Today, the ethnic composition of the population of African countries is a rather complex community of peoples. Several hundred small and large ethnic groups live on the Black Continent. Some number from one to five million people. The most numerous of them are: Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Egyptian, Moroccan, Sudanese, Algerian Arabs, Fulani, Amhara.
Anthropological composition
The modern population of Africa is represented by various anthropological types that belong to different races. In total, there are up to 7 thousand ethnic groups and nationalities on this continent.
Indo-Mediterranean race
In the northern part of the continent, up to the southernmost border of the Sahara desert, peoples of the Indo-Mediterranean race live. Its representatives in Africa are the Berbers and Arabs, whose characteristic external features include black wavy hair, swarthy skin, narrow face, dark eyes. As a rare exception, blue-eyed and fair-haired specimens are found among the Berbers.
Negro-Australoid race
Its representatives live south of the Sahara and are divided into three small races - Bushman, Negrill and Negro. The quantitative majority here belongs to the peoples of the Negro race, who live in the territory of Central and Western Sudan, in the upper reaches of the Nile and on the coast of Guinea. Their representatives include the Bantu and Nilotic peoples, who are distinguished by their tall stature, coarse black hair that curls in spirals, thick lips, dark skin and a wide nose.
The Negril race includes undersized African pygmies - inhabitants of tropical forests near the rivers Uele and Congo. In addition to small stature up to 142 cm, they are distinguished by overdeveloped tertiary hairline, a wide nose with a very flat bridge of the nose and lighter skin.
The modern peoples of the Bushman race live in the Kalahari desert, their representatives are the Hottentots and Bushmen. They are characterized by light (brown-yellow) skin, thin lips on a flat face, and increased wrinkling of the skin.
Ethiopian race
Occupies an intermediate step between the Negroid and the Indo-Mediterranean races. The peoples of the Ethiopian race live in northeast Africa (the Somali Peninsula, Ethiopia) and have dark wavy hair, thickened lips on a narrow face with a thin nose.
South Africa occupies a narrow part of the mainland, lying south of the watershed of the Congo (Zaire) - Zambezi. The plateau of South Africa in the central part goes down, and in the basin lies the Kalahari semi-desert. Towards the edges, the plateau gradually rises, and in the east it passes into the Dragon Mountains. In the very south rise the folded-blocky Cape Mountains, younger than the rest of South Africa. Most of South Africa is occupied by savannahs. In connection with various conditions savanna humidification is very diverse.
The Republic of South Africa (SAR) is located on the southern tip of the mainland. The state is one of the developed countries of the world. The capital is the city of Pretoria.
The majority of the country's population is made up of indigenous people - the Bantu. Among other African countries, South Africa stands out for its high proportion of the population of European origin (Afrikaners and British).
South Africa is a country of diverse natural complexes and vast natural wealth. Most of the country is a flat plateau, which gradually rises in steps to the south and east, giving way to mountains. The country is dominated by savannas. Natural conditions, as in all South Africa change not only from north to south, but also from east to west.
South Africa, with its inherent diversity of landscapes, has a very rich fauna. In many areas, hunting and fishing is still the main occupation of the local population. But with the advent of Europeans, the number of wild animals decreased markedly and many of their species almost disappeared. Especially reduced the number of herbivores - antelopes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, large black buffaloes, rhinos. Almost completely disappeared lions, leopards.
In order to save wild animals from complete extermination, as well as natural complexes in general, nature reserves and national parks have been created in South Africa. In the largest of them - national park Kruger - collected all kinds of animals found on the mainland.
Territories with fertile lands in the country belong to white farmers - owners of private agricultural enterprises. Farms widely use machinery and fertilizers and therefore receive high yields. They grow corn, wheat, legumes, sugar cane, citrus fruits, cotton and other crops. Sheep and cattle farms are located on elevated plateaus with good pastures. Pasture animal husbandry occupies agriculture the most important place.
The bowels of South Africa are rich in various minerals. This country is called a geological wonder. South Africa occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and production of diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium and iron ores. The country's economy is dependent on British and American monopolists, who lead the development of minerals and receive huge profits.
