It is about 1.2 billion people. However, according to scientists, in less than 50 years this figure will double.

How many Africans will there be by 2050?

According to UNICEF, in 2030 the number of children on the hottest continent will increase to 750 million. A rapid increase in the birth rate is predicted, due to which the population of Africa under the age of 18 by 2055 will be more than a billion people. Today, the number of Africans reaches 1.2 billion. But in 30-35 years, according to scientists, this figure will increase to 2.5 billion.

Problems related to the demographic leap

The increase in the population of Africa will entail a number of problems in the field of education and health. UNICEF staff are drawing international attention to these issues. They also recommend increasing attention to the topic of discrimination against the female population in order to strengthen the protection of their rights.

According to experts, in 10-15 years there will be a shortage of teachers and medical workers on the African continent. In addition, about 5.8 million teachers and 5.6 million doctors and other medical staff will be required.

Nigeria

The standards of beauty on this hot continent differ from the canons familiar to Europeans. For example, among some tribes, a woman is considered ideally beautiful if she has a long neck. From early childhood, girls hang special rings to stretch it. These decorations remain on the neck for life. You can’t take them off, because for many years of wearing the muscles are greatly weakened and are not able to support the head. This can lead to the death of a woman.

Africa catches up with Asia

Today, the picture of the population of our planet looks like this:

• about 60% of the world's population lives in Asia;
• Africa is in second position, with 17% of the inhabitants;
• approximately 10% of all people are concentrated in European countries;
• the remaining 13% are settled in North and South America, Oceania and the Caribbean islands.

According to scientists, the population explosion will lead to the fact that by 2100 the population in Africa will almost double, while in Asia the birth rate will decline. In percentage terms, by the end of the 21st century, the population of our planet will be as follows:

• 43% - residents of Asian countries;
• 41% are Africans;
• 16% - the rest.

Africa can be divided into different parts according to one or another feature, but North Africa stands out in any case, since it has many differences from other lands in terms of history, nature, culture and ethnic composition.

Among all the rest, its northern part is closest to the developed European and Asian countries, so their influence is especially felt in all areas. In addition, local resorts attract numerous tourists all year round.

This region is populated heterogeneously, and this is due to natural conditions. In the far north there is a very comfortable zone for living and farming, but it is represented only in the coastline, which is small in width, but very long, since the territory has access to the ocean (Atlantic) and two seas (Mediterranean and Red). Therefore, the main population of North Africa is concentrated here.

Yet most of this sub-region is occupied by the vast Sahara desert, which is known for its harsh conditions (during the day, even in the shade it is not possible to breathe, and at night you should dress warmly so as not to freeze). Naturally, people there are very rare, in a few oases. Only the valley of the Nile River is also favorable for living, although it goes into the desert itself far to the south.

South of the Sahara there is a strip of the Sahel, which is the border of the Sahara. Life there is also poor and sparse, as agriculture is not possible due to constant droughts. And only below does nature begin with lush vegetation of the subequatorial savannahs, where the Central and also the Eastern part of it originates.

In connection with all this, we can say that the south and the center of the subregion are very sparsely populated, most of the population is represented in a narrow coastline.

Most of all the inhabitants living in the countries of North Africa are Muslims who speak Arabic, so the culture in the countries of this subregion has many common features and characteristics. As for those people who live in the southern part of the territory, they are diverse, since there are many all kinds of unique tribes and peoples with their own traditions. Also, their beliefs are often completely different, and within the same country this can lead to military clashes, as, for example, in Sudan, where the Muslim government opposes its southern citizens who believe in Christ or support the traditional faith.

Since in some countries the number of local peoples and tribes is large, several languages ​​\u200b\u200bare used there at once, but the official one is called European, understandable to all residents. In North Africa, it is often the French language that brings people together.

Almost everything is inhabited by the peoples of the Indo-Mediterranean race: the Arabs, who came to these lands during colonial times, and the Berbers, the indigenous people of North Africa, who originally lived here. All these peoples have common external features: dark skin color, dark eyes, the same dark and hair that is usually wavy, a narrow face, and a hump on the nose. But even among the Berbers you can meet people with blond hair and eyes.

In Ethiopia, the peoples belong to the Ethiopian race, which is an intermediate link between the two races: Indo-Mediterranean and Negroid, such people also have wavy hair and a narrow face, but their teeth are more massive.

