The Sahara desert separates Africa into two parts:

North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa…

The Sahara desert is difficult to cross. In the ancient and medieval world, Europeans did not cross this desert.

But North African nomads were able to cross this vast desert.

While nomads were crossing the desert sands, kingdoms were developing in West Africa.

The first of these great West African kingdoms was the kingdom of Ghana.

Between A.D., this powerful kingdom controlled important trade routes.

Of all the items exchanged in this Trans-Saharan trade, the exchange of salt for gold was most important.

While salt may not seem worth its weight in gold, salt is essential for human survival.

Due to Ghana’s location, the kings of Ghana were able to control Trans-Saharan trade.

The kings of Ghana taxed all traders entering and exiting the kingdom.

The West African kingdom of Ghana became known as the land of gold even though it never owned any gold mines.

Taxation brought wealth and wealth gave Ghana a powerful army of 200,000 soldiers.

A powerful army allowed Ghana to maintain peace in the region.

Ghana’s army was very powerful indeed but it did not conquer its neighbors.

Instead neighboring states were required to pay tribute.

However, by 1076 A.D., Muslim invaders from North Africa invaded and weakened Ghana.