South of the Sahara, most people are black Africans, but there are 800 or more different ethnic groups, each with its own unique culture and lifestyle. Unfortunately, when the colonial powers of Europe carved Africa into nations, they largely ignored these differences. All over the continent, national boundaries cut right across tribal lands - separating peoples and leaving many small groups isolated in countries dominated by different, maybe hostile tribes. This is one reason why so many African countries have been ravaged by bloody civil wars, or fallen into the hands of dictators, such as Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic and Idi Amin of Uganda. Millions of Africans live in small villages.
People exchange the food they have grown for clothing and other things.
The Tuareg are are among the few people who can stand the blazing sun of the Sahara desert. They are wanderers who live in tents and herd camels and goats. The Masai are tall, slender nomadic herders from Kenya. They paint themselves with red ochre and wear elaborate brass collars and bracelets and bead necklaces. Gold is South Africa's main export.