Cultural Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa
Characteristics of Sub-Saharan Africa
- 3rd most populous region in the world
- 50% of the regions people are less than 15 yrs. old
- world's highest birthrate
- world's shortest life expectancy
- world's highest population growth rate
- lowest economic growth rate
Region of Variety
- Annual growth rate about 3%
- Population will double in less than 2O yrs.
Uneven population density
- Caused by physical geography
- Established along East & West coasts, lakes, rivers
- Includes both:
- Extremely dense populated areas and
- Sparsely populated areas
- Cities have grown out of trading centers
Population and economics
1. farmland becoming extinct
2. food production dropped 20% since 1970
3. 70% work as farmers
4. famine and poor nutrition claim many lives
5. only about 37% have clean water to drink
6. GDP only about $150 billion
7. 1ow per capita incomes leaves little development for health care, food production,
overall improvement for standard of living
Rapid industrialization and population diversity
- most live in cities
- cities mainly established as trading centers
- very diverse ethnically
* more than 1000 languages, dialects
* many nations represented (many bilingual)
* ethnic groups brought together by political boundaries
* Swahili is the most widely spoke language
* Over 300 Bantu languages
Ethnic Groups
- KIKUYU (Kenya)
-Agricultural
- Patrilineal
- Educated
- PYGMY
- Very short
- Central Africa
- Hunters and gatherers
- SOUTH AFRICA
-SAN (BUSHMEN)
-HOTTENTOTS
-ZULU
~War-like chief Shaka
~1888- Zululand is annexed by British
~Economy based on raising millet and cattle
~Kraal
Apartheid - "Separateness"
-Divided population into three groups:
1. White
2. Bantu (black)
3. Coloured (mixed)
-Introduced in 1948
-1960s- anti-apartheid riots
- BANTUSTANS
- 1970-1980- some black political organizations are allowed
- 1984- Parliament open to Asians and Coloured
-1990- Pres. F.W. de Klerk releases Nelson Mandela
Religion
Christianity
- Most widespread
- Arrived in Ethiopia with missionaries and traders in AD 300s
- Also came with colonization
Islam
-2nd most widespread
- Along Swahili coast
Local Religions
- Practiced by 15% of the population
- Single god
- Spirits
History and Government
*Around 2000 BC, the Sahara became warmer and people began to migrate
- West African Kingdoms
*Power and wealth depended on Trans-Saharan trade
routes
GHANA
MALI
SONGHAI
- Central and Eastern Kingdoms
- Settled by Bantu-speaking people
- Ivory, gold, copper, and slaves were main exports
- East- mercantile city-states
- elaborate political system
Colonization
1. Portuguese
2. Slave trade
3. Other European interests
- Source of raw materials
- New market for manufactured goods
*All of Africa (except Liberia and Ethiopia) was under European control by 1914
African Civilizations
- settled near fish-filled rivers
- domesticated animals
- spread of knowledge aided by migration
European colonization resulted in:
- slave trade / Middle Passage
* claimed millions of Africans
* Africans depended on European goods
* by 1800 Africa was colonized countries started gaining independence in 1950's
Challenges
- many countries not prepared for independence
* resulted in with one party states backed by military
Sub-Sahara Africa Today
Problems:
Modernization is slow
Colonial Legacy
Civil Wars
Underdevelopment
Agriculture
- most countries still adjusting to poor economy established from colonial rule
- many would produce only one or two cash crops
example:
Burundi depends on coffee
Ghana on cocao
- risky because unfavorable growing season or drop in prices affect entire economy
Farming methods
- few commercial farming (they do provide bulk of cash crops)
- most are subsistence farmers
- shifting farming
- sedentary farming
- popopulation booming--they need technology to increase food production but
can't afford it
Forests and Seas
- forests cover about 25% of land
- only coastal nations export lumber a. 10% of world's supply
- rain forests are being cleared
- few nations involved with commercial fishing
Mining
- S. Africa has almost large portion of the world's gold
* it is one of the richest nations in the region
* most profits went to foreign investors or companies
* owned by white S. Africans
black S. Africans $1,467 per capita income
white S. Africans $7,276 per capita income
- Resource and economic imbalance
* Zaire- diamonds
* Nigeria-oil reserves
Industrialization, manufacturing
- 1993 accounted for only 14.4% of regions entire GDP
- lack capital, skill workers, transportation center
Transportation and Communication
1. railroad travel very popular
2. airlines govt owned and do fairly well
3. oil transported through pipelines
4. most freight transported by railway
5. newsprint very low
6. telephone service limited: most found in urban areas
7. television growing slowly
People and their Environment
Famine
- desertification has formed due to overplanting, destruction of trees
- droughts have turned farmland to wasteland
Civil Wars
- steal, burn other crops
- starvation and bloodshed created millions of refugees
Battling Hunger
- stop the fighting
- plant seedlings to hold soil in place
- storing rainwater
(because of some success against battle for hunger, many
countries gaining back some much lost self respect)
Saving Forests
- because of cutting trees, it is warmer
- placed many animals, plants at risk, extinction
Protection needed for wildlife
- animals have been pushed out of natural habitat causing
some endangered species
-more hunters for sport and profit and poachers
* rhino- bring money for horns
* elephants- bring money for tusks, ivory
* some nations have created preserves
