West Africa
Part of the African continent, located south of the central Sahara and washed from the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean. The natural border in the east is the Cameroon Mountains.
Western Africa covers the Sahel and Sudan regions, as well as the rainforests of the Guinean region. The climate, due to the trade winds, is variable-humid with variously pronounced seasons of droughts and rains. There is almost no vegetation in the Sahel, savannahs dominate in Sudan, and strips of tropical forest exist off the coast.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, significant states existed in West Africa, such as Ghana, Mali and Songhai. In the 15th century, the Portuguese began to establish their colonies on the Guinean coast, later the French and the British, trading in slaves, in particular with America.
Guinea region for a long time considered to be a grave white man". Tropical diseases such as malaria, yellow fever or sleeping sickness killed between 25 and 75 percent of newly arrived Europeans in the 18th century in the first year. In subsequent years, another ten percent died. Diseases were spread by a huge number of mosquitoes and tsetse flies, in addition, poor hygiene conditions during the rainy seasons affected. In the 20th century, colonial borders in West Africa strengthened, but in the 1960s. wars for independence began.
West Africa is divided by tensions between Francophones and English speaking countries, consisting not only in the language barrier, but also in different mentalities and worldviews. The ties of the former colonies with the former mother countries are often closer than with neighboring states. The West African ECOWAS community serves integration in the region and tries to create peace in various hot spots: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire.
The road infrastructure is poorly developed, railways exist only from the hinterland to the coast and are a legacy of colonial economic policies. Significant ports are Dakar, Conakry, Abidjan, Accra, Lome and Lagos.
The Sahel states are among the poorest countries in the world, Nigeria, despite rich oil reserves, is also far behind in development. On the coast, agriculture produces monocultures intended for export. Most West Africans are self-sufficient.
West Africa is home to more than half of the African languages. Most of them belong to the Kongo-Kordofanian and Afroasiatic language group. Great importance for the traditional culture of the peoples living in the savannas and rainforests, has oral folklore and the transmission of knowledge, as well as the use of masks and dances for ceremonial purposes.
West Africa includes the following states:
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Cape Verde
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
Sometimes West Africa includes Western Sahara and Chad.
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There are many countries in West and Central Africa, each of which has its own characteristics, traditions and history.
General characteristics of the region
West Africa is a part of the African continent located in southbound from the Sahara, and washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Central Africa is the western part of the African continent, which is located on the equatorial and subequatorial strip.
The natural boundary between Central and West Africa is the Cameroon Mountains. The states of West and Central Africa are among the poorest countries in the world.
In many states, the economy is completely absent. The inhabitants of these countries survive on self-sufficiency. Agriculture and industrial production is at a low level.
Only some states are involved in foreign trade, in particular Nigeria, Chad, Guinea.
West African countries
The countries of West Africa include the following states: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria.
In West Africa, infectious diseases such as AIDS and malaria are very common. In Europe, this region is called the "grave for the whites" - as many infections are fatal for visiting people.
The states of West Africa were Portuguese colonies for a long time, it was from this territory that the slave trade began in ancient times. After the wars of independence in the 60s of the 20th century, many West African states gained freedom.
However, until today they are completely dependent on the former colonies in matters of social and economic security of the population.
The infrastructure of the region is very poorly developed: roads and railways have not been built here since the days of colonial dependence. The average life expectancy of people does not reach 50 years. Most of the population is illiterate.
Central African countries
The following states are included in Central Africa: Gabon, Angola, Congo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sao Tome, Equatorial Guinea and Chad. Unlike the states of West Africa, the countries of Central Africa have a good range of natural resources.
This allows them not only to develop industry, but also to be a subject foreign trade. So, for example, the Congo has the largest reserves of gold, silver, diamonds and copper in the world.
Chad's economy is based on agriculture. This state exports wool, cotton and textiles to European countries. However, even the most developed states of Central Africa do not fully use their potential.
The main problem is that after the colonial period, new plants and factories do not open here. In these states there are no qualified personnel - more than half of the population cannot read and write.