There are many factories and factories in the country, industry is developing rapidly.
The population of the region is more than 820 million people.
With an average density of 25 people per 1 sq. km population placed very much across Africa uneven. The most densely populated sea coasts, coastal islands, the lower reaches of the rivers Nile, Niger, mining regions of South Africa, Zambia, Zaire and Zimbabwe. In these areas, the population density ranges from 50 to 1000 people per 1 sq. km. km. In the vast expanses of the deserts of the Sahara, Kalahari, Namib, the population density barely reaches 1 person per 1 sq. km. km.
Uneven settlement is manifested both at the level of the region as a whole and at the level of individual countries. For example, almost the entire population of Egypt lives in the delta and valley of the Nile (4% of the total area), where the density is 1,700 people per 1 km 2.
Ethnic composition Africa's population is very diverse. 300-500 ethnic groups live on the mainland. Some of them (especially in North Africa) have developed into large nations, but most are still at the level of nationalities and tribes. Many of the ethnic groups still retained the remnants of the tribal system, archaic forms of social relations.
Linguistically, half of the population of Africa belongs to the Niger-Kordofan family, the third part belongs to the Afrosia family. Residents of European origin make up only 1%. But at the same time, the languages of the former metropolises remain the state (official) languages of most African countries: English (19 countries), French (21 countries), Portuguese (5 countries).
"Quality" of the population Africa is still very low. The proportion of illiterates in most countries exceeds 50%, and in countries such as Mali, Somalia, Burkina Faso it is 90%.
Religious composition Africa is also very diverse. At the same time, Muslims predominate in its northern and eastern parts. This is due to the settlement of the Arabs here. In the central and southern parts of Africa, the religious beliefs of the population were significantly influenced by the metropolitan countries. Therefore, many types of Christianity are widespread here (Catholicism, Protestantism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, etc.). Many peoples of this region have preserved local beliefs.
Due to the diversity of ethnic and religious composition, socio-economic difficulties and the colonial past (borders), Africa is a region of numerous ethnopolitical conflicts(Sudan, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Chad, Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, etc.). In total, over 35 armed conflicts were recorded in Africa during the post-colonial period, in which more than 10 million people died. More than 70 coups d'état resulted in the assassination of 25 presidents.
population reproduction Africa is characterized by very high rates (more than 3% per year). According to this indicator, Africa is ahead of all other regions of the world. First of all, this is determined by the high birth rate. For example, the birth rate in Niger, Uganda, Somalia, Mali exceeds 50 o / oo, i.e. 4-5 times higher than in Europe. At the same time, Africa is the region with the highest mortality and the lowest average life expectancy (men - 64 years, women - 68 years). As a result, the age structure of the population is characterized by a high proportion (about 45%) of children and adolescents under 15 years of age.
Africa is characterized by the most high level population migration , the vast majority of which is of a forced nature and is associated with interethnic conflicts. Africa hosts almost half of the world's refugees and displaced persons, the vast majority being "ethnic refugees". Such forced migrations always lead to outbreaks of famine, diseases, leading to increased mortality.
Africa is a region of high labor migration. main centers of gravity work force from the African continent are Western Europe and Western Asia (especially the Gulf countries). Inside the continent, labor migration flows mainly go from the poorest countries to the richer ones (South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe).
Urbanization Africa's population is characterized by the lowest level in the world and the highest rate. In terms of the share of the urban population (about 30%), Africa is significantly inferior to other regions.
The pace of urbanization in Africa has taken on the character of an "urban explosion". The population of some cities doubles every 10 years. But urbanization here has a number of features:
growing mainly metropolitan cities and "economic capitals"; the formation of urban agglomerations is just beginning (the number of millionaire cities is 24);
urbanization often has the character of "false urbanization", which leads to negative socio-economic and environmental consequences.
A prime example of African-style urbanization is the city of Lagos in Nigeria. This city has long been the capital of the state. In 1950, its population was 300 thousand people, and now - 12.5 million. Living conditions in this overcrowded city are so unfavorable that in 1992 the capital was moved to Abuja.
