Geography
West Africa is the area covering the westernmost region of the African continent. The region of West Africa lies between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea.
Size
West Africa is comprised of 15 or 16 (sometimes Cameroon is included) countries that cover more than 2 million square miles of land. West Africa boasts a population of more than 250 million people (see Resource 1).
History
West Africa is believed to have been inhabited since 12,000 B.C. The region is also home to some of Africa's greatest civilizations, including the empires of Songhai, Mali, Ghana, Benin and Ashanti.
Identification
Unlike most of Sub-Saharan Africa, West Africans do not speak Bantu-based languages. West African languages (excluding Creole languages) are classified in numerous branches of the Niger-Congo language family. These languages, unlike Bantu-based languages, usually lack a noun-class system and are derived from the tonal and nasal patterns of early Sudanic dialects (see Resource 3).
Fun Fact
The modern banjo originated in West Africa. Made from a synthesis of gourd-bodied stringed instruments, the African lute was reinvented and adapted by enslaved Africans in America. The original instrument was commonly played by griots, who were revered in West Africa as musicians, storytellers, poets and oral historians.
Article Written By Ayisatu J. Taylor
Ayisatu J. Taylor is a graduate of Smith College and has been writing for 5 years. She lives in the Washington Metropolitan area and plans to attend graduate school to study public health. Ms. Taylor is an avid traveler with a passion for good music, good movies, good food, and good friends.