To the south of the Sahara, there are mainly peoples of the Negro, Bushman and Negril races.

In addition, Europeans can also be found in the northern part of the mainland, which is associated with their long dominance in many African countries - the French, the Dutch and the British.

Indigenous people in North Africa

Berbers are considered the indigenous population of the Northern sub-region of Africa. These can be divided into three significant groups: Sanhaj (living in and around the Sahara), Masmuda (mostly Atlas) and Zenata (living in the eastern part of the territory).

Their languages ​​belong to the Berber-Libyan group of the Afroasian language family (Semitic-Hamitic).

The total number of Berbers today is 20 million people, while they make up half of all citizens of Morocco, a third of the inhabitants of Algeria, and are also found in countries such as Niger, Libya, Mali, Mauritania and others.

Most modern Berbers have chosen a sedentary way of life, they are engaged in arable farming and grow wheat, olives, date palms, barley and millet, and also develop horticulture and horticulture. There are also nomads who support pastoralism by raising camels and other livestock.

Until now, one can observe among them takbilt-leffighs, which is a tribal institution. Each tribe has a leader, but all major economic issues are decided by the elected council of elders. And today, traditional arsh (communal land use) and tiuizi (inter-clan unions) are widespread.

Berbers, mostly Sunni Muslims, often practice Kharijism, but there are sometimes those who support Christianity and Judaism. Against the background of all this, the indigenous African tribes are not called about traditional medicine and magic.

Population

North African countries. Algeria

West and Central African countries. Nigeria

East African countries. Ethiopia

South African countries. Republic of South Africa

List of used literature

Population

Africa is the ancestral home of man. The most ancient remains of human ancestors and tools of his labor were found in rocks that are about 3 million years old in Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. The modern population of Africa belongs to three main races: Caucasoid, Equatorial and Mongoloid. The main part of the inhabitants of the mainland is the indigenous, that is, the original, permanent population. Representatives of the Caucasian race live mainly in northern Africa. These are the Arab peoples (Algerians, Moroccans, Egyptians, etc.) who speak Arabic, as well as the Berbers who speak the Berber language. They are characterized by dark skin, dark hair and eyes, an elongated skull, a narrow nose and an oval face.

Most of the mainland south of the Sahara is inhabited by Negroids, who make up the African branch of the equatorial race. Among Negroids there are significant differences in skin color, height, facial features, and head shape. The tallest peoples of Africa live in the savannahs of the northern part of the mainland (Tutsi, Nilots, Masai, etc.). Their average height is 180-200 cm. They are surprisingly slender and graceful. In the upper Nile region, Negroids are distinguished by a very dark, almost black skin color.

The peoples of the zone of equatorial forests - pygmies - are small (below 150 cm). Their skin color is less dark than that of many other Negroids, their lips are thin, their nose is broad, and they are stocky. Pygmies are forest dwellers. The forest for them is a home and a source of everything necessary for existence. This is one of the smallest ethnic groups in Africa, whose numbers are steadily declining.

Bushmen and Hottentots live in the semi-deserts and deserts of South Africa. They are characterized by a yellowish-brown skin color, a wide flat face, which gives them a resemblance to the Mongoloids. The Bushmen, like the Pygmies, are short but thin-boned.

Some experts refer to the Ethiopians as an intermediate race. They are distinguished by a lighter, but with a reddish tinge, skin coloration. In appearance, the Ethiopians are closer to the southern branch of the Caucasoid race. Malagasy (inhabitants of Madagascar) descended from a mixture of representatives of the Mongoloid and Negroid races.

The immigrant population of European origin lives mainly in places with better climatic conditions and constitutes an insignificant part of the population of the mainland. In the north of the mainland along the Mediterranean coast, the French live, and in the very south of the mainland - Afrikaners (descendants of immigrants from the Netherlands), the British, etc.

Many African countries have an ancient culture (Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Benin, Sudan). Crafts, trade, construction business flourished in them. The peoples of Africa, having gone through a long path of development, have made a significant contribution to the history of world culture. Remarkable monuments of art have been preserved: the Egyptian pyramids - a miracle of ancient building technology, carvings on ivory and wood, bronze sculptures. Some scholars believe that the first successes in the development of culture of humanity are due mainly to Africa. After the liberation of most countries from colonial enslavement, African culture is experiencing a new upsurge in its development.