Africa. Population
Ethnic composition
The ethnic composition of the modern population of Africa is very complex (see map of peoples). The continent is inhabited by several hundred large and small ethnic groups. 107 of them, numbering more than 1 million people each, make up 86.2% of the total population (1983 est.). The number of 24 peoples exceeds 5 million people, and they make up 55.2% of the population of Africa. The largest of them are Egyptian Arabs, Hausa, Yoruba, Algerian Arabs, Moroccan Arabs, Fulbe, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Sudanese Arabs.
The countries of North and Northeast Africa are inhabited by peoples who speak the languages of the Afroasian family. The most common of the Semitic languages - Arabic is native to 101 million people (1 / 5 of all Africans). Arabs - the main population of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco; 49.1% of them live in Sudan, 26% in Chad.
In the Ethiopian group of Semitic peoples, the largest is the Amhara, which, together with the related Tigray, Gurage, Tigre, form the core of the emerging Ethiopian nation.
Peoples who speak Cushitic languages live in Ethiopia and neighboring countries; the largest of these is the Oromo in southern Ethiopia. The Kushite group also includes Somalis and inhabitants of the mountainous regions of southern and central Ethiopia - ometo, kaffa, shinash, yamma, sidamo, etc. The vast desert areas in the northeast of Sudan and the adjacent regions of Egypt and Somalia are occupied by the Beja.
The ancient population of North Africa - the Berber peoples (shilh, tamazight, reefs in Morocco, Kabils and Shaviya in Algeria) - survived only in the mountainous and partly desert regions of the Sahara. A special place among them is occupied by the Tuareg (self-name imoshag), who roam the desert highlands of Ahaggar and Tassilin-Ajer in Algeria, occupy the Air highlands and the adjacent regions of the Central Sahara in Niger; there are many of them in Mali.
To the south of the Sahara, there are peoples who speak Chadic languages (or Hausa languages): Hausa, Bura, Vandala, etc. The vast majority of Hausa are settled in Northern Nigeria. They also live in the adjacent regions of Niger. Hausa-related peoples - the Bura, Vandala, Bade, Masa, Kotoko, etc., are settled on the hills in the east of Nigeria.
The most extensive territory in Africa is occupied by peoples who speak the Kongo-Kordofanian languages. Among the peoples speaking the Niger-Congo languages, the ethnic groups that speak the Benue-Congo languages stand out for their multiplicity. They also include the Bantu peoples, who make up the vast majority of the population in many countries of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. The 43 Bantu peoples number over 1 million people each. The largest of them are rwanda (in Rwanda, Zaire, Uganda and some neighboring countries), makua (in Malawi, Tanzania and other countries), rundi and ha (in Burundi, Zaire, Tanzania and Uganda), congo (in Zaire, Angola , Congo), Malawi (in Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique), Zulu (in South Africa), Shona (in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana), Xhosa (South Africa), Luba (in Zaire and neighboring countries). Other major Bantu peoples include Kikuyu, Tsonga, Nyamwezi, Ganda, Mongo, Luhya, Ovimbundu, Pedi, Bemba, Suto, Tswana.
The Benue-Congo languages are spoken by a number of large and small peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon (Ibibio, Tiv, Bamileke, Tikar, Ekoi, etc.).
Kwa-speaking peoples inhabit a vast area of the Guinean coast from Liberia to Cameroon: large peoples - Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, as well as Nule, Gbari, Igbira, Ijo and others in Nigeria, a group of Akan peoples in southern Ghana and in the BSC, Ewe in southern Ghana, Togo and neighboring countries; fon (eastern ewe) in Benin; a group of Kru peoples in the BSC and Liberia, small peoples of the coastal lagoons of the BSC, etc.
The peoples who speak Western Atlantic languages make up the main population of many countries in the extreme west of Africa: Wolof, Fulbe, Serer and others in Senegal, Balante, Fulbe and others in Guinea-Bissau, Temne, Limba, Fulbe and others in Sierra Leone , fulbe, kisi and others in Guinea. The most numerous are fulbes.
