The continent of Africa is categorized by region, of which there are five in total. The region of Western Africa includes 16 states and the United Kingdom Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
Western Africa, also known as West Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. West Africa is a term used in the Encyclopædia Britannica to designate a geographic region within the continent of Africa. The term West Africa is also often used to refer to this part of the continent. As conventionally understood, however, West Africa is primarily a political and economic designation.
The West Africa UN subregion includes the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte D'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
Here's a closer look at some of the key aspects of this diverse region:
Historical Context
Historically, West Africa was home to several powerful states and empires that controlled regional trade routes, including the Mali and Gao Empires. Positioned at a crossroads of trade between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, the region supplied goods such as gold, ivory, and advanced iron-working. The development of the region's economy allowed more centralized states and civilizations to form, beginning with Dhar Tichitt that began in 1600 B.C. followed by Djenné-Djenno beginning in 300 B.C.
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During European exploration, local economies were incorporated into the Atlantic slave trade, which expanded existing systems of slavery. Even after the end of the slave trade in the early 19th century, colonial powers - especially France and Britain - continued to exploit the region through colonial relationships. For example, they continued exporting extractive goods like cocoa, coffee, tropical timber, and mineral resources.
Britain controlled the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria throughout the colonial era, while France unified Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Ivory Coast, and Niger into French West Africa. Portugal founded the colony of Guinea-Bissau, while Germany claimed Togoland, but was forced to divide it between France and Britain following First World War due to the Treaty of Versailles.
Following World War II, nationalist movements arose across West Africa.
Three great kingdoms were identified in Bilad al-Sudan by the ninth century. The Sosso Empire sought to fill the void but was defeated (c. 1240) by the Mandinka forces of Sundiata Keita, founder of the new Mali Empire. The Mali Empire continued to flourish for several centuries, most particularly under Sundiata's grandnephew Musa I, before a succession of weak rulers led to its collapse under Mossi, Tuareg and Songhai invaders.
In the early 19th century, a series of Fulani reformist jihads swept across Western Africa. However, the French and British continued to advance in the Scramble for Africa, subjugating kingdom after kingdom.
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Part of the West African regions underwent an increase in the numeracy level throughout the 19th century. The reason for such a growth was predetermined by a number of factors. Namely, the peanut production and trade, which was boosted by the demand of the colonial states. Importantly, the rise of numeracy was higher in the regions which were less hierarchical and had less dependence on the slavery trade (e.g. Sine and Salum). Whereas areas with the opposite trends illustrated opposite tendencies (e.g. central and northern Senegal).
The region has a long history of post-colonial civil wars that have created an obstacle to economic development.
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Geography and Climate
West Africa, broadly defined to include the western portion of the Maghreb (Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia), occupies an area in excess of 6,140,000 km2, or approximately one-fifth of Africa. The northern section of West Africa (narrowly defined to exclude the western Maghreb) is composed of semi-arid terrain known as Sahel, a transitional zone between the Sahara and the West Sudanian savanna.
West Africa has a rich ecology, with significant biodiversity across various regions. Its climate is shaped by the dry Sahara to the north and east - producing the Harmattan winds - and by the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west, which brings seasonal monsoons. This climatic mix creates a range of biomes, from tropical forests to drylands, supporting species such as pangolins, rhinoceroses, and elephants.
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The West African region can be divided into four climatic sub-regions namely the Guinea Coast, Soudano-Sahel, Sahel (extending eastward to the Ethiopian border) and the Sahara, each with different climatic conditions.
Based on the inter-annual rainfall variability, three main climatic periods have been observed over the Sahel: the wet period from 1950 to the early 1960s followed by a dry period from 1972 to 1990 and then the period from 1991 onwards which has seen a partial rainfall recovery.
During the dry period, the Sahel experienced a number of particularly severe drought events, with devastating effects. The recent decades, have also witnessed a moderate increment in annual rainfall since the beginning of 1990s. Some have identified the two recent decades as a recovery period.
Key Countries in West Africa
Rather than diving into all eighteen countries, let’s focus on five West African countries that you might not know a lot about. Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia are all located in West Africa, but how much do you know about each country in particular?
Niger
Located to the eastern portion of West Africa, the Republic of Niger is named after the ever-so-famous, freely flowing Niger River. Niger is landlocked and very far from any coastal region of Africa. With Libya to the northeast and Algeria to the northwest, Niger shares borders with Nigeria, Chad, Mali, Benin, and Burkina Faso as well.
Niger is ruled by a presidential government, with the current ruling president being Mahamadou Issoufou. Niger encompasses parts of both the Sub-Saharan region and the Saharan region of Africa as well. Due to the geographic positioning of Niger, the country experiences humidity paired with a primarily subtropical climate. The land is very flat and there is not much change in tune with the cycling of seasons either.
Mali
The West African country of Mali is situated among many other African countries. With land surrounding Mali on all possible sides, the country shares its borders with six other countries. Starting in the north and moving clockwise around Mali, these six African countries include Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, the Côte D’Ivoire, Guinea, and Mauritania.