Placement of the population. The population of Africa exceeds 780 million people. Africa has a relatively sparse population, which is extremely unevenly distributed across the mainland. The distribution of the population is influenced not only by natural conditions, but also by historical reasons, primarily the consequences of the slave trade and colonial domination.

The distribution of major peoples and population densities in different parts of Africa are shown on a thematic map.

An analysis of the map shows that the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf of Guinea and the southeastern coast of the mainland are relatively densely populated. The population density is high in the Nile Delta, where there are 1,000 people per 1 km2. In the Sahara desert, which occupies almost 1/4 of the mainland, less than 1% of the total population lives, and in some areas it is completely absent.

The colonization of the mainland began in the Middle Ages. And by the beginning of the twentieth century. The capitalist countries of Europe divided almost the entire territory of Africa among themselves and turned it into the mainland of colonies (countries deprived of political and economic independence). The colonialists oppressed and exploited the indigenous population, took away the best lands, drove them from their native places to areas unsuitable for life. They mercilessly robbed countries: they exported minerals (gold, diamonds, copper ore, etc.), valuable timber, and agricultural products (cocoa, coffee, bananas, lemons, etc.). Having turned Africans into virtual slaves, the enslaving countries used them as cheap, almost free labor in mines and plantations, and they were severely punished for trying to leave work.

The long domination of the colonial powers retarded the economic and cultural development of the African countries. The colonialists maintained tribal fragmentation. However, the oppressed peoples united and fought against the invaders.

The liberation struggle against the enslavers that unfolded on the mainland reached especially great strength after the Second World War. In the middle of the twentieth century. Africa became the mainland of the national liberation struggle, which led to the collapse of the colonial system.

At the beginning of the twentieth century. in Africa there were only two free states - Liberia and Ethiopia. Now on the mainland all countries are independent. Africa at the end of the 20th century from the mainland of the colonies has become a mainland of independent states.

North African countries. Algeria

According to natural conditions, the composition of the population, Africa can be divided into four parts: North, West and Central, East, South.

North Africa extends from the Mediterranean Sea and occupies most of the Sahara Desert. According to natural conditions, one can distinguish the subtropical north and the Sahara desert. Almost the entire population of North Africa belongs to the Caucasoid race.

We will show the nature and economy of the countries of North Africa using the example of Algeria.

Algiers is located in northwestern Africa. This is one of the major developing states of the mainland, freed from colonial dependence. The capital of the country is also called Algiers. The indigenous population of the country is Algerians, consisting of Arabs and Berbers.

Due to the large extent from north to south in Algeria, Northern Algeria and Algerian Sahara are distinguished. Northern Algeria occupies a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs, which includes the northern part of the Atlas Mountains and the adjacent coastal plain. In this zone there is a lot of heat and sufficient moisture. Therefore, the natural conditions of this part of northern Algeria are most favorable for human life and agriculture.

The coastal strip and mountain valleys are especially densely populated. More than 90% of the country's population lives here. On fertile soils, Algerians grow valuable subtropical crops - grapes, citrus fruits, oilseeds (olives), fruit trees, etc. The natural vegetation of the subtropics of Algeria has been greatly affected by human activity and has survived only on steep slopes in the mountains. Thickets of shrubs and stunted trees appeared on the site of the forests reduced in the past.

The Atlas Mountains amaze with their beauty. The ridges, rising high up, end with sharp peaks and sheer cliffs. Indented by deep gorges and picturesque valleys, mountain ranges alternate with intermountain plains. In the mountains, altitudinal zonality is well expressed. The southern slopes of the Atlas Mountains are the transition from the Mediterranean to the Sahara.

Most of the country is occupied by the rocky and sandy deserts of the Sahara. Deserts make up about 90% of the territory. Here, the Algerians are mainly engaged in animal husbandry and lead a nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle. They raise sheep, goats and camels. Agriculture in the Algerian Sahara is possible only in oases where Algerians grow date palms, and under their dense crown fruit trees and crops. One of the difficulties of the Algerians is the struggle with the moving sands.

Algeria is one of the most mineral-rich countries in Africa. The country has significant reserves of iron ore, manganese, phosphorites and other minerals. The main wealth is the largest oil and gas deposits discovered in the sedimentary rocks of the Sahara. In connection with their development in the desert, modern settlements arose in which miners and mineral explorers live. Roads were laid between large cities, oil pipelines, oil refineries, metal smelting plants, etc. were being built. After the declaration of independence, Algeria achieved significant success in the development of its industry.