West Africa - part of the African continent, located south of the central Sahara and washed from the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean. West Africa covers the Sahel and Sudan regions.
Sudan is the northern part of central Africa, south of the Sahara to the 5th parallel north of the equator. His southern border, like the border with the Sahara, is determined by the climate and is not pronounced - from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east and Kenya in the south.
The Western Sudan subregion includes territories: Burkina Faso, northern Mali, parts of Niger, Guinea, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Mauritania.
Sahel (translated from Arabic means "shore", "border" or "coast") - a tropical savannah in Africa, a kind of transition between the northern Sahara and the southern, more fertile lands the African region of Sudan (not to be confused with the state of Sudan).
The Sahel is the border zone between Sudan and the Sahara.
The Sahel stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east; in the belt, its width varies from several hundred to thousands of kilometers. The Sahel includes: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan and Eritrea.
The climate, due to the trade winds, is variable-humid with variously pronounced seasons of droughts and rains. There is almost no vegetation in the Sahel, savannahs dominate in Sudan, and strips of tropical forest exist off the coast.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, significant states existed in West Africa, such as Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Starting from the 15th century, the Portuguese, French and British began to establish their colonies on the Guinean coast, trading in slaves, in particular with America.
The West African region includes 16 states that gained independence between the late 1950s and the early 1970s. Of these, 9 are former French colonies: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, 4 are former British colonies: Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, 2 - former Portuguese colonies: Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde; Liberia is a state created by black American settlers who proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Liberia in 1847.
The main advantage of the region is its huge natural resources. There are territories rich in minerals, namely: bauxite in Guinea, iron ore in Mauritania, uranium in Niger, oil in Nigeria, diamonds in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Some of these countries are significant suppliers of various crops to world markets, for example: Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali - cotton, Côte d'Ivoire and Togo - cocoa and coffee, Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia - hevea for rubber production ; almost all coastal countries of the West African region are rich in fish and seafood.
For foreign partners, the markets of West African countries may be of interest because of their need for various groups of goods. Distinctive feature economies of the states of West Africa is that they do not provide their needs for food, technical and chemical goods. Therefore, these countries are forced to import these goods. In addition, much attention is paid to the construction of infrastructure facilities for industrial, social, tourist and other complexes.
Most often, West Africa is understood as that territory on the mainland, which is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the western and southern parts, borders the Sahara Desert from above, and is separated in the east by the ridges of the Cameroon Mountains. When scientists make attempts, they try to take into account various factors, however, it is not always possible to draw imaginary borders in accordance with geographical data and the geopolitical system, so the number of countries in the region may vary depending on the author of the classification, but usually this number is this case- around twenty.
The western region is rich in all sorts of natural resources, but the leading role in its economy is assigned to agriculture, while growing on local fields most often one crop.
However, in some places there is a developed mining industry, and some countries are also world famous for their oil exports, for example,.
Due to the fact that West Africa has a diverse ethnic composition, clashes between peoples living nearby are commonplace. Therefore, there is a difficulty between establishing interstate relations throughout the sub-region, which repeats the problems of some where there are also contradictions between peoples.
In order for the countries of this region to be able to develop and achieve success, they, first of all, should bring the metallurgical industry (ferrous and non-ferrous), chemical industry and mechanical engineering to the proper level, as well as create a network of roads and fill it with modern transport.
Natural conditions and resources of West Africa
The nature of the Western sub-region of Africa feels the great influence of the Sahara desert, which is located in the north. The transitional areas from the desert to the savannah are called the Sahel, within which precipitation falls, but it is less than 200 mm per year. Natural conditions are such that the local population sometimes feels the full tragedy of long droughts. So, in a few years without rain, livestock and all plants die out, even wells dry up. Just such a tragedy happened in the last century (70s), which led to famine and numerous deaths.
