Africa

The African continent is rich in history, wildlife, and natural resources. In 1959, scientists discovered teeth and a skull that was about 1.75 million years old, leaving many to believe that humans originated in Africa.

Culture Early African civilizations used drums for many purposes including communication and ceremonial rituals. Today, the drum is still used in many African countries.

Use of technology in Africa is affected by their belief systems, political decisions, and available resources. Cape Peninsula University of Technology - South Africa Because of less technology there have been fewer modifications to the African way of life compared to the Americans and Europeans.

Geography The early civilizations of Africa were great trading empires located along waterways.

The Great Rift Valley is a fault, a crack in the earth’s crust, which stretches about 3,000 miles. This is a result of seismic activity, waves that travel through the earth’s crust. In this area there are also lakes and volcanoes. This is the area where the fossils from the earliest humans were found.

Desertification, when grassland becomes a desert, is becoming a growing problem for many African nations. Many geographers believe that overgrazing, allowing animals to strip areas so bare that plants cannot grow back, and farming is why the desert regions are growing.

African farmers have adapted to the problems of overgrazing and desertification by growing plants, vegetables, and peanuts in the savanna areas.

The Africans are also modifying their environment by digging irrigation ditches, using chemical fertilizers, and building dams for electricity. Hydroelectric Plant in Ghana

Economy Africa is a continent with many economic problems. The land’s lack of minerals and resources from overgrazing has caused many people to move to cities for more opportunities.

A country’s life expectancy, the amount of time a person is expected to live, and literacy rate, the percentage of people who can read and write, can also hurt a country’s economy. Countries with a short life expectancy and low literacy rates usually have a less developed economy.

History The Industrial Revolution required a lot of natural resources and Europe was resource poor compared to Africa. European countries began to claim colonies in Africa by the late 1800s.

To gain control of Africa’s raw materials, the governments of many European countries colonized African countries. All of Africa was colonized by European countries except Ethiopia and Liberia.

Since the 1900s, African nations have been fighting for their independence with Nationalism Movements, groups who believed African countries should be independent from the European countries. Another group, Pan-Africanism, who’s leading an ongoing effort to bring African nations together as a strong unit, believes blacks throughout the world should come together because they share a common history and culture.

European colonization has led to many civil wars in countless African countries. The Europeans cut across ethnic lines putting many diverse people under the same government.

Although most African nations gained their independence during the 1950s, many nations still suffer from the effects of colonization. Ethnic Cleansing in Sudan Some countries have corrupt governments, practice ethnic cleansing, forcing people from a different ethnic group to leave their homes, and are in boundary disputes with other countries.

In 1994, the Rwandan government of the Hutu majority organized a genocide, a mass murder of people because of their race, religion, or culture, of the Tutsi minority. Hundreds of thousands of Tutsi were killed and 2 million became refugees and fled to other countries.

Due to the decades of war and droughts, Sudan is currently experiencing desertification and overpopulation in the western Darfur area which is causing conflicts. Different groups are fighting and killing each other for water and territory causing what the world calls “The Darfur Genocide.”

Sudan’s mostly military leaders rule the country Sudan’s mostly military leaders rule the country. In the 1980s, the Muslim government began a “reign of terror” against southern Christians. There have been many peace talks and even a 2005 Peace Agreement, but the war and deaths continue.

In January 2011, a historic vote for independence was held in southern Sudan where the voters decided to become a new nation. Since the vote, at least 23 people have died in Abyei, confirming that the region is still in conflict. South Sudan became an independent country on July 9, 2011. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, with half of the population living on less than $1 per day and an adult literacy rate of less than 25%.

Chad shares its western border with Sudan, and Darfur refugees are relocating there to escape the violence. However, Chad is now fighting a civil war between the government and rebels. Many people believe the Sudanese government is supporting the rebels.

Due to a civil war and drought, Somalia has been without a real government since 1991. Armed groups are in control of the country. Recently, Somali pirates have hijacked cargo ships in the Indian Ocean heading to other countries. In February 2011, they hijacked a yacht and killed 4 hostages.