The nature of Algeria has suffered greatly from human economic activity, especially during the period of domination of the colonialists. Phosphorites, metals, valuable wood, such as cork oak, were exported from the country. Algerians pay great attention to the restoration of forest vegetation in the subtropical zone and the planting of forest belts in the desert part of the country. A project has been developed to create a "green belt" in Algeria, which will cross the desert from the Tunisian to the Moroccan border. The length is about 1500 km, the width is 10-12 km.

West and Central African countries. Nigeria

West Africa includes that part of the continent that is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from the south and west, includes part of the Sahara in the north, and extends to Lake Chad in the east. Central Africa includes the territory located between the Tropic of the North and 130 S. sh. This part of the mainland receives the greatest amount of solar heat and moisture, so the flora and fauna are especially rich here.

Most of the population of the mainland and about half of the states of Africa are concentrated in this region. The population is extremely diverse, mainly peoples belonging to the Negroid race. The linguistic composition of the population is motley. The appearance of peoples is also varied. Some have very dark skin and curly hair, others are fair-skinned. There are also big differences in height. Pygmies live in the equatorial forests of Central Africa.

Africa is the second largest continent in the world (after Eurasia). Its subregions (their economy, population, nature and states) will be considered in this article.

Options for dividing the territory of the continent

The territory of Africa is the largest geographical region of our planet. Therefore, the desire to divide it into parts is quite natural. The following two large areas stand out: Tropical and North Africa (or Africa north of the Sahara). Between these parts there are quite large natural, ethnic, historical and socio-economic differences.

Tropical Africa is the most backward region of the developing world. And in our time, the share of agriculture in its GDP is higher than the share of industrial production. 28 of the 47 least developed countries in the world are located in Tropical Africa. Also here is the maximum number of countries that do not have access to the sea (there are 15 such states in this region).

There is another option for dividing Africa into regions. According to him, its parts are South, Tropical and North Africa.

Let us now turn to the consideration of regionalization itself, that is, the allocation of large macroregions (subregions) of the continent of interest to us. Currently, it is considered that there are only five of them. Africa sub-regions has the following: South, East, Central, West and North Africa (on the map above). At the same time, each of them has specific features of the economy, population and nature.

North Africa

North Africa borders the Red and Mediterranean Seas, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to this, its ties with Western Asia and Europe have been established since ancient times. Its total area is approximately 10 million km 2, on which about 170 million people live. The Mediterranean "façade" defines the position of this sub-region. Thanks to him, North Africa neighbors Southwest Asia and has access to the main sea route that runs from Europe to Asia.

Cradle of civilization, Arab colonization

The sparsely inhabited spaces of the Sahara desert form the "rear" of the region. North Africa is the cradle of the civilization of Ancient Egypt, which made a great contribution to culture. The Mediterranean part of the continent in ancient times was considered the granary of Rome. To this day, among the lifeless sea of ​​stone and sand, you can find the remains of underground drainage galleries, as well as other ancient structures. Many cities located on the coast trace their roots back to Carthaginian and Roman settlements.

Arab colonization, which took place in the 7th-12th centuries, had a huge impact on the culture of the population, its ethnic composition and way of life. And in our time, the northern part of Africa is considered Arab: almost the entire local population professes Islam and speaks Arabic.

Economic life and population of North Africa

The economic life of this subregion is concentrated in the coastal strip. Here are the main manufacturing enterprises, as well as the main areas of agriculture. Naturally, almost the entire population of this subregion lives here. Mud houses with earthen floors and flat roofs predominate in rural areas. Cities also have a very characteristic appearance. Therefore, ethnographers and geographers single out the Arabic type of city as a separate variety. It is characterized by the division into the old and the new part. North Africa is sometimes referred to as the Maghreb, but this is not entirely accurate.

Economy

There are currently 15 independent states in this subregion. Republics are 13 of them. Most of the states of North America are underdeveloped. In Libya and Algeria, the economy is somewhat better developed. These countries have a significant supply of natural gas and oil, which are today a hot commodity on the world market. Morocco mines phosphorites used in the production of fertilizers. Niger is a major producer of uranium, but remains one of the poorest countries in North Africa.