The peoples speaking Gur languages are settled in Burkina Faso, Ghana, BSK, Mali. The largest of them is mine, closely related peoples - Lobi, Bobo, Dogon. Other peoples of this group include pears, gourma, tem, cabre, etc.
Of the Mande peoples, the Mandinka are widely settled - in Guinea, Mali, Senegal, BSK. Close to them, the Bamana inhabit the central regions of Mali, the Mende live in Sierra Leone, the Soninka in northern Mali in neighboring states, and the Susu in the coastal regions of Guinea. The Mande group also includes Dan, Queni, Mano, Diula, Vai, Busa, Bandi, Loma, etc.
The peoples speaking the Adamawa-Eastern languages make up the majority of the population of the Central African Republic, they are also settled in Zaire, Cameroon and Sudan. The largest peoples are: Banda, Gbaya, Azande (Zande), Chamba, Mbum.
The Kordofan languages are spoken by the small peoples inhabiting the Kordofan mountains in Sudan: Koalib, Tumtum, Tegali, etc.
The peoples who speak Nilo-Saharan languages make up six groups. Shari-Nile languages are spoken by many peoples of the Nile river basin. Most of the Eastern Sudanese peoples (southern Luo - Acholi, Lango, Kumam, etc.; Joluo, Dinka, Nubians, Kalenjin, Teso, Turkana, Karamojong, Nuer, Masai, etc.) live in southern Sudan, in Uganda, Kenya. The Central Sudanese group is formed by the Moru-Madi, Mangbetu, Bagirmi and Sara, as well as the Pygmies - Efe, Aka, Asua and some others.
Khoisan peoples inhabit semi-desert territories in the southwestern part of Africa (in Namibia, Botswana, Angola, South Africa). These include Bushmen, Hottentots, mountain Damara. The island of Madagascar is inhabited by Malagasy speakers of Austronesian languages.
On Indo-European languages(Germanic, Romance and Indo-Aryan) is spoken by the population of European (Afrikaners, or Boers, British, French, Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, etc.) and Asian (immigrants from India and Pakistan, Indo-Mauritians, etc.) origin. Individuals of European descent make up less than 1.5% of the African population. Their number after the conquest by the countries of Africa political independence decreased noticeably. However, in South Africa they occupy a dominant position in the economic and political life.
In terms of language and partly in culture, the mixed mestizo population adjoins the Europeans. In South Africa, it includes the so-called colored people. They are subjected, along with other "non-white" peoples, to severe racial discrimination. On the oceanic islands surrounding the African continent, as a result of ethnic mixing, various mestizo ethnic groups were formed (Reunion, Green Mys, Mauritian Creoles, etc.).
B. V. Andrianov, S. I. Bruk.
Ethnic processes - a change in the main features of an ethnic community (language, culture, self-consciousness, etc., that is, those features that distinguish this community from others) - are divided into processes of ethnic unification, including assimilation, consolidation and integration, and processes of ethnic separation . In Africa, not only their different types are represented, but also various stages of consolidation, integration and assimilation processes, as well as various forms of ethnic communities - from small wandering groups of gatherers and hunters, preserving the remnants of the tribal system, to various ethnic groups of a transitional type, ethnolinguistic and ethnopolitical communities , large nationalities and multi-million nations.
