West Africa

==Environment==
===Nature===
[[File:Rhinoceros blanc- réserve de Bandia - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A [[rhinoceros]] in Bandia Nature Reserve, [[Senegal]]]]
[[File:Yankari Elephants.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[African bush elephants]] in [[Yankari National Park]], Nigeria]]

Before [[Scramble for Africa|European colonisation]], West African countries such as those from the [[Senegambia|Senegambia region]] (Senegal and the Gambia) used to have a diverse [[wildlife]] including [[lion]]s, [[hippopotamus]], [[elephant]]s, [[antelope]]s, [[leopard]]s etc.<ref>Koslow, Philip, ''Senegambia: Land of the Lion'', Chelsea House Publishers (1997), pp. 11, 35–47, {{ISBN|9780791031353}}.</ref> However, during colonization, the European colonizers such as the French and British killed most of the wildlife particularly the lions, using their body parts as trophies. By the turn of the 20th century, the Senegambia region had lost most of its lion population and other exotic animals due to [[poaching]]. By the 1930s, the Gambian elephant population became extinct. That phenomenon was not only limited to the Senegambia region but affected much of West Africa as the region lost much of its "natural resources once tied so closely to its cultural identity. [[Poaching]] has stolen most of its wildlife." The British issued poaching licenses, and although they would later try to reverse the damage that had been done by attempting to preserve what was left of the local wildlife, but by that time, it was too late.<ref name="New York Times">''[[The New York Times]]'', [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/30/world/africa/senegal-baobabs-climate-change.html "Across Senegal, the Beloved Baobab Tree Is the 'Pride of the Neighborhood{{'"}}], by Dionne Searcey (Sept. 30, 2018) (Retrieved 1 April 2019)</ref><ref name="Somerville">Somerville, Keith, ''Ivory: Power and Poaching in Africa'', [[Oxford University Press]] (2016), p. 84–85 {{ISBN|9781849046763}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=D2sjDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA85] (Retrieved 1 April 2019)</ref> During the 1930s, the elephant population in the [[Gold Coast (region)|Gold Coast]] was about 300, and Sierra Leone between 500 and 600. Although a small number of elephants survived in Nigeria, hunting, [[agricultural expansion]] and [[Deforestation in Nigeria|clearing of forest in that country]] drastically affected its wildlife population, particularly elephants.<ref name="Somerville"/>

Despite the historical damage that has been done to the region's wildlife populations, there are still some protected nature reserves within the region. Some of these include:

* The Bandia Nature Reserve in Senegal (French: ''Réserve de Bandia''), animal life includes: [[giraffes]], [[zebras]], [[rhinos]], a variety of antelopes, [[African buffalo|buffaloes]], [[monkeys]], [[crocodiles]], [[tortoises]]. apes and a variety of exotic birds.<ref>Bandia Nature Reserve is sometimes called ''Bandia park reserve'', [[Lonely Planet]], ''Half-Day Somone Lagoon and Bandia Park Safari from Dakar'', [https://www.lonelyplanet.com/senegal/dakar/activities/half-day-somone-lagoon-and-bandia-park-safari-from-dakar/a/pa-act/v-28135P1/355589] (Retrieved 1 April 2019)</ref>
* The [[Yankari National Park]] in Nigeria, animal life includes: the [[African bush elephant]], [[olive baboon]], [[patas monkey]], [[Tantalus monkey]], [[roan antelope]], [[Hartebeest|western hartebeest]], [[West African lion]], [[African buffalo]], [[waterbuck]], [[bushbuck]] and [[hippopotamus]].<ref>Lonely Plane, ''Yankari National Park''[https://www.lonelyplanet.com/nigeria/northern-nigeria/yankari-national-park] (Retrieved 1 April 2019)</ref>
#The [[Ankasa Conservation Area]] in Ghana, animal life includes: the elephant, [[bongo (antelope)|bongo]], leopard, [[Common chimpanzee|chimpanzee]], [[Diana Monkey|Diana monkey]], and other primates.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Tilahun|first1=Mesfin|last2=Damnyag|first2=Lawrence|last3=Anglaaere|first3=Luke C.N.|title=The Ankasa Forest Conservation Area of Ghana: Ecosystem service values and on-site REDD + opportunity cost|journal=Forest Policy and Economics|volume=73|pages=168–176|doi=10.1016/j.forpol.2016.08.011|year=2016}}</ref>
* The [[Mole National Park]] is Ghana's biggest wildlife refuge. It is home to over 83 mammal species including about 800 resident elephants, buffalo, hippos, and warthogs<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riley|first=Laura|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59347952|title=Nature's strongholds : the world's great wildlife reserves|date=2005|publisher=Princeton University Press|others=William Riley|isbn=0-691-12219-9|location=Princeton, N.J.|oclc=59347952}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Brodowsky|first=Pamela K.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/233549707|title=Destination wildlife : an international site-by-site guide to the best places to experience endangered, rare, and fascinating animals and their habitats|date=2009|publisher=Penguin|others=National Wildlife Federation|isbn=978-0-399-53486-7|location=New York|oclc=233549707}}</ref> as well as various fauna and flora.