The southern part of this subregion is very poorly populated. The agricultural population lives in oases, where the main commercial and consumer crop is the date palm. Only nomadic camel breeders can be found in the rest of the region, and even then not everywhere. There are gas and oil fields in the Libyan and Algerian parts of the Sahara.

A narrow "band of life" only along the Nile valley wedged into the desert far to the south. For the development of Upper Egypt, the construction of the Aswan hydroelectric complex on the Nile with the technical and economic assistance of the USSR was of great importance.

West Africa

The sub-regions of the continent we are interested in is a rather extensive topic, so we will limit ourselves to their brief description. Let's move on to the next sub-region - West Africa.

Here are the zones of savannahs, tropical deserts and humid equatorial forests, which are located between and the Sahara desert. It is the largest sub-region of the continent by population and one of the largest by area. The natural conditions here are very diverse, and the ethnic composition of the local population is the most complex - various peoples of Africa are represented. This sub-region was in the past the main region of the slave trade. At present, agriculture is developed here, represented by the production of various plantation consumer and cash crops. There is also industry in the subregion. Its most developed industry is mining.

Population of West Africa

According to 2006 data, the population of West Africa is 280 million people. It is multi-ethnic in composition. The largest ethnic groups are the Wolof, Mande, Serer, Mossi, Songhai, Fulani and Hausa. The indigenous population is divided by language into 3 metagroups - Nilo-Saharan, Niger-Congo and Afro-Asiatic. Of the European languages ​​in this subregion, English and French are common. The main religious groups of the population are Muslims, Christians and animists.

Economy of West Africa

All the states here are developing countries. As we have said, the sub-regions of Africa differ considerably economically. The table presented above characterizes such an important economic indicator of the countries of the continent we are interested in as gold reserves (2015 data). The West African states in this table include Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritania and Cameroon.

The leading role in the creation of GDP in this subregion is played by agriculture, as well as the extractive industry. The minerals available in West Africa are petroleum, iron gold, manganese, phosphates and diamonds.

Central Africa

From the very name of this subregion it is clear that it occupies the central part of the mainland (equatorial). The total area of ​​the region is 6613 thousand km2. A total of 9 countries are located in Central Africa: Gabon, Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Democratic (these are two different states), Sao Tome and Principe, Chad, the Central African Republic and Also here is the island of St. Helena, which is a British Overseas Territory.

They are located in the zones of savannahs and humid equatorial forests, which greatly influenced their economic development. This sub-region is one of the richest regions, not only in Africa, but also in the world. The ethnic composition of the local population, unlike the previous region, is homogeneous. Nine-tenths of it consists of the Bantu peoples of Africa, who are related to each other.

Economy of the subregion

All states of this subregion, according to the UN classification, are developing. Agriculture plays the main role in the creation of GDP, as well as the mining industry. In this respect, West and Central Africa are similar. The minerals mined here are cobalt, manganese, copper, diamonds, gold, natural gas, and oil. The sub-region has a good hydropower potential. In addition, significant reserves of forest resources are located here.

These are the main central.

East Africa

It is located in the tropical and subequatorial climate zones. East Africa goes to the Indian Ocean, so it has long maintained trade relations with the Arab countries and India. The mineral wealth of this subregion is less significant, but the diversity of natural resources is generally very high. This is what largely determines the various options for their economic use.

East African population

East Africa is a highly mosaic sub-region ethnically. The borders of many countries were set arbitrarily by former colonial powers. At the same time, the cultural and ethnic differences that the population of East Africa has were not taken into account. Due to significant social and cultural differences, there is significant conflict potential in this sub-region. Often there were wars, including civil ones.

South Africa

It is located in the southern part of the continent, which is the most remote from Asia, America and Europe, but it goes to the sea route that goes around the southern tip of Africa. This subregion is located in the subtropical and tropical latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. There is a significant amount of natural resources, of which mineral resources stand out especially. The Republic of South Africa (South Africa) is the main "core" of this subregion. This is the only economically developed state on the continent.

Population and Economy of South Africa

A significant number are of European origin. Bantu peoples make up the vast majority of the inhabitants of this subregion. The local population is generally poor, but South Africa has a well-established road network, efficient air traffic, and good tourism infrastructure. Mining, as well as deposits of gold, platinum, diamonds and other minerals form the basis of the economy. In addition, southern Africa is increasingly developing technology, tourism and manufacturing industries.

