West Africa general information about the region on the African continent. Amazing West Africa

Most often, West Africa is understood as that territory on the mainland, which, from the western and southern parts It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, 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 in this case is - 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 western Africa has a diverse ethnic composition, clashes between peoples living nearby are a common thing. Therefore, there is a difficulty between the establishment of interstate relations in the entire subregion, which repeats the problems of some where there are also contradictions between peoples.

For countries in the region to develop and succeed, they must first proper level metallurgical industry (ferrous and non-ferrous), chemical industry and mechanical engineering, as well as to 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. The natural conditions are such that 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. 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). These natural conditions and resources of West Africa have been affected by 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 valuable 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 the oil, the discovery of which allowed the start of numerous searches for "black gold" and natural gas along the entire 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.

The material contains brief information about the region. Tells about the composition of the population and the main religion. Indicates features that are characteristic of the continent as a whole.

West Africa

The area of the region is 5.1 million square meters. km. Population - 210 million people. West Africa consists of about two dozen scattered states.

It is a region rich in natural resources. There are significant deposits of ores of iron, manganese, bauxite, tin, gold and diamonds.

Rice. 1. Gold mine.

Nigeria is the largest country in the region in terms of population. And the smallest is the island-type country of Cape Verde.

The diversity of ethnic color, the multilingualism of peoples and the insignificant quantitative component of some ethnic groups create difficulties in contacts between the states of the region.

The main share in the economy of West Africa belongs to the agricultural sector. However, multiculturalism is especially pronounced here.

West African countries

The states of the region are among the poorest countries in the world.

The list of more developed countries in the region includes:

Mali;
Niger;
Senegal;
Gambia;
Nigeria;
Guinea-Bissau;
Guinea;
Sierra Leone;
Liberia;
Burkina Faso;
Togo;
Benin;
Ghana.

Although Nigeria has significant oil reserves, it is significantly inferior in development. The cultivation of monoculture is developed in the agricultural sector. Agriculture in this segment is export-oriented.

The main part of the population of the region is forced to engage in self-sufficiency. The backbone of the inhabitants of West Africa are Berbers and Moors, Niger-Kordofan peoples. The region is dominated by traditional religious movements, but Islam is also practiced. Christians are in the minority here. Christianity became a product of the missionary activity of the Europeans.

04 May 2017

There are many countries in Africa, more than fifty. From a distance, you can hardly understand how they differ from each other. However, many of them are really very similar, and many are very different.
I will make a brief review of the eight (8.5) countries I have visited. Descriptions will be supplemented by a standard set of three photos: "city-nature-people". (I did something similar when describing the post-Soviet countries).

MOROCCO

The country in northwest Africa is the most popular country on the continent among Russian (and not only) travelers after the cancellation of charters to Egypt. Morocco belongs to Africa only geographically, in fact it is a classic Arab Middle Eastern country, but with a strong European influence.

Morocco seems to be a poor hole and a sewer if you enter it from Europe, and the height of civilization if you enter from Black Africa. Yes, this is such a connecting link in every sense: blacks go to Europe en masse through Morocco (but many, in anticipation of an opportunity to get there, settle here for a long time), and Europeans go to Black Africa. However, the majority does not go further than Morocco and does the right thing. Because there are more interesting things in Morocco itself than in all other Western African countries ah combined. Here you have ancient authentic cities included in the UNESCO list and five-thousander mountains, deserts, and all kinds of archaeological complexes. You can travel around Morocco for several weeks and constantly discover something new for yourself.

Morocco is a monarchy. A rare country that was a colony (of France), but seceded, regained its king. The official language is Arabic. French is the language of business communication, in fact the second language in the country, the majority of the population knows it.

SPAIN

"Uh, and this is then what side?" you ask. And so, that there are African lands over which this flag flies. Specifically, enclaves Ceuta and Melilla.

Until 1956, Spain owned all of northern Morocco, it was a colony separate from French Morocco with its capital in Tetouan. Then, both Morocco separated simultaneously from their mother countries, united, but Spain left control over two towns - Ceuta and Melilla.

In fact, Ceuta and Melilla are a real full-fledged Spain. I can’t even believe that such civilized species are on the continent called Africa. But what is, that is, Africa is not only thatched huts, sometimes it is like that.

Of course, compared to mainland Spain, Ceuta is overrun with Moroccans and other African refugees.

WEST SAHARA

The non-existent state, which is located south of Morocco, stretches for 1.5 thousand km. The fact is that Western Sahara was a colony of Spain, in connection with which many here still remember Spanish. However, when Spain came from here, polite Moroccan people quickly appeared here, and then the Sahara returned to its native harbor. So, in fact, what you see on the maps as the AP is, in fact, Morocco with all the consequences. If you drive along the highway, then you won’t even understand where it starts - there are no signs. And the locals will not tell you, and in general they will look askance if you use this phrase. It is correct to say "Moroccan Sahara" here.

