West Africa

West Africa Landfall and The Four West Africa Landfall and The Four Climates.Climates.

• SaharaSahara – Northern part.– Northern part.

• SahelSahel – Dry grassland. – Dry grassland. Little rain. Over grazing Little rain. Over grazing by animals. Cutting by animals. Cutting down trees. Wind blow down trees. Wind blow away fertile soil. Sahara away fertile soil. Sahara expands southward. expands southward.

• SavannaSavanna – South. Good – South. Good farming. Tsetes fly. farming. Tsetes fly.

• Coast and forestCoast and forest – – plentiful rain. Rain forest.plentiful rain. Rain forest.

Niger River.

2,600 miles long. Ends, Gulf of Guinea. Forms inland delta in Sahel.

Half of Nigeria's coastline delta.

West Africa’s West Africa’s Resources.Resources. Gold. Gold. Iron. Iron. Diamonds. Diamonds. Oil. (95% of Oil. (95% of

Nigeria’s export.) Nigeria’s export.)

History W. Africa. Slave Trade.

• 1400’s Portuguese trade for gold in the Gold Coast.

• 1600’s demand for labor in Americas – slavery.

• 1800’s European countries control W. Africa.

• After W.W.II countries begin to fight for freedom.

Challenges in W Africa for new Challenges in W Africa for new nations.nations.

Borders. Borders. Education to run Education to run

government.government. Dictators, civil wars, Dictators, civil wars,

military rule. military rule. High birthrate. Small High birthrate. Small

amount of fertile land. amount of fertile land.

Sahel Countries. MauritaniaSahel Countries. Mauritania

100% Muslim. 100% Muslim. Speak Arabic.Speak Arabic. Expanding Sahara has Expanding Sahara has

forced many into forced many into cities. cities.

People very poor. People very poor.

Sahel Countries. Mali and NigerSahel Countries. Mali and Niger

Landlocked. Landlocked. 80% fish or farm along the river. 80% fish or farm along the river. Cotton main export.Cotton main export. Malaria – kills children. Malaria – kills children. Niger – 3% of land can be farmed. Niger – 3% of land can be farmed. Expanding Sahara. Expanding Sahara.

Sahel Countries. Chad and Burkina Faso

World’s poorest. Lake Chad shrinking.

Now 1/3 size. Civil War. Burkina Faso – Has

nothing.

The Coastal Countries.The Coastal Countries.

Nigeria – largest. 113 Nigeria – largest. 113 million. (Africa’s million. (Africa’s largest.) largest.)

Oil off coast. 95% Oil off coast. 95% export. export.

High birth rate.High birth rate.

Bad government. Bad government.

Senegal and Gambia.

• Senegal – (French.)• Gambia – (British.) • Odd boarder. • Dakar – capital. • Important seaport

and manufacturing center.

• Important crop. Peanuts

Liberia.Liberia.

Monrovia. (President Monrovia. (President Monroe. Monroe.

Freed American slaves Freed American slaves sent there. Clash with sent there. Clash with Africans living there. Africans living there.

1980’s civil war. Economy 1980’s civil war. Economy still wrecked. still wrecked.

Rubber and iron.Rubber and iron. Sierra Leone – Civil war.Sierra Leone – Civil war. Sierra Leone exports Sierra Leone exports

Diamonds. Diamonds.