West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset This article refers to the cardinal direction for other uses see West (disambiguation. The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries distributed over an area of approximately 5 million square km:[1]
With the exception of Mauritania, all of these countries are members of the ECOWAS or Economic Community of West African States. Geopolitics is the study that analyzes Geography, History and Social science with reference to Spatial politics and patterns at various scales The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location Benin (bə'nɪn officially the Republic of Benin, and also known as Benin Republic, is a country in Western Africa. Burkina Faso (bɚˌkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ burr-KEE-na FAH-soh) also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a Landlocked nation in West Africa Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a The Republic of Cape Verde ( Portuguese: Cabo Verde, 'kabu 'veɾdɨ is a Republic located on an Archipelago in the Macaronesia The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea (pronounced /ˈgɪni/ République de Guinée is a country in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea The Republic of Guinea-Bissau (ˈgɪni bɨˈsaʊ República da Guiné-Bissau ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɐ giˈnɛ biˈsau is a country in Western Africa, and one of the smallest Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company famous for inventing the Stand-up roller coaster. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries founded on May 28 The Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries founded on May 28 The UN region also includes the island of Saint Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Saint Helena (pronounced saint he-LEE-na) named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin and a British overseas territory The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom
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Background
West Africa is oriented west of an imagined north-south axis lying close to 10° east longitude. The Atlantic Ocean forms the western and southern borders of the region. The northern border is the Sahara Desert, with the Niger Bend generally considered the northernmost part of the region. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest The eastern border is less precise, with some placing it at the Benue Trough, and others on a line running from Mount Cameroon to Lake Chad.
Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West African nations, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups between two or more countries.
Geography and climate
West Africa occupies an area in excess of 6,140,000 km², or approximately one-fifth of Africa. The vast majority of this land is plains lying less than 300 meters above sea level, though isolated high points exist in numerous countries along the southern shore of the region.
The northern section of West Africa is composed of semi-arid terrain known as Sahel, a transitional zone between the Sahara desert and the savannahs of the western Sudan forests form a third belt between the savannas and the southern coast, ranging from 160 km to 240 km in width. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. For the country in north-east Africa see Sudan. The Sudan, from the Arabic bilâd as-sûdân or "land of the A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem.
Culture and religion
Despite the wide variety of cultures in West Africa, from Nigeria through to Senegal, there are general similarities in dress, cuisine, music and culture that are not shared extensively with groups outside the geographic region. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Islam is the predominant historical religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent; Christianity is the predominant religion in coastal regions of Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire; and elements of indigenous religions are practiced throughout. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a Before the decline of the Mali and Songhai Empires there was a sizable group of Jewish communities in areas like Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Nigeria. Jews of the Bilad al-Sudan ( Judeo-Arabic) describes West African Jewish communities who were connected to known Jewish communities from the Middle Today there are small Jewish populations in Ghana, Nigeria and Mali. Along with historic migrations, these religions have culturally linked the peoples of West Africa more than those in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Thy game Oware is quite popular in many parts of West Africa. Oware is an Abstract strategy game and is the variant of Mancala most widely considered suitable for serious adult competition Soccer is also a pastime enjoyed by many, either spectating or playing. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The national teams of some West African nations, especially Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, regularly qualify for the World Cup. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football
