Central Africa

Central Africa(French:Afrique centrale;Spanish:África central;Portuguese:África Central) is asubregionof theAfrican continentcomprising various countries according to different definitions.Middle Africais an analogous term used by the United Nations in itsgeoscheme for Africaand consists of the following countries:Angola,Cameroon,Central African Republic,Chad,Democratic Republic of the Congo,Republic of the Congo,Equatorial Guinea,Gabon, andSão Tomé and Príncipe. The United Nations Office for Central Africa also includesBurundiandRwandain the region, which are considered part ofEast Africain the geoscheme.These eleven countries are members of theEconomic Community of Central African States(ECCAS).Six of those countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of the Congo) are also members of theEconomic and Monetary Community of Central Africa(CEMAC) and share a common currency, theCentral African CFA franc.
TheAfrican Development Bank, on the other hand, definesCentral Africaas seven countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.
TheCentral African Federation(1953–1963), also called theFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, was made up of what are now the nations ofMalawi,Zambia, andZimbabwe. Similarly, the AnglicanChurch of the Province of Central Africacovers dioceses inBotswana, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while theChurch of Central Africa, Presbyterianhas synods in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These states are now typically considered part of East orSouthern Africa.
The Congo River basin has historically been ecologically significant to the populations of Central Africa, serving as an important supra-regional organization in Central Africa.
Archeological finds in Central Africahave been made which date back over 100,000 years.According to Zagato and Holl, there is evidence of iron smelting in the Central African Republic that may date back to 3000 to 2500 BCE.Extensive walled settlements have recently been found in Northeast Nigeria, approximately 60 km (37 mi) southwest of Lake Chad dating to the first millennium BCE.
Trade and improved agricultural techniques supported more sophisticated societies, leading to the early civilizations of West Africa:Sao,Kanem,Bornu,Shilluk,Baguirmi, andWadai.
Around 2500 BCE,Bantumigrants had reached the Great Lakes Region in Central Africa. Halfway through the first millennium BCE, the Bantu had also settled as far south as what is nowAngola.
The West AfricanSao civilizationflourished from ca. the 6th century BCE to as late as the 16th century CE in northern Central Africa. The Sao lived by the Chari River south of Lake Chad in territory that later became part of Cameroon and Chad. They are the earliest people to have left clear traces of their presence in the territory of modernCameroon. Today, several ethnic groups of northern Cameroon and southern Chad but particularly theSara peopleclaim descent from the civilization of the Sao. Sao artifacts show that they were skilled workers inbronze, copper, and iron.Finds include bronze sculptures and terra cotta statues of human and animal figures, coins, funerary urns, household utensils, jewelry, highly decorated pottery, and spears.The largest Sao archaeological finds have been made south of Lake Chad.
The West-Central African kingdom ofKanem–Bornu Empirewas centered in the LakeChad Basin. It was known as theKanem Empirefrom the 9th century CE onward and lasted as the independent kingdom ofBornuuntil 1900. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much ofChad, but also parts of modern easternNiger, northeasternNigeria, northernCameroonand parts ofSouth Sudan. The history of the Empire is mainly known from the Royal Chronicle orGirgamdiscovered in 1851 by the German travelerHeinrich Barth.Kanem rose in the 8th century in the region to the north and east of Lake Chad. The Kanem empire went into decline, shrank, and in the 14th century was defeated byBilalainvaders from theLake Fitriregion.
TheKanuri peopleof West Africa led by the Sayfuwa migrated to the west and south of the lake, where they established theBornu Empire. By the late 16th century the Bornu empire had expanded and recaptured the parts of Kanem that had been conquered by the Bulala.Satellite states of Bornu included theDamagaramin the west andBaguirmito the southeast of Lake Chad.
TheShilluk Kingdomwas centered inSouth Sudanfrom the 15th century from along a strip of land along the western bank of White Nile, fromLake Noto about 12° northlatitude. The capital and royal residence were in the town ofFashoda. The kingdom was founded during the mid-15th century CE by its first ruler,Nyikang. During the 19th century, the Shilluk Kingdom faced decline following military assaults from theOttoman Empireand later British and Sudanese colonization inAnglo-Egyptian Sudan.
The Kingdom of Baguirmi existed as an independent state during the 16th and 17th centuries southeast of West-Central AfricaLake Chadregion in what is now the country of Chad. Baguirmi emerged to the southeast of theKanem–Bornu Empire. The kingdom's first ruler wasMbangBirni Besse. Later in his reign, theBornu Empireconquered and made the state a tributary.
