countries of the central african region. central africa

Central Africa from A to Z. Population, countries, cities and resorts of Central Africa. Map, photo and video, descriptions and reviews of tourists.

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The very center of the African continent, with one edge stretching to the equator, and with the other spreading along the waters of the Atlantic, Central Africa is the land of savannahs and plateaus, heat and humidity, waterfalls and volcanoes. The region includes nine countries and one overseas territory (where British citizens can easily go without visas and formalities - almost like a suburban Moscow ... or rather, a suburban dacha). A tourist has never set foot on most of the Central African land, occasionally the local population steps on it and the hooves, paws and legs of numerous inhabitants of the animal world regularly step.

As for the tourist destiny of Central Africa, so far it cannot be recognized as outstanding. There are several reasons for this: the climate is not very suitable for voyages of pale-faced people pampered by civilization - constant high temperatures and high humidity throughout the year, as well as a large number of wetlands inhabited not only by toothy cold-blooded animals (they can still be avoided), but also all sorts of bad blood-sucking, such as tsetse flies - you can’t get away from these (so don’t forget about insurance). Add to this a long and expensive flight with a transfer, which takes at least 12 hours.

But animal diversity beats all records - just to enjoy it, you have to become like Gerald Durrell or Nikolai Drozdov, that is, endure all the hardships of the surrounding reality with the fortitude of a born naturalist.

The main objects of tourist interest in Central Africa are natural attractions. Consider that there is no historical “excursion” here: the founders of African empires of the past (such as, for example, Mali or Ghana), as well as more modern European sovereigns, considered it unreasonable to build cities in the tropical jungle - it would be too difficult to get to them through the swamps . Among the wonders of nature that attract tourists to the countries of the region, it is worth mentioning the Congo River basin, whose emerald exotic expanses are home to a good half of the African beast, the “four-thousander” Cameroon volcano, which belched out a huge amount of lava and ash just 10 years ago, Lake Chad is one from the great lakes of Africa and many national parks and reserves.

Sao Tome and Principe

Standing apart among the countries of Central Africa is the island state of Sao Tome and Principe, located 360 km from the continent, in the Gulf of Guinea. There are no swamps and marshes here, but there is a breathtakingly beautiful nature of volcanic islands, picturesque towns with many buildings of the Portuguese colonial buildings, ancient forts and mansions of European nobility, as well as absolutely ridiculous prices. It is also the best place to see the baobabs and feel like a planter, walking in a pith helmet through the cocoa fields. Of the items of "souvenir" interest, authentic ritual masks, musical instruments, figurines - everything carved from wood, as well as pretty ceramics in the spirit of African primitivism deserve attention.

The black continent is usually divided into five historical and geographical regions. One of them is Central Africa. What states are included in it? And how developed are they economically? This will be discussed in the article.

Brief geographical description of Central Africa

This region is located in the heart of the mainland, in its inner continental part. In terms of mineral resources, this is one of the richest parts of the planet. However, the colonialists at one time only “squeezed out” the local wealth, leaving behind backward and failed economies.

Central Africa is a region that is distinguished by a flat, slightly dissected relief. In the depression of the Congo there are channels of full-flowing rivers - the Congo, Ogove, Kwanza and others of the same name. The subsoil of the region contains copper, zinc, cobalt and other ores of valuable metals, as well as diamonds. Not deprived of Central Africa and deposits of "black gold" - oil.

Within Central Africa, you can see a wide variety of natural areas - savannas with herds of wild animals, dense mangroves, beautiful gallery forests. Very large areas of the region are swampy.

Central Africa: composition of the region

As a rule, 12 independent states of Africa are included in this historical and geographical region. This is:

Cameroon;
CAR (Central African Republic);
Equatorial Guinea;
Gabon;
Congo;
Democratic;
Rwanda;
Burundi;
Angola;
Zambia;
Malawi.

Some of these countries are very small (like Rwanda), while others have huge areas (Chad, Angola). All of them are shown on the map below in color.

Some geographers also include the island of St. Helena, located in the waters of the Atlantic, in Central Africa.

Population and religions

The population of Central Africa is dozens of different ethnic groups, each of which is distinguished by its culture, traditions and beliefs. The most common of these are the Yoruba, Bantu, Hausa and Athara peoples. Information about the history of these and other ethnic groups in the central part of the continent is very scarce.

Almost all the numerical and small peoples of Central Africa belong to and are distinguished by black skin, dark eyes, very wide nostrils and curly hair. In the Congo River basin, there are representatives of an amazing anthropological type - the so-called pygmies, whose average height barely reaches 142-145 centimeters.