Mbalax, Highlife, Fuji and Afrobeat are all modern musical genres which enjoin listeners in this region. Mbalax (or Mbalakh is the national popular dance music of Senegal and The Gambia. Highlife is a Musical genre that originated in Ghana and spread to Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the 1920s and other West African Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre It arose from the improvisation Ajisari / Were music tradition which is a kind of Muslim music performed Afrobeat is a combination of Yoruba music, Jazz, Highlife, and Funk Rhythms fused with percussion and Vocal Traditionally, musical and oral history as conveyed over generations by Griots are typical of West African culture. A griot ( pronounced /gɹiɒ/ in English or in French, with a silent t) or jeli ( djeli or djéli in French
A typical formal attire worn in this region is the flowing Boubou (also known as Agbada and Babariga), which has its origins in the clothing of nobility of various West African empires in the 12th century. The Boubou / Bubu is one of the names for a flowing wide sleeved robe worn in most of West Africa and to a lesser extent in North Africa, related to the Dashiki
The Djembe drum, whose origins lie with the Mandinka peoples, is now a popularly played drum among many West African ethnic groups. A djembe (ˈdʒɛmbeɪ JEM-bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jembe, yembe, or sanbanyi in Susu is a skin covered The Mandinka (also known as Mandingo) are one of the largest Ethnic groups in West Africa with a population estimated at eleven million. The Djembe, along with the highly intricate woven Kente cloth of the Akan peoples of Ghana and the distinct Sudano-Sahelian architectural style seen in the many mosques of the region (see Djenné), are the primary symbolic icons of West African culture. Kente cloth, known locally as nwentoma, is a type of fabric made of interwoven woven cloth strips and is native to the country of Ghana, where it was first The Sudano-Sahelian is an Architectural style common in the Sahel. Djenné (also Dienné or Jenne) is a historically and commercially important small city in the Niger Inland Delta of central Mali.
History
The history of West Africa can be divided into five major periods: first, its prehistory, in which the first human settlers arrived, developed agriculture, and made contact with peoples to the north; the second, the Iron Age empires that consolidated both intra-African, and extra-African trade, and developed centralized states; third, Major polities flourished, which would undergo an extensive history of contact with non-Africans; fourth, the colonial period, in which France and Great Britain controlled nearly the whole of the region; fifth, the post-independence era, in which the current nations were formed. The full history of West Africa can be divided into five major periods Its prehistory in which the first human settlers arrived agriculture developed and contact
Prehistory
Early human people settlers, probably related to the Pygmies, arrived in West Africa around 12,000 B. C. Sedentary farming began around the fifth millennium B. C, as well as the domestication of cattle. By 400 B. C, ironworking technology allowed an expansion of agricultural productivity, and the first city-states formed. The domestication of the camel allowed the development of a cross-Saharan trade with cultures across the Sahara, including Carthage and the Berbers; major exports included gold, cotton cloth, metal ornaments and leather goods, which were then exchanged for salt, horses, and textiles. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae.
Empires
The development of the region's economy allowed more centralized states and civilizations to form, beginning with the Nok civilization which began 500 B. The Nok civilization appeared in Nigeria around 500 BC and mysteriously vanished around 200 AD C. and the Ghana Empire in the 8th century AD which stretched to the Mali empire. The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c 750 - 1076) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c Based around the city of Kumbi Saleh in modern-day Mauritania, the empire came to dominate much of the region until its defeat by Almoravid invaders in 1052. Koumbi Saleh, sometimes Kumbi Saleh was the capital of the Ghana Empire. The Almoravids, was a Berber dynasty from the Sahara that spread over a wide area of North-Western Africa and the Iberian peninsula during The Sosso Empire sought to fill the void, but was defeated (c. The Sosso Empire was a twelfth-century Takrur kingdom of West Africa. 1240) by the Mandinka forces of Sundiata Keita, founder of the new Mali Empire. The Mandinka (also known as Mandingo) are one of the largest Ethnic groups in West Africa with a population estimated at eleven million. Sundiata Keita or Sundjata Keyita or Mari Djata I (c 1217 - c The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c The Mali Empire continued to flourish for several centuries (most particularly under Sundiata's grandnephew), Kankan Musa I before a succession of weak rulers led to its collapse under Mossi, Tuareg and Songhai invaders. The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c Mossi ( sing Moaaga) are a people in central Burkina Faso, living mostly in the villages of the Volta River Basin The Tuareg (also Twareg or Touareg, Amazigh: Imuhagh / Itargiyen, besides regional ethnyms are a Nomadic The Songhai are an ethnic group from western Africa akin to the Mandé. In the fifteenth century, the Songhai would form a new dominant state based around Gao, in the Songhai Empire, under the leadership of Sonni Ali and Askia Mohammed. Gao is a city in Mali and capital of the Gao Region on the River Niger, with a population of 57978 in 2005 