West Africa is also home to several [[Adansonia|baobab]] trees and other [[plant life]]. Some baobab trees are several centuries old and form part of the local folklore, for example, a mythical baobab tree named ''Ngoye njuli'' in Senegal which is regarded as a sacred site by the [[Serer people|Serer]]. The tree itself is rather majestic and looks like a huge [[phallus]] and a deformed animal or thing is protruding from it. It is said to be the dwelling place of a [[pangool]]. Ngoye njuli is protected by the Senegalese authorities and attracts visitors. In West Africa, as in other parts of Africa where the baobab tree is found, the leaves are mixed with couscous and eaten, the bark of the tree is used to make ropes, and the fruit and seeds used for drinks and oils.<ref name="New York Times"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Martin |first1=V. |last2=Becker |first2=C. |title=Lieux de culte et emplacements celebres dans les pays Sereer (Sénégal) |trans-title=Places of worship and famous locations in the Sereer countries (Senegal) |language=fr |journal=Bulletin de l'Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire, Série B: Sciences humaines |date=1979 |volume=41 |pages=133–189 }}</ref><ref name="SRC">{{Cite web|url=https://www.seereer.org/|title=The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)|website=The Seereer Resource Centre (SRC)|access-date=1 April 2019|archive-date=30 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430163337/https://www.seereer.org/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Deforestation in Nigeria (3509228297).jpg|thumb|200px| [[Deforestation in Nigeria]].]]

===Deforestation===

{{Further|Deforestation in Nigeria}}
West Africa is greatly affected by [[deforestation]] and has one of worst deforestation rate.<ref name="ThoughtCo"/> Even "the beloved baobab tree" which is viewed as sacred by some West African cultures are under threat due to [[climate change]], [[urbanization]] and population growth. "Huge swaths of forest are being razed to clear space for palm oil and cocoa plantations. Mangroves are being killed off by pollution. Even wispy [[acacia]]s are hacked away for use in cooking fires to feed growing families."<ref name="New York Times"/> Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, have lost large areas of their [[rainforest]].<ref>Deforestation by Country & Region ("Country Forest Data [sorted by region]") [in] [https://data.mongabay.com/deforestation_rate_tables.htm Mongabay.com] (Retrieved 2 April 2019)
</ref><ref>''Rainforest Destruction'' [in] rainforestweb.org. Archived by [[Wayback Machine]] — [https://web.archive.org/web/20090205200836/http://rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Destruction/] (Retrieved 2 April 2019)</ref> In 2005, the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations ranked [[Deforestation in Nigeria|Nigeria as the state with the worst deforestation rate]] in the entire world. Causes include logging, [[subsistence agriculture]], and the collection of fuelwoods.<ref>[[Mongabay|Mongabay News]], ''Nigeria has worst deforestation rate, FAO revises figures'' (17 November 2005) by Rhett A. Butler, [http://news.mongabay.com/2005/1117-forests.html] (Retrieved 2 April 2019)</ref>

According to a [[ThoughtCo]] publication authored Steve Nix (2018), almost 90 percent of West Africa's original rainforest has been destroyed, and the rest "heavily fragmented and in a degraded state, being poorly used."<ref name="ThoughtCo">[[ThoughtCo]], ''The Territory and Current Status of the African Rainforest'' by Steve Nix (November 04, 2018) [https://www.thoughtco.com/african-rainforest-1341794] (Retrieved 2 April 2019)</ref>

=== Overfishing ===
[[Overfishing]] is a major issue in West Africa. Besides reducing fish stocks in the region, it also threatens [[food security]] and the livelihoods of many coastal communities who largely depend on [[artisanal fishing]]. The overfishing generally comes from [[Trawling|foreign trawlers]] operating in the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/may-july-2017/overfishing-destroying-livelihoods|title=Overfishing destroying livelihoods &#124; Africa Renewal|website=www.un.org|date=12 May 2017}}</ref>

To combat the overfishing, [[Greenpeace]] has recommended countries reduce the number of registered trawlers operating in African waters, increase the monitoring and control and set up regional fisheries organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-04 |title=Greenpeace welcomes cancellation of fishing licences of 29 foreign trawlers |url=https://en.africanmanager.com/greenpeace-welcomes-cancellation-of-fishing-licences-of-29-foreign-trawlers-2/ |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=African Manager |language=en-US}}</ref> Some steps have already been taken in the form of [[WARFP]] (the World Bank's West Africa Regional Fisheries Program which empowers west-African countries (i.e. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, and Senegal) with information, training and monitoring systems. Furthermore, Liberia enacted a fisheries regulations Act in 2010<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-01-05 |title=Liberia Gets New Fisheries Regulations. |url=https://fcwc-fish.org/other-news/liberia-gets-new-fisheries-regulations |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea |language=en-US}}</ref> and installed a satellite-based monitoring system and Senegal enacted a fisheries code in 2015. In Cape Verde, the fishermen communities of Palmiera and Santa Maria have organized themselves to protect fishing zones. Mozambique finally created a [[Conservation biology|conservation]] area, including a coastline.
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nepadwatercoe.org/cape-verde-greenpeace-raises-awareness-on-the-state-of-fisheries-in-west-africa/|title=Cape Verde: Greenpeace Raises Awareness on the State Of Fisheries in West Africa|access-date=28 July 2019|archive-date=28 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728124507/https://nepadwatercoe.org/cape-verde-greenpeace-raises-awareness-on-the-state-of-fisheries-in-west-africa/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iucn.org/news/secretariat/201701/overfishing-threatens-food-security-africa%E2%80%99s-western-and-central-coast-many-fish-species-region-face-extinction-%E2%80%93-iucn-report|title=Overfishing threatens food security off Africa's western and central coast as many fish species in the region face extinction – IUCN report|date=January 19, 2017|website=IUCN}}</ref>