Nevertheless, the Polisario front, fighting for the independence of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, exists for itself and is even recognized by the UN as the legitimate government of the territory. In fact, the Polisario controls several narrow strips of territory along the border with Mauritania. There is also the capital of the SADR. If you are traveling from Morocco to Mauritania, then on the four-meter neutral line that separates the checkpoints, you will meet such strange people. This is the Polisario - they also control this territory, but they do no harm to anyone.

MAURITANIA

Transitional state between the Arab and Negro worlds. Populated approximately equally by Arabs / Berbers and blacks. It is really difficult to say what kind of lifestyle prevails in Mauritania: in terms of everyday life, dirt and poverty, this is typical Africa. But at the same time, the country is very religious, the mentality in terms of communication, hospitality and other things here is exactly that of the Middle East. Yes, the country is officially called "Islamic Republic of Mauritania".

Mauritania is a very poor country both in terms of living standards and interesting places. Desert covers almost the entire territory of the country. A few cities and towns practically do not contain any vegetation and are extremely uncomfortable.

Mauritania is the last country to abolish slavery. Nevertheless, despite the fact that officially it has not existed since 1980, according to numerous reports, slavery still exists. However, local residents in conversations in every possible way deny this, arguing that there is nothing like this for a long time and close.

SENEGAL

One of the closest and most accessible countries of real "black" Africa. If you want to see classic Africa, but you don't have much time, or you don't want to spend a lot of effort and money on visas and troubled regions, you can come here! Senegal is very popular with European tourists (mainly French), who come here en masse both in cars and motorhomes, and arrive by plane. For Russians, Senegal is convenient because it has recently been visa-free.

Senegal is a rare country where there were no coups and civil wars. Therefore, official bodies do not bring any special problems to travelers. The only thing trouble spot- the Casamance region, separated from the main territory by the Gambia. It has its own separatist movement, so there are a large number of military patrols and checkpoints in the region.

However, when compared across West Africa, the people in Senegal are the least friendly and open. There is a strong negative attitude towards photography, and it is from citizens, and not from the police. Tourism is also doing its job, in connection with which begging and importunate trade are widespread here.

The official language is French. It has all the documentation, training, etc. In reality, the locals communicate mainly in the Wolof language, the most common language in the region. There are many other nationalities: Fula, Madinka, Bambara, but almost all of them also speak Wolof and know French.

Nature is rather monotonous - dry faceless savannah almost throughout the country. Closer to the border with Guinea there is some jungle.

GAMBIA

The smallest country in Africa. It is located completely inside Senegal, surrounded by it on three sides. Such an interesting geography is associated with the historical confrontation between England and France in the region. England founded forts at the mouth of the Gambia River, making its way deep into its channel, and France captured everything around.

The Gambia is a rare English-speaking country, which attracts even more tourists here than Senegal. Sex tourism is developed - old European aunts come to be friends with young pumped-up blacks.

Guinea-Bissau

A rare Portuguese colony on the continent. Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is also distinguished from its neighbors by the fact that there is practically no light here. Throughout the country, centralized electricity is available only in the capital in the center, and 3-4 more cities. The rest is max. solar panels and diesel generators.

An interesting point is that, unlike the neighbors, the population actually speaks Portuguese, including among themselves. Although, in fact, it is not quite Portuguese, but Creole - the same Portuguese, but with a bunch of changes and local dialects. However, if you know Portuguese, you can easily communicate here. And if not, many people here also more or less know French, since there are French-speaking countries around.

In the country until recently there was a rather tense situation in connection with the recent coup d'etat (2012), but it has already begun to discharge. There are few tourists in the country, but whites, as such, come across often. Basically, these are representatives of all kinds of humanitarian organizations, UN members, business people.

MALI

The largest country in West Africa in terms of territory, and, at the same time, the most interesting from a tourist point of view. However, since 2012, a civil war has been going on in Mali and the government has not controlled the entire northeast of the country, where the unrecognized state of Azawad has been proclaimed. Unfortunately, there are many interesting points on its territory, for example, ancient city Timbuktu. Now it is not available for visiting.

However, the central part of Mali is quite accessible for visiting and relatively safe. Here you can see the Janne clay mosque, the largest in the world, as well as the country of the Dogon, a unique people living in a picturesque gorge.

The country looks much poorer even than all its neighbors. There is practically no transport outside the cities except for trucks and buses. The main landscapes of the country are the bleak savannah in the south and the desert in the north. Mali is landlocked.