The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire was a pre-colonial African state of west Africa. Sonni Ali, also known as Sunni Ali Ber or "Sunni Ali" who Reigned from about 1464 to 1492 was the first great king of the Songhai Empire, located Askia the Great (c 1442-1538 also Muhammad Toure) was a Soninke king of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century Further south, Osei Tutu and Okomfo anokye have started to build the Empire of Ashanti Meanwhile, south of the Sudan, strong city states arose in Ife, Bono, and Benin around the fourteenth century. Osei Kofi Tutu I was one of the co-founders of the Empire of Ashanti, along with Okomfo Anokye, his chief priest The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West Ife (Ifè also Ilé-Ifẹ̀) is an ancient Yoruba City in south-western Nigeria. Bono Manso (sometimes known as Bono Mansu) was an ancient trading town in what is now the Nkoranza district of the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana Benin (bə'nɪn officially the Republic of Benin, and also known as Benin Republic, is a country in Western Africa. Further east, Oyo arose as the dominant Yoruba state and the Aro Confederacy as a dominant Igbo state in modern-day Nigeria. The Yoruba (Yo•row•ba ( Yorùbá in Yoruba Orthography) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or Ethnic groups in West Africa The Aro Confederacy (1690-1902 was a slave trading political union orchestrated by the Igbo subgroup the Aro people, centered in Arochukwu in present The Igbo [iɡɓo] ( Igbo: Igbo, sometimes Nd'Igbo) sometimes referred to (usually formerly as the Ibo, Eboe, Ebo
Slavery and European contact
Following the 1591 destruction of the Songhai capital by Moroccan invaders, a number of smaller states arose across West Africa, including the Bambara Empire of Ségou, the Bambara kingdom of Kaarta, the Peul/Malinké kingdom of Khasso, and the Kénédougou Empire of Sikasso. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Bamana Empire (also Bambara Empire or Ségou Empire) was a large pre-colonial West African state based at Ségou, now in Mali Ségou ( Seku, Segu) is a City in south-central Mali, lying northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region Kaarta was a short-lived Bambara kingdom in what is today the western half of Mali. The Fula or Fulbe or Fulani (the latter being an Anglicisation of the word in their language Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of The Malinké or Maninka are a part of Mandé in Africa. Approximately 7750000 Malinké are scattered throughout West Africa, including Khasso or Xaaso was a West African kingdom of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries occupying territory in what is today Senegal and the The Kénédougou Kingdom (c 1650-1898 was a pre-colonial West African state established in the southern portion of present-day Mali Sikasso is a city in the south of Mali and the capital of the Sikasso Region. Portuguese traders began establishing settlements along the coast in 1445, followed by the French and English; the African slave trade began not long after, which over the following centuries would debilitate the region's economy and population. This article discusses systems of slavery within Africa the history and effects of the slavery trade upon Africa The slave trade also encouraged the formation of states such as the Asante Empire, Bambara Empire and Dahomey, whose economies largely depended on exchanging slaves for European firearms, which were then used to capture more slaves. The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West The Bamana Empire (also Bambara Empire or Ségou Empire) was a large pre-colonial West African state based at Ségou, now in Mali A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion
The expanding Atlantic slave trade produced significant populations of West Africans living in the New World, recently colonized by Europeans. The Atlantic Slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was the trade of African people supplied to the Colonies of the New World The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The oldest known remains of African slaves in the Americas were found in Mexico in early 2006; they are thought to date from the late 16th century and the mid-17th century. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. [3] European and American governments passed legislation prohibiting the Atlantic slave trade in the 19th century, though slavery in the Americas persisted in some capacity through the century in the Americas; the last country to abolish the institution was Brazil in 1888. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Descendants of West Africans make up large and important segments of the population in Brazil, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Colonialism
