Cultural Geography of Africa South of the Sahara

Chapter 21

The SahelCenturies of alternating drought and rainSteppe climateEndured conquest and drought by holding

on to their traditions

Population PatternsChanging physical environment, many

diverse ethnic groups have shaped population patterns in the Sahel

Ethnic group – people which share common ancestry, language, religion, customs

The PeopleSahel region includes Chad, Niger, Mali and

MauritaniaFind Sahel region on p. 498 mapSahel made up by diverse populationsInfluenced by native Africans, European immigrants

and Arab immigrantsMore than 100 ethnic groups in Chad aloneMajor ethnic groups: Mande – Senegal and MaliWolof – SenegalHausa – NigerFulani and Berber – live throughout Sahel

The PeopleHausa – Niger, practice settled agricultureFulani – throughout Sahel, raise dairy

cattle, worlds largest ethnic group of nomadic herders, one of first African ethnic groups to adopt Islam

Berbers – throughout Sahel, maintain traditional religious customs

Majority of people in Sahel have adopted Islam

Density and DistributionSparse population in Sahel regionOnly 103 ppl/square milePopulations not evenly distributedPopulation density in Sudan highest

along Nile RiverUrbanization is prevalent in Sahel, due

to desertification, deforestations, economic need

People have migrated to cities Senegal – most urbanized country, 43

percent of people live in urban areasAverage urbanization in Sahel – 32%

First Civilizations2000 BC, dramatic shift in climate brought

immigrants from Middle East/SWA to SahelImmigrants brought with them knowledge of

agriculture and animal domesticationNile area very fertile, created great Egyptian

civilization2000 BC-1000BC, Egyptians moved south, taking

over various cultures/peoplesWhen Egyptian culture faded, cultures under their

control rose to powerKingdom of Kush – today Sudan, extended rule north

into Egyptian territory, flourished until 300 AD

Empires and ColonizationMali Empire – grew rich from gold – for – salt tradeTimbuktu – wealthy city, center of Mali EmpireTrade with Europe began in 1200s, gold in

particular, slave trade began in 1600sEurope saw region as source of raw materials,

potential market for exportsAll Sahel under European control by 1914Detriment of European colonization – geometric

borders cut through ethnic groupsBenefits – improved educationMid 1900s, educated Africans launch independence

movements

Sudan TodayNorth – mostly Arab, live mostly in cities,

favor Islamic governmentsSouth – native people, live mostly rurally,

farming, favor secular governmentDarfur – holds 1.8 million native, black

African people displaced by government militias

Language and ReligionLanguages spoken from several language

familiesCommon: Afro-Asiatic, Nilo – Saharan,

Congo-KordofanianFrench, widely spoken, due to French

colonizationIslam - dominant religion of the Sahel

Education and Health CareSchool participation, literacy rates in Sahel are

lowNiger and Mali – only third of children go to

schoolParents often too poor to send children to schoolRural areas, children provide farm laborMajor health concerns – high female and infant

mortality rates due to lack of care during pregnancy

Low numbers have access to clean water, proper sanitation, disposal of waste

2. East AfricaKenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda,

Burundi, Ethiopia, DjiboutiIndian Ocean, has served as gateway

between major trading ports in Africa, Asia and Arabian Peninsula

Swahili people, live along East African coast, descendents of East African, Arab and Persian traders

Population PatternsEast Africa shaped by location along

coastline of Indian OceanEast Africans live along coasts, in desert,

steppe, and in highlands along Great Rift Valley

Density and DistributionEast Africa density varies greatly due to climate

and land characteristicsE. Africa made up by desert, steppe and

highlands (GRV)Tanzania – varies from 3 ppsm (arid areas) to

133 ppsm in highlandsMost cities lie along the coast or along major

riversSomalia – nearly 60 percent nomadicSoaring populations, farmers struggling with

poor farmland dried out from poor farm practices, leads to shortages of food

Early Peoples and KingdomsPlace of origin for all mankindHuman bones 3.2 million years old

discovered in Ethiopia2.6 million yr old bones in KenyaCivilizations here have traded with Arabs,

Asians and Mediterranean peoples

European ColonizationDavid Livingstone, early European explorer,

doctor, missionaryWanted to spread Christianity, commerce,

civilization through AfricaBritain, France, Portugal, German – carved

up continent to protect trade routesLess than 40 yrs, created more than 40

countries out of Africa

Colonies to CountriesMany African countries win independence in 1950s

and 60sIndependence sometimes created internal problemsUganda – dictatorship during 1970’sRwanda – Tutsi (min.) favored over Hutu (maj.) by governmentgiven positions of powercreated resentmentviolence between two groups for decadesin 1994 genocide, Hutu kill hundreds of thousands of

Tutsi

Language and ReligionNumerous languages spoken in E. AfricaEnglish and French serve as lingua franca,

or common languageArab settlers brought Arabic, Islam to

regionMost people are Christian or Muslim

Education/Health CareRange widely35 percent in Ethiopia70 percent in UgandaOnly small percentage completes

secondary educationPoor nutrition, famine, overpopulation and

diseaseAIDs, spread person to person, epidemic

here

3. West AfricaDiverse peoplesMaintained native cultures through

colonization, adopted many outside customs

Limited economic meansCope with climate change, overpopulation,

ethnic conflict

Population PatternsProblems: climate change and

deforestation, food shortagesMany W. Africans moving from rural to

urban areas in search of work and education

The People Diverse ethnic groupsSome native, some have come through

migration, Arab, EuropeanTwo of largest ethnic groups: Hausa,

Yoruba

Density and DistributionNigeria, rapid pop growth2005- 137 mill, 2025 projection – 190 millMost people in SSA region live along coast and

river plainsLive here do to access to water, fertile soil,

mild climatesAfrica – fastest rate of urbanization in worldStill, most W. Africans live rurallyGambia – 60 % live rurallySenegal – 50% live rurallyNigeria – 56 % live rurally