The formation of the population of Africa took place for a long time as a result of complex migration processes, interaction and mutual influence of various ethno-cultural components. One of the important stages in the ethnic history of Africa is associated with the movement of the inhabitants of the Sahara as it dries up (from the 3rd century BC). Gradually, the Negroid tribes spread to the south of the continent. As a result of centuries-old migrations of peoples, different in anthropological type and language, the stages of consolidation and assimilation, in West Africa a mixed population. The next stage is associated with the movement of the Bantu peoples from the west (starting from the 1st millennium AD). In East Africa, they pushed back to the north and partially assimilated the tribes of the Kushites and in the southwest - the Bushmen and Hottentots. As a result of the contacts of the newcomer Bantu-speaking tribes with the original ethnic substrate, the formation of the ethnic image of modern peoples took place. In the VII-XI centuries. Arabs migrated to North Africa, then to Central and Eastern Sudan, to the East African coast and the islands of the Indian Ocean. The ancient and medieval states Africa -, etc. Within their borders, related tribes were united and gradually consolidated into nationalities. However, this natural process was disrupted by the slave trade, which led to the devastation of vast territories. The period of colonialism had a significant impact on the ethno-cultural development of Africa. Colonial dependence, the reactionary policy of the colonialists, aimed at maintaining socio-economic backwardness, at separating peoples, conserving obsolete institutions of the tribal society, separating the borders of colonies of single ethnic groups - contributed to ethnic stratification and isolationism, hampered the process of rapprochement of various ethnic groups. However, unification processes also developed during the colonial period. Centers of ethnic consolidation were emerging in different countries, and processes of ethnic integration were outlined. In the struggle against the colonialists, national self-consciousness developed and strengthened. After the achievement of political independence by the African states, a new stage in their ethno-cultural development began. In the new historical conditions, the processes of formation of large ethnic communities are developing rapidly, capturing at the same time various levels and forms of the ethno-social structure - from families (large and small) to entire nationalities. Most ethno-social communities have already passed the stage of development denoted by the term "tribe". Everywhere there are processes of formation of nationalities, mixing, transformation of ethnic communities different levels, the change of tribal ties with territorial ones, the strengthening of social stratification.
The conquest of independence contributed to the destruction of the patriarchal-feudal isolation of many areas, the strengthening economic ties, distribution general forms culture and common literary major languages (Swahili - in the east of Africa, Hausa and others - in the west). There is a process of folding nations in the north, the extreme south (Afrikaners), in a number of countries of Tropical Africa (among the Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo in Nigeria, Congo in Zaire and some others). As a rule, this process takes place on the basis of the consolidation of already existing nationalities. As for the formation of nations within state borders, then on present stage ethnosocial development, we can only talk about the trend of this process.
The diversity, lack of formality and amorphousness of ethnic communities in the states of Tropical Africa, the mobility of ethnic boundaries, the presence of a large number of transitional types do not always make it possible to characterize the level of ethnic development with certainty.
The processes of ethnic consolidation are intensively developing in Africa - the formation of large ethnic communities on a more or less homogeneous ethnic basis, or the further consolidation of the formed ethnos as its socio-economic and cultural development. They are observed among the Luhya and Kikuyu in Kenya, among the Akan peoples in Ghana, among the Igbo, Yoruba, Nupe and Ibibio in Nigeria, etc. Thus, ethnic groups similar in language and culture living in the southern and eastern slopes Mount Kenya: Embu, Mbere, Ndia, Kichugu, Meru. In terms of language, Embu, Kichugu, Mbere and Ndia are closest to the Kikuyu. Tribal languages and ethnic self-names are still preserved; Kikuyu, Embu and Meru are counted separately in censuses.
The level of consolidation processes in different ethnic groups is different. The Igbos in Nigeria are compactly settled and have a common material and spiritual culture. However, remnants of tribal division, tribal dialects remain, there are local differences in culture. If, according to the 1952-53 census, all the Igbos considered themselves to be a single people, then during the Nigerian crisis of 1966-70 (see Art.) and subsequent years, there was a tendency to separate ethnic divisions. Ethnic divisions continue to exist among the Yoruba (Ijesha, Oyo, Ife, Egba, Egbado, Ondo, etc.). The trend towards the isolation of individual ethnic divisions is holding back the consolidation processes among the Igbo and Yoruba.
Along with the consolidation in many countries, the processes of interethnic integration, the rapprochement of different ethnic groups, the emergence of common cultural features have developed. They proceed on the basis of the interaction of various ethnic components that differ in language, as well as the level of socio-economic and cultural development. These processes can develop into complete ethnic integration of different ethnic groups within the framework of one state.
Integration processes are taking place everywhere in Africa, and in some countries they are taking place on the scale of the entire state and at the level of individual nationalities. Socio-economic transformations, the creation of a single national market, the gradual emergence of a national culture within state borders, consisting of many ethnic cultures, contribute to the gradual formation of a community consciousness - Nigerian, Congolese, Guinean, etc. Africans are increasingly calling themselves non-traditional ethnonyms, and by the name of the state - Nigerians, Congolese, Guineans, etc.