In the early nineteenth century, a series of Fulani reformist jihads swept across the Western Africa. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. The most notable include Usman dan Fodio's Fulani Empire, which replaced the Hausa city-states, Seku Amadu's Massina Empire, which defeated the Bambara, and El Hadj Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire, which briefly conquered much of modern-day Mali. Shaihu Usman dan Fodio (عثمان بن فودي ، عثمان دان فوديو (also referred to as Shaikh Usman Ibn Fodio, Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye or Shehu Usman dan Fodio The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar. The Hausa are a Sahelian people chiefly located in the West African regions of northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger. Seku Amadu (Var Shaykhu Ahmadu ibn Muhammadu Lobbo, Ahmadu I, Cheikhou Amadou) (1773&ndash1845 was the founder of the Fula (Peul in French The Massina Empire (Var Maasina or Macina: also Dina of Massina, Sise Jihad state, and Caliphate of Hamdullahi) was an early nineteenth-century El Hadj Umar Tall, also Umar Tal, Umar Taal "Umar Futi" al-Hajj Umar ibn Sa'id Tal, or el-Hadj Omar ibn Sa'id Tal, (ca The Toucouleur Empire (also known as the Tijaniyya Jihad state) was founded in the Nineteenth century by El Hadj Umar Tall of the Toucouleur However, the French and British continued to advance in the Scramble for Africa, subjugating kingdom after kingdom. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa, was the proliferation of conflicting European claims to African territory during the New With the fall of Samory Ture's new-founded Wassoulou Empire in 1898 and the Ashanti queen Yaa Asantewaa in 1902, most West African military resistance to colonial rule came to an effective end. The Wassoulou Empire, sometimes referred to as the Mandinka Empire, was a short-lived (1878&ndash1898 empire of West Africa built from the conquests of Dyula Ashanti, or Asante, are a major Ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana. Yaa Asantewaa (c 1840 – October 17, 1921) (pronounced YAY ah-SAN-te-wah was appointed Queen Mother of Ejisu ( Asante Confederacy
Britain controlled The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria throughout the colonial era, while France unified Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Niger into French West Africa. French West Africa ( Afrique occidentale française, AOF) was a Federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Portugal founded the colony of Guinea-Bissau, while Germany claimed Togoland, but was forced to divide it between France and Britain following First World War. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Republic of Guinea-Bissau (ˈgɪni bɨˈsaʊ República da Guiné-Bissau ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɐ giˈnɛ biˈsau is a country in Western Africa, and one of the smallest Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Togoland was a German Protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Only Liberia retained its independence, at the price of major territorial concessions. Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire
Postcolonial era
Following Second World War, nationalist movements arose across West Africa. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In 1957, Ghana, under Kwame Nkrumah, became the first sub-Saharan colony to achieve its independence, followed the next year by France's colonies (Guinea in 1958 under the leadership of President Ahmed Sekou Touré); by 1974, West Africa's nations were entirely autonomous. Kwame Nkrumah ( September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972) was an influential 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and the leader of Since independence, many West African nations have been plagued by corruption and instability, with notable civil wars in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire, and a succession of military coups in Ghana and Burkina Faso. Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain Many states have failed to develop their economies despite enviable natural resources (see: Petroleum in Nigeria), and political instability is often accompanied by undemocratic government. The extraction and Drilling of Petroleum in Nigeria is the largest industry and main generator of GDP in the West African nation which AIDS is also a growing problem for the region, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Nigeria. Famine has been a problem in parts of northern Mali and Niger, the latter of which is currently undergoing a food crisis. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation
Conflicts
Until recently, most governments in West Africa were illiberal and corrupt and several countries have been plagued with political coups, ethnic violence and oppressive dictators. Since the end of colonialism, the region has been the stage for some of the most brutal conflicts ever to erupt. Among the latter are:
- Nigerian Civil War
- First Liberian Civil War
- Second Liberian Civil War
- Guinea-Bissau Civil War
- Ivorian Civil War
- Sierra Leone Civil War
Though a few countries like Ghana and Senegal have enjoyed relative stability and have even seen some growth, all progress in the region is contingent on the efficacy and justness of governance and the fair allocation of resources which, for the moment, both leave much to be desired. The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967 &ndash 13 January 1970 was a political conflict caused by the attempted Secession The First Liberian Civil War was a conflict in Liberia from 1989 until 1996. The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy The Guinea-Bissau Civil War was triggered by an attempted Coup d'état against the government of President João Bernardo Vieira led by Brigadier-General Context of the conflict The civil war revolves around a number of issues particularly The end of the 30-year presidency of Félix Houphouët-Boigny forced The Sierra Leone Civil War began in 1991, initiated by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF under Foday Sankoh. The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa.
