Western Africa
Nigeria's broader neighborhood
Western Africa is the region comprising the westernmost portion of the African continent, typically including countries from Senegal and Mauritania in the north to Nigeria in the east and the Gulf of Guinea coast to the south.
The region encompasses diverse cultures, languages, and ecosystems—from Saharan desert to tropical rainforest.
Ghana and Nigeria are the largest economies in Western Africa.
Also called West Africa.
Domination through foreign settlement
- slaveryOwnership of people
- transatlanticSpanning the ocean between continents
- empiresExtensive ruled territories
- independenceFreedom from external control
decolonization · Timbuktu · trade routes · gold · salt · scramble · missionaries · abolition
Ghanaian ceremonial woven cloth
- djembeHand-struck goblet drum
- afrobeatNigerian funk-jazz fusion genre
- highlifeLuxurious wealthy existence
- jollofSpiced tomato rice dish
fufu · boubou · griot · Nollywood · masquerade · festivals · storytelling · Yoruba
Semi-arid African transition zone
- savannahTropical grassland ecosystem
- Niger RiverWest African watercourse
- Gulf of GuineaAtlantic inlet, African coast
- tropicsWarm equatorial region
rainforest · harmattan · coastline · delta · estuary · lagoons · mangroves · highlands
Sandy coastal areas
- fishingCatching aquatic creatures
- portsShip berths or device jacks
- DakarSenegalese seat of government
- LagosWest African megacity
Accra · Abidjan · maritime · harbors · Atlantic · trawling · canoes · shipping
West African federal republic
- GhanaWest African republic
- SenegalWest African republic
- democracyRule by the people
- urbanizationPopulation shift toward cities
Lagos · migration · remittances · mobile banking · tech hubs · oil · cocoa · development
colonialism
Domination through foreign settlement
- slaveryOwnership of people
- transatlanticSpanning the ocean between continents
- empiresExtensive ruled territories
independence · decolonization · Timbuktu · trade routes · gold · salt · scramble · missionaries · abolition · protectorates
kente
Ghanaian ceremonial woven cloth
- djembeHand-struck goblet drum
- afrobeatNigerian funk-jazz fusion genre
- highlifeLuxurious wealthy existence
jollof · fufu · boubou · griot · Nollywood · masquerade · festivals · storytelling · Yoruba · Igbo
Sahel
Semi-arid African transition zone
- savannahTropical grassland ecosystem
- Niger RiverWest African watercourse
- Gulf of GuineaAtlantic inlet, African coast
tropics · rainforest · harmattan · coastline · delta · estuary · lagoons · mangroves · highlands · plateau
beaches
Sandy coastal areas
Lagos · Accra · Abidjan · maritime · harbors · Atlantic · trawling · canoes · shipping · oil platforms
Nigeria
West African federal republic
urbanization · Lagos · migration · remittances · mobile banking · tech hubs · oil · cocoa · development · infrastructure
Western AfricaEastern Africa
UN-designated continental subregion
East Africa · Southern Africa · Central Africa · North Africa · Madagascar
Western AfricaEast Asia
China-Japan-Korea region
Southeast Asia · Oceania · Eastern Hemisphere · Australia · Indonesia
west, western, westerly, westerner, westernmost, westward, westwards, Africa, African