History of Africa - Evolution of hominids and Homo sapiens in Africa. Main article: Human evolution Africa was the birthplace of both the hominin subfamily and the genus Homo, including eight species of which only Homo sapiens remains. According to the latest paleontological and archaeological evidence, hominids were already in existence at least five million years ago. These animals were still very much like their close cousins, the great African apes, but had adopted a ...

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History of Africa, History of Africa - Paleolithic, History of Africa - Evolution of hominids and Homo sapiens in Africa, History of Africa - Neolithic prehistoric cultures, History of Africa - North Africa, History of Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa, History of Africa - History of North Africa 3500 B.C. - 1500 A.D., History of Africa - Ancient Egypt, History of Africa - Phoenician Greek and Roman colonization, History of Africa - Dark Age, History of Africa - Islamisation, History of Africa - History of Sub-Saharan Africa until 1500 A.D., History of Africa - Medieval empires, History of Africa - European exploration and conquest, History of Africa - Portuguese, History of Africa - 19th Century European explorers, History of Africa - Partition among European Powers, History of Africa - Conflicting ambitions of the European powers, History of Africa - The Berlin Conference of 1884-85, History of Africa - 20th Century: 1900-1945, History of Africa - Africa at the start of the 20th century, History of Africa - Interbellum, History of Africa - World War II, History of Africa - Postcolonial era:1945-present, History of Africa - Decolonization, History of Africa - Postcolonial Relationship with Europe, History of Africa - The Cold War in Africa, History of Africa - Pan-Africanism, History of Africa - Central Africa, History of Africa - East Africa, History of Africa - North Africa, History of Africa - Southern Africa, History of Africa - West Africa

Read more here: » History of Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of Africa - Paleolithic

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Africa, Africa - Etymology, Africa - Geography, Africa - History, Africa - Politics, Africa - Precolonial Africa, Africa - Colonial Africa, Africa - Post-colonial Africa, Africa - Modern Africa, Africa - Economy, Africa - Demographics, Africa - Languages, Africa - Culture, Africa - Religion, Africa - Territories, Africa - Independent states, Africa - Territories possessions départements, Africa - Disputed territories, Africa - Table of territories and regions

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Main article: History of Africa Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil remains of several species of early ape-like humans thought to have evolved into modern day man, such as Australopithecus afarensis (radiometrically dated to ...

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Africa, Africa - Etymology, Africa - Geography, Africa - History, Africa - Politics, Africa - Precolonial Africa, Africa - Colonial Africa, Africa - Post-colonial Africa, Africa - Modern Africa, Africa - Economy, Africa - Demographics, Africa - Languages, Africa - Culture, Africa - Religion, Africa - Territories, Africa - Independent states, Africa - Territories possessions départements, Africa - Disputed territories, Africa - Table of territories and regions

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History of Africa - Portuguese. With the Battle of Ceuta Africa had ceased to belong solely to the Mediterranean world. Among those who fought there was one, Prince Henry "the Navigator," son of King John I, who was fired with the ambition to acquire for Portugal the unknown parts of Africa. Under his inspiration and direction was begun that series of voyages of exploration which resulted in the circumnavigation of Africa and the esta ...

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History of Africa, History of Africa - Paleolithic, History of Africa - Evolution of hominids and Homo sapiens in Africa, History of Africa - Neolithic prehistoric cultures, History of Africa - North Africa, History of Africa - Sub-Saharan Africa, History of Africa - History of North Africa 3500 B.C. - 1500 A.D., History of Africa - Ancient Egypt, History of Africa - Phoenician Greek and Roman colonization, History of Africa - Dark Age, History of Africa - Islamisation, History of Africa - History of Sub-Saharan Africa until 1500 A.D., History of Africa - Medieval empires, History of Africa - European exploration and conquest, History of Africa - Portuguese, History of Africa - 19th Century European explorers, History of Africa - Partition among European Powers, History of Africa - Conflicting ambitions of the European powers, History of Africa - The Berlin Conference of 1884-85, History of Africa - 20th Century: 1900-1945, History of Africa - Africa at the start of the 20th century, History of Africa - Interbellum, History of Africa - World War II, History of Africa - Postcolonial era:1945-present, History of Africa - Decolonization, History of Africa - Postcolonial Relationship with Europe, History of Africa - The Cold War in Africa, History of Africa - Pan-Africanism, History of Africa - Central Africa, History of Africa - East Africa, History of Africa - North Africa, History of Africa - Southern Africa, History of Africa - West Africa

Read more here: » History of Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of Africa - European exploration and conquest

The history of West Africa can be divided into five major periods: first, its prehistory, in which the first human settlers arrived, agriculture developed, and contact made with the Mediterranean civilizations to the north; the second, the Iron Age empires that consolidated trade and developed centralized states; third, the slave-trading kingdoms, jihads, and colonial invaders of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; fourth, the colonial period, in which France and Great Britain controlled nearly the whole of the region; fifth, the post-independenc ...