The peoples of Central Africa have experienced many unpleasant moments in their history. These are centuries of colonization, and times of the slave trade, and military upheavals. Local traditional beliefs and rituals are still common in the region. Religions such as Islam or Christianity are also practiced here.

Features of the regional economy

The European colonialists left in Central Africa, to put it mildly, not a very good legacy - about a dozen backward and underdeveloped economies. Only in two states of the region it was possible to create full-fledged production facilities for the smelting of high-quality non-ferrous metals. These are DR Congo and Zambia. In many countries, timber is harvested in large volumes, which is ideal for export (Gabon, and others).

Agriculture in the region is predominantly low-tech and unproductive. Cocoa, coffee, tobacco, rubber, cotton and bananas are actively grown here.

One of the most developed (in industrial terms) country in the region can be called Gabon. The state lives by developing rather rich deposits of oil and manganese ores, as well as by exporting timber. Gabon - the most urbanized. Almost 75% of the population lives here in cities. There are three international airports in Gabon, and several major ports operate.

An interesting country in the region is the Central African Republic - a sparsely populated state that does not have access to the oceans. Only 600 thousand people live here (for comparison: this is the population of the city of Khabarovsk). The main wealth of this country is large deposits of diamonds, which account for almost half of all exports of the Central African Republic. There is not a single railway in the republic. But tourists often come here thanks to several world-famous natural parks.

Africa is a part of the world that occupies one fifth of the land on planet Earth. There are 60 states on the territory of Africa, but only 55 of them are universally recognized, the remaining 5 are self-proclaimed. Each of the states belongs to a particular region. Traditionally, five sub-regions are distinguished in Africa: four on the cardinal points (east, south, west, north) and one - central.

Central Africa

The Central African region occupies a continental area of 7.3 million square kilometers. km in an area rich in natural gifts. Geographically, the countries of Central Africa are separated from the rest of the sub-regions by the East African Continental Rift from the east; watershed between the rivers Congo - Kwanza and - Kubangu - from the south. The west of the region is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea; the northern border of the region coincides with the state border of the Republic of Chad. The countries of Central Africa are located in the equatorial and subequatorial humid and hot.

The richest region in water resources: the abounding Congo River, small rivers Ogowe, Sanaga, Kwanza, Kwilu and others. The vegetation is represented by dense forests in the center of the region and small strips of savannas in the north and south.

The Central African region includes nine countries: Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Cameroon, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon. Interestingly, two states with the same name have a different form of government. Sao Tome and Principe is located on an island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Cameroon, whose coordinates are close to the West African region, is sometimes ranked among the countries of West Africa.

Uniqueness of Central Africa

Active European penetration into the territory of tropical Central Africa began in the 18th century, when the desire of Europeans to possess new territories was especially great. The study of equatorial Africa was facilitated by the discovery of the mouth of the Congo River, along which navigable trips deep into the continent were made. There is very little information about the ancient peoples who inhabited the places where the modern countries of Central Africa are located. Their descendants are known - the Hausa, Yoruba, Athara, Bantu, Oromo peoples. The predominant indigenous race of this territory is the Negroid. In the tropics of the Uele and Congo basin, a special race lives - the pygmies.

Brief descriptions of some states

The Central African Republic is a country located in a territory that has long been unknown to Europeans due to its location in the depths of the mainland. The deciphering of ancient Egyptian inscriptions testifies to the existence of small people in the area, presumably pygmies. The land of the Central African Republic remembers the times of slavery, which ended only in the middle of the 20th century. Now it is a republic with more than five million people. There are several large national parks in the country, where giraffes, hippos, forest elephants, ostriches, several hundred species of birds and other animals live.

The largest country in Africa is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The population of the Congo is about 77 million people. It is also one of the richest states in terms of natural resources. The selva of the Republic is so extensive that it makes up about 6% of the world's wet forests.

The People's Republic of the Congo is located in western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline is approximately 170 km. A significant part of the territory is occupied by the Congo depression - a swampy area. The toponym "Congo" (which means "hunters") is very common on the African continent: two states of the Congo, the Congo River, the people and language of the Congo, and other lesser-known points on the map of Africa are named so.

A country with an interesting history - Angola, for many centuries sent ships with slaves to South America. Modern Angola is a major exporter of fruits, sugar cane and coffee.

The territory of Cameroon has an exceptional relief: almost the entire country is located on the highlands. Here is Cameroon - an active volcano and the highest point of the country.

Far from the largest is one of the most developed and wealthy countries in Africa. The nature of the country - lagoons and estuaries - is beautiful and poetic.