South of the Sahel, a strip of savannas and forest avannas passes through the entire region, then there is a zone of forests (variably humid, evergreen and tropical). Data natural conditions and the resources of West Africa have been affected 
activities therefore appearance often resembles savannas. But genuine evergreen forests can be observed only in some coastal areas near mountain rivers. Their areas are still significant, however, the degradation of landscapes is constantly aggravated.
The geological conditions of this region are calm, since the main part of the territory is located on the stable African platform. Basically, the relief is represented by low, flat plateaus, but low-lying plains predominate in the coastal regions. There are few mountain ranges: Futa-Jallon, Togo, Atakora, the North Guinea Upland, the elevated Joye Plateau and some other low landforms. There are also stretches and ledges that create the effect of mountainousness between the plains.
There are many mineral resources in West Africa, however, they have been mined only recently. The following ores are found in local bowels: iron, aluminum, tungsten, manganese, uranium, chromium, tin and precious metals (gold and diamonds have been known to local peoples for a long time). The found phosphorites are exported to the whole world, as well as oil, the discovery of which made it possible to start numerous searches for "black gold" and natural gas all along the coast. Heavy minerals also began to be found there.
The local climate is also diverse, which is associated with different climatic zones, in the north - subequatorial, in the south - equatorial. The region owes the main amount of moisture to the Gulf of Guinea, but almost all of it falls near the coast. In this regard, as you deepen into the mainland, the amount of moisture and precipitation decreases, from seven to three months of the rainy season.
The winter season is characterized by numerous winds that carry dry and relatively cold air, raising hot dust. The change of doges and the dry season is clearly visible throughout West Africa, in connection with this, the agricultural calendar is built.
In general, temperatures in the subregion usually do not fluctuate much (except for semi-desert territories), while one can observe from +20 to +26 degrees Celsius, while in the south, where tropical rainforests are located, the average temperature is about +26 degrees or slightly higher . An unaccustomed person can hardly endure the local climate, since either high humidity or a burning wind are extreme.
→ References → WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA → Population of West AfricaPopulation of West Africa
West Africa is a region characterized by a great diversity of the peoples inhabiting it, as well as the language families and anthropological groups to which these peoples belong, their forms of economic activity and religious beliefs.
The border of the settlement of representatives of two large races - Caucasoid and Negroid - passes through the territory of the region. In the northern regions, on the territory of Mali and Niger, Berber-speaking Tuareg live. They belong to the Mediterranean type of the large Caucasian race. However, the vast majority of the peoples of West Africa belong to the large Negroid race, the formation of which, apparently, took place in the basins of the Niger and Congo rivers. Features ee-very dark skin, very curly hair, prognathism (protruding jaws), wide nose with low nose bridge, swollen lips.
Negroid related to different nations West Africa, differ from each other in skin color, the degree of development of prognathism, the thickness of the lips, height, etc. For example, the Hausa (northern Nigeria and neighboring countries) have much lighter skin than the inhabitants of Guinea and Senegal; the average height of the Wolof is 171-173 cm, the Yoruba is 165 cm, etc. According to these characteristics, modern anthropologists distinguish several groups among the Negroids of West Africa: Senegalese (Wolof type), Niger (Mandingo type), Chadian (Hausa type).
The centuries-old neighborhood of Caucasians and Negroids has led to the emergence of many transitional groups that combine the features of two large races. Their existence was sometimes used to build anti-scientific theories about alien Caucasians who allegedly brought a higher culture to the Negroid peoples. In particular, a similar role was attributed to the Fulbe people, who now live scattered among a purely Negroid population throughout West Africa. An idealized type of “true Fulbe” was created: light-skinned, with a high straight nose, devoid of prognathism, etc. A detailed study of the anthropology of the Fulbe showed that they combine the features of the Caucasoid and Negroid large races, with a certain predominance of the latter.
The great diversity of the ethno-linguistic map of West Africa is the result of a long historical development region. The gradual "drying" of the Sahara led to significant migrations of peoples to the south and southwest of it.
