Our World

Sub-Saharan Africa Notes Part Two

Population and Settlement: Young and Restless
*Population projected to increase by 130% by 2050
*Population density similar to that of U.S.
* Life expectancy is short (<50years) TFR is high (5+)
*Population Trends and Demographic Debates
*How many people can Sub-Saharan Africa support?
> Family size
*Preference for large families
-guarantee linage and status
-rural life makes children an asset
> Impact of AIDS on Africa
*Patterns off Settlement and Land Use
> Widely scattered population
*concentration in West Africa, highland East Africa, eastern half of South Africa
*Rural --> Urban migration Lagos (Nigeria) has 10+ million people

Population Distribution (Fig. 6.16)
HIV Prevalence (Fig.6.15)
*Patterns of Settlement and land use (cont.)
> Agriculture Subsistence
*Staple crops of millet, sorghum, corn
*swidden agriculture practiced in areas with poorer tropical soils
-shifting cultication: burning natural vegetation to release fertility, then plant indigenous crops, allow fallow periods
- often fine tunes to lacal condition but unable to suport high population densities
>Plantation Agriculture
*crops for export are critical to the economies of many African states
- coffee, peanuts, cotton , cocoa, rubber
>herding and livestock
*Most engages in this activity are pastoralists
-pastoralitsts specialize in grazing animals
* Impact of tsetse flies- insects that spread sleeping sickness to cattle, humans, and some wildlife
Urban Life
*least urbanized region in the developing world
-but most cities are growing at twice the National growth rates
-at 12 millino people, Lgos is the largest city
>West African Urban Traditions
*West African coast has many cities, most with indifenous orgins
>Urban Industrial South Africa
*Most major cities in Southern Africa have colonial orgins
*South Africa is the most urbanized country in the region
- Apartheid- officail policy of racial segregation that shaped cities and solcial relations in South Africa for nearly half a century
*colored- South African tern descibing people of mixed African and European ancestry

posted by Anonymous @ 3/15/2006 06:24:00 PM