The article contains background information about the Central African region. Gives an idea of ​​the level of economic development. Forms a picture of the prospects that are possible in Central Africa.

Central Africa

Central Africa is located in the western part of the continent and lies in the equatorial and subequatorial climatic zones.

In the West, equatorial Africa adjoins the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. In the northern part is the Azande plateau. In the west, the highlands of southern Guinea can be observed. In the southern region lies the Lunda Plateau and the Angolan Plateau, which continues it. From the east, the region borders on a branch of the Western Rift of the East African system.

Rice. 1. Region on the map of the mainland.

The area of ​​the central African region is 7.3 million square meters. km. The population is approaching 100 million people.

The region is the "heart" of the mainland. It is also a major mineral resource "storage" of the world.

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In this area, the well-known "copper belt" is located. It passes through the southeast of Zaire and the Zambian region. In addition to copper, there are also cobalt, lead, zinc ore deposits.

In the expanses of the Equatorial part of the black continent, iron ore reserves, deposits of tin, uranium and diamonds are concentrated.

Recently, recently discovered oil fields in the territory of the Congo have been actively developed.

In this region, as almost everywhere else on the mainland, the economy is in a state of decline. Only Zaire and Zambia had non-ferrous metallurgy.

Rice. 2. Modern industry.

Economic reforms are hampered by the unstable political situation in the region. Armed civil conflicts are not uncommon here.

During the years of sovereignty of the region, the entire cycle of production was created, from ore mining to the subsequent smelting of high quality metals. Significant importance is given to the harvesting of tropical timber for export.

Rice. 3. Civil conflicts

The agricultural sector is focused mainly on the production of coffee and cocoa, tea and tobacco, as well as rubber and cotton.

Central African countries

Among the states of this macro-region, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a large and densely populated one.

List of states in the region:

• Cameroon;
• Gabon;
• Congo;
• Zaire;
• Angola;
• Central African Republic;
• Equatorial Guinea;
• Sao Tome;
• Principe.

What have we learned?

We learned which countries belong to equatorial Africa. The causes of weak and unstable economic development have been established. We got acquainted with historical facts that had an impact on the standard of living in the region. We found out when the countries of the central region gained independence.

Africa is a part of the world with an area of ​​\u200b\u200bwith islands of 30.3 million km 2, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland Gondwana, it has a massive outline, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical features

Africa lies on an ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost completely occupied by the Sahara desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian highlands, the southeast is the East African plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Draconian mountains The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the world's largest fault in the earth's crust stretches, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). The rivers are high-water only in the equatorial zone, due to the large amount of precipitation there, most of them are characterized by high flow speed, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salty drainless lake is Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts of the largest desert in the world, the Sahara).

Due to the location of Africa between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannahs and light forests, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevre and southern Africa savannas are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. The natural zones of mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided among 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 are dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Africa is divided into five regions based on geographic location: North, Central, West, East and South Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is a plain. There are mountain systems, uplands and plateaus. They are presented:

• the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
• the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands in the Sahara desert;
• Ethiopian highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
• Dragon Mountains in the south.

The highest point in the country is Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5,895 m, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara desert. On the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it, inland to the east, is the Kalahari Desert.

The territory of the savanna occupies the main part of Central Africa. In terms of area, it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical for savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of grassy vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. It can be almost desert savannas or tall grasses, with grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

On the territory of the African continent is the longest river in the world - the Nile. Its direction of flow is from south to north.

In the list of major water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through the territory of Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

lakes

The list of large lakes of the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. Two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of the lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the oceans ...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its coast are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the water form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the Indian Ocean, the currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in the northern waters, and Needle, in the southern ...

Forests of Africa

Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants grow high in the mountains, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests, in the tropical area evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, there are about 1000 species of various tree species: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, olive palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects living right on the trees. On earth live: bush pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas ...

40% of the territory of Africa is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and stand-alone trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest accumulation of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-fifth antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, and in some places there are rare jumping antelopes - springboks.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. In the oases, the unique Erg Chebbi date palm grows, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and the formation of salts. In the Namib Desert, unique velvichia and nara plants grow, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other animals of the desert.

Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, gazelle dorcas, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are permanently living and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in an area of ​​low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoonal) moisture and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north has the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of the trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount Precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...

Resources

African Natural Resources

In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the least prosperous continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of the proper volume of water, soil erosion, etc.

The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including species of valuable varieties. The countries in which they grow, the raw materials are exported. Resources are misused and ecosystems are slowly being destroyed.

In the bowels of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investments...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, one can note:

• the mining industry that exports minerals and fuels;
• the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
• chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
• as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, oil palm is grown.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total volume of agriculture. The indicators of animal husbandry are also not high, and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse flies ...

culture

The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

About 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups live on the territory of 62 African countries, which in total is about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.