The existence of large trading medieval states in the Sahel zone of West Africa - Ghana (III-XI centuries), Mali (XIII-XV centuries), Songhai (XVI-XVII centuries) - contributed to the intensification of the processes of ethnic rapprochement within these political associations. A broad aggressive policy was accompanied by migrations, the creation of settlements of captives of a different ethnicity, the mixing of the population and the formation of new, dependent "tribes", as was the case, for example, in the state of Songhai. The involvement of West Africa in the European slave trade also made noticeable changes in the ethnic map of the region: some tribes disappeared, others moved, others assimilated. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. During the wars of conquest under the slogans of Islam, the Fulani settled widely in West Africa, who had previously lived only in the west of the region.
There are now several large language families in West Africa1. The languages of the Afroasian family are represented in the region by the Berber language Tamashek (Tuareg) and the languages of the Chadic group (Hausa and related).
The languages of the population of the territory stretching from the Ivory Coast to Nigeria are part of the Niger-Kordofanian family. Within it, languages fall into several groups. The most significant of them is the Guinean subgroup (kwa), which includes the languages of the population of the Ivory Coast (abron, etc.), Ghana (Akan, Twi, Fanti, Ashanti), Togo (ga, guang and ewe), Benin (background) , Southern Nigeria (yoruba, for, edo, nupe). Outside the coast, many linguists include the Songhay language (the Songhay people live along the middle reaches of the Niger in Mali and Niger) in this group, although it is more common to separate this language into a separate group of the Nilo-Saharan language family.
Linguistic unity is most characteristic of the Mande subgroup. The Mande languages are spoken by the population of the steppe regions of the Western Sudan region (Mali, Senegal), the northern regions of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Ivory Coast. The Mande languages are divided into two groups. Northern (Mandetan) combines Mandingo with its three dialects (Malinke, Bambara, Di Ula), Soninke, Hasonke, Toronke, etc. The southern (Mandefu) includes coco, kpelle, mende, toma, gbande, etc., as well as some languages of Nigeria. In total, this subgroup includes about 40 languages.
The languages of the population of the Atlantic coast from the mouth of the river are also combined into one group. Senegal to Liberia. The West Atlantic (or West Antoid) subgroup includes the Wolof and Serer in Senegal, the Balante, Bidyo and others in Guinea-Bissau, the Nala, Landuma and Kisi in Guinea, the Bullom, Temne, Limba in Sierra Leone, the Gola in Liberia, etc. .
The population of the Niger Bend region speaks the languages of the Gur or Volt subgroup (Mosigrusi). These are mainly the peoples of the Upper Volta: mine, grusi (gu runsi), gourma, etc. In Mali, this group includes the Bobo, Dogon, and Senufo languages.
Another significant one. language subgroup - Benuecongolese. These are the languages of the peoples of the middle part of Northern Nigeria: Tiv, Birom, Yergum, Boki, etc.
In Northern Nigeria, a small part of the population speaks the languages of the Saharan group of the Nilo-Saharan family (Kanuri).
Among the languages of West Africa, Hausa stands out prominently. This is the language of one of the largest peoples in the region. The number of the Hausa proper and peoples close to them in terms of language and culture exceeds 10 million people. Khausan tsi - people of ancient culture who played big role in the history and economic development of the entire region, and their language has long become the language of interethnic communication in West Africa. The total number of Hausa speakers (including as a second language) is at least 15 million people. The Diula language also played and continues to play the role of the language of interethnic communication.
More than 7 million people speak the languages of the Benuecongolese subgroup, about 8 million people speak the Volt language, and more than 10 million people speak the West Atlantic subgroup. About 1 million people have Songhay. The total number of peoples of the Guinean group is more than 23 million people. The number of Mande speakers is over 7 million. The Tuareg live in Mali (more than 200 thousand) and in Niger (more than 300 thousand).