The official language is French, but the locals speak Bambara, the main language of central Mali. In the north, Arabic and all sorts of local languages \u200b\u200bare common, but even representatives of other nationalities speak Bambara.

BURKINA FASO.

A relatively calm landlocked country, about which it is not even clear what can be said. Burkina stands out little from African countries. Until the 80s, it was called "Upper Volta", but the President of Sankara renamed it the "Country of Worthy People".

For the last 27 years, the country was ruled by the dictator Compaore, but a military coup took place a couple of years ago, as a result of which Compaore was removed. They still cannot choose a normal president, but there is no tension in the air. Well, of course, they check documents at the posts, but without much fanaticism.

Burkina is also known as the center of cinematography. The FESPACO African Film Festival takes place here every year. Many films are shot in Burkina itself.
Nature is also dull and monotonous: dry savannah in the center, desert in the north, some jungle in the southwest, there is also a small relief there.

The official language is French. At the same time, there is no main local language here - there are too many small ones. Therefore, French is also the language of interethnic communication, locals mostly speak it.

IVOIR COTE

Country on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, three degrees from the Equator. Kot is relatively well developed due to the presence of a large port in the country. The country looks more cheerful and livelier than its northern neighbors.
In Kota, the political situation is quite tense. In the new millennium alone, two civil wars have taken place! Now everything is relatively calm, you can go to the country.

Nature in KDI is more tropical: almost the entire country is covered with jungles and forests. The climate is almost perfect - the whole year is warm - + 25-30 degrees, there is no exhausting heat.

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WEST AFRICA

Union ECOWAS. An economic association that includes all the countries of the region except Mauritania, which withdrew from it in 2004. In addition to the countries mentioned, there are also Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria. The union, by the way, is not only economic, but also military! So, for example, you can easily observe Nigerian military trucks in Guinea-Bissau, etc. And during the coup d'état in the Gambia this year, ECOWAS forces from all over the region were brought there to eliminate the dictator-president (but, of course, Senegal was most involved).

Frank CFA. Currency issued by the international bank BCEAO, operating on the territory of 8 countries of West Africa: Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger. It is very convenient for a traveler - he took it, changed it once money, and you don’t bother with exchanges.Of course, Gambia, Ghana, Guinean coal and Nigeria already have their own currency, you have to change it there.

The CFA franc is tied rigidly to the euro: 1 euro = 650 CFA. Therefore, there is no inflation here, and there is an interesting effect that the prices indicated in the guidebooks of 2007-10 are still valid today! There is also the Central African franc, which circulates in the respective countries. It has the same binding and value. However, the francs are not identical with each other, the Central African franc cannot be paid in West Africa and vice versa.

In general, the countries of West Africa are really very similar to each other. One currency, one state language, the same poverty of approximately the same level, the same blacks, the same rubbish heap on the streets. followed by flags of a different color, and that's it. Portuguese-speaking Guinea-Bissau, Arab Mauritania, and English-speaking Gambia are really different.

In addition, all these countries are strongly tied to each other: bus companies connecting all cities from Dakar to Lagos by flights, license plates of all countries are quite common in neighboring countries. You can also see the painted flags of all the countries of the Commonwealth on the trucks. And the people themselves move quite actively between states. Senegal, Mali, Burkina, Togo-Benin, Kot, Niger-Nigeria, Ghana, a little less Mauritania - as if such a single union.

Both Guineas stand apart here, as well as two English-speaking colonies of Liberia and Sierra Leone. If Guinea-Bissau still somehow participates in the general get-together with the presence of the CFA franc (the only occurrence of this currency is NOT in a French-speaking country), then the rest of the trinity generally lives its own life and has very little overlap with its neighbors. There are almost no bus flights here, cars from these countries are not found, all sorts of postal and Money transfers are not offered here either. What this is connected with is not very clear. They say that this is due to the fact that Guinea gained independence very first and immediately went on its own course. And in all these three countries, there is a complete disaster with infrastructure - there are practically no asphalt roads.

What these countries have in common is that they consistently occupy the last places in almost all world rankings. in different sequences. For example. GDP per capita.

Literacy Rate.

Africa is a part of the world with an area of \u200b\u200bwith islands of 30.3 million km 2, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland Gondwana, it has a massive outline, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical features

Africa lies on ancient platform, which causes its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost completely occupied by the Sahara desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian highlands, the southeast is the East African plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Draconian mountains The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the world's largest fault in the earth's crust stretches, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). The rivers are characterized by high water only in the equatorial zone, due to the large amount of precipitation there, most of them differ high speed currents, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest after Lake Superior ( North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest saline drainless lake - Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts of the world's greatest desert Sahara).

