Peoples and countries

Many scientists consider Africa the birthplace of man. Archaeologists, having carried out excavations in East Africa, in the second half of the 20th century discovered the remains of a "handy man", whose age is about 2.7 million years. In Ethiopia, even more ancient human remains were found, about 4 million years old.

North Africa is inhabited by representatives of the southern branch of the Caucasoid race (distinguishing features are swarthy skin, narrow nose, dark eyes). These are the indigenous peoples - Berbers and Arabs. South of the Sahara live Negroids belonging to the equatorial race, which includes subraces and numerous groups of peoples. The most diverse is the Negroid population living south of the Sahara and on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. Hundreds of tribes and peoples, differing in skin color, height, facial features, language, way of life, occupy these territories.

The Congo Basin, East and South Africa are inhabited by peoples who belong to the Bantu group. Pygmies live in the equatorial forests, distinguished among the Negroids by their small stature (up to 150 cm), lighter skin color, and thin lips. The deserts and semi-deserts of South Africa are inhabited by Hottentots and Bushmen, who have signs of both Mongoloids and Negroids.

Part of the population of the mainland is of mixed origin, as it was formed from the mixing of two or more races, these are residents of the Nile Delta, the Ethiopian Highlands, and the island of Madagascar. A significant part of the population is made up of newcomers. Europeans live in almost all countries - former colonies: on the Mediterranean coast - the French, and in the south of the mainland - Boers (descendants of Dutch settlers), British, French, Germans, etc. The population is distributed extremely unevenly across the mainland.

Political map. Many peoples of Africa have an ancient civilization: Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, Benin, Dahomey and others. European colonization of the slave trade had a detrimental effect on the development of the economy and culture of the peoples of Africa. By the beginning of the 20th century, almost the entire territory of the mainland had been divided among the capitalist countries. Before the Second World War, there were only four independent states on the continent - Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia and South Africa. In the early 1960s, an active liberation struggle of the peoples for independence unfolded in Africa. In 1990, the last colony, Namibia, gained independence.

In total, there are 55 states on the continent. With the exception of South Africa, which is an economically developed country, the rest of the countries are developing countries. Countries North Africa. The territory of North Africa includes the region of the Atlas Mountains, sandy and rocky expanses of the hot Sahara and the savannah of Sudan. Sudan is a natural region stretching from the Sahara Desert (in the north) to the Congo Basin (in the south), from the Atlantic (in the west) to the foothills of the Ethiopian Highlands (in the east). Geographers often consider this area as part of Central Africa. The countries of North Africa include Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, etc. All countries have a convenient geographical position, they go to the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The population of these countries has long-standing economic and cultural ties with the countries of Europe and Southwest Asia. The northern territories of many countries of North Africa are located in the subtropics, and most of them are in the zone of tropical deserts. The most densely populated coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, the northern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the Nile Valley.

In the Sahara, life is concentrated mainly in oases, of which there are quite a few. Most of them were created by man in places where underground waters are close, on the outskirts of sandy deserts and along dry riverbeds. The population of the countries is quite homogeneous. In the past, this part of the continent was inhabited by the Berbers, in the VIII century AD. the Arabs came, there was a mixture of peoples. The Berbers adopted Islam and the Arabic script. In the countries of North Africa (compared to other countries of the mainland) there are many large and small cities in which a significant part of the population lives. One of the largest cities in Africa - Cairo - the capital of Egypt.

The bowels of the countries of North Africa are rich in mineral resources. In the Atlas Mountains, iron, manganese and polymetallic ores, phosphorites are mined, deposits of the latter are also found in Egypt. Near the Mediterranean coast and in the Sahara, there are large reserves of oil and natural gas. Pipelines stretched from the fields to the port cities.

Countries of Sudan and Central Africa. Zaire is located in this part of the mainland. Angola, Sudan, Chad. Nigeria and many small countries. Landscapes are very diverse - from dry short-grass to wet tall-grass savannas and equatorial forests. Part of the forests has been reduced, in their place, plantations of tropical crops have been created.

