West Africa is a region with magnificent nature and rich resource potential. However, all the countries included in it are characterized by weak and unstable economies. Tribal conflicts, frequent changes of government, high mortality from tropical diseases, total poverty are the main problems here.
Geography of Western Africa
Africa is the second largest continent on the planet. It hosts 55 states and five self-proclaimed unrecognized entities. Conventionally, the mainland is divided into five sub-regions, each of which unites states that are similar not only in geography, but also in historical and cultural terms.
Starts in central Sahara. In the south and west, it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the southeast, by the mountains of Cameroon. The territory of the region covers all the main natural areas of the mainland, from deserts and tropical savannas to equatorial forests. Most of it falls on the Sahel and Sudan ecoregions (not to be confused with the country), which are grassy steppes and woodlands. Closer to the coast, there are mangroves and gallery forests.
The region's nature and resources are full of diversity. A dense river system stretches closer to the coast. Monkeys, leopards, hippos, forest duikers, buffaloes, giraffes live in its valleys. Local savannas are inhabited by lions, cheetahs, hyena dogs, gazelles and antelopes. Due to the active development of the region in the past, many species are today considered vulnerable or close to extinction, so they can be found only in nature reserves and national parks.
West African countries
The western region of the mainland is considered the largest both in terms of population and the number of its member states - a total of 16. The largest in terms of population is Nigeria, which is home to 196 million people. It is followed by Niger (22 million people) and Mauritania (4.3 million people). The largest by area are Niger (1,267,000 km 2) and Mali (1,240,000 km 2).
The westernmost country in Africa is Cape Verde. It is also the smallest in the region in terms of area and population in the region. Cape Verde is located on the Cape Verde Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. They are separated from the coast of the mainland by about 600 kilometers.
The countries of West Africa do not receive much attention from travelers. The infrastructure and transport system are practically undeveloped here, and the conditions for recreation do not rise above the basic level.
History
Almost all West African states are former colonies of Great Britain and France. It was they who retained their influence the longest. Before the appearance of Europeans, large state formations existed in the region. The Ghana Empire, the Mali and Songhai empires were located here.
During the Great Geographical Discoveries, European discoverers appeared on the African coast of the Atlantic Ocean. At first, the development of the region was slow due to numerous tropical diseases - yellow fever, malaria, sleeping sickness, etc.
At the end of the 19th century, colonization accelerated with the invention of cures for local ailments. West Africa has become a major supplier of ivory, precious stones and metals, as well as free labor. At that time, a huge number of mammals, including elephants, leopards, chimpanzees, were exterminated in the region, and the slave trade reached enormous proportions.
The first country to gain independence from Europeans is Ghana (1957), followed by Nigeria and Mauritania in 1960. Despite their free status, West African countries were in no hurry to abandon slavery, and cases of forced labor or human trafficking were recorded even in the 2000s. In Mauritania, slavery has been prohibited since 1981, but even now it remains a country where slavery is not persecuted by the authorities.
Economies of countries
The region has significant resource potential. There are deposits of oil, tantalum, niobium, diamonds, gold, manganese, iron, tin, bauxite, uranium, tungsten, and coal. Despite this, the industry in West African countries works primarily for the extraction of minerals, and their processing is carried out only at the initial level.
Some resources are still mined by hand. In some countries, such as Nigeria, spontaneous seizures of deposits often occur, and resource wars are waged. All this is hardly regulated by the authorities, due to the developed corruption and frequent change of managers.
The basis of the economy of states is agriculture, as a rule, highly specialized. For example, Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana grow cocoa beans, Senegal and Gambia - peanuts, Nigeria produces palm oil, Guinea specializes in coffee, Togo - in coffee and cocoa. Countries located on the shores of the ocean are engaged in fishing and supply of seafood ...
There are many countries in West and Central Africa, each of which has its own characteristics, traditions and history.
General characteristics of the region
Western Africa is a part of the African continent located south of the Sahara and washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Central Africa is the western part of the African continent, which is located on the equatorial and subequatorial strip.
The Cameroon Mountains are the natural border between Central and West Africa. The states of West and Central Africa are among the poorest states in the world.
In many states, the economy is completely absent. The inhabitants of these countries survive on self-sufficiency. Agriculture and industrial production is low.
Only some states are involved in foreign trade, in particular Nigeria, Chad, Guinea.
West African countries
The countries of West Africa include the following states: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria.
Infectious diseases are very common in West Africa, in particular AIDS and malaria. In Europe, this region is called the "grave for whites" - as many infections are fatal for newcomers.
The states of West Africa were Portuguese colonies for a long time, it was from this territory that the slave trade began in ancient times. After the wars of independence in the 60s of the 20th century, many West African states were freed.
However, to this day they are completely dependent on the former colonies for social and economic security of the population.
The region's infrastructure is very poorly developed: roads and railways have not been built here since the time of colonial dependence. The average life expectancy of people does not reach 50 years. Most of the population is illiterate.
Central African countries
The following states are included in Central Africa: Gabon, Angola, Congo, Cameroon, CAR, Sao Tome, Equatorial Guinea and Chad. Unlike the states of West Africa, the countries of Central Africa have a good range of natural resources.
