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history of western Africa
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Antique map showing the northwest region of Africa as published in the 1902 Encyclopaedia Britannica. The map details colonial territories and countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, the Sahara, Senegal, Portuguese Guinea, French Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, and Nigeria, with borders, cities, rivers, and geographic features labeled in fine print. 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. 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.
Study the history of the African slave trade and its economic effect on western Africa, where coastal states became rich and powerful while savanna states were destabilized as their people were taken captive
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history of western Africa

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Antique map showing the northwest region of Africa as published in the 1902 Encyclopaedia Britannica. The map details colonial territories and countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, the Sahara, Senegal, Portuguese Guinea, French Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, and Nigeria, with borders, cities, rivers, and geographic features labeled in fine print.
Northwest Africa, c. 1902 Map of northwest Africa, from the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1902.

Western Africa is a diverse region with a rich history, primarily shaped by trans-Saharan trade routes and the rise and fall of powerful empires. The region's history, particularly from the 11th century onward, is intertwined with the spread of Islam and the exchange of goods like gold and salt.12

Key historical developments include:

  • Early Empires: The ancient empire of Ghana (4th–11th century) controlled vital gold and salt trade routes. It was later succeeded by the Mandinka empire of Mali (13th–15th century), which saw Timbuktu flourish as a center of trade and Islamic scholarship. The Songhai empire followed, but its dominance ended with a Moroccan invasion in 1591.123
  • Trans-Saharan Trade: For centuries, caravan routes across the Sahara facilitated the exchange of goods between North Africa and West Africa, influencing the region's economic and political development.12
  • European Colonization: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European powers partitioned West Africa, establishing colonial boundaries that largely define the region today.4
  • Decolonization: Following World War I and II, African aspirations for self-governance grew, leading to the establishment of independent states between 1957 and 1976.5
Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
6 Britannica Sources
  1. Ghana - Trade routes of Islam
  2. western Africa - Claims of territorial boundaries
  3. western Africa - The emergence of African leaders
  4. western Africa
  5. western Africa - Muslims in western Africa
  6. Mali - Precolonial history

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