Islam is the predominant religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent (60% of West Africans); and was introduced to the region by traders in the 9th century. We have updated our list of supported web browsers. Islam is the religion of the region's biggest ethnic groups by population. Unlike March and April, the months that it gets hot and humid with temperatures around 33C 36C and a solid 50% humidity, making the heat index higher than the actual temperature. UNHCR is providing protection and assistance to many refugees and internally displaced people impacted by the climate emergency as well as helping them increase their resilience in a changing climate. As observed on the physical map above, it has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. [110][111], Mbalax, Highlife, Fuji, Afrobeat, and Afrobeats are modern musical genres of West Africa and its diaspora. border countries: Guinea 794km, Liberia 299km. 800 BCE to 1500 CE.". le Amsterdam (French pronunciation: [ilamstdam]), also known as Amsterdam Island and New Amsterdam (Nouvelle-Amsterdam), is an island of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the southern Indian Ocean that together with neighbouring le Saint-Paul 90 km (49 nautical miles) to the south forms one of the five districts of the territory.. ". From around 1747 to 1807, slave traders who bought captives from warring tribes on the mainland would gather them on Dublin, shackling and containing them until it was time to move this human cargo to nearby Bunce Island, which shipped Africans to the West Indies and America. Despite the wide variety of cultures in West Africa, from Nigeria through to Senegal, there are general similarities in dress, cuisine, music and culture that are not shared extensively with groups outside the geographic region. [69], In contrast to most of Central, Southern, and Southeast Africa, West Africa is not populated by Bantu-speaking peoples. This long history of cultural exchange predates the colonization era of the region and can be approximately placed at the time of the Ghana Empire (proper: Wagadou Empire), Mali Empire or perhaps before these empires. Sierra Leone's population. At night, for a few hours, we have time to get together and listen to reggae music. Australia, the smallest continent, is more than three times the size of Greenland, the largest island. Portugal founded the colony of Guinea-Bissau, while Germany claimed Togoland, but was forced to divide it between France and Britain following First World War due to the Treaty of Versailles. Arrive by sea. President: Julius Maada Bio Capital: Freetown Population: (2023 est.) Still visible are a few cannons, which the slave masters used to protect themselves, and some stones that made up part of the slave fort. Coordinates: 8.5N 12.1W Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa with a North Atlantic Ocean coastline to the west. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) consider its western end to be Nouakchott, Mauritania, or to be Dakar, Senegal, giving rise to these alternative names for the road: Of the sixteen, the most important hub and entry point to West Africa are Kotoka International Airport, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, offering many international connections. From 2014-15, it became one of the three countries worst hit by the west African Ebola outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people. [38] The UN region also includes the United Kingdom Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the south Atlantic Ocean. [109] Major football teams of West Africa are Asante Kotoko SC and Accra Hearts of Oak SC of the Ghana Premier League, Enyimba International of the Nigerian Premier League and ASEC Mimosas of the Ligue 1 (Ivory Coast). The kingdom existed as a sphere of religious and political influence over a third of Igboland and was administered by a priest-king called as an Eze Nri. Sint Philipsland. 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. For historical reasons, Western European languages such as French, English and Portuguese predominate in Southern and Coastal subregions, whilst Arabic (in its Maghrebi varieties) spreads inland northwards. [104][105] Fufu (from the Twi language, a dough served with a spicy stew or sauce for example okra stew etc.) A revised version of the treaty was agreed and signed on 24 July 1993 in Cotonou. A new Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Guinea hasn't spread across the border, and it is unlikely to become anywhere near as bad as the previous one due to the availability of vaccines and therapeutic treatments. Football is also a pastime enjoyed by many, either spectating or playing. The board game oware is quite popular in many parts of Southern Africa. There are countless islands in the ocean, lakes, and rivers around the world. O'Brien, Donal Cruise, Richard Rathbone, John Dunn, eds. 0.11%. Development and importance of tourism for Sierra Leone Ngoye njuli is protected by the Senegalese authorities and attracts visitors. C (6)s 27C (80.6F) 25C (77.0F) to 29C (84.2F) year. [96] In the coastal regions stretching from southern Ivory Coast to Benin, a huge rectangular cloth is wrapped under one arm, draped over a shoulder, and held in one of the wearer's handscoincidentally, reminiscent of