West Africa

==Demographics and languages==
{{see|Demographics of Africa|List of ethnic groups of Africa#West Africa|List of African countries by population|African diaspora|Writing systems of Africa#West Africa}}
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West Africans primarily speak [[Niger–Congo languages]], belonging mostly, though not exclusively, to its non-Bantu branches, though some [[Nilo-Saharan]] and [[Afroasiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] speaking groups are also found in West Africa. The Niger–Congo-speaking [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]], [[Igbo people|Igbo]], [[Fulani]], [[Akan people|Akan]] and [[Wolof people|Wolof]] ethnic groups are the largest and most influential. In the central Sudan/Sahel, [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] or [[Mandé peoples|Mande]] groups are most significant. Chadic-speaking groups, most prominently including the [[Hausa people|Hausa]], and Nilo-Saharan-speaking communities, such as the [[Songhai people|Songhai]], [[Kanuri people|Kanuri]] and [[Zarma people|Zarma]], are found in the eastern parts of the Sahel bordering [[Central Africa]]. The population of West Africa is estimated at {{#expr:{{replace|{{UN_Population|Western Africa}}|,||}}/1e6 round 0}} million{{UN_Population|ref}} people as of {{UN_Population|Year}}. In [[Mali]], [[Niger]], and [[Burkina Faso]], the nomadic [[Tuareg]] speak the [[Tuareg language]], a Berber language.

Colonial languages also play a pivotal cultural and political role, being adopted as the official languages of most countries in the region, as well as ''linguae franca'' in communication between the region's various ethnic groups. For historical reasons, Western European languages such as [[French language|French]], [[English language|English]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] predominate in Southern and Coastal subregions, whilst [[Arabic language|Arabic]] (in its [[Maghrebi Arabic|Maghrebi]] varieties) spreads inland northwards.