Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
Bigh
t of^ Benin (^) M
ou
th
s
of
the Niger^
Gu
lf^ o
f^ Guinea (^)
A T L A N T I C
O
C
E
A
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Ga
mb
ia
Go
ngola^
Hadejia^
Nig
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Nig
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B
la
ck
V
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W
ih
te^
V
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Ko
m
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Ban
da
m
a
Sa
ss
an
dr
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la
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kot
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Ba
go
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ga
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B
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Tikinsso
Nig
er^
Bani^
Volt
a
O
ti^
Ben
ue
Lac
Faguibine
Lac
Niangay
Lake
Volta
Kainji
Reservoir
Lake Chad
Lac de
Kossou
C
A
M
E
R
O
O
N
C
H
A
D
WESTERN
SAHARA
(disputed territory
under Moroccan occupation)
ALGERIA
LIBYA
GAMBIA
GUINEA-
BISSAU
SENEGAL
GUINEA
SIERRA
LEONE
MAURITANIA
LIBERIA
CÔTE
D'IVOIRE
(IVORY COAST)
BURKINA
FASO
MALI
BENIN
GHANA
NIGER
NIGERIA
T
O
G
O
Jos
Plateau
S
h
eb
sh
i^
G
ote
l
M
ou
nt
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s
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Ténéré
du
Ak Tafassâsset
ch
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Aouk
âr
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rg
I
- n
- S
âk
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A
z
a
o
u
â
d
Gr
an
d^
Er
g^
de
B
il
m
a^
K
â
g
h
et
El
H
a
n
k
O
u
a
râ
ne^
El (^) M
rey
yé
Massif
de l'Aïr
Adrar des
Ifôghas
Monts Bagzane
6634ft (2022m)
Sahara
Sahel
T
é
n
é
r
é
E
rg
Ch
e
c
h
'E
r
g
I
g
u
î
d
i
Sokone
Mbour
Mékhé
Thiès
Bignona
Louga
Rosso
Richard Toll Dagana
Sédhiou
Kolda
Bafatá
Akjoujt
Boké
Tambacounda
Kaédi
Matam
Sélibabi
Magta‘
Lahjar
Atâr
Zouérat
Touâjîl
Choûm
Pita
Mamou
Makeni
Bo
Kayes
Kiffa
Kenema
Tubmanburg
Faranah
Kissidougou
Beyla
Tokounou
Buchanan
Kita
Kobenni
Nioro
Nzérékoré
Gbanga
Zwedru
Danané
Kolokani
Harper
Koulikoro
Bougouni
Oualâta
San-Pédro
Boundiali
Tengréla
Ferkessédougou
Sassandra
Sikasso
Koutiala
Divo
Ténenkou
San
Aboisso
Timbuktu
(Tombouctou)
Hombori
Bondoukou
Wa
Ouahigouya
Baudiagara
Sunyani
Wenchi
Kaya
Tenkodogo
Bawku
Yendi
Gao
Fada-Ngourma
Sansanné-
Mango
Kpalimé
Sokodé
Dogondoutchi
Birnin
Konni
Lokoja
Tessaoua
Yola
Gombi
Idîni
Boutilimit
Rkîz
Aleg
Gaoual
Fdérik
Bîr Mogreïn
Boûmdeïd
Dinguiraye
Tâmchekket
Tidjikja
Toukoto
‘Ayoûn el ‘Atroûs
Tîchît
‘Aïn Ben Tili
Timbedgha
Amourj
Néma
Bassikounou
Taoudenni
Goundam
Araouane
Ansongo
Tessalit
Ayorou
Tillabéri
Ménaka
Jega
Yelwa
Kandi
Koko
Jebba
Keïta
Assamakka
Dakoro
Iferouâne
Guidimouni
Hadejia
Wukari
Nguru
Gouré
Potiskum
Biu
Séguédine
Ngourti
Nguigmi
Oujeft
Chinguetti
Nouâdhibou
Saint Louis
Ziguinchor
Diourbel
Mbaké
Kindia
Labé
Harbel
Kankan
Siguiri
Odienné
Ségou
Gagnoa
Korhogo
Katiola
Mopti
Abengourou
Koudougou
Sekondi-
Takoradi
Cape Coast
Bolgatanga
Nsawam
Abomey
Tahoua
Owerri
Agadez
Bauchi
Minna
Owo
Kaolack
Bobo-Dioulasso
Kumasi
Tamale
Asamankese
Natitingou
Parakou
Oyo
Ede
Ilorin
Sokoto
Sapele
Benin City
Gusau
Onitsha
Port Harcourt
Maradi
Aba
Enugu
Katsina
Zaria
Calabar
Kano
Jos
Zinder
Kumo
Maiduguri
Warri
Makurdi
Lafia
Uyo
Cotonou
Lagos
Ogbomosho
Ibadan
Abidjan
Kaduna
ABUJA
ACCRA
NIAMEY
CONAKRY
MONROVIA
YAMOUSSOUKRO
BAMAKO
BISSAU
FREETOWN
DAKAR
NOUAKCHOTT
BANJUL
OUAGADOUGOU
LOMÉ
PORTO-NOVO
H
H
I
I J K L
M
M
N
N
O
O
P
P
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
MASKED DANCERS
Masks, such as this one from the Dan tribe of
the Ivory Coast, are worn by dancers who take
on different characters during tribal ceremonies.
Round-eyed masks represent males, while
straight-eyed masks are for females. However,
the actual dancers are always men.
MEDICINE AND HEALING
Many people here seek advice from a
traditional healer if they are ill. Often
the healer is also a religious leader.
Treatment may include the use of herbs
or magical items to fight off the enemy
spirit. Healers may also chant and
dance to attract the good spirits.
Herbs, shells, bones, and sticks
used by traditional healers
WEST AFRICAN FARMERS
In the dry northern areas, crop farming is restricted
to when and where seasonal rain falls. Herders are
partly nomadic and they need to follow the rains
in search of grazing land for their animals. Further
south, where rainfall is higher, farmers grow a wider
variety of crops for their families to eat, and for sale.
Lake Volta in Ghana,
formed by a dam, is
the largest artificial
lake in the world.
FOOD CROPS
In wetter, southern regions,
root vegetables such as yams
and cassava are grown for
food. Peanuts, which also grow
underground, are cultivated
in the north for export or to
cook in traditional stew.
Peanuts Ya m
SPREADING SAHARA
The Sahara may be spreading south into a region
of semi-desert known as the Sahel. People are
planting grass to try and halt the erosion,
which may be a result of droughts,
overgrazing, and tree removal.
Cassava
West Africa
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