Finally

As you can see, in general, the mainland is not very developed economically. Its population is unevenly distributed. Currently, about a billion people live on a continent like Africa. Its subregions were briefly characterized by us. In conclusion, I would like to note that this continent is considered the ancestral home of mankind: the oldest remains of early hominids, as well as their probable ancestors, were found here. There is a special science of African studies, which studies the cultural, political, economic and social problems of Africa.

Very uneven.

The most densely populated sea coasts, coastal islands, lower reaches, mining areas of South Africa, Zambia, Zaire and Zimbabwe. In these areas, the population density ranges from 50 to 1000 people per 1 sq. km. km. In the vast expanses of the Namib, the population density barely reaches 1 person per 1 sq. km. km.

The uneven distribution is manifested both at the level of the region as a whole and at the level of individual countries. For example, almost the entire population of Egypt lives in the delta and valley of the Nile (4% of the total area), where the density is 1,700 people per 1 km2.

Ethnic composition of the population of Africa is of great variegation. 300-500 ethnic groups live on the mainland. Some of them (especially in) have developed into large nations, but most are still at the level of nationalities and tribes. Many of the ethnic groups still retained the remnants of the tribal system, archaic forms of social relations.

Linguistically, half of the population of Africa belongs to the Niger-Kordofan family, the third part belongs to the Afrosia family. Residents of European origin make up only 1%. But at the same time, the languages ​​of the former metropolises remain the state (official) languages ​​of most African countries: English (19 countries), French (21 countries), Portuguese (5 countries).

The "quality" of the population of Africa remains very low. The proportion of illiterates in most countries exceeds 50%, and in countries such as Mali, Somalia, Burkina Faso it is 90%.

Religious composition of Africa also has great variegation. At the same time, Muslims predominate in its northern and eastern parts. This is due to the settlement of the Arabs here. In the central and southern parts of Africa, the religious beliefs of the population were significantly influenced by the metropolitan countries. Therefore, many types of Christianity are widespread here (Catholicism, Protestantism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, etc.). Many peoples of this region have preserved local beliefs.

Due to the diversity of ethnic and religious composition, socio-economic difficulties and the colonial past (borders), Africa is a region of numerous ethno-political conflicts (Sudan, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Chad, Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, etc.). In total, over 35 armed conflicts were recorded in Africa during the post-colonial period, in which more than 10 million people died. More than 70 coups d'état resulted in the assassination of 25 presidents.

Africa characterized by very high rates (more than 3% per year). According to this indicator, Africa is ahead of all other regions of the world. First of all, this is determined by the high birth rate. For example, the birth rate in Niger, Uganda, Somalia, Mali exceeds 50 o/oo, i.e. 4-5 times higher than in Europe. At the same time, Africa is the region with the highest mortality and the lowest average life expectancy (men - 64 years, women - 68 years). As a result, the age structure of the population is characterized by a high proportion (about 45%) of children and adolescents under 15 years of age.

Africa is characterized by the highest level, the vast majority of which is of a forced nature and is associated with interethnic conflicts. Africa hosts almost half of the world's refugees and displaced persons, the vast majority being "ethnic refugees". Such forced migrations always lead to outbreaks of famine, diseases, leading to increased mortality.
Africa is a region of high labor migration. The main centers of attraction of labor from the African continent are and (especially the countries of the Persian Gulf). Within the continent, labor migration flows mainly go from the poorest countries to the richer ones (South Africa, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe).

Africa characterized by the lowest level in the world and the highest rate. In terms of the share of the urban population (about 30%), Africa is significantly inferior to other regions.

The pace of urbanization in Africa has taken on the character of an "urban explosion". The population of some cities doubles every 10 years. But urbanization here has a number of features:

• growing mainly metropolitan cities and "economic capitals"; the formation of urban agglomerations is just beginning (the number of millionaire cities is 24);
• urbanization often has the character of "false urbanization", which leads to negative socio-economic and environmental consequences.

A prime example of African-style urbanization is the city of Lagos in Nigeria. This city has long been the capital of the state. In 1950, its population was 300 thousand people, and now - 12.5 million. Living conditions in this overcrowded city are so unfavorable that in 1992 the capital was moved to Abuja.