Regional organizations
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), founded by the 1975 Treaty of Lagos, is an organization of West African states which aims to promote the region's economy. The Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries founded on May 28 The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS was created by the Treaty of Lagos on May 28, 1975 in Lagos, Lagos State, The West African Monetary Union (or UEMOA from its name in French, Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine) is limited to the eight, mostly Francophone countries that employ the CFA franc as their common currency. The West African Economic and Monetary Union (or UEMOA from its name in French, Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine) is an organization The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, "céfa" or just franc colloquially is a currency used in twelve formerly French -ruled The Liptako-Gourma Authority of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso seeks to jointly develop the contiguous areas of the three countries. The Liptako-Gourma Authority is a regional organization seeking to develop the contiguous areas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
See also
- Atlantic slave trade
- French West Africa
- British West Africa
- 2004 locust outbreak
- Ashanti people
- Empire of Ashanti
- Fula people
- Ghana Empire
- Hausa people
- Igbo
- Islam
- Jews of the Bilad el-Sudan (West Africa)
- Mali Empire
- Mande people
- Manillas – A form of archaic money unique to West Africa
- Seedies and Kroomen
- Songhay
- Western Sahara
- Yoruba people
Further reading
- Davidson, Basil. The Atlantic Slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was the trade of African people supplied to the Colonies of the New World French West Africa ( Afrique occidentale française, AOF) was a Federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the Colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or The 2004 locust outbreak was the largest infestation of Desert Locust in West and North Africa in more than 15 years and affected a number of countries Ashanti, or Asante, are a major Ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana. The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West The Fula or Fulbe or Fulani (the latter being an Anglicisation of the word in their language Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c 750 - 1076) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali The Hausa are a Sahelian people chiefly located in the West African regions of northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger. The Igbo [iɡɓo] ( Igbo: Igbo, sometimes Nd'Igbo) sometimes referred to (usually formerly as the Ibo, Eboe, Ebo For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Jews of the Bilad al-Sudan ( Judeo-Arabic) describes West African Jewish communities who were connected to known Jewish communities from the Middle The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c Mandé is an Ethnic group of West Africa. Speakers of the Mande languages are found in Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau Manillas are penannular (almost ring-like armlets mostly in Bronze or Copper, very rarely Gold, which served as a form of Money or Barter Seedies and Kroomen were African sailors recruited locally into the British Royal Navy in the 19th and early 20th century The Songhai are an ethnic group from western Africa akin to the Mandé. Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory The Yoruba (Yo•row•ba ( Yorùbá in Yoruba Orthography) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or Ethnic groups in West Africa Africa in History. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
References
- ^ The UN office for West Africa
- ^ Cape Verde is sometimes included due to its membership in ECOWAS.
- ^ "Skeletons Discovered: First African Slaves in New World". January 31, 2006. LiveScience. com. Retrieved on 2006-09-27. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again
External links
- West Africa by Region and Country – African Studies at Columbia University
- ouestaf.com – Online source for news and current affairs in west Africa.
- Loccidental – The News reference for West Africa.
- West Africa Review – An e-journal on West Africa research and scholarship.
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