Countries East Africa. The largest countries in terms of area are Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia. They are located within the highest and most mobile part of the mainland, which is characterized by deep faults. earth's crust, faults, volcanoes, large lakes.

The Nile River originates in the East African Plateau. the nature of the countries of East Africa, despite the fact that almost the entire territory is located in one subequatorial belt, is extremely diverse: tropical deserts, various types of savannahs and humid equatorial forests. On the hills, on the slopes high volcanoes altitudinal zonality is clearly expressed.

Modern population East Africa - the result of mixing different races. Representatives of the Ethiopian minor race profess mainly Christianity. Another part of the population belongs to the Negroids - the Bantu peoples who speak the Swahili language. There is also a newcomer population - Europeans, Arabs and Indians.

South African countries. On the territory of this narrowest, southernmost part of the mainland, there are 10 countries, both large (South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, etc.) and very small in area (Lesotho, etc.). Nature is rich and diverse - from deserts to tropical rainforests. The relief is dominated by high plains, raised along the edges. The climate varies from north to south and from east to west.

On the territory of South Africa there are the largest not only on the continent, but also in the world deposits of diamonds, uranium ores, gold, non-ferrous metal ores. Indigenous people Bantu, Bushmen and Hottentots make up the peoples, Malagasy live in Madagascar. The first Europeans to migrate to South Africa were the Dutch, followed by the British. From the mixed marriages of Europeans with Africans, a group of people was formed, which is called colored. The modern population of the countries of South Africa, in addition to the indigenous, consists of Europeans, mainly descendants of the Dutch settlers (Boers) and the British, the colored population, as well as immigrants from Asia.

Africa- the continent on which traces of life were found ancient man on the planet. Therefore, the mainland is considered the birthplace of mankind. Africa is home to peoples of all three major races.

Representatives caucasian race, namely its southern branch (Arabs, Berbers and Tuareg), inhabit the north of the mainland. They have dark skin, a narrow nose and an oval face, dark eyes and hair. The peoples of North Africa speak Arabic and Berber.

Peoples live south of the Sahara equatorial race(Negroids). They are characterized by dark skin color. Negroids have a wide flat face and thick lips, curly hair. Negroids are the inhabitants of East Africa - tutsi, whose growth reaches 2 m. In the humid equatorial forests live pygmies(Fig. 84), whose maximum height is 150 cm, in the Nile basin - Nilotic with almost black skin, and in southern Africa - Bushmen and Hottentots, which have a yellowish skin color and a wide, flat face. The Ethiopian highlands are settled Ethiopians, outwardly they are similar to Caucasians, but their skin color is brown with a red tint. Live on the island of Madagascar Malagasy, belonging to Mongoloid race.

Dozens of different peoples and tribes live in any country in Africa, all of them have their own language, traditions, way of life (Fig. 85). material from the site

Nomadic tribe of the Sahara. The nomadic Tuareg tribe lives in South Sahara. They are engaged in trade, breeding camels and goats. At night they sleep in tents made from animal skins. The name of the tribe means "closed from the eyes", as Tuareg men wear national costumes made of black or dark blue cotton and wrap their heads with long scarves.

In Africa, two world religions: in the Arab countries of North Africa prevails Islam, in other countries - Christianity. There are also numerous indigenous religions on the continent.

Racial and linguistic composition of the African population very diverse.

On this page, material on the topics:

• Tuareg people of Africa short report

• Message on the theme of the costumes of the peoples of Africa

• Report on African tribe

• Message about any representative or object of mainland africa

• Essay on geography on the topic of the indigenous people of ahmara in africa

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There are not many places left on our planet where you can see communities of people living in everyday conditions that have not changed much over the centuries. One of these places is Africa, where people who live by hunting, fishing and gathering have been preserved. These tribal communities lead mostly secluded lives, rarely coming into contact with the population around them.

Although in recent times the traditional way of life of many peoples and tribes has undergone significant changes, and they are increasingly integrated into modern commodity-money relations, but many continue to engage in subsistence farming. These communities are characterized by low productivity agriculture. Their main economic task is self-sufficiency in basic foodstuffs in order to prevent prolonged starvation. The weakness of economic interaction and the complete absence of trade often become the cause of interethnic contradictions and even armed conflicts.