TheWadai Empirewas centered in Chad from the 17th century. TheTunjur peoplefounded theWadai Kingdomto the east of Bornu in the 16th century. In the 17th century, there was a revolt of theMaba peoplewho established a Muslim dynasty.
At first, Wadai paid tribute to Bornu and Durfur, but by the 18th century, Wadai was fully independent and had become an aggressor against its neighbors.
Following theBantu Migrationfrom Western Africa, Bantu kingdoms and empires began to develop in southern Central Africa. In the 1450s, aLubafrom the royal familyIlunga TshibindamarriedLundaqueen Rweej and united all Lunda peoples. Their son Mulopwe Luseeng expanded the kingdom. His son Naweej expanded the empire further and is known as the first Lunda emperor, with the titleMwata Yamvo(mwaant yaav,mwant yav), the "Lord of Vipers". The Luba political system was retained, and conquered peoples were integrated into the system. Themwata yamvoassigned aciloolorkilolo(royal adviser) and tax collector to each state conquered.
Numerous states claimed descent from the Lunda. TheImbangalaof inland Angola claimed descent from a founder, Kinguri, brother of Queen Rweej, who could not tolerate the rule ofmulopweTshibunda.Kinguribecame the title of kings of states founded by Queen Rweej's brother. TheLuena(Lwena) andLozi(Luyani) in Zambia also claim descent from Kinguri. During the 17th century, a Lunda chief and warrior calledMwata Kazembeset up anEastern Lundakingdom in the valley of theLuapula River. The Lunda's western expansion also saw claims of descent by theYakaand thePende. The Lunda linked Central Africa with the western coast trade. The kingdom of Lunda came to an end in the 19th century when it was invaded by theChokwe, who were armed with guns.
By the 15th century CE, the farmingBakongo people(babeing the plural prefix) were unified as theKingdom of Kongounder a ruler called themanikongo, residing in the fertilePool Maleboarea on the lowerCongo River. The capital wasM'banza-Kongo. With superior organization, they were able to conquer their neighbors and extract tribute. They were experts in metalwork, pottery, and weaving raffia cloth. They stimulated interregional trade via a tribute system controlled by themanikongo. Later, maize (corn) andcassava(manioc) would be introduced to the region via trade with the Portuguese at their ports atLuandaandBenguela. The maize and cassava would result in population growth in the region and other parts of Africa, replacingmilletas the main staple.
By the 16th century, themanikongoheld authority from the Atlantic in the west to theKwango Riverin the east. Each territory was assigned amani-mpembe(provincial governor) by themanikongo. In 1506,Afonso I(1506–1542), a Christian, took over the throne. Slave trading increased with Afonso's wars of conquest. About 1568 to 1569, theJagainvaded Kongo, laying waste to the kingdom and forcing themanikongointo exile. In 1574, ManikongoÁlvaro Iwas reinstated with the help of Portuguese mercenaries. During the latter part of the 1660s, the Portuguese tried to gain control of Kongo. ManikongoAntónio I(1661–1665), with a Kongolese army of 5,000, was destroyed by an army of Afro-Portuguese at theBattle of Mbwila. The empire dissolved into petty polities, fighting among each other for war captives to sell into slavery.
Kongo gained captives from theKingdom of Ndongoin wars of conquest. Ndongo was ruled by thengola. Ndongo would also engage in slave trading with the Portuguese, withSão Tomébeing a transit point to Brazil. The kingdom was not as welcoming as Kongo; it viewed the Portuguese with great suspicion and as an enemy. The Portuguese in the latter part of the 16th century tried to gain control of Ndongo but were defeated by theMbundu. Ndongo experienced depopulation from slave raiding. The leaders established another state atMatamba, affiliated withQueen Nzinga, who put up a strong resistance to the Portuguese until coming to terms with them. The Portuguese settled along the coast as trade dealers, not venturing on conquest of the interior. Slavery wreaked havoc in the interior, with states initiating wars of conquest for captives. TheImbangalaformed the slave-raiding state ofKasanje, a major source of slaves during the 17th and 18th centuries.