History and Government Historical Sequence:1. WA empires2. Colonial rule3. Independent African countries

Early EmpiresTrading empires strong in W. Africa around

700 ADGhana and Mali named after ancient

empiresGhana – traded gold for salt, used for food

preservative, gold was plentifulGhana empire flourished for 500 years

The Colonial Era1400s, Portuguese set up trading posts

along W. Africa coastTimbuktu, Kano, Gao, WangaraHistory of slave trade in AfricaAfricans had enslaved each other for

centuriesArabs had brought African slaves to Middle

East since 800’sEuropeans begin African slave trade with

Americas in 1600’s

Nigeria: A Colonial Legacy1914, British form colony of NigeriaGroup several smaller ethnic territoriesNorth – Islamic cultureSouth – African religions, ChristianityIndependence in 1960 led to civil warContinues today

Language and ReligionHundreds of languages spoken in W. AfricaEnglish, French are widespreadNative Yoruba, widely spoken, many

dialectsReligions include Islam, Christianity, native

African religionsHas caused conflict

Education/Health Care18 percent literacy in Niger75 percent in GhanaGhana spent heavily on education, since

1960Access to health care unevenNiger: infant mortality of 248 per 1000

children from 1-4Due to poor health, poor nutrition

4. Central AfricaRainforests cover more than half of the

regionUnique growing environment

The PeopleMostly ruralDense rainforest makes large-scale

agriculture difficultMost are subsistence farmers, cattle raisersHome to hundreds of ethnic groupsMbuti, live in the forests, hunter gatherer,

short, under 59 inches (5 ft) tall on average

Density and DistributionCA- one of least densely populated regions

on continentGabon – labor shortagesRepublic of Congo – most populated in

regionKinshasa, capital, economic hub of region

History and GovernmentWhen the Europeans landed on the shores

of Central Africa, they found large trading empires

Early SettlementCA not settled in large numbers until AD

600-700sSettled by Bantu speakersBantu spread across one third of continentBantu founded kingdoms of Kongo (Congo),

Luba, Luanda

SlaveryEuropeans, land in late 1400sInterested in tradeRegion became center of European slave

tradeEnslaved Africans faced terrible trip across

Atlantic Ocean to AmericasMillions died on these tripsLoss of young Africans a major setback to

societies in Africa

European ColonizationOccurred during 1800sMalaria slowed colonization in CAFrance and Belgium competed for power in

regionChanged economies into resource

extraction, growing cash crops By 1960, all French colonies became

independent

Instability After IndependenceMan people in CA experienced ethnic clash,

harsh rule, human rights abuses after independence

Example: DR of Congo – dictator Mobutu Sese Seko (late 60s until 90s)

Language700 local languages in DR of CFrench widely spoken throughout CAPidgin – simplified speech used among

people who speak different languages, helps people from different language groups communicate

Education/Health CareHistorical conflicts, strained education

systemsLiteracy – 50 percent in Central African Republic85 percent in Equatorial GuineaMost areas lack safe drinking water, short

on vaccines for curable diseases, rising AIDs victims

5. Southern Africa

The People Most live rurallyMany moving to urban centersPrimary native ethnic groups:Bantu – throughout Southern AfricaSwazi - SwazilandZulu – South AfricaSan – Namibia, best known hunter-

gatherers in world

The People Since colonial rule, tensions have existed

between whites and blacksSouth Africa - minority white government,

Afrikaners, separated whites and blacks, denied blacks voting rights

Density and DistributionDensities vary widelyNamibia – 6 people per sq. mileLesotho – 154 people per sq. mileRapid urbanizationPredictions – more than half of SSA population will

live in cities by 2030In Southern Africa, many move to cities, such as

Johannesburg, to work in gold and diamond mines70 % of world's AIDS sufferers live in in Africa

South of the Sahara2 million AIDS related deaths in region in 2005

Early CulturesArchaeologists find cultural remnants

dating back 1 million years in Southern Africa

“Great Zimbabwe” – stone ruins dated between 800 and 1200 AD

Zulu, Bantu descendents, fixtures in South Africa since stone age

Kraals – Zulu homes

European ColonizationNative people exploited for resources,

slaveryLed to conflict and movements for

independenceEuropeans looking for land, resources,

settled in South Africa in 1600sPortuguese, controlled Angola, 1500s, sent

slaves to AmericasEuropeans switched local economies to

mining, cash crop plantationsExtraction of wealth

Challenges after IndependenceSouth Africa – minority white government holds

policy of apartheid, or separation of the races, denial of rights (political, economic, social) to blacks

Blacks forced to live with poor housing, denied opportunities for jobs, education, etc.

Internal unrest, international sanctions end Apartheid in early 90s

Nelson Mandela, anti-Apartheid leader, freed after 27 years in prison, elected president in 1994 (universal suffrage)

Black population still struggles with poverty due to legacy of inequality

CultureLanguages – African, English, French, DutchChristianity, most common religion in

Southern AfricaAIDS epidemic having terrible effectsUrban dwells wear western-style clothing,

use cell phones, watch television