Mali is part of Africa’s Sahara Desert and Sahelia Region. Similar to most areas in West Africa, Mali tends to lean toward the humid side of things in terms of weather conditions. Despite the typically arid and desert-like conditions in Mali, the country’s southern land regions are prime locations for well-to-do livestock and agriculture.
Mauritania
The West African country of Mauritania is mostly located in the Sahara Desert. The country of Mauritania is not totally landlocked, for its westernmost border is situated along the coast of the Atlantic. However, all other borders of Mauritania are shared with other African countries. Algeria, Mali, Senegal, and the Western Sahara all encompass Mauritania.
Senegal
Senegal is partially situated along the western coastline of Africa, though its position in relation to Gambia keeps Senegal’s westernmost border from being completely water-based.
Senegal has a population size of approximately 16,641 people as of the year 2019. As wild as it may sound to people who do not live in Africa, the average lifespan of people in Senegal is as short as 18.4 years on average. Conditions in the country account for such a small median age. The relationship between the number of people living in Senegal and the country’s total area is relatively high. For every square mile of land, there are a rough estimate of 255 people.
The Gambia
As a small African country on the westernmost coastline of the continent, Gambia is often referred to more officially as The Gambia. The only other border that surrounds The Gambia besides the aquatic coast of the Atlantic Ocean is Senegal, which is the African country we just touched on that nearly completely encompasses Gambia.
More than half of the population of Gambia is made up of people who are twenty-five years old or younger. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, this finding is due to the fact that there is a seemingly apparent emphasis on birthing children and creating families for women in Gambia. The average number of children per family is four kids. With a population size of over two million people, four children per family starts to accumulate to the point where younger folks are the majority.
Environmental Challenges
West Africa is greatly affected by deforestation and has one of the worst deforestation rate. Even "the beloved baobab tree" which is viewed as sacred by some West African cultures are under threat due to climate change, urbanization and population growth. "Huge swaths of forest are being razed to clear space for palm oil and cocoa plantations. Mangroves are being killed off by pollution. Even wispy acacias are hacked away for use in cooking fires to feed growing families."
Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, have lost large areas of their rainforest. In 2005, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ranked Nigeria as the state with the worst deforestation rate in the entire world.
Overfishing is a major issue in West Africa. Besides reducing fish stocks in the region, it also threatens food security and the livelihoods of many coastal communities that largely depend on artisanal fishing. To combat the overfishing, Greenpeace has recommended countries reduce the number of registered trawlers operating in African waters, increase the monitoring and control and set up regional fisheries organizations.
Some steps have already been taken in the form of WARFP (the World Bank's West Africa Regional Fisheries Program which empowers west-African countries (i.e. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, and Senegal) with information, training and monitoring systems. Furthermore, Liberia enacted a fisheries regulations Act in 2010 and installed a satellite-based monitoring system and Senegal enacted a fisheries code in 2015.
Economic Overview
Home to over half a billion people, Western and Central Africa (AFW) comprises 22 countries spanning the semi-arid Sahel, extensive Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea coastlines, and vast tropical forests. Many of these countries are rich in natural resources, exporting key commodities such as oil (Gabon, Nigeria, Republic of Congo), cocoa (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana), and cotton (Benin, Burkina Faso).
The AFW subregion is projected to accelerate from 4.4% in 2024 to 4.7% in 2026-27. Excluding Nigeria, the AFW subregion grew at a faster rate in 2024 (5.2%) and will continue growing at the same pace in 2026-27. Growth in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) is projected to remain invariant in 2025 at 6.1% and slightly decelerate to 5.9% in 2026-27.
The 15 members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The main goal of ECOWAS is to promote economic cooperation among member states in order to raise living standards and promote economic development.
ECOWAS has also worked to address some security issues by developing a peacekeeping force for conflicts in the region.
Development Challenges
Western and Central Africa is a region of tremendous potential, with a young and dynamic population, abundant natural resources, and a rich cultural heritage. However, it faces significant challenges. The region is home to about a quarter of the world’s extreme poor, and around 73% of its population now lives in countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence.
To keep pace with population growth, the continent must create 15 million jobs annually, yet current job creation falls far short. The challenge is especially acute in AFW, where over 90% of jobs are in the informal sector, and high-potential industries such as mining, energy, and commercial farming face a shortage of skilled workers, forcing businesses to import labor.
Currently, 220 million people in AFW lack access to electricity, limiting opportunities for business, income generation, education, and health services. Despite progress, about 350 million people in Western and Central Africa-roughly two-thirds of the population-still lack access to the internet.
Climate risks further threaten the region’s progress.
Table: Key Statistics for West African Countries
| Country | Population (approx.) | Key Economic Activity | Major Environmental Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niger | 25 million | Agriculture | Desertification |
| Mali | 20 million | Agriculture, Livestock | Desertification |
| Mauritania | 4.5 million | Fishing, Mining | Desertification |
| Senegal | 16.6 million | Fishing, Tourism | Deforestation, Overfishing |
| Gambia | 2.4 million | