West Africa
By: Victoria Olojo
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The story of Africa isn't completely single-sided. For years, the people of Western Africa have gone through cases of oppression, devastation, disease, and malnutrition. Some good things have come out of this region though. Unfortunately, over half of the people of the region are living on less than $1 a day and people are only expected to live to be 46 years old. Also, 45 % of the adults are illiterate. These numbers aren't great in comparison to other parts of the world.
The West African Region is basically the bump on the West Coast of Africa where the continent narrows. It is the area bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north by the Sahara Desert. The area has a region called the Sahel with the following countries in it: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad. The remaining countries of West Africa are Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo. The Niger River is one of the most important rivers in the region. Another water source is Lake Volta, one of the world's largest artificial bodies of water. Because the region starts from the Sahara desert and stretches to the Tropics of Cancer, the region's climate goes from a desert to tropical rain forest climate. In between are semi-desert, savanna, grassland, and deciduous forest. Generally speaking, as you go south, the more wet it gets. The West African region was geographically blessed with many natural resources: petroleum, iron ore, diamonds, uranium, gold, and coal. It is also home to Nigeria, the continent's largest oil producer.
As in Jared Diamond's theory, geography is what makes an area what it is; Geography has had a lasting impact on the way that the people of this region live. Many of the Africans living here are farmers. In addition many are fishermen because of the number of sources to bodies of water. In the Sahel region, desertification is affecting the Sahel region. There is a continual cycle that explains the reasoning: Farmland is constantly overworked so the people have to clear forests and there is a decreased amount of rainfall.Next, we will look at how geography dealt out a valuable resource to a country and how it is currently affecting them.
The country's economy is very dependent on it's oil industry. 95% of Nigeria's export money and 80% of the government's revenues come from oil. The oil industry is located mainly on the Niger Delta. In addition, Nigeria has the largest reserves for natural gas in Africa. Since Nigeria produces about 2.423 million barrels per day as of 2005, it is the world's sixth largest producer of oil. This is why Nigeria has become the United States' fifth-largest exporter of oil and largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. The discovery of oil has been a blessing to Nigeria's economy.
Although the prosperity of oil in the country, their unhealthy dependence on oil could hurt the country. Because Nigeria is focusing so much on its' oil sector, it is neglecting its' agricultural sector. That means that people living in rural areas aren't producing enough agriculture. You could say it is impoverishing the citizens of the rural areas. Also, the increasing stability being placed on oil has been linked to the high rates of people living in poverty. The money coming from the oil industry has blessed the country's wealth and it's industry; likewise, it hasn't touched the hands of the vast majority.
The West African Region is basically the bump on the West Coast of Africa where the continent narrows. It is the area bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north by the Sahara Desert. The area has a region called the Sahel with the following countries in it: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad. The remaining countries of West Africa are Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo. The Niger River is one of the most important rivers in the region. Another water source is Lake Volta, one of the world's largest artificial bodies of water. Because the region starts from the Sahara desert and stretches to the Tropics of Cancer, the region's climate goes from a desert to tropical rain forest climate. In between are semi-desert, savanna, grassland, and deciduous forest. Generally speaking, as you go south, the more wet it gets. The West African region was geographically blessed with many natural resources: petroleum, iron ore, diamonds, uranium, gold, and coal. It is also home to Nigeria, the continent's largest oil producer.
As in Jared Diamond's theory, geography is what makes an area what it is; Geography has had a lasting impact on the way that the people of this region live. Many of the Africans living here are farmers. In addition many are fishermen because of the number of sources to bodies of water. In the Sahel region, desertification is affecting the Sahel region. There is a continual cycle that explains the reasoning: Farmland is constantly overworked so the people have to clear forests and there is a decreased amount of rainfall.Next, we will look at how geography dealt out a valuable resource to a country and how it is currently affecting them.
The country's economy is very dependent on it's oil industry. 95% of Nigeria's export money and 80% of the government's revenues come from oil. The oil industry is located mainly on the Niger Delta. In addition, Nigeria has the largest reserves for natural gas in Africa. Since Nigeria produces about 2.423 million barrels per day as of 2005, it is the world's sixth largest producer of oil. This is why Nigeria has become the United States' fifth-largest exporter of oil and largest trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. The discovery of oil has been a blessing to Nigeria's economy.
Although the prosperity of oil in the country, their unhealthy dependence on oil could hurt the country. Because Nigeria is focusing so much on its' oil sector, it is neglecting its' agricultural sector. That means that people living in rural areas aren't producing enough agriculture. You could say it is impoverishing the citizens of the rural areas. Also, the increasing stability being placed on oil has been linked to the high rates of people living in poverty. The money coming from the oil industry has blessed the country's wealth and it's industry; likewise, it hasn't touched the hands of the vast majority.