Chad is the northernmost country in Central Africa. The nature of this state is very different from the nature that other countries of Central Africa have. There are no forests here, on the plains of the country there are sandy deserts and savannahs.

The composition of the region. Economic - geographical location.
In terms of area, which covers almost 1/4 of the mainland, the region is second only to North Africa. However, only 1/7 of its population lives here. The region includes 9 states. Central Africa, occupying a central position on the mainland, borders on all other African regions: North, West, East and South Africa.
The countries of the region freed themselves from colonial dependence in 1950-1974. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was the possession of Belgium, Equatorial Guinea - Spain, Sao Tome and Principe - Portugal, other countries - colonies of France, almost all belonged to the former French Equatorial Africa.
Most of the countries of Central Africa are located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean or have access to it, which contributes to their economic development. The peculiarity of the region lies in the placement of an industrial region in its southeast " copper belt”, which by its economic importance far exceeds the seaside strip. Ugar and the Central African Republic (CAR) are landlocked, which is one of the most important reasons for their economic backwardness.
Transit transportation of inland countries through coastal states significantly influences the formation of the economic community of the states of the region.
All countries in the region are members of the UN, and Gabon is a member of OPEC.
Natural conditions. Central Africa occupies the western part of the mainland in equatorial and subequatorial latitudes, covers a large flat basin of the Congo, which in the west is adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea (the length of the coastal strip is 3099 km), in the north to the Azande plateau, in the west to the North Guinean Upland , in the south - to the Luanda plateau, in the east the region is limited by a branch of the Western East African Plateau.
The relief is dominated by flat areas. The Congo depression has a flat, heavily waterlogged bottom at altitudes of 300-500 m, the height of the elevations that limit it reaches 500-1000 m in the north and west, 1500-1700 m and more in the rest of the territory. Only the mountain range of Cameroon reaches a height of 4070 m. The relief of the region does not have sharp elevation changes. Flat accumulative and layered plains are found in the Congo Basin and in the coastal strip. Slightly mountainous intersections with insular mountains predominate in places where crystalline rocks come out, table and table-stepped plateaus - in the rocks of the sedimentary cover.
The natural contrasts of the region most clearly affect the climate. On both sides of the equator, an equatorial climate dominates with constant humid air and autumn and spring maxima of precipitation, which falls up to 2000 mm per year, average temperatures reach +23 ... + 28 ° C. In the north and south of the equator there is a subequatorial climate zone with rainy summers and dry winters, the amount of precipitation decreases to 1000 mm, during the rainy period the temperature drops to + 15 ° C. The least precipitation (200 mm) is on the Atlantic coast.
The equatorial regions and especially the Congo depression have the densest network of full-flowing rivers in Africa, the largest of which is the Congo (Zaire). The rivers are rapids and have significant hydropower potential. Large areas are occupied by swamps. Large lakes are Ugar, Mai-Ndombe and Tumba.
Natural resources. The bowels of the region have not been studied enough. The most developed minerals are in the southeast and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, exploration and development of the bowels of Gabon, Cameroon, Angola, and Congo are being actively carried out. At the end of the 70s of the XX century. Oil and gas fields have been discovered along almost the entire shelf zone of the Atlantic coast.
The well-known "Copper Belt" (DRC) is located in the region, in which, in addition to copper, cobalt, lead, and zinc are also of industrial importance. Gabon has unique reserves of manganese on the mainland. The bowels of Angola and Gabon are rich in oil. The DRC has huge diamond reserves and is one of the world's top diamond exporters. Central Africa contains significant deposits of rare earth and precious metals (gold, platinum, palladium), ores, aluminum and iron.
Resources for agriculture. The southern part of the Central African Republic, almost all of Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, large expanses of the DRC and part of Angola are occupied by massifs of humid equatorial and shifting humid forests. Intensive agriculture is complicated here, but there are very large forests and water resources. The rest of the territories are dominated by shrouds. The entire equatorial part of the region is the habitat of the tsetse fly, which causes great damage to livestock.
Hydropower resources. Having the densest and richest river network on the continent, Central Africa owns colossal hydropower resources, the total potential of which is up to 500 million kW (for the full use of river flow). Only in the lower reaches of the river. Congo (the first among the rivers in terms of hydropower resources) can build a cascade of power plants with a capacity of 25-30 million kW.
The use of the natural resource potential of the region is associated with some problems, especially in agriculture (the need for irrigation in dry areas and the implementation of land reclamation measures in areas with excessive moisture, which require significant funds). There is also a significant threat of rapid degradation of natural landscapes due to the use of outdated management methods, for example, the destruction of equatorial forests due to the clear-cut farming method.
In the equatorial belt, multi-tiered moist equatorial forests (hylaea) grow with a variety of trees and tree-like ferns, mostly secondary. The average forest cover of the region is 47%, the maximum is in Gabon (71%), Equatorial Guinea (65%), Sao Tome and Principe (61%), the minimum is in Chad (9%).
Population. In terms of population, the countries of Central Africa vary greatly. The most populated is the DRC, where the population is 10 times higher than in the Central African Republic, 12 times - Congo.
demographic features. The region, as well as throughout Africa, has a high annual natural population growth - an average of 2.9%. Life expectancy is below the African average. High infant mortality, especially in arid regions in the north, in the zone of equatorial forests. Despite this, the countries of the region are experiencing a “population explosion”. The number of children under 15 years old is quite large (43%) and the number of elderly people is small (4%). The number of men and women in the region is approximately the same (49.5 and 50.5%, respectively)
Racial composition. The majority of the population of the region belongs to the Negroid race. In some peoples (Tubu, Kanuri) of the northern regions, features of Caucasoids are noticeable.
In the equatorial forests of many countries live representatives of the so-called Negril small race - pygmies, whose height is 141-142 cm. They have light skin with a yellowish or reddish tint, narrow lips, and men have a thick beard. Representatives of the Khoisan race live in the south of the region - the Bushmen (curly hair, a wide nose with a low nose bridge, yellowish skin, very thin lips, often absent earlobe, average height - up to 150 cm).