An example of integration at the level of individual nationalities is the ethnic processes of the Hausa. Around the Hausa, who make up the majority of the population of Northern Nigeria, not only closely related ethnic groups are grouped, but there is also a gradual assimilation of many small tribes in the central regions of the country: the language and culture of the Hausa is spreading more and more. From these heterogeneous ethnic components, the Hausa nation is formed. It consists of: proper Hausa, Angas, Ankwe, Sura, Bade, Boleva, Karekare, Tantale, Bura, Vandala, Masa, Musgu, Mubi, etc. Most of these groups retain their self-names. The majority speaks the Hausa language, while others are bilingual and speak their native languages. Many of these peoples were part of the Hausan states (see), their economic and cultural contacts with the Hausa have a long history, which contributes to the integration processes. In some cases, integration processes can lead to the formation of a single ethnic community within state borders. In other cases, in conditions of ethnic pluralism and the complexity of interethnic relations, several centers of integration and, accordingly, several ethno-social communities may arise. As a result of integration processes in African states, new ethno-political ones are being formed. (meta-ethnic) communities.
Assimilation processes are obvious where people live in the neighborhood, which differ sharply in terms of socio-economic development, origin, language and culture. Such are the Kikuyu in Kenya and the Ndorobo groups assimilated by them, the Luo Nilots and the Bantu-speaking Kisii and Suba; in Rwanda, Rwanda and the Twa Pygmies; in Botswana, the Tswana and the Bushmen; in Togo, small ethnic communities gradually merge with the Ewe - akebu, akposo, adele. In Guinea, there is a merger with Kisi close in language and culture to Baga, Mmani, and Landum. At the same time, many Baga and Landuma speak the Susu language and are partly assimilated by the Susu. In the Sudan, the Arabs assimilate the Nubians, the Beja, and others. In the BSK Baule, the Lagoon peoples, the Krobu, the Gwa, and others assimilate.
Along with the unification processes in a number of regions of Africa, processes of ethnic division are also observed, although in the past their role was incomparably greater. Thus, in the history of Africa, widespread migrations of Arab tribes are known, which led to the formation of separate ethnic groups. In ancient times, for centuries Central Africa there was a complex process of spreading and separating the Bantu-speaking ethnic groups; Medieval migrations of the Luo from the banks of the Nile to the south - to the Mezhozerie are known, accompanied by their division into a number of ethnic groups; a similar process took place in the 19th century, when part of the South African Zulu (Nguni) tribes migrated north. In Kenya, the Masaba and Bukusu ethnic groups separated from the Gishu.
The nature and pace of ethnic processes in Africa are determined by historical, socio-economic, and political factors: general economic backwardness, the multifaceted nature of the economy, the dominance of foreign monopolies in many countries, the unresolved social problems, the acuteness of the national question, extraterritorial problems inherited from colonialism, etc.
Many of the African ethnic groups retain a complex hierarchical ethno-social structure, when the same set of people is simultaneously part of ethnic communities of different levels. Such, for example, is the multimillion-strong ethnolinguistic community of the Akans, which unites a group of ethnic groups in southern and central Ghana and neighboring regions of the BSC. The proximity of the Akan languages contributes to ethno-cultural rapprochement both within the framework of the entire broad ethno-linguistic community and at the level of large ethno-social divisions - Ashanti, Fanti, Akim, etc. The socio-economic transformations taking place in Ghana contribute to the formation of different peoples akan of ethnosocial communities - nationalities. This process is developing in parallel with the formation of a broad ethno-political community within the state of Ghana.
Ethnic processes in modern Africa are not only complex, but also extremely contradictory. On the one hand, there is an increase in self-awareness, the erasure of tribal differences, the creation of larger ethno-social and ethno-political communities, the rejection of narrow tribal interests and the emphasis on national ones. On the other hand, there is an increase in ethnic self-consciousness, an increase in its role in political life, and an increase in tribal separatism.