Some languages of West Africa were written in the Middle Ages and in modern times. Hausa, Fulbe and Kanuri used the Arabic graphic base ("Ajami") with the introduction of additional icons to indicate sounds that were not available in Arabic. Literature existed in the Hausa language: poems, historical chronicles (some of them translated into Russian), etc. Particularly interesting are the documentary written monuments of the temples - charters that granted privileges for services to the state (including for merits in the field of culture) ; the earliest of them belong to the XII - XIII centuries. original fiction(poems religious, historical, glorifying the work of the farmer and cattle breeder) were also among the Fulbe. Representatives of the Kanuri people also wrote in these languages, as well as in Kanur.
In addition to the borrowed writing system, many peoples of West Africa had original systems for transmitting information (notches, sketches, pictograms). On the coast of Southern Nigeria, the Nsibidi script was distributed from simplified pictographic (pictorial) signs. The wall bas-reliefs of the palace of the ruler of Dahomey, telling about the deeds of the rulers of this people, and the reliefs on elephant tusks of the Yoruba are close to the systems of pictographic writing. At the beginning of our century, the Bamum developed a written language based on pictograms. In Liberia and Sierra Leone, among the peoples of the Vai, Mende, Loma with early XIX V. there was a syllabary. On weights for weighing gold among the Ashanti (Ghana; a special system of writing numbers was used.
Today, many peoples of West Africa have a written language based on the Latin script with the addition of signs to indicate sounds that are absent in European languages. In the states of this region, local languages have not yet been adopted as state languages. At the same time, work is underway to compile a written language for the still unwritten main languages, to develop the newly written languages (Mali - Bama, Guinea - Malinka, Fulfulda and Coco, Ghana - Ashanti, Fanti, etc.).
A characteristic feature of the region, as well as the whole of Tropical Africa, is the mismatch between the ethnic territories of individual peoples and the borders of states artificially formed during the period of the colonial division of Africa. Now all the states of Western African states poly-ethnic. The processes of modern national development are dual. On the one hand, there is an assimilation of small peoples by large ones, such as, for example, the Hausa. On the other hand, there is a formation (not on the basis of the ethnic territory of individual peoples, but within the framework of multi-ethnic states) of single stable communities, which are usually called "national-political".
A significant number of Africans adhere to Islam and Christianity. No less widespread are local traditional cults> Finally, there are syncretic, Afro-Christian sects.
Islam in West Africa has a long history. Being introduced in the IX-X centuries. Muslim merchants from North Africa, with which the peoples of West Africa had long-standing trade ties, it quickly spread throughout the Sahel zone. In many pre-colonial states, it became the state religion; Arab culture and language became the culture and language of the ruling classes. In the Middle Ages, the region developed its own centers of theology and science. The largest of them existed during the reign of Sankor in Timbuktu (modern Mali). Islam in West Africa has adopted much from local traditional cults, here it is not as orthodox as in the Middle East and North Africa. In particular, he did not suppress the love of dancing and singing inherent in all Africans. A rather high position of women was preserved: in Zaria and Bornu, Muslim countries, in the Middle Ages there were even female rulers. During the period of the colonial division of Africa, the movement of resistance to the colonialists was often organized under the banner of the defense of Islam.
Islam of West Africa - Sunni persuasion; several Muslim sects operate here. The Muslim population is concentrated mainly in the west of the region and in the Sahel zone. In countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Muslims make up the vast majority of the population (in Senegal - approximately 80%, in Niger - 96, in the Gambia - 80%, etc.). In Nigeria, almost half of the inhabitants are Muslims (they are concentrated mainly in the northern regions). In Upper Volta, Ghana, Muslims are about 20%. Wolof, Fulbe, Hausa, Tukuler - the peoples are either completely or mostly Muslim.
A significant number of West Africans retain local traditional beliefs that are extremely diverse. Among most of these peoples, the cult of ancestors, tribal cults, fetishism, belief in the spirits of nature, etc. are widespread. Some peoples of West Africa also knew developed polytheistic religions. To this day, there is polytheism among the Akans (Ivory Coast and Ghana) with a host of gods headed by the sky god Nyame. The most developed pantheon of the Yoruba. Great gods “stand out” from the gathering of spirits: the lord of the sky Olorun, the lord of the earth Obata la, the water god Olokun, the goddess of the hearth Oloraza, the god of iron and war Ogun, etc. e. The peoples who reached the level of class formation before colonization and created early class states (Yoruba, Akan, Ashanti, Moi, etc.) developed a cult of a sacred ruler, and a priesthood was born. All peoples who profess different forms traditional beliefs, belief in magic, talismans, amulets, witchcraft is widespread.