During theConference of Berlinin 1884–85 Africa was divided up between the European colonial powers, defining boundaries that are largely intact with today's post-colonial states.On 5 August 1890 the British and French concluded an agreement to clarify the boundary betweenFrench West Africaand what would becomeNigeria. A boundary was agreed along a line fromSayon theNigerto Barruwa onLake Chad, but leaving theSokoto Caliphatein the British sphere.Parfait-Louis Monteilwas given charge of an expedition to discover where this line actually ran.On 9 April 1892 he reachedKukawaon the shore of the lake.Over the next twenty years a large part of the Chad Basin was incorporated by treaty or by force intoFrench West Africa. On 2 June 1909, the Wadai capital ofAbéchéwas occupied by the French.The remainder of the basin was divided by the British in Nigeria, who tookKanoin 1903,and the Germans in Cameroon.
The countries of the basin regained their independence between 1956 and 1962, retaining the colonial administrative boundaries.Chad,Gabon, theRepublic of the Congo, and theCentral African Republicbecame autonomous states with the dissolution ofFrench Equatorial Africain 1958, gaining full independence in 1960. TheDemocratic Republic of the Congoalso gained independence fromBelgiumin 1960, but quickly devolved into a period of political upheaval and conflict known as theCongo Crisis(1960–1965) which ended with the installment ofJoseph Mobutuas president and renamed the countryZairein 1971.Equatorial Guineagained independence fromSpainin 1968, leading to the election ofFrancisco Macías Nguema, now widely regarded as one of the most brutal dictators in history. In 1961,Angolabecame involved in thePortuguese Colonial War, a 13-year-long struggle for independence inLusophone Africa. It gained independence only in 1975, following the 1974Carnation RevolutioninLisbon.São Tomé and Príncipealso gained independence in 1975 in the aftermath of the Carnation Revolution. In 2011,South Sudangained its independence from theRepublic of Sudanafterover 50 years of war.
In the 21st century, many jihadist and Islamist groups began to operate in the Central African region, including theSelekaand theAnsaru.
Over the course of the 2010s, the internationally unrecognized secessionist state calledAmbazoniagained increasing momentum in its home regions, resulting in the ongoingAnglophone Crisisin Cameroon.
The main economic activities of Central Africa are farming, herding and fishing. At least 40% of the rural population of northern and eastern Central Africa lives in poverty and routinely face chronic food shortages.Crop production based on rain is possible only in the southern belt.Slash-and-burnagriculture is a common practice.Flood recession agriculture is practiced around Lake Chad and in the riverine wetlands.Nomadic herders migrate with their animals into the grasslands of the northern part of the basin for a few weeks during each short rainy season, where they intensively graze the highly nutritious grasses. When the dry season starts they move back south, either to grazing lands around the lakes and floodplains, or to the savannas further to the south.
In the 2000–01 period, fisheries in the Lake Chad basin provided food and income to more than 10 million people, with a harvest of about 70,000 tons.Fisheries have traditionally been managed by a system where each village has recognized rights over a defined part of the river, wetland or lake, and fishers from elsewhere must seek permission and pay a fee to use this area. The governments only enforced rules and regulations to a limited extent.Local governments and traditional authorities are increasingly engaged inrent-seeking, collecting license fees with the help of the police or army.
Oil is also a major export of the countries of northern and eastern Central Africa, notably making up a large proportion of the GDPs of Chad and South Sudan.
Following theBantu Migration, Central Africa is primarily inhabited byNative AfricanorBantu peoplesandBantu languagespredominate. These include theMongo,KongoandLubapeoples. Central Africa also includes manyNilo-SaharanandNiger-CongoUbangiancommunities: in north western Central Africa the Nilo-SaharanKanuripredominate. Most of theUbangianspeakers in Africa (often grouped with Niger-Congo) are also found in Central Africa, such as theGbaya,BandaandZande,in northern Central Africa.
Notable Central African supra-regional organizations include theLake Chad Basin Commissionand theEconomic Community of Central African States.
The predominant religions of Central Africa areChristianityandtraditional faiths.Chadis the only country in the region whereIslamin the majority religion. Islam is also common inCameroon, being practiced by about 30% of the population. Smaller Muslim communities exist in the other countries too.
Due to common historical processes and widespread demographic movements between the countries of Central Africa before the Bantu Migration into much of southern Central Africa, the cultures of the region evidence many similarities and interrelationships. Similar cultural practices stemming from common origins as largely Nilo-Saharan or Bantu peoples are also evident in Central Africa including in music, dance, art, body adornment, initiation, and marriage rituals.
Some majorNative Africanethnic groups in Central Africa are as follows:
Further information in the sections ofArchitecture of Africa:
Further information in the sections ofHistory of science and technology in Africa: