The document summarizes key information about West Africa, including its four climatic regions from north to south (Sahara desert, Sahel grasslands, savanna, and coastal forest), major rivers like the Niger, key natural resources (gold, iron, diamonds, oil), the history of slavery and European colonization, challenges of new nations (borders, education, conflicts), and details on countries in the Sahel (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso) and coast (Nigeria, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone).

1. West Africa Landfall and The Four
Climates.
• Sahara – Northern part.
• Sahel – Dry grassland.
Little rain. Over grazing
by animals. Cutting down
trees. Wind blow away
fertile soil. Sahara
expands southward.
• Savanna – South. Good
farming. Tsetes fly.
• Coast and forest –
plentiful rain. Rain forest.

2. Niger River.
 2,600 miles long.
Ends, Gulf of Guinea.
Forms inland delta in
Sahel.
 Half of Nigeria's
coastline delta.

3. West Africa’s Resources.
 Gold.
 Iron.
 Diamonds.
 Oil. (95% of
Nigeria’s export.)

4. History W. Africa. Slave Trade.
• 1400’s Portuguese trade
for gold in the Gold
Coast.
• 1600’s demand for labor
in Americas – slavery.
• 1800’s European
countries control W.
Africa.
• After W.W.II countries
begin to fight for freedom.

5. Challenges in W Africa for new
nations.
 Borders.
 Education to run
government.
 Dictators, civil
wars, military rule.
 High birthrate. Small
amount of fertile land.

6. Sahel Countries. Mauritania
 100% Muslim.
 Speak Arabic.
 Expanding Sahara has
forced many into
cities.
 People very poor.

7. Sahel Countries. Mali and Niger
 Landlocked.
 80% fish or farm along the river.
 Cotton main export.
 Malaria – kills children.
 Niger – 3% of land can be farmed.
 Expanding Sahara.

8. Sahel Countries. Chad and Burkina
Faso
 World’s poorest.
 Lake Chad shrinking.
Now 1/3 size.
 Civil War.
 Burkina Faso – Has
nothing.

9. The Coastal Countries.
Nigeria – largest. 113
million. (Africa’s
largest.)
Oil off coast. 95%
export.
High birth rate.
Bad government.

10. Senegal and Gambia.
• Senegal – (French.)
• Gambia – (British.)
• Odd boarder.
• Dakar – capital.
• Important seaport
and manufacturing
center.
• Important crop.
Peanuts

11. Liberia.
 Monrovia. (President
Monroe.
 Freed American slaves
sent there. Clash with
Africans living there.
 1980’s civil war.
Economy still wrecked.
 Rubber and iron.
 Sierra Leone – Civil war.
 Sierra Leone exports
Diamonds.