Other tribes have reached a higher level economic development, gradually assimilated with the larger state-forming peoples, and at the same time lost their distinctive features. The rejection of natural forms of management, and the increasing involvement in modern economic relations, contributes to an increase in cultural and technological development. Which is expressed in increased productivity, and a general rise in material well-being.

For example, the introduction of the plow among some agricultural peoples and tribes in West Africa, led to a significant increase in yields and an increase in cash, which in turn led to the creation of favorable conditions for the further modernization of agricultural work, and the beginning of mechanization.

List of largest African tribes and peoples

• Makonde
• Mbuti
• Mursi
• Kalenjin
• Oromo
• pygmies
• Samburu
• Swazi
• Tuareg
• Hamer
• Himba
• Bushmen
• Gourma
• Bambara
• Fulbe
• Wolof
• Malawi
• Dinka
• Bongo

More than 1 billion people live on the African continent, or 34 people per square kilometer. In fact, Africa's population is unevenly distributed. The waterless deserts, scorched by the heat, where there is no rain for years, are almost deserted. In the impenetrable forests of Equatorial Africa, only a few tribes of hunters cut paths. And in the lower reaches of large rivers, every piece of land is cultivated. Here the population density increases sharply.

Over three thousand people live in the Nile oasis per square kilometer. The northern and eastern coasts of the mainland, the shores of the Gulf of Guinea are also densely populated. AT major cities international trade and modern industry, banks and research centers are concentrated.

North Africa is inhabited by Arabs and Berbers, who belong to the southern branch of the Caucasian race. Arabs came to the Mediterranean coast 12 centuries ago. They mixed with the local population and passed on their language, culture, and religion. Ancient buildings testify to the high art of Arab architects, the taste and skill of the people. The ancient Arab cities still retain their unique appearance. Narrow streets sheltered from the sun, shops of merchants on every corner, workshops of artisans.

South of the Sahara lies a vast area of ​​Central Africa. Numerous Negro peoples live here: Sudanese peoples, Pygmies, Bantu peoples, Nilotic peoples. All of them belong to the equatorial race. Distinctive features of the race: dark skin color, curly hair, - took shape for a long time under the influence natural conditions. Among the Negroids there are hundreds of different tribes and nationalities with unique facial features, head shape, skin tone. The Nilotic peoples, for example, are the most tall people on the mainland. The average height of a Nilotic man is 182 cm, and the height of a pygmy is 145 cm. In the forests of Equatorial Africa, the shortest people on earth live, skilled trackers and hunters.

For centuries, the appearance of African huts has remained unchanged. Most of the population of Central Africa lives in such villages. The source of food is agriculture. The main instrument of labor is a hoe. Nomadic herdsmen graze cattle in the savannah and light forests with a rich grass cover. The inhabitants of the coast, in addition to agriculture and animal husbandry, are engaged in fishing. And some peoples have completely connected their lives with the water element.

In eastern Africa, on the territory of Ethiopia and Somalia, there are peoples of a mixed race (the peoples of Ethiopia and Somalia, the Nilots, the Bantu peoples). The ancient ancestors of the Somalis and Ethiopians probably descended from a mixture of Caucasians and Negroids. Fine facial features like Caucasians, dark hair color and curly hair like Negroids. Excavations in Ethiopia have shown that people lived there 4 million years ago.

The indigenous population of South Africa - Bushmen, Hottentots, Boers. South Africa is the most developed part of the black continent due to the industry of South Africa.

Off the east coast of the mainland is the island of Madakascar. Malagasy live here, representatives Mongoloid race. 2000 years ago, the Malagasy sailed to Madagascar from Indonesia.

Africa is unique and multifaceted, and so are the people living on the mainland. The peoples inhabiting Africa are diverse in its various parts, there are several thousand large and small ethnic groups, and 107 of them have a million or more representatives, and 24 of them number five million people.

Most of the peoples are not numerous, they are usually represented by several hundred or thousands of people and inhabit one or two nearby villages.

Modern peoples living in Africa belong not only to different anthropological types, but also to different races. So, north of the Sahara and on the territory of the desert itself, you can meet people of the Indo-Mediterranean race, which belongs to the large Caucasoid race. But on the lands to the south it is precisely the Negro-Australoid race that is distributed, in which the Negro, Negril and

Races, among which the largest number residents belongs to the first.

The largest nations on the mainland:

• Egyptian;
• Yoruba;
• Moroccan;
• Sudanese Arabs;
• hausa;
• Algerian;
• fulbe;
• amhara;
• igbo.

Peoples of South Africa

South Africa has long been inhabited by nomadic peoples who did not have a pronounced government and were excellent hunters, gatherers and specialists in the life of nature.

Then from the north, most of all from Central Africa, new peoples began to arrive in the southern lands. They were mainly Bantu, who brought with them agriculture and mining. These immigrants led a sedentary life, it was on the basis of such peoples inhabiting Africa in the south that the first states began to appear in the region.

The next impact on southern population provided by the Europeans, who first arrived there in 1652, although they had passed before. Foreigners subsequently dominated and ruled all of South Africa for about 350 years, which influenced the social and cultural situation.

Peoples of South Africa:

• braid;
• swazi;
• suto;
• tsonga;
• Zulu;
• herero;
• Ndebele;
• venda;
• tswana;
• matabele;
• shawn;
• pedi;
• ovambo;
• Bushmen;
• Hottentots;
• Hindustanis;
• Gujaratis;
• Biharis;
• Tamils;
• Telugu

Today, the Bantu peoples are still engaged in agriculture, growing legumes, corn, millet and vegetables. They also raise small and large livestock.

For the Hottentots, cattle breeding is a priority, but one of their groups, the Topnar-Nama, used to be engaged in hunting at sea all the time.

The Bushmen, on the other hand, remained nomads, they still hunt and gather food. Their home is windscreens made from twigs, grass, and skins. They wear loincloths and, if necessary, cover themselves with cloaks.

Cattle breeders and sedentary farmers live in hemispherical huts - kraal, and dress in loincloths with aprons, used leather cloaks are called kaross.

Peoples living in North Africa

Now in North Africa there are many practically uninhabited territories, which is associated with the peculiarities of the modern climate. When the Sahara turned from savannah to desert thousands of years ago, its inhabitants were forced to move closer to the water, for example, to the Nile Valley and to the coast. Then such populated areas became the beginnings of great civilizations and cultures.

During the Middle Ages, Europeans increasingly visited the African coast of the Mediterranean Sea. And by the beginning of the twentieth century, foreigners began to rule in these territories, thereby influencing their culture, which lasted about half a century.

Due to the constant presence of residents of Arab and European countries, representatives of the Indo-Mediterranean race live in North Africa:

• Arabs;
• Berbers.

They have dark skin, hair and eyes of dark shades, a nose on a narrow face has a hump. Among the Berbers, people with light eyes and hair are not excluded.

Most of the local population professes Islam, with the exception of the Copts, who are the direct descendants of the ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

Most often, the peoples inhabiting Africa in the north are engaged in agriculture, horticulture and viticulture are also developed, and the date palm is cultivated in oases. Cattle breeding is carried out by the Bedouins and Berbers, who live in the mountains or semi-desert places.

Peoples of Central Africa

AT Central Africa the population belonging to the Negroid race is predominant:

• athara;
• Yoruba;
• Bantu;
• oromo;
• house.

Representatives of this race are distinguished by dark shades of skin, hair, eyes, their lips are thick, their nose is also pronounced - the bridge of the nose is low, and the wings are wide.

The structure of such ethnic groups is complex, often researchers know very little about them. Those who live in virgin impenetrable forests are almost not studied.

In the conditions of dense and impenetrable tropical forests, one can observe a special anthropological type - pygmies, which are distinguished by short stature (around 141 centimeters). They have lighter skin and thinner lips than other representatives. negroid race. In addition, they have a feature of the body structure - short lower limbs and a large head.

It is possible to observe various religions in these territories, among which there are a large number of adherents of Islam and Christianity, and the beliefs of ancient ancestors are not forgotten.