Local traditional cults are followed by the majority of the population of Liberia - three quarters, Ivory Coast - more than two thirds, Upper Volta and Ghana - more than three quarters, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau - about half. The “pagan” peoples are predominantly the Dogon, Akan, Balante, Yoruba, etc. Many peoples of West Africa, who adhere to local traditional beliefs, have a cult of ancestors (the cult masks of the Dogon, Senufo and Bam Bara are especially well known).
Christianity began to spread in West Africa with late XIX V. The first attempts of Europeans to Christianize the states with which they entered into trade contacts (for example, at the end of the 15th century the ruler of Benin was baptized) were isolated and were not crowned with success. Only the vigorous activity of many missionary societies (the most active was the Catholic order of the White Fathers) led to the Christianization of part of the population of West Africa. The region has different directions Christianity: Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Anglicanism, Protestantism. After the Second World War, the “Africanization” of the church was carried out: in West Africa there are many African archbishops (in Senegal, Guinea, Ghana, Benin), there is also an African cardinal (in Upper Volta). But in no country in West Africa are Christians in the majority. Their largest number is in Benin (over 10% of the population) and Ghana (about 17%). The predominance of Catholics or Protestants in the Christian population of a particular country is historically connected with its colonial past: the former colonies of France are mostly Catholic, Great Britain - Protestant.
As already mentioned, in some areas of West Africa, peculiar Afro-Christian sects have spread, syncretically uniting the dogma and cults of Christianity and local traditional religions. Such sects arose as peculiar forms of protest; in the first periods of their existence, they often played an important role in national liberation movements. Now they unite for the most part several tens of thousands of people and do not play a significant role in public life their countries.
The culture of the peoples of West Africa has a long history. One of the most ancient types of art is rock art and petroglyphs dating back to the 10th-8th millennium BC. e. Although the bulk of monuments of this kind are concentrated in the Sahara, they are also found within West Africa, in the republics of Mali and Niger.
The region developed one of the most interesting cultures of the Iron Age - Nok (named after the village of Nok in Nigeria). It existed in the 1st millennium BC. e. over a vast territory (500 km from west to east and 300 km from north to south). Terracotta nok heads, surprisingly plastic and original, are still admired all over the world. Probably, it was on the basis of this culture that the medieval art of Ife and Benin (Nigeria) grew up. Ife culture flourished between the 12th and 14th centuries. The finds of the first bronze sculptures in Ife at the beginning of our century amazed Western scientists, who could not believe in the local origin of the sculptures and attributed them to the Etruscans, then the Atlanteans, then the Egyptians, then the Europeans of the Renaissance. Now, after numerous finds of not only individual heads, but also entire figures, the local origin of this sculpture is beyond doubt. One of the features of African sculpture, both bronze and wooden, is the tendency to significantly increase the size of the head as the main container of "life force", according to traditional ideas. This sharply distinguishes African sculpture from European and allows us to dismiss all attempts to explain the appearance of this peculiar culture by foreign influences.
On the entire western coast of Africa there are small plastic casting zones. Especially widely known are the works on metal (including gold) of the Ashanti people. Their weights for weighing golden sand are miniature sculptural groups depicting genre scenes illustrating proverbs and sayings.
Large castings from Benin, Ife, and small Ashanti sculptures were made using the "lost wax" technique. A layer of wax was applied to the clay base, on which all the details were worked out, then the blank was covered with a layer of clay, in which a hole was left. Molten metal was poured through it, melting the wax and replacing it.