Representatives of the Caucasoid race have been living in Central Africa for several centuries (most of them are in Angola), there are also many “colored”, mestizo populations here.
Ethnic composition. The population is ethnically diverse. Negroid peoples who speak Bantu languages and belong to the Niger-Kordafan language family (DRC, Congo, Angola, Cameroon) predominate. On the periphery, the number of peoples of adjacent regions is increasing - Hausa and Fulbe in the west (Cameroon), Tubu in the north (Ugar). Several tens of thousands of Pygmies live in Cameroon, the Congo and the DRC, some of whom speak Bantu languages, and some speak the languages of the Nilo-Saharan family. In all countries of the region, the official languages of the former metropolitan countries are: French, Portuguese, Spanish.
Religious composition. Most peoples retain local traditional beliefs; widespread belief in the spirits of nature, the cult of ancestors, fetishism, magic and witchcraft. Representatives of local traditional cults live in all countries, most of all in the Central African Republic (up to 50%).
Islam is practiced in the north, extreme east, southeast. Only in Chad Muslims are almost 60% of the population, Cameroon - over 35%. Christianity is also widespread. In many countries, Catholics make up the vast majority of the population (in Equatorial Guinea - 90%, in Gabon and the Congo - 80% each, Cameroon and Angola - 55% each).
Placement of the population. The region is unevenly populated. Sparsely populated are the northern and southern regions, which border the deserts, and especially the center of the region, covered with equatorial forest. In the depths of massifs of equatorial forests, the average population density is 2-3 people/km2, in the industrial southeast of the DRC - 160 people/km2.
The level of urbanization is low. On average, urban residents make up 38%, the least of them in Chad - 21%. In some areas there is a significant concentration of cities and towns, for example, in the "Copper Belt" in the DRC. Almost everywhere except the DRC, the urban population is concentrated in one or two cities, including the capital. Most of the cities are relatively recent. The millionaire cities are Kinshasa (4.2 million), Luanda (2.1 million), Douala (1.3 million), Yaounde (1.1 million), Brazzaville (1 million).
Human Resources. The population is predominantly employed in agriculture - over 80% (more than the average for Africa). The migration of young men to areas of intensive development of the mining industry is high.
The socio-economic and cultural level of the population of Central Africa is very low. Most rural residents live in a patriarchal-communal structure, are engaged in hard manual work, and do not have elementary living conditions.
Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy
The countries of the region differ significantly in terms of economic development. The main source of livelihood for 80% of the population is agriculture and cattle breeding. The remoteness of large inland regions from the ocean, the main transport routes, is the reason for their economic isolation, complicates trade relations and involvement in the system of territorial division of labor.
The collapse of the colonial system was accompanied by the formation in most countries of a large-scale public sector of the economy. In Angola, numerous industrial enterprises, transport, communications, banking, land and its resources were nationalized or taken under state control. The state controls finance, the credit system, insurance, and foreign trade. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the state owns mineral, forest, and land resources; the leading industrial enterprises, banks, and insurance institutions have been nationalized here. In Cameroon, the public sector occupies a leading position in the fields of transport (the state owns 100% of the capital of companies in railway transport, 70% in air transport, 66% in maritime transport, and 65% in urban transport), communications, energy management and water supply; strengthened its position in agriculture. In the CAR, river transport and electricity generation have been nationalized. The economic policy of Chad and other countries is aimed at encouraging private entrepreneurship and attracting foreign capital. Private foreign capital is concentrated mainly in the mining and manufacturing industries, the production of consumer goods.
One of the largest volumes of the total GNP in the region is in Gabon (over $7.7 billion in 2000), with almost $6,000 per capita (the highest figure in the region). The basis of the country's economy is the extractive industry (oil and mining). Up to 70% of gross domestic investment comes from abroad. The foreign capital of most companies is French, American, South African.
The countries of the region are represented by extractive industries (oil, mining - copper, manganese, rare earth metals, diamond mining). Of the agricultural areas oriented to export are: the cultivation of oil palm, cotton, cocoa, bananas, sisal, coffee, rubber. Harvesting and export of tropical wood are widely developed.
The natural resource potential and peculiarities of the region's agriculture have led to the predominant development of the mining industry, food and timber processing areas. Many industrial enterprises of the region were created during the colonial period and are in need of radical modernization.
Mining areas. The leading place in the industry belongs to the mining areas and the partial processing of various types of natural raw materials. Oil production in the region reaches 58 million tons (Gabon, Angola, Cameroon), all of it is exported. Oil refineries operate in Gabon, DRC and Angola.
Gabon is one of the world's main suppliers of ores of manganese, uranium, and iron ore. Congo supplies potash salt, ores of non-ferrous and rare metals to the world market, CAR - uranium, DRC - one of the world's largest (3rd place) suppliers of industrial diamonds (13.5 million carats) and cobalt (70% of world production), gold, kyanite, limestone, marble are mined in Cameroon.
Energy. Hydroelectric power stations are the basis of the region's electric power industry. The largest of them have been built in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Cameroon, etc. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the world's largest HPPs, Inga, is being built. The most significant thermal power plants operate near large cities. Africa's only geothermal power plant has been built in Shabi (DRC). Wood fuel is widely used (mainly in river and rail transport, some industrial enterprises). Every year, the countries of the region generate 17,661 million kWh of electricity. Over 2/3 of it is consumed by the mining industry.
Metallurgy. The presence of a powerful mineral resource base led to the development of a full metallurgical cycle in the region, primarily in non-ferrous metallurgy. In Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon, there are not only mining enterprises, but also plants for the smelting of high-quality metals.
Engineering. Machine-building enterprises are represented by small factories for the assembly of bicycles, motorcycles and cars in the DRC, radio equipment and electrical appliances, and agricultural implements in Cameroon. There are small shipbuilding and ship repair yards in Angola and the DRC.
etc.................

