  no coast. - frequent water shortages.
• The ports established by the colonials, remain
  the largest cities.
• Nigeria is the largest most populous country of
  W. Africa.

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People

• High birth rates and very high numbers of
  children and young.
• Slightly more urban, than Central Africa, but
  this is related to jobs, better health and
  education.

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Western Africa

• Major cities began as ports or port-related
  colonial developments.
• Inland centers began as ancient trade centers.
• 1400's Muslim invasion thru the Sahara, set up
  powerful empires south of the Sahara and forced
  major migrations of African tribes toward the
  south and east.
• The late 1800's - British, French Germans raced
  to colonize
• Africa.
• After a series of military engagements, the
  French took over.
• Many Muslim / Christian / tribal conflicts.

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Economic Development

• Ghana became the first independent ex-colony in
  1957. Rest by 1960.
• Attempts to merge smaller countries failed.
• Restricted economic base, rapid population
  growth, drought, political conflict
  mismanagement and fluctuating world markets Keep
  these countries from progressing.

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Commercial Agriculture

• Agriculture - the primary source of employment
  and income for most countries.
• Commercial agriculture in the coastal countries-
  major world producers of palm oil, caco, rubber,
  tropical fruits and coffee.
• Peanuts in the drier north.

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Agriculture

• Agriculture development was first to large
  externally funded projects, then to smaller scale
  projects that involved the local farmers.

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Tree Crop Plantations

• Most coastal forests were cut down and replanted
  by tree crop plantations.

Rubber production
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Forestry, Fishing, Mining

• In Nigeria, attempts to maintain the woodland set
  aside an national forest reserves are being
  challenged by farmers and timber companies.
• W Africa does not have the mineral riches of S
  Africa, but it still does have some minerals like
  gold, bauxite, iron, tin, uranium, phosphates and
  oil and gas in Nigeria.

Cross Rivers in Nigerian rainforest.
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Manufacturing

• In the 1970's, countries that had neglected
  development of food production, had to pay for
  food imports.
• Large-scale water projects in drier areas of the
  north were established to increase production,
  but were poorly managed.
• Limited development In W. Africa. 5 -15 GDP.
• Most countries have import- substitution
  industries producing food, drink, construction
  materials, and low-price or high bulk materials
  for local markets.
• Export crops and minerals are sometimes processed
  locally in oil- refining, textile, fertilizer,
  aluminum, rubber or fish-meal.
• Services, including tourism, are growing slowly.

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African Art
Gabon mask
Benin mask and Kubu mask.
Angola mask
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What is a mask ?

• In a general sense, the word "mask" refers to a
  physical object that conceals the identity of the
  wearer.
• In Africa, masks represent spirits, ancestors,
  and historical and mythological characters.

Left Ivory Coast face masks Above Angola spirit
mask
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What is a Masquerade?

• In parts of Africa where masking traditions
  exist, masks appear or dance in a masquerade.
• A masquerade is a community event that is
  composed of musicians, dancers and an audience
  that interacts with the mask through dance, call
  and response.

Benin Togo mask dance.
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Southern Sahara
Above Tombouctou Safari . Visit legendary
Tombouctou, once the cultural capital of the
world, where a kilo of gold was traded for a kilo
of salt and Tuareg nomads still traverse the long
journey across the desert today to trade their
crafts in the market place - Mali
Niger Camel market trek
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Niger Desert
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MALI Dogon Tribes
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MALI Dogon Tribes
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Dogon Country Village
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MALI Dogon Tribes
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Dogon Harvest
Millet onions
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Mali Dogon village
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BurkinaFaso
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Ghana
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Ivory Coast huts
Benin stilt houses
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Africa West