Progressive economic and cultural processes, urbanization, and population migration contribute to the rapprochement of peoples. African cities with a rapidly growing working class, developing bourgeoisie and intelligentsia have become the center of the development of consolidation and integration processes. In cities, there is an intensive exchange of cultural values between representatives of different peoples, convergence of languages and dialects, education literary languages. All this is important condition elimination of tribal isolation (detribalization).
New inter-ethnic ties are emerging in the cities, although this does not mean that the city dweller immediately breaks with his ethnic group. There are numerous ethnic unions and fraternities in the cities, which testifies to the preservation of community-tribal ties.
Mass migrations of the population, work in cities at the same enterprises of people of different ethnicity contribute to the breakdown of traditional tribal structures and activate ethnic processes. Small ethnic groups, as a rule, quickly adapt to a different ethnic environment and can be completely assimilated; numerous migrants prefer to settle together and to a certain extent retain the ethnic characteristics inherent in their way of life in their homeland, and certain specifics of their social organization. In some cases, migrants are forced to stick together not always by the friendly attitude of the local population and the risk of conflict. Ethnic particularism is also promoted by the order of population distribution established in colonial times in many cities and large villages: settlement in quarters is ethnic in nature, people from the same ethnic group prefer to settle together. In Ghana, the quarters where the alien population lives are called "zongo", in Northern Nigeria - "sabon gari" (in the Hausa language - " new town"). This situation not only does not lead to detribalization, but, on the contrary, strengthens ethnic self-awareness.
The African states that were formed within the framework of former colonial borders inherited all the difficulties arising from the discrepancy between political and ethnic borders. Such large peoples as the Ewe, the Kongo, and others found themselves in different states. The division by political borders of a single ethnic territory of a people and the long-term preservation of such a division lead to the emergence of serious differences between parts of the people. The general socio-economic and political conditions in which ethnic processes take place are of significant importance. Public policy can contribute to integration processes and the formation of a single community from different ethnolinguistic components, otherwise several ethnic communities may form. Thus, in Togo, with the favorable development of integration processes, the Ewe can merge into a single Togolese ethnic community; in Ghana, they can remain as an independent ethnic unit.
In the conditions of a multistructural economy, the social structure of ethnic communities, including nationalities and emerging nations, is extremely heterogeneous. The preservation of many archaic institutions and structures that originate from the depths of the tribal society: castes, patriarchal slavery, contempt for certain professions, ethnic prejudices and prejudices, tribal morality, a significant role of traditional power systems, ethnic stratification, etc. - leave a significant imprint on the pace and level of ethnic, primarily integration processes.
Specific historical conditions predetermine various options ethnic development. In the countries of North Africa with a more or less homogeneous ethnic composition, multi-million Arabic-speaking nations have already formed - Algerian, Egyptian, Moroccan, etc. In most countries, ethnic development is proceeding along the path of strengthening the largest ethnic communities and strengthening integration processes. The most striking example of the formation of a single ethno-political community is Tanzania, where on the basis of the Swahili language, recognized official language country, more than a hundred different ethnic groups form a single community that can turn into a Tanzanian nation.
In South Africa, the ethnic development of indigenous African peoples is deformed by reactionary racial politics ruling circles SOUTH AFRICA. The processes of formation of large ethnic communities (nationalities and nations) among the Bantu peoples are actively going on. The creation of bantustans and the ongoing conservation of traditional institutions of the tribal society in South Africa negative impact on the processes of national consolidation.
Ethnic processes are closely connected with linguistic ones. Social shifts, including the transformation of traditional social structures facilitating economic and political consolidation, not only lead to a decrease in the importance of ethno-separating factors and the formation of large ethno-political communities, but also activate linguistic processes. On the one hand, bilingualism and multilingualism are spreading, and on the other hand, the languages of larger communities absorb the languages of small ethnic groups. Economic, social and political transformations in African countries lead to the widespread use of interethnic languages - Swahili, Kingwana, Lingala, Sango, Wolof, etc. English and French especially for interethnic relations.