Romans' togas. Freetown, the nation's capital city, has one of the world's largest natural harbours. In other areas of West Africa, primarily among the Hausa, Mossi, Dagomba and Yoruba in the area encompassing Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, Nigeria and Niger, the traditional profession of non-hereditary praise-singers, minstrels, bards and poets play a vital role in extending the public show of power, lineage and prestige of traditional rulers through their exclusive patronage. West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa.The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, as well as Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom Overseas Territory). The highest peak is Mount Bintumani, which is 1,948 meters (6,391 ft) above sea level. [23] The emergence and expansion of ceramics in the Sahara may be linked with the origin of Round Head and Kel Essuf rock art, which occupy rockshelters in the same regions (e.g., Djado, Acacus, Tadrart). In contrast to other parts of the continent south of the Sahara Desert, the concepts of hemming and embroidering clothing have been traditionally common to West Africa for centuries, demonstrated by the production of various breeches, shirts, tunics and jackets. Scores of foreign visitors to West African nations (e.g., traders, historians, emigrants, colonists, missionaries) have benefited from its citizens' generosity, and even left with a piece of its cultural heritage, via its foods. There were 2.67 million internet users in Sierra Leone in January 2022.. Sierra Leone's internet penetration rate stood at 32.4 percent of the total population at the start of 2022.. Kepios analysis indicates that internet users in Sierra Leone increased by 296 thousand (+12.5 percent) between 2021 and 2022.. For perspective, these user figures reveal . Noord-Beveland. The internationally known Sierra Leone National Dance Troupe first won widespread acclaim at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair and continues to perform in the 21st century. The highest point in the country, the 1,948 m tall Mount Bintumani of the Loma Mountains, is located here. Lagos, located in Nigeria, is Africa's most populous city, containing around 21 million people. According to local guides, each slave would be branded on the chest with RAC the initials of the Royal African Company. The seasonal cycle of rainfall is mainly driven by the south-north movement of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is characterised by the confluence between moist southwesterly monsoon winds and the dry northeasterly Harmattan. [89][90] Enhanced carbon emissions and global warming may also lead to an increase in dry spells especially across the Guinea Coast associated with a reduction of the wet spells under both 1.5C and 2C global warming level. 121.79/km (96th) Land Area. Refers to P. falciparum malaria unless otherwise noted. West Africa sat at the intersection of trade routes between Arab-dominated North Africa and further south on the continent, the source of specialized goods such as gold, advanced iron-working, and ivory. How Many Islands are There in the World? - WorldAtlas Its also a former slaving port, though most of the reminders of that painful history have almost disappeared in the absence of funding to preserve them. Despite the architectural differences, buildings perform similar functions, including the compound structure central to West African family life or strict distinction between the private and public worlds needed to maintain taboos or social etiquette. Some fish, some do farming, some tap poyo [palm wine]. Furthermore, Liberia enacted a fisheries regulations Act in 2010[62] and installed a satellite-based monitoring system and Senegal enacted a fisheries code in 2015. The Benin Empire was governed by a sovereign Emperor with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and a powerful council rich in resources, wealth, ancient science and technology with cities described as beautiful and large as Haarlem. The small, wooden boat is named "We all live by God". West Africa has made considerably improvement in the health outcomes of its populations, in spite of the challenges posed by pervasive poverty, epidemic diseases, and food insecurity. The climate is tropical; although it could be classified as a tropical monsoon climate, it could also be described as a climate that is transitional between a continually wet tropical rainforest climate and a tropical savanna climate.[7]. [59], 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. Sierra Leone Population 2023 (Live) Bloody Bunce: A Legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Sierra Leone [29] Migration of Saharan peoples south of the Sahelian region resulted in seasonal interaction with and gradual absorption of West African hunter-gatherers, who primarily dwelt in the savannas and forests of West Africa. By the 1930s, the Gambian elephant population became extinct. In 1957, Ghana, under Kwame Nkrumah, became the first West African colony to achieve its independence, followed the next year by France's colonies (Guinea in 1958 under the leadership of President Ahmed Sekou Tour); by 1974, West Africa's nations were entirely autonomous. Regions Cities Map of Sierra Leone Freetown capital city in the western part of the country and largest city.