Western Africa

Introduction
Muslims in western Africa
The states of the Sudan
- The early kingdoms and empires of the western Sudan
- The wider influence of the Sudanic kingdoms
The beginnings of European activity
- The rise of the Atlantic slave trade
- Anglo-French competition
- The slave-trade era
- Pre-European slave trading
- The southward expansion of Oyo
The Islamic revolution in the western Sudan
- Dominance of Tuareg and Amazigh tribes
- The first Fulani jihad
- The jihad of Usman dan Fodio
- The jihad of ʾUmar Tal
The Guinea coastlands and the Europeans (1807–79)
- The abolition of slavery
- The British presence in Sierra Leone
- The British in the Niger delta
- The fall of the African kingdoms
Colonization
- Effect of local conditions
- French areas of interest
- British areas of interest
- Claims of territorial boundaries
- Problems of military control
- Initial difficulty of European administration
- Colonial rule
- French territories
- British territories
Decolonization and the regaining of independence
- The emergence of African leaders
- The formation of African independence movements

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Map of western Africa showing country borders, major cities, and capitals, with shaded relief indicating elevation levels. Coastal countries along the Atlantic Ocean, such as Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria, are labeled, as are inland countries like Mali, Niger, and Chad. Elevation ranges from low-lying green coastal areas to higher brown and tan regions inland.

Map of western Africa showing the distribution of major ethnic groups and the approximate boundaries of historic states in the western Sudan region. The map labels groups such as the Fulani, Hausa, Tuareg, Mandingo, and Bambara, and marks historical states including Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Kanem, and Bornu. Major rivers and cities are also indicated.

Map of western Africa showing the greatest territorial extent of major historical states from the 11th to 16th centuries. The 14th-century Kingdom of Mali is outlined in green, the 16th-century Songhai Empire in purple, and the 16th-century Hausa Bakwai states in red. Major cities, rivers, and regional names are labeled within and around these territories.

slavery: attempting to escape

Engraving showing African captives in chains being brought aboard a slave ship, with white crew members overseeing and preparing them on the deck.

Map of western Africa showing the locations and territorial extents of major kingdoms and peoples from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Hausa Bakwai states are outlined in orange, representing their largest area in the 17th-18th centuries, while the Fulani kingdom is outlined in green, showing its 19th-century peak. Major cities, rivers, and regions such as the Niger and Benue Rivers, the Bauchi Highlands, and the Adamawa Plateau are labeled for context.

Related Questions

western Africa — western Africa The countries of western Africa.

Western Africa

region, Africa

Also known as: West Africa

Written by

John D. FageAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 12, 2026 •History

Western Africa, region of the western African continent comprising the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Western Africa is a term used in the Encyclopædia Britannica to designate a geographic region within the continent of Africa. The term West Africa is also often used to refer to this part of the continent. As...

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