===Geography and climate===
West Africa, broadly defined to include the western portion of the [[Maghreb]] ([[Western Sahara]], [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], and [[Tunisia]]), occupies an area in excess of 6,140,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, or approximately one-fifth of Africa. The vast majority of this land is plains lying less than 300 meters above sea level, though isolated high points exist in numerous states along the southern shore of West Africa.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

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|||'''''Western [[Afrotropical realm]]'''''

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{|
|-style="text-align:left;text-decoration:none;width:220px;" valign="middle"
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[[Geography of Benin|Benin]]<br/>
[[Geography of Burkina Faso|Burkina Faso]]<br/>
[[Geography of The Gambia|The Gambia]]<br/>
[[Geography of Ghana|Ghana]]<br/>
[[Geography of Guinea-Bissau|Guinea-Bissau]]<br/>
[[Geography of Guinea|Guinea]]<br/>
[[Geography of Ivory Coast|Ivory Coast]]<br/>
[[Geography of Liberia|Liberia]]<br/>
[[Geography of Mali|Mali]]<br/>
[[Geography of Mauritania|Mauritania]]<br/>
[[Geography of Nigeria|Nigeria]]<br/>
[[Geography of Niger|Niger]]<br/>
[[Geography of Senegal|Senegal]]<br/>
[[Geography of Sierra Leone|Sierra Leone]]<br/>
[[Geography of Togo|Togo]]<br/>
|}
|[[File:Afrotropic-Ecozone-West Tropical Africa.svg|300px|none]]
|[[File:Afrotropic-West Tropical Africa.svg|300x430px|none]]
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|width="200"|'''State'''
|width="100"|'''The biostate'''
|width="100"|'''Location in Afrotropic'''
|}
[[File:West Africa may 8 2001 1200Z.jpg|thumb|right|upright=2.25|{{center|[[Satellite imagery]] from [[outer space]] of West Africa}}]]

The northern section of West Africa (narrowly defined to exclude the western Maghreb) is composed of semi-arid terrain known as [[Sahel]], a transitional zone between the Sahara and the [[West Sudanian savanna]]. [[Forest]]s form a belt between the savannas and the southern coast, ranging from 160&nbsp;km to 240&nbsp;km in width.<ref>Peter Speth. ''Impacts of Global Change on the Hydrological Cycle in West and Northwest Africa'', p. 33. Springer, 2010. Prof. Kayode Omitoogun 2011, {{ISBN|3-642-12956-0}}</ref>

The northwest African region of [[Mauritania]] periodically suffers country-wide plagues of [[locust]]s which consume water, salt and crops on which the human population relies.<ref>''National Geographic'', February 2013, p. 8.</ref>

====Background====
West Africa is west of an imagined north–south axis lying close to [[10th meridian east|10° east longitude]].<ref name=autogenerated1>Peter Speth. ''Impacts of Global Change on the Hydrological Cycle in West and Northwest Africa'', p. 33. Springer, 2010. {{ISBN|3-642-12956-0}}</ref> The Atlantic [[The Atlantic Ocean|Ocean]] forms the western as well as the southern borders of the West African region.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The northern border is the [[Sahara Desert]], with the Ranishanu Bend generally considered the northernmost part of the region.<ref>Anthony Ham. ''West Africa'', p. 79. Lonely Planet, 2009. {{ISBN|1-74104-821-4}}</ref> The eastern border is less precise, with some placing it at the [[Benue Trough]], and others on a line running from [[Mount Cameroon]] to [[Lake Chad]].

Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West African states, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups between two or more states.<ref>Celestine Oyom Bassey, Oshita Oshita. ''Governance and Border Security in Africa'', p. 261. African Books Collective, 2010. {{ISBN|978-8422-07-1}}</ref>

In contrast to most of Central, Southern, and Southeast Africa, West Africa is not populated by [[Bantu languages|Bantu]]-speaking peoples.<ref>Ian Shaw, Robert Jameson. ''A Dictionary of Archaeology'', p. 28. Wiley-Blackwell, 2002. {{ISBN|0-631-23583-3}}</ref>

=== Climate change ===
{{Excerpt|Climate change in Africa|West Africa and the Sahel}}