Sub-Saharan Africa is the term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara desert. Geographically, the demarcation line is the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.
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Geography
Sub-Saharan Africa covers an area of 24.3 million square kilometers.[1] Since around 4,000 years before present[1], the north and sub-Saharan regions of Africa have been separated by the extremely harsh climate of the sparsely populated Sahara, forming an effective barrier interrupted by only the Nile River. The peoples south of the Sahara (excluding the Nile Valley) developed in relative isolation from the rest of the world. The modern term sub-Saharan corresponds with the standard representation of North as above and South as below. Tropical Africa and Equatorial Africa are alternative modern labels, used for the distinctive ecology of the region. However, if strictly applied, this term would exclude South Africa, most of which lies outside the Tropics.
History
In 19th Century Europe and the Western world, the area was sometimes referred to as "Black Africa." This was partly due to the skin color of its inhabitants and partly because much of it had not been fully mapped or explored by Westerners. Some object to the usage of the term, such as cultural writer and filmmaker Owen 'Alik Shahadah. Sub-Saharan Africa, especially East Africa, is regarded by most geneticists as being the birthplace of the human race (the genus Homo). Mitochondrial Eve, from whom all humans alive are descended, is thought to have lived in present day Ethiopia or Tanzania. Sub-Saharan Africa has been the site of many empires and kingdoms, including the Axum, Wagadu (Ghana Empire), Mali, Nok, Songhai, Kanem, Bornu, Benin and Great Zimbabwe.
Critique of the term
Some object to the usage of the term and see it is as misleading and a racist colonial way of viewing Africa. [2][3][4][5] Academic and cultural writer Owen 'Alik Shahadah states "...This barrier of sand hence confined Africans to the bottom of this make-believe location, which exists neither linguistically, ethnically, politically or physically...Somalia and Djibouti are part of the same political Islamic alignment just like many so-called Arab countries." (See Arab League). Others such as P. Godfrey Okoth, Department of History University of California, states that European travelers and geographers created the concept of "two Africas," sets up the removal of African contribution to world civilization.[5][2]
Increasing Use and Acceptance of the Term
It is an undeniable fact that North Africa is more than 90% light skinned Berber-Arab-Egyptian people sometimes referred to as Caucasian while South of Sahara is more than 90% African black people. The Sahara Desert adds to this people distinction a geographical rift of quasi unpopulated area. Because of their cultural connection with North Africa and their geographical locations Sudan and Mauritania are recognized as Northern and Sub-Saharan African nations at the same time (Similarly Mexico is known as a Latin and North American country). The term Sub Saharan Africa is better than black Africa. It is comparable to North America, Western Europe, South Asia, Latin America, Middle East… Population density, transportation networks, vegetation, economic disparities and cultural mosaics show two main Africa separated by the Sahara. This geographical reality is at the source of international regional grouping or many publications by Africans and non Africans dealing uniquely with Sub Saharan Africa on economy,[6] geography,[7] health, cultures, crisis,[8] news, statistics… that have nothing to do with racism or supremacy. Past historian theories stripping away Black Africans contributions in the creation of Nile Valley Civilizations have become archaic. Not only Africans initiated all those civilizations and ruled them in the past (piye, taharqa…) they also kept in control the development of Nubian and Ethiopian civilizations in the Nile Valley.[9] This fact is recognized by scholars worldwide. Historical monuments in Sub-Saharan Africa are still standing as evidence at Meroe, Axum, Napata, Great Zimbabwe…
Demography
The population of sub-Saharan Africa was 770.3 million in 2006. [2] The current growth rate is 2.3%. The UN predict for the region a population of nearly 1.5 billion in 2050.[3]
Economies
Generally, sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the world, suffering from the effects of economic mismanagement, local corruption, inter-ethnic conflict and the legacy of colonialism and slavery. The region contains many of the least developed countries in the world. (See Economy of Africa.)
Health care
In 1987, Bamako was the location of a WHO conference known as the Bamako Initiative that helped reshape the health policy of sub-Saharan Africa.[10] The new strategy dramatically increased accessibility through community-based healthcare reform, resulting in more efficient and equitable provision of services. A comprehensive approach strategy was extended to all areas of health care, with subsequent improvement in the health care indicators and improvement in health care efficiency and cost.[11][12] Up to and including October 2006 many governments face difficulties in implementing policies aimed at mitigating the effects of the AIDS-pandemic due to lack of technical support despite a number of mitigating measures. [4]
Nations of sub-Saharan Africa
There are 42 countries located on the sub-Saharan African mainland and 6 island nations. According to this classification scheme, the countries of sub-Saharan Africa are:
Central Africa
East Africa
Southern Africa
West Africa
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
Island nations
*''''Bold text'Bold text' Cape Verde (West Africa)
- Comoros (Southern Africa)
- Madagascar (Southern Africa)
- Mauritius (Southern Africa)
- São Tomé and Príncipe (West Africa)
- Seychelles (East Africa)
Territories
Notes
- ^ http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl9920.html
- ^ a b Shahadah, Owen 'Alik, Linguistics for a new African reality, first published at the Cheikh Anta Diop conference in 2005, retrieved July 152007
- ^ Nehusi, Kimani, Mental Enslavement, From Medew Netjer to Ebonics, retrieved July 172007
- ^ Muhammad, Andrew, Andrew Muhammad, chapter Hidden History, Free Your Mind, retrieved July 152007
- ^ a b Okoth, P. Godfrey The Truman Administration and the Decolonization of Sub-Saharan Africa Journal of Third World Studies, retrieved July 152007: The idea of "Sub-Saharan Africa," is, therefore, 'a myth or misleading. It cannot be accepted as it tantamount to the balkanization of Africa, thereby denying Africa its rightful role in contributing to world civilization
- ^ Widner A Jennifer: “Economic Change and Political Liberalization in Sub-Saharan Africa”, John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1994, ISBN 0-8018-4844-X
- ^ Aryeetey-Attoh Samuel: “Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa”, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River NJ 1997 ISBN 0-13-375684-X
- ^ Wole Soyinka: “The Open Sore of a Continent” pp127 Oxford University Press, NY 1996 ISBN 0-19-511921-5
- ^ Williams Chancellor: “The Destruction of Black Civilization” pp 34, 47, 118-136, Chicago: 8th ed 1992 ISBN 0-88378-030-5
- ^ User fees for health: a background. Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Implementation of the Bamako Initiative: strategies in Benin and Guinea. Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Manageable Bamako Initiative schemes. Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
External links
Political maps of Sub-Saharan Africa
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