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West Africa, West Africa - Geography and climate, West Africa - Culture, West Africa - History, West Africa - Prehistory, West Africa - Empires, West Africa - Slavery and colonialism, West Africa - Postcolonial era, West Africa - Regional organizations, West Africa - Reference

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History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Background. For a discussion of the period of history leading up to apartheid, see History of South Africa. The first recorded use of the word "apartheid" (International Phonetic Alphabet [əˈpɑː(r)teɪt] or [-taɪt] in English and [aˈpartheid] in Afrikaans) was in 1917 during ...

Including:

History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Creation of apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Background History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Legal system created
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - The apartheid system
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Apartheid in South Africa from day to day History of South Africa in the apartheid era - The homeland system History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Forced Removals History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Black White Indian and coloured History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Apartheid in international law
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Resistance
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - The ANC and the Pan African Congress History of South Africa in the apartheid era - The Sharpeville Massacre History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Resistance goes underground History of South Africa in the apartheid era - The Black Consciousness Movement and the Soweto riots History of South Africa in the apartheid era - White resistance
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - International relations
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - UN arms embargo History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Total onslaught History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Destabilisation and sabotage
History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Conservatism History of South Africa in the apartheid era - State security History of South Africa in the apartheid era - HIV/AIDS epidemic History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Winds of change History of South Africa in the apartheid era - Notes

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Africa is the world's second-largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30,370,000 km² (11,730,000 sq mi) including its adjacent islands, it covers 5.9% of the Earth's total surface area, and 20.3% of the total land area. With over 840,000,000 people (as of 2005) in 57 territories, it accounts for more than 12% of the world's human population. Africa - Etymology. The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — "land of the Afr ...

Including:

Africa - Etymology Africa - Geography Africa - History Africa - Politics
Africa - Precolonial Africa Africa - Colonial Africa Africa - Post-colonial Africa Africa - Modern Africa
Africa - Economy Africa - Demographics Africa - Languages Africa - Culture Africa - Religion Africa - Territories
Africa - Independent states Africa - Territories possessions départements Africa - Disputed territories Africa - Table of territories and regions

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For further information see Numidia and Mauretania. It was the site of the ancient city of Carthage as well as other large cities in that era, such as Hadrumetum (modern Sousse, Tunisia), capital of Byzacena, Hippo Regius (modern Annaba, Algeria). The pronvince was established following the Third Punic War, by annexing the remaining Carthaginian territory not confiscated after previous defeats by the Romans. Rome established its first African colony, Africa Vetus (Old Africa), in the most fertile part of what was formerl ...

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Africa Province, Africa Province - History, Africa Province - Economics, Africa Province - Reference

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East Africa - Imperialism Period. East Africa during the 19th and early 20th century became a theatre of competition between the major imperialistic European nations of the time. During the period of the Scramble for Africa almost every country comprising the nowadays East Africa region became part of a European colonial empire. Portugal had first among other European nations layed a strong presence in southern Mozambique, while during this period their possessions increasingly grew including parts from th ...

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East Africa, East Africa - Geography, East Africa - History, East Africa - Imperialism Period, East Africa - Politics

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West Africa is the region of. western Africa that is generally considered to include the countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. In addition, the region is sometimes considered to include Cape Verde, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Western Sahara. West Africa is an area with a great span of geography, bioregions, and cultures. It is oriented west of an imagined no ...

Including:

West Africa - Geography and climate West Africa - Culture West Africa - History
West Africa - Prehistory West Africa - Empires West Africa - Slavery and colonialism West Africa - Postcolonial era
West Africa - Regional organizations West Africa - Reference

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Archaeological studies at Mejiro Cave have found that early human settlers, probably related to the Pygmies, had arrived in West Africa around 12,000 B.C.E. Microlithic stone industries have been found primarily in the region of the Savannah where fairly advanced pastoral tribes existed using chiseled stone blades and spears. The tribesmen of Guinea and the forested regions of the coast were without microliths for thousands of years, but prospered using bone tools and other means. In the fifth millennium, as the ancestors of modern West Afri ...

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History of West Africa, History of West Africa - Prehistory, History of West Africa - Empires, History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization, History of West Africa - Colonialism, History of West Africa - Postcolonial West Africa

Read more here: » History of West Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of West Africa - Prehistory

The first agriculture in Africa is today believed to have begun in the heart of the Sahara Desert, but which in 5200 BC was far more moist and densely populated. Several native species were domesticated, most importantly sorghum which spread through West Africa and the Sahel. The Sahara at this time was like the Sahel today. Its wide open fields made cultivation easy, but the poor soil and limited rain made intensive farming impossible. The local crops were also not ideal and produced fewer calories than those of other regions. These f ...

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Economic history of Africa, Economic history of Africa - Origins of agriculture, Economic history of Africa - Trade, Economic history of Africa - European influence, Economic history of Africa - Colonialism

Read more here: » Economic history of Africa: Encyclopedia II - Economic history of Africa - Origins of agriculture

While some trade had always occurred, the rise of cities and empires made trade far more central to the African economy. North Africa was central to the trade of the entire Mediterranean region. Other than Egypt this trade was mostly controlled by the Phoenicians who came to dominate North Africa, with Carthage becoming their most important city. The Greeks controlled much of the eastern trade, including that along the Red Sea with Ethiopia. In this region a number of Greek trading cities were established that act ...