Most of the peoples in Africa may number from several thousand people to several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with more than 5 million people, 1/3 - peoples with more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

• West Africa. The peoples who speak Mande (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Wai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages ​​(Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
• Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandese), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
• South Africa. Rebellious-speaking peoples, and speaking Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
• East Africa. Bantu, Nilotic and Sudanese groups of peoples;
• North East Africa. Peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra.), Cushitic (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages ​​(Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
• Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the South Caucasian minor race, mainly practicing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

Central Africa is a subregion that occupies the central part of the continent, from the west coast to the East African Rifts in the east. This African region frames the equator, including not only the equatorial strip, but also the subequatorial one.

This area is truly the "heart" of the mainland, as they are very rich, mineral raw materials are distributed from here all over the world - copper, iron ores, uranium. Wood is especially valued, and some countries extract oil.

In this regard, the countries of Central Africa have amazing potential, but it has not yet been revealed, which is largely due to history. During the period of colonization, foreign invaders cared little about the development of the local economy, so its current level is most often low. Only locally there are organized and efficient industries, which did not exist in the past.

The entire region occupies a quarter of the entire area of ​​the mainland, however, the population in the countries of central Africa is only a seventh of the total population of the continent.

Within Central Africa there are wholly or partly the following countries:

• Nigeria;
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire);
• Cameroon;
• Central African Republic;
• Republic of the Congo;
• Gabon;
• Equatorial Guinea;
• Sao Tome and Principe;
• Angola.

The countries of Central Africa became independent in the period from 1950 to 1974 from such European colonizers:

• Belgium;
• Spain;
• Portugal;
• France.

The location is positive for further development, as many territories have access to the Atlantic Ocean, through which there are transport routes leading deep into Africa.

All these states are members of the UN, while Gabon is also a member of OPEC.

Nigeria is the largest in this besides its population is the largest on the mainland. The inhabitants belong to different tribes:

• Yoruba;
• hausa;
• fulbe.

There are other ethnic groups, so feuds between them periodically happen, which caused several military coups in independent history.

And yet, the development of the economy did not stop, despite the political situation, which was especially affected by the presence of oil deposits in the local lands.

Tourism also brings great profits, because in the local rainforests and savannahs there are various cultural and historical interesting objects.

Democratic Republic of the Congo is also a large country in central Africa, which has experienced many military clashes on political grounds. It was possible to resume a quiet life here with the help of Europeans who are interested in this state of affairs. And this is due to the presence of diverse and numerous natural resources in Zaire.

St wound Cameroon differs from the background of its neighbors in stability in the internal order. The political system works clearly, coordinating the overall development of the territory.

Cameroon, unlike many other African powers, was able to provide its population with food. This became possible as a result of orientation towards a market economy and support for private property. And yet, the locals are quite poor due to underdeveloped industry.

Chad is still a little developed country, where the standard of living is low, as well as the economic one. Basically, this is due to constant military coups due to clashes between tribes.

The developed powers that provide assistance and protection have a great influence on the country. A particularly profitable investment is the development of the oil found here ten years ago. There are other resources exported abroad.

AT CAR there are rare natural resources that are valued in the world:

• diamonds;
• gold;
• Uranus;
• oil;
• forests.

And yet, the population in the Central African country of the Central African Republic is quite poor, since here the level of the economy remains one of the lowest in the world. Many goods are imported, including food.

Republic of the Congo was able to seriously develop the economy, this became possible due to the presence of numerous natural resources, in particular, the export of oil made it possible to achieve a fairly high standard of living for local residents.

The modern political system is focused on democracy, and the economy is actively and uses a market model.

The rest of the countries are small in size. Gabon stands out among them, because it has a very high level of GDP, therefore it is one of the richest states in Africa, and besides, the situation in it is very stable.

Equatorial Guinea is considered the richest on the continent, which happened after the start of active exploitation of oil and gas fields.

Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is an island state, the smallest in Africa after the Seychelles. Those who are looking for unity with exotic nature like to come here. Here you can also admire the old buildings of the Portuguese colonizers.

Population in Central African countries

The inhabitants of Central Africa are diverse, and their distribution is not uniform in different countries. The main ones are:

• Yoruba;
• Bantu;
• athara;
• hausa;
• oromo.

Basically, the Negroid race prevails here, whose representatives have similar appearance features (dark skin, eyes and hair, very curly hair, wide lips and nose, etc.).

However, some peoples near the northern borders of the region have European features:

• kanuri;
• tube.

There is also a special race in the forests near the equator - the Negril, which includes pygmies, who have short stature and lighter skin with a yellowish-red tint.

Among the population in the countries of central Africa in the southern regions, there is also one belonging to the Khoisan race.

As a result of the colonial period, Europeans can also be found in the subregion, as well as many mestizos formed after the merger of various races and peoples.

There are many countries in West and Central Africa, each of which has its own characteristics, traditions and history.

General characteristics of the region

West Africa is a part of the African continent, located south of the Sahara, and washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Central Africa is the western part of the African continent, which is located on the equatorial and subequatorial strip.

