Africa Unit 6

Cultural Geography of Africa Ch 19

At the same time, the region is incredibly diverse. The countries that make up this region share a common past shaped by ancient civilizations, European colonization, and the drive for independence. At the same time, the region is incredibly diverse. More than 3,000 African ethnic groups reside in this region. Other groups include Europeans, Asians, Arabs, and people of mixed backgrounds.

Rapid Population Growth Africa south of the Sahara experiences both the world's highest birth rate and its highest death rate. AIDS and other diseases, along with famine and poor nutrition, threaten this population. Population Density & Distribution Most people live in densely populated areas along the coastal belt of West Africa, along the Gulf of Guinea, and along the eastern coast of southern Africa Population & Food Production Population growth & economic challenge has made it difficult for Africa to feed its people Climate & intensive farming have depleted much of the farmland Population & Health Care Famine, unclean water, lack of sanitation & AIDS are leading causes of death Governments cannot afford aid to their people High death rate means shortage of workers which could hurt industry

Diverse Population People Without Borders Growing Cities Southern Africa is home to more than 3,000 African ethnic groups. Other groups in the region include Europeans, Asians, Arabs, & people of mixed backgrounds People Without Borders Borders do not affect daily life People within an ethnic group share a common culture Loyalty to ethnicity is more important to loyalty to country Growing Cities 30% of population live in cities Urban areas are growing fast Most of the cities lie on the coast, along major rivers, or near natural resources African cities have big buildings and shopping centers, but do have traffic congestion, overcrowded neighborhoods, inadequate infa-structure, and slums

African Roots First Civilizations Empires in the West Bantu Migrations Ancient civilizations developed powerful kingdoms that dominated patterns of trade throughout the region. In northeast Africa, the Kush kingdom and later the Axum empire thrived. Empires in the West On the West Coast of the region, the empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai traded their abundant gold for scarce salt resources from the Sahara. Bantu Migrations Bantu peoples spread across central & southern Africa. Established states in present day Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, & Zimbabwe 60,000,000 Bantu speakers in Africa today

European Colonization Europeans began colonizing this region in the 1800s. Their boundaries cut across ethnic homelands; replaced traditional, small-scale farming with plantations; and generally promoted European culture over African ways. Slave Trade in Africa Slave trade greatly increased when Europeans started shipping slaves to the Americas to work Europeans made huge profits Millions of Africans died The loss of so many young men was a huge setback to the societies they left behind Europe Divides & Rules By 1914 all of Africa except for Ethiopia & Liberia were under European control Colonizers established colonial borders that cut across ethnic homelands Missionaries promoted Christianity & European culture Colonists established plantations in place of the village based African economies

From Colonies to Countries After gaining independence in the 1900s, the new countries struggled to set up economies to meet their own needs. Ethnic and religious rivalries continue to trouble the region. Nigeria: A Colonial Legacy Several different ethnic & religious groups within its borders 1960 Nigeria became independent & religious & ethnic differences caused a civil war Today differences still plague Nigeria South Africa: Road to Freedom Until the 1990s South Africa existed under a system of apartheid Internal unrest & protest helped to end it 1994 South Africa held its 1st open election Nelson Mandela was elected 1st black president

Languages Languages: Language Diversity More than 2,000 languages are spoken in Africa today, including African dialects such as Swahili and Zulu. Language Diversity The Sudanic peoples of the NW & the NE corners of the region speak afro-asiatic languages English and French serve as a lingua franca The Dutch brought their language with them which has developed in to a dialect known as Afrikaans The people of Madagascar speak Malayo-Polynesian languages

Religions Most Africans in this region are either Christians or Muslims or follow one of the many traditional religions Traditional African religions display a reverence for ancestors & belief in a supreme creator West Africa has a large Muslim population Religious faith is central to everyday life Conflict arises from competing religious groups

Education Educational Advances New Ways of Learning Before the colonial era most children were apprenticed Europeans brought formal schooling to the region Literacy rate today is about 60% In rural areas most people are too poor to send their children to school New Ways of Learning Computers & the internet may eventually help to educate people in the region Computer access is limited

The Arts African traditions often are transmitted through the arts. One art form flourishing today is textiles with patterns that reflect distinct ethnic groups. Music, dance, and oral literature also have strong traditions

Varied Lifestyles Extended family households are common in the region Traditional dress & western dress can be seen in Africa’s large cities People tend to marry into their ethnic groups

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