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Economic history of Africa, Economic history of Africa - Origins of agriculture, Economic history of Africa - Trade, Economic history of Africa - European influence, Economic history of Africa - Colonialism

Read more here: » Economic history of Africa: Encyclopedia II - Economic history of Africa - Trade

Following World War II, protests against European rule sprung up across West Africa, most notably in Ghana under the Pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972). Ghana became the first country of sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence in 1957, with others soon to follow. After a decade of protests, riots and clashes, French West Africa voted for autonomy in a 1958 referendum, dividing into the states of today; the British colonies gained autonomy the following decade. In 1973, Guinea-Bissau proclaimed its independence from Portugal, and was internationa ...

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History of West Africa, History of West Africa - Prehistory, History of West Africa - Empires, History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization, History of West Africa - Colonialism, History of West Africa - Postcolonial West Africa

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The development of the region's economy allowed more centralized states to form, beginning with the Ghana Empire. The empire was founded in the eighth century by Soninke, a Mandé peoples who lived at the crossroads of this new trade, around the city of Kumbi Saleh. After 800, the empire expanded rapidly, coming to dominate the entire western Sudan; at its height, the empire could field an army of 200,000 soldiers. In the tenth century, however, Islam was steadily growing in the region, and in 1052 the Almoravids launche ...

See also:

History of West Africa, History of West Africa - Prehistory, History of West Africa - Empires, History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization, History of West Africa - Colonialism, History of West Africa - Postcolonial West Africa

Read more here: » History of West Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of West Africa - Empires

Though the British had long occupied the coasts of its future colonies, Sierra Leone only became an official British Protectorate in 1896, The Gambia in 1889, Nigeria in 1901, and Ghana in 1902 following the subdual of the Ashanti leader Yaa Asantewaa. Portugal claimed Guinea-Bissau, while Togoland (modern-day Togo) became a German colony in 1884. Liberia managed to retain its independence despite extensive territorial losses. Modern-day Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger were c ...

See also:

History of West Africa, History of West Africa - Prehistory, History of West Africa - Empires, History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization, History of West Africa - Colonialism, History of West Africa - Postcolonial West Africa

Read more here: » History of West Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of West Africa - Colonialism

The Atlantic Ocean had long been all but impenetrable to the galleys that plied the Mediterranean. That any ship needed to pass thousands of kilometers of waterless desert before reaching any populated regions also made trade impossible. These barriers were overcome by the development of the caravel in Europe. Previously trade with Sub-Saharan Africa could only be conducted through North African middlemen. ...

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Economic history of Africa, Economic history of Africa - Origins of agriculture, Economic history of Africa - Trade, Economic history of Africa - European influence, Economic history of Africa - Colonialism

Read more here: » Economic history of Africa: Encyclopedia II - Economic history of Africa - European influence

Africa - Precolonial Africa. Africa - Colonial Africa. Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where a group's territory was congruent with its military or trade influence. The European insistence of drawing borders arou ...

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Africa, Africa - Etymology, Africa - Geography, Africa - History, Africa - Politics, Africa - Precolonial Africa, Africa - Colonial Africa, Africa - Post-colonial Africa, Africa - Modern Africa, Africa - Economy, Africa - Demographics, Africa - Languages, Africa - Culture, Africa - Religion, Africa - Territories, Africa - Independent states, Africa - Territories possessions départements, Africa - Disputed territories, Africa - Table of territories and regions

Read more here: » Africa: Encyclopedia II - Africa - Politics

Following the collapse of the Songhai Empire, a number of smaller states arose across West Africa, including the Bambara Empire of Ségou, the lesser Bambara kingdom of Kaarta, the Peul/Malinké kingdom of Khasso (in present-day Mali's Kayes Region), and the Kénédougou Empire of Sikasso. European traders first became a force in the region in the fifteenth century, with the 1445 establishment of a Portuguese trading post at Arguin Island, off the coast of present-day Senegal; by 1475, Portuguese traders had reached as far as the Bigh ...

See also:

History of West Africa, History of West Africa - Prehistory, History of West Africa - Empires, History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization, History of West Africa - Colonialism, History of West Africa - Postcolonial West Africa

Read more here: » History of West Africa: Encyclopedia II - History of West Africa - Jihad and colonization

East Africa - Period of European Imperialism. East Africa during the 19th and early 20th century became a theatre of competition between the major imperialistic European nations of the time. During the period of the Scramble for Africa, almost every country comprising the nowadays East African region became part of a European colonial empire. Portugal had first among other European nations established a strong presence in southern Mozambique, while during this period their possessions increasingly grew inc ...

See also:

East Africa, East Africa - Geography, East Africa - History, East Africa - Period of European Imperialism, East Africa - Politics

Read more here: » East Africa: Encyclopedia II - East Africa - History