Due to the location of Africa between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannahs and light forests, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevre and southern Africa savannas are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. natural areas mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided among 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 are dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Africa is divided into five regions based on geographic location: North, Central, West, East and South Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is a plain. There are mountain systems, uplands and plateaus. They are presented:

the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands in the Sahara Desert;
Ethiopian highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
Dragon Mountains in the south.

The highest point in the country is Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5,895 m, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. On the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it, inland to the east, is the Kalahari Desert.

The territory of the savanna occupies the main part of Central Africa. In terms of area, it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical for savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of grassy vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. It can be almost desert savannas or tall grasses, with grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

On the territory of the African continent is the longest river in the world - the Nile. Its direction of flow is from south to north.

In the list of major water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through the territory of Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

lakes

The list of large lakes of the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. Two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of the lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the oceans ...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its coast are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the water form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the side indian ocean currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in the northern waters, and Needle, in the southern ...

Forests of Africa

Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, arbutus etc. High in the mountains grow coniferous plants, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other tree species.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests, in the tropical area evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, there are about 1000 species of various tree species: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, olive palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects living right on the trees. Live on earth: bush pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large great apes- gorillas...

40% of the territory of Africa is occupied by savannahs, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and separately standing trees(tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest accumulation of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savanna are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-footed antelope, different kinds gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, in some places there are still rare jumping antelopes - springboks.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. The oases grow a unique date palm Erg Chebbi, as well as plants resistant to drought conditions and salt formation. In the Namib Desert, unique velvichia and nara plants grow, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other animals of the desert.

Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, gazelle dorcas, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are permanently living and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in an area of low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoonal) moisture and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north receives the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of the region high pressure and the peculiarities of the movement of the trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount of precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...

Resources

African Natural Resources

In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the least prosperous continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of the proper volume of water, soil erosion, etc.

The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including species of valuable varieties. The countries in which they grow, the raw materials are exported. Resources are misused and ecosystems are slowly being destroyed.

In the bowels of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investments...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, one can note:

the mining industry that exports minerals and fuels;
the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
chemical industry specializing in the production mineral fertilizers;
as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, oil palm is grown.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total volume of agriculture. The indicators of animal husbandry are also not high, and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse flies ...

culture

The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

About 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups live on the territory of 62 African countries, which in total is about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.

Most of the peoples in Africa may number from several thousand people to several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with more than 5 million people, 1/3 - peoples with more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

West Africa. The peoples speaking the Mande languages (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Wai), Chadic (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandese), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
South Africa. Rebellious-speaking peoples, and speaking Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
East Africa . Bantu, Nilotic and Sudanese groups of peoples;
North East Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra.), Cushitic (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages (Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the South Caucasian minor race, mainly practicing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

→ References → WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA → Population of West Africa

Population 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 economic activity and religious ideas.

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 more high culture 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 of the region. The gradual "drying" of the Sahara led to significant migrations of peoples to the south and southwest of it.

The existence in the Sahel zone of West Africa of large trading medieval states - 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. 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 Wolof and Serer in Senegal, Balante, Bidyo and others in Guinea-Bissau, Nala, Landuma and Kisi in Guinea, Bullom, Temne, Limba in Sierra Leone, 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. The Hausans are a people of ancient culture who played a large 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. Total population peoples of the Guinean group - 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 merits 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 from the beginning of the 19th century. 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.).

Feature 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 West Africa are poly-ethnic states. 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. Most of these peoples have a cult of ancestors, tribal cults, fetishism, belief in the spirits of nature, etc. 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 in. 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 vigorous activity 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. Different areas of Christianity are represented in the region: 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 associated 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. Today they unite for the most part several tens of thousands of people and do not play a significant role in the public life of 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 of 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 of West Africa - painting and cinematography. AT traditional art The West African peoples had no place for painting, in part because of Islam's prohibition against depicting animals and people. Now in West Africa there are a number of interesting artists, both painters and sculptors, who creatively use the artistic heritage of the 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 1000. 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 1000. 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 births over deaths leads to rapid natural population growth, and low duration life- to a rapid change of generations. 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 of childhood and a low percentage of 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 are usually 5-8% total number 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 being carried out, long-term plans for the development of agriculture are being prepared with the involvement of the unemployed population. But ultimately, 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 are the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the valleys of large rivers - the 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 (cacao plantations, ports, mining), BSC (cacao, coffee plantations), 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 arose either as trading 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 preserved, 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 urban population - the lands of the Hausa and Yoruba in Nigeria. And still here the most high level urbanization.

Most modern cities are 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). The urban population in West Africa is unevenly distributed. 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%. The largest cities in West Africa are 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).