Another area of traditional West African art is wood sculpture. Like bronze casting, it was closely associated with beliefs and cult and had ritual significance. However, her character was different. The bronzes of Benin are the receptacle for the souls of the rulers, while the wooden cult items are not only sculptures, but also masks. Most interesting masters wood carvings - Dogon, Senufo and Bambara. Bambara head masks, depicting a mythical ancestor - an antelope, stylized, not decorated with any materials, complemented by a costume that covered the entire figure of a dancer, played an extremely important role in ceremonies before the start of agricultural work, during initiation rites, etc.
The peoples of West Africa have long been famous as skilled artisans and skillful traders. They not only supplied their neighbors with their products, but also traded with the countries of North Africa. Camel caravans carried gold and salt, handicraft products to the north of the continent.
The traditional architecture that developed in the Middle Ages also feeds modern architecture. The palaces of the Benin and other rulers were destroyed, but the adobe mosques in the middle reaches of the Niger still survived, the palace of the Dahomey rulers was restored, which now houses the National Museum, the palaces of the sultans of Sokoto and Kano. Modern architects tend to use in their creations the traditions of Hausa and Ashanti, which intricately decorated the walls of dwellings.
The peoples of West Africa have preserved a rich tradition of oral literary creativity. Narrators - griots passed down historical legends, epic tales from generation to generation, composed songs and fairy tales. Dancing and musical art has long been widespread. These genres folk art continue to exist today. Professional writers, actors, musicians grew up on their basis. The writers Sem ben Usman and Leopold Senghor, Chinua Achebe and Wole Shoinka and others often use folk heritage in their work. In many countries, folklore ensembles have been created that are well known outside of Africa. Theaters put on both translated and original performances. New directions in contemporary art West Africa - painting and cinematography. There was no place for painting in the traditional art of the West African peoples, in part because of Islam's prohibition against depicting animals and people. Currently working in West Africa whole line interesting artists, both painters and sculptors, creatively using the artistic heritage of peoples. The young cinematography of African countries (Senegal and Guinea, for example) has already become known outside the continent.
The population dynamics of West Africa is typical of economically underdeveloped countries. The birth and death rates are very high, and the average life expectancy is low. The average birth rate in Africa is 47 people per 1,000. In West African countries, the birth rate is approximately the same as the average for the continent (for example, in Ghana - 46.6 people), the average death rate is 24 people per 1,000. Average life expectancy in most countries of the region - 35-40 years, although there have been some cases of significant longevity - 100 years or more.
The excess of birth rate over mortality leads to rapid natural population growth, and low life expectancy to a rapid generational change. The average annual natural population growth is 2.5%.
The age structure of the population of West African countries is characterized by a high percentage children's ages and low - the elderly. As a rule, about 40% of the population are children under 15, over 40% are people aged 15-44, about 9% are 45-60 years old and 4-5% are over 60. In some countries, this discrepancy is even sharper. . In Mali and Togo, children under 15 make up almost half of the population.
The policy of birth control is not carried out by all countries of the region. Moreover, the problem of demographic growth is different in different countries. State program family planning was adopted in 1969 in Ghana; some support for such plans is provided by the Government of Nigeria. More often than not, governments have a negative attitude towards family planning attempts. The reasons for this are the still weak population of the territory of many countries, the traditional large number of children (the desired number of children in an African family is 6-7 people) and the belief that a high birth rate can contribute to the development of new lands and, ultimately, strengthening the political positions of the state.
Demographic growth is outpacing economic growth, which naturally exacerbates the employment problem, especially among young people. In all countries, the supply of labor significantly exceeds the demand. On average, about 80% of the population is employed in agriculture (in Niger - 90%, in Sierra Leone - 75%), mainly in traditional, unproductive types of farms. There is hidden unemployment and underemployment in the countryside. Seasonal unemployment is observed in many countries (in Senegal it covers about 30% of the agricultural population). Unemployment is also growing in cities, where young people from all over the country flock to. Urban unemployed usually make up 5-8% of the total number of employed. With the exception of certain areas of the mining and manufacturing industries, the bulk of the employed population is concentrated in the areas of transport and services (in many countries also in the administrative apparatus).