This allows them not only to develop industry, but also to be a subject of foreign trade. So, for example, Congo has the largest reserves of gold, silver, diamonds and copper in the world.
In Chad, the economy is based on agriculture. This state exports wool, cotton and textiles to European countries. However, even the most developed states of Central Africa do not fully use their potential.
The main problem is that after the colonial period, new factories and factories are not opened here. There are no qualified personnel in these states - more than half of the population does not have to read and write.
West African countries
Western Africa is a part of the African continent located south of central Sahara and washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the west and south. In the east, the Cameroon Mountains are the natural border.
| Country | Population, million people | Capital |
| Benin | 10,32 | Porto-Novo |
| Burkina Faso | 16,93 | Ouagadougou |
| Islamic Republic of the Gambia | 1,849 | Banjul |
| Ghana | 25,9 | Accra |
| Guinea | 11,75 | Conakry |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1,704 | Bissau |
| Cape Verde | 0,499 | Praia |
| Cote d "Yvoire | 20,32 | Yamoussoukro |
| Liberia | 4,294 | Monrovia |
| Mauritania | 3,89 | Nouakchott |
| Mali | 15,3 | Bamako |
| Niger | 17,83 | Niamey |
| Nigeria | 173,6 | Abuja |
| Saint Helena, Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha | 0,005 | Jamestown |
| Senegal | 14,13 | Dakar |
| Sierra Leone | 6,092 | Freetown |
| Togo | 6,817 | Lome |
History of West Africa
The culture of this region has its roots in the ancient empires of West Africa - Ghana, Mali and Sopgai, which flourished between the 6th and 16th centuries. These empires fell into decay, in their place there were small independent kingdoms. In the 15th century, Portuguese merchants sailed here, followed by the British, French and Dutch.
Over the next 400 years, Europeans continuously invaded, establishing colonies. The conquerors exploited people and land, built gold mines, set up plantations to grow coffee, coconuts, sugarcane and cotton, and forced Africans to work for them as slaves. The Europeans took the indigenous people to America on ships, where they sold them to local planters into slavery. On the way, many died, and the survivors faced the painful life of slaves.
In 1807, Britain abolished slavery, but the independence of these countries was still far away. Colonial powers remained in West Africa until the middle of the 20th century. After that, military and dictatorial regimes were established in some countries. Today, many countries have become democratic.
EGP West Africa
The EGP of West Africa is characterized by a higher level of development compared to its eastern neighbor, but a lower level of development compared to North Africa. This region is one of the richest mineral resources in the world. Quite large reserves of manganese, tin, gold, diamonds, and iron ore are concentrated here. There are significant reserves of oil and gas. The largest oil supplier in the region is Nigeria.
Mangrove forests and mud bars stretch along the coast of West Africa. They are washed by warm rains brought from the ocean. Further from the coast, lagoons and coastal swamps are replaced by humid tropical forests, which stretch for hundreds of kilometers.
Winding rivers are often the only means of communication, as roads, already washed away during the rainy season, are swallowed up by the jungle. Moisture-evaporating forests cover the cooler central highlands. The rivers, falling from great heights into narrow gorges, form picturesque waterfalls. During the rains, the rivers flood the surrounding lands, giving off fertile silt, periodically washing away entire villages. Finally, the landscape turns into endless savannas, shimmering under the hot sun.
Agriculture of West Africa
Despite the recent intensifying industrialization in the most developed countries of West Africa, agriculture in this region continues to be the backbone of the economy. The main branches of agricultural production: nomadic and semi-nomadic livestock raising, which is especially common in the Sahel region
In West Africa, cattle breeding is harmoniously combined with agriculture. Complementary industries increase overall agricultural productivity. The main crops grown: corn, sorghum, peanuts, palm oil, cotton.
Industry of West Africa
Industrial production is generally rather poorly developed. There is a preponderance towards the extractive industries. The mining industry and oil and gas production received the main development. The processing industries are in the initial stage of development and are represented by the processing of mineral resources, textile production, cotton processing, and furniture production.
Some of the West African population works on modern machines on rubber plantations owned by foreign companies. The sparse land and arid climate make farming difficult, but the land itself contains priceless treasures. Nigeria is one of the world's largest oil producers. Deposits of phosphorite, diamond, bauxite and iron ore are the key to further prosperity.
Population of West Africa
The population of this region is about 300 million people. There is a rapid population growth, the birth rate exceeds 50 babies per 1,000 inhabitants. Consequently, West Africa is still in the second stage of the demographic transition.
Most of the population belongs to the Negroid race. In the northern part of Mali live Berber-speaking Tuaregs, belonging to the Mediterranean type of the large Caucasian race. Negroid peoples are: Fulbe, Diola, Wolof, Kisi, Serer, Senufo, etc.
In West African cities, people live in modern high-rise buildings or wooden, tin-covered houses. Many urban women travel to the countryside every day to work in the fields or livestock and poultry farms. Around the coastal lagoons, village houses with thatched roofs are built on stilts above the water. Fishermen and traders living in these areas travel by boat. Most West Africans live in rural areas, they are rather poor farmers and pastoralists. They grow millet, cassava and rice for themselves. And cotton, peanuts and palm oil are sold.