The natural boundary between Central and West Africa is the Cameroon Mountains. The states of West and Central Africa are among the poorest countries in the world.

In many states, the economy is completely absent. The inhabitants of these countries survive on self-sufficiency. Agriculture and industrial production is at a low level.

Only some states are involved in foreign trade, in particular Nigeria, Chad, Guinea.

West African countries

The countries of West Africa include the following states: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria.

In West Africa, infectious diseases such as AIDS and malaria are very common. In Europe, this region is called the "grave for whites" - as many infections are fatal for visiting people.

The states of West Africa were Portuguese colonies for a long time, it was from this territory that the slave trade began in ancient times. After the wars of independence in the 60s of the 20th century, many West African states gained freedom.

However, until today they are completely dependent on the former colonies in matters of social and economic security of the population.

The infrastructure of the region is very poorly developed: roads and railways have not been built here since the days of colonial dependence. The average life expectancy of people does not reach 50 years. Most of the population is illiterate.

Central African countries

The following states are included in Central Africa: Gabon, Angola, Congo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sao Tome, Equatorial Guinea and Chad. Unlike the states of West Africa, the countries of Central Africa have a good range of natural resources.

This allows them not only to develop industry, but also to be a subject of foreign trade. So, for example, the Congo has the largest reserves of gold, silver, diamonds and copper in the world.

Chad's economy is based on agriculture. This state exports wool, cotton and textiles to European countries. However, even the most developed states of Central Africa do not fully use their potential.

The main problem is that after the colonial period, new plants and factories do not open here. In these states there are no qualified personnel - more than half of the population cannot read and write.

The black continent is usually divided into five historical and geographical regions. One of them is Central Africa. What states are included in it? And how developed are they economically? This will be discussed in the article.

Brief geographical description of Central Africa

This region is located in the heart of the mainland, in its inner continental part. In terms of mineral resources, this is one of the richest parts of the planet. However, the colonialists at one time only “squeezed out” the local wealth, leaving behind backward and failed economies.

Central Africa is a region that is distinguished by a flat, slightly dissected relief. In the depression of the Congo there are channels of full-flowing rivers - the Congo, Ogove, Kwanza and others of the same name. The subsoil of the region contains copper, zinc, cobalt and other ores of valuable metals, as well as diamonds. Not deprived of Central Africa and deposits of "black gold" - oil.

Within Central Africa, you can see a wide variety of natural areas - savannas with herds of wild animals, dense mangroves, beautiful gallery forests. Very large areas of the region are swampy.

Central Africa: composition of the region

As a rule, 12 independent states of Africa are included in this historical and geographical region. This is:

• Cameroon;
• CAR (Central African Republic);
• Equatorial Guinea;
• Gabon;
• Congo;
• Democratic;
• Rwanda;
• Burundi;
• Angola;
• Zambia;
• Malawi.

Some of these countries are very small (like Rwanda), while others have huge areas (Chad, Angola). All of them are shown on the map below in color.

Some geographers also include the island of St. Helena, located in the waters of the Atlantic, in Central Africa.

Population and religions

The population of Central Africa is dozens of different ethnic groups, each of which is distinguished by its culture, traditions and beliefs. The most common of these are the Yoruba, Bantu, Hausa and Athara peoples. Information about the history of these and other ethnic groups in the central part of the continent is very scarce.

Almost all the numerical and small peoples of Central Africa belong to and are distinguished by black skin, dark eyes, very wide nostrils and curly hair. In the Congo River basin, there are representatives of an amazing anthropological type - the so-called pygmies, whose average height barely reaches 142-145 centimeters.

The peoples of Central Africa have experienced many unpleasant moments in their history. These are centuries of colonization, and times of the slave trade, and military upheavals. Local traditional beliefs and rituals are still common in the region. Religions such as Islam or Christianity are also practiced here.

Features of the regional economy

The European colonialists left in Central Africa, to put it mildly, not a very good legacy - about a dozen backward and underdeveloped economies. Only in two states of the region it was possible to create full-fledged production facilities for the smelting of high-quality non-ferrous metals. These are DR Congo and Zambia. In many countries, timber is harvested in large volumes, which is ideal for export (Gabon, and others).

Agriculture in the region is predominantly low-tech and unproductive. Cocoa, coffee, tobacco, rubber, cotton and bananas are actively grown here.

One of the most developed (in industrial terms) country in the region can be called Gabon. The state lives by developing rather rich deposits of oil and manganese ores, as well as by exporting timber. Gabon - the most urbanized. Almost 75% of the population lives here in cities. There are three international airports in Gabon, and several major ports operate.

An interesting country in the region is the Central African Republic - a sparsely populated state that does not have access to the oceans. Only 600 thousand people live here (for comparison: this is the population of the city of Khabarovsk). The main wealth of this country is large deposits of diamonds, which account for almost half of all exports of the Central African Republic. There is not a single railway in the republic. But tourists often come here thanks to several world-famous natural parks.