West Africa Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone

A History of Rich Trading Empires West Africa is a cultural hearth, and its ideas and practices spread to North Africa and Europe. The Empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai (later becomes a part of Mali) thrived in West Africa because of their location on trade routes across the Sahara. Gold and salt were the main products traded. Trade across the Sahara existed for hundreds of years.

Stateless Societies West Africa is filled with many different cultures and people. Before colonialism, some of these people lived in what are called stateless societies. A stateless society is one in which people rely on family lineages to govern themselves, rather than an elected government or a monarch. A lineage is a family or group that has descended from a common ancestor, and members work through their differences to cooperate and share power.

West Africa Struggles Economically Trade is as important to West Africa today, as it was in the past. The economy is based on the sale of its products to industrialized countries in Europe, North America and Asia. Economies range from a strong central economy in Ghana to the weak economy of Sierra Leone. Years of civil war, disease, and political unrest have left Sierra Leone in poverty. Corruption in government and business practices have left the economy of the country in shambles.

Strong Economy of Ghana The economy has grown in Ghana, making it one of the undisputed successes in Africa. Nevertheless, some parts of the country remain extremely poor, particularly in the north. The most important sector for Ghana is agriculture, which employs over half the population. The country is the second largest producer of cocoa beans in the world. Cocoa nets earnings of nearly one billion dollars annually from the global market for chocolate. Gold mining in Ghana has a history dating back to the 15th century, and the country remains Africa’s second largest producer.