Most often, West Africa is understood as the territory on the mainland, which is washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the western and southern parts, borders the Sahara Desert from above, and is separated by the ridges of the Cameroon Mountains in the east. When scientists make attempts, they try to take into account various factors, however, it is not always possible to draw imaginary boundaries in accordance with geographic data and geopolitical systems, therefore the number of countries in a region may differ depending on the author of the classification, but usually this number in this case is around twenty.
The western region is rich in all kinds of natural resources, but the leading role in its economy is assigned to agriculture, while growing in the local fields, most often any one crop.
Nevertheless, in some places there is a developed mining industry, and some countries are also known throughout the world for the export of oil, for example.
Due to the fact that West Africa has a diverse ethnic composition, clashes between the peoples living nearby are commonplace. Therefore, there is a difficulty between the establishment of interstate relations in the entire sub-region, which repeats the problems of some where there are also contradictions between peoples.
For the countries of this region to be able to develop and achieve success, they, first of all, need to bring the metallurgical industry (ferrous and nonferrous), chemical industry and mechanical engineering to the proper level, as well as create a network of roads and fill it with modern transport.
Natural conditions and resources of West Africa
The nature of the Western subregion of Africa is greatly influenced by the Sahara Desert, which is located in the north. The transitional territories from desert to savannah are called the sahel, within which precipitation falls, but it is less than 200 mm per year. Natural conditions are such that the local population sometimes feels the tragedy of prolonged droughts. So, for several years without rains, cattle and all plants die out, even wells dry up. Such a tragedy happened in the last century (70s), which led to hunger and numerous deaths.
To the south of the Sahel, a strip of savannas and forest savannas passes through the entire region, then there is a zone of forests (variable wet, evergreen and tropical). These natural conditions and resources of West Africa have been impacted 
activities therefore their appearance often resembles savannahs. But genuine evergreen forests can be observed only in some coastal areas near mountain rivers. Their areas are still significant, however, landscape degradation is constantly increasing.
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 prevail in the coastal edges. There are few mountain ranges: Futa Jallon, Togo, Atakora, the North Guinea Upland, the Joe high plateau and some other low relief forms. There are also frequent stretches and ledges that create the effect of mountainousness between the plains.
There are many mineral resources in West Africa, however, they began to be mined quite recently. The following ores are found in the local depths: iron, aluminum, tungsten, manganese, uranium, chromium, tin and precious metals (gold and diamonds have been known to local peoples for a long time). Found phosphorites are exported to the whole world, as well as oil, the discovery of which allowed the start of numerous searches for "black gold" and natural gas along the coast. Heavy minerals were also 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 we go deeper 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, which carry dry and relatively cold air, raising hot dust. The change of the doge and the dry season is clearly traced throughout West Africa, in connection with this, an agricultural calendar was built.
In general, temperatures in the sub-region usually do not fluctuate much (except for semi-desert areas), while it can be observed from +20 to +26 degrees Celsius, in the south, where tropical rainforests are located, the average temperature is about +26 degrees or slightly higher ... An unaccustomed person can hardly tolerate the local climate, since either high humidity or a scorching 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 common to the continent as a whole.
West Africa
The area of \u200b\u200bthe region is 5.1 million square meters. km. Population - 210 million people. West Africa includes about two dozen disparate states.
It is a region rich in natural resources. There are significant deposits of iron, manganese, bauxite, tin, gold and diamond ores.
Figure: 1. Gold mine.
Nigeria is the largest state in the region in terms of the number of population in the region. And the smallest is the island-type country of Cape Verde.
The diversity of ethnic color, the multilingualism of peoples and an insignificant quantitative component of some ethnic groups create difficulties in contacts between the states of the region.
The main share in the West African economy belongs to the agricultural sector. However, multiculturalism is especially clear here.
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Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria are distinguished by the collection of cocoa beans in the world.
Figure: 2. Collecting cocoa.
Most of the countries in this area are characterized by an orientation towards highly specialized mining industry.
Among the states of the region, Nigeria is distinguished by the development of the mining industry. It is also the largest exporter of black gold. The lion's share of mineral raw materials is exported. The local industry, namely its manufacturing industry, is in its infancy.
Road connections are poorly developed. Railways connect only the interior regions and the coast. They are a kind of active monument to colonial economic policy. Important ports are: Dakar, Conakry, Abidjan, Accra, Lome and Lagos.
Figure: 3. Railways.
The task is to create a ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical industry in the region. Also, the focus is on mechanical engineering and the chemical industry, as well as modern transport.
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.
Nigeria, although it has significant oil reserves, is significantly inferior in development. Monoculture cultivation is developed in the agricultural sector. Agriculture in this segment is export-oriented.
The bulk of the region's population is forced to engage in self-sufficiency. The backbone of the inhabitants of West Africa are Berbers and Moors, Niger-Kordofan peoples. Traditional religious movements prevail in the region, but Islam is also practiced. Christians are in the minority here. Christianity became a product of the missionary activity of Europeans.