Socio-economic and political transformations in African states contribute to the intensification of ethnic processes. The main trends in ethnic development are the consolidation of individual ethnic communities and the transformation of some of them into nationalities and nations and intrastate interethnic integration. characteristic feature is the special role of the state in ethnic development, acting as a factor in rallying different ethnic groups into a larger community. In states that have chosen the path of progressive socio-economic development, pursuing a policy that encourages the rapprochement of different ethnic groups and the formation of a single ethno-political complex within state borders creates prerequisites for the formation of new nations on a revolutionary-democratic and, in the future, on a socialist basis.
R. N. Ismagilova.
Population. Anthropological composition
Population. Religious composition
Vital movement of the population
Population placement
Population migration
Population. Urbanization
Economically active population; professional and class structure
Population. The position of workers
Mauritania.
Songhai woman.
Niger.
Woman in modern urban clothes.
Kenya.
Pygmies before the hunt.
It studies the history of the formation of the population of a certain territory, the patterns of its natural and mechanical movement, distribution by territory, ethnic, age and sex structure of the population, etc.
Definition 1
Population These are people who permanently live in a certain area.
Definition 2
Population- this is the number of people in a certain territory (in thousand people, million people).
Definition 3
Population density is the number of people per unit area (number of people/$km²$).
Definition 4
Population structure- this is the division of people into groups according to certain criteria (age, place of residence, ethnicity, etc.).
The distribution and reproduction of the population is influenced by both natural and social factors.
The history of the formation of the population of Africa
It is Africa, according to anthropologists, that is the cradle of mankind. After all, the most ancient remains of ancestors were found here. modern man.
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In ancient times, one of the oldest states known to modern historians arose in Northeast Africa - this Ancient Egypt. Ethiopia was known in the east, Ghana in the west.
Throughout human history, the population of Africa has changed as a result of wars, geographical discoveries and research, natural disasters, social change.
Today, the population of Africa, belonging to the three main races, can be divided into indigenous and alien. The main part of the inhabitants is the indigenous population.
The period of the colonial past, which lasted almost four centuries, led to a significant decrease in the population. Only during the period of the slave trade, about $100 million people were taken out of Africa.
Many inhabitants, especially children, died from the harsh conditions in the colonies, from diseases and poor sanitary conditions.
The resettlement of the peoples of Africa
About $500 million people live in Africa - about $1/10 of the world's population. It is distributed very unevenly across the territory. Reason - natural conditions, the history of the development and development of territories, the policy of states.
Example 1
The highest population density is in the Nile Delta (over $1,000$ people/$km²$).
This is one of the most densely populated areas not only in Africa, but on the entire planet. Remember that this is where Ancient Egypt was located.
The coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Guinea and the southeastern coast of the continent are relatively densely populated. And in the areas of the Sahara and Kalahari deserts, the population is very small (mostly residents of oases). Some desert areas are completely deserted.
Modern racial and ethnic structure of the population of Africa
After the decline of the ancient states, the north of the mainland was occupied by the tribes of Arabs and Berbers - representatives of the Caucasoid race. To the south of the Sahara, the continent is inhabited by representatives of the Negroid race. But this group is not homogeneous. They differ from each other in the shape of the head, skin color, height. This category includes Bushmen, Hottentots, Pygmies, Nilots, Ethiopians.
As a result of the mixing of the Negroid and Mongoloid races, the Malagasy people inhabiting Madagascar were formed. The Mediterranean coast was inhabited by people from the adjacent countries of Europe, and people from the Netherlands and Britain settled in the south.
Definition 5
Their descendants were called Afrikaners.
In the equatorial part, the Portuguese captured the colonies. This affected the formation state languages most modern African countries. After gaining independence, many African countries began to carry out demographic policies aimed at improving the sanitary conditions of residents. This has significantly reduced mortality and increased the population of African countries. There is also a liberalization of ethnic relations. A mixture of racial traits, customs, languages, and cultures is formed.
The development and formation of the ethnic structure of the population of the mainland continues. The nation is currently in the process of being formed. Ethnic groups are represented by tribes and nationalities.
Africa belongs to the second type of population reproduction. Population growth is very high - $2.7$% per year. This led to a population explosion in the second half of the $XX$ century.
Africans profess various religions - both world (Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism), and local pagan cults.