The governments of young countries are trying to deal with this unfavorable situation. Are being developed special programs youth employment, public works of a temporary nature are carried out, long-term development plans are being prepared Agriculture involving the unemployed. But in the end, the solution to the problem of employment is connected with a sharp increase in the rate of economic growth, the implementation of a social policy that meets the interests of the masses, the introduction of planned principles in the development of the economy, the implementation of a democratic agrarian reform etc.
The population distribution in West Africa is extremely uneven. Its average density is about 10 people per 1 sq. km. km. The most compactly populated coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the valleys of large rivers - Niger, Volta, Senegal, Gambia, industrialized areas and areas of plantation agriculture.
In the northern regions of the drylands, on the borders with the Sahara and in the Sahara itself, as well as in the humid equatorial forests of the Guinean coast, the population is quite rare. The average population density in Nigeria is 68 people per 1 sq. km. km, and in the northern regions of Niger, the population density drops to 0.2 people per 1 sq. km. km.
In West Africa, the migration movement is quite developed. Significant interstate and intrastate migrations are associated with the nature of activities and the problem of employment. In West Africa, peoples and individual groups of the population continue to lead a nomadic lifestyle. Their main occupation is nomadic cattle breeding. First of all, the ego of the Tuareg and Fulbebororo. All members of such ethnic groups roam with cattle.
Migrations caused by the uneven economic development of different regions within the country are of a different nature. They can be permanent, long-term or seasonal. Migration, which is permanent, is associated with the process of urbanization; as a rule, young people aged 15-30 move to cities for permanent residence. Long-term migrations (leaving for several years) are caused by work for hire and contracts in cities, centers of extractive industry, plantation and commercial agriculture. Seasonal migrations are caused by the needs of agriculture and fishing. The centers of attraction for such migrations in West Africa are Ghana (cocoa plantations, ports, mining), BSC (cocoa plantations, coffee), Senegal and Gambia (peanut plantations), parts of Nigeria (mining industry), and Sierra Leone. Countries that mainly supply migrants are Upper Volta and Mali. The vast majority of migrants are men. This leads to the fact that, despite the approximately equal number of men and women in most countries of West Africa, their distribution is extremely uneven. As a rule, men predominate in cities and centers of commercial agriculture and industry, while women predominate in areas of traditional agriculture.
Since all the countries of West Africa are agrarian, naturally, the rural population predominates. However, West Africa has a long history of urban civilization. In the Middle Ages, there were about 70 cities. They appeared either shopping centers(Auda Gost, Timbuktu, Djenne, etc.), or as trade and craft (Kano and other Hausa cities), or as administrative (Ouagadougou, etc.) and religious (Ife, Oyo) centers. Some of these ancient cities perished (Audagost, KumbiSale, Niani, etc.), others, although they survived, lost their former significance (Timbuktu), and still others, very few, have grown into large modern cities (Ouagadougou, Kano and a number of others). Zones of the ancient city population - land Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria. And still here the most high level urbanization.
Majority modern cities of a later origin: they grew up on the bridge of colonial outposts, trading posts, mission stations, and later in mining areas. At present, the urban population is growing at a high rate (4.1% per year). posted urban population in West Africa unevenly. Low level of urbanization (townspeople make up 5-10% of the country's population) in Niger, Liberia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Upper Volta, medium (10 -20%) - in Benin, Guinea, Gambia, Sierra Leone, high (20 - 40%) - in Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria. A characteristic feature of urbanization is the concentration of more than half of the total urban population in several (sometimes one or two) large cities. In Senegal, about 60% of the urban population lives in such cities, in Nigeria - 60-70%, in the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali - about 80%, in Guinea - 80-90%. Largest cities West Africa - Lagos (about 3.5 million inhabitants), Abidjan (900 thousand), Accra (about 1 million), Dakar (about 800 thousand), Conakry (575 thousand), Bamako (404 thousand) , Freetown (274 thousand), Monrovia (160 thousand).