There are many countries in West and Central Africa, each of which has its own characteristics, traditions and history.

General characteristics of the region

West Africa is a part of the African continent, located south of the Sahara, and washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Central Africa is the western part of the African continent, which is located on the equatorial and subequatorial strip.

The natural boundary between Central and West Africa is the Cameroon Mountains. The states of West and Central Africa are among the poorest countries in the world.

In many states, the economy is completely absent. The inhabitants of these countries survive on self-sufficiency. Agriculture and industrial production is at a low level.

Only some states are involved in foreign trade, in particular Nigeria, Chad, Guinea.

West African countries

The countries of West Africa include the following states: Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria.

In West Africa, infectious diseases such as AIDS and malaria are very common. In Europe, this region is called the "grave for whites" - as many infections are fatal for visiting people.

The states of West Africa were Portuguese colonies for a long time, it was from this territory that the slave trade began in ancient times. After the wars of independence in the 60s of the 20th century, many West African states gained freedom.

However, until today they are completely dependent on the former colonies in matters of social and economic security of the population.

The infrastructure of the region is very poorly developed: roads and railways have not been built here since the time of colonial dependence. The average life expectancy of people does not reach 50 years. Most of the population is illiterate.

Central African countries

The following states are included in Central Africa: Gabon, Angola, Congo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sao Tome, Equatorial Guinea and Chad. Unlike the states of West Africa, the countries of Central Africa have a good range of natural resources.

This allows them not only to develop industry, but also to be a subject of foreign trade. So, for example, the Congo has the largest reserves of gold, silver, diamonds and copper in the world.

Chad's economy is based on agriculture. This state exports wool, cotton and textiles to European countries. However, even the most developed states of Central Africa do not fully use their potential.

The main problem is that after the colonial period, new plants and factories do not open here. In these states there are no qualified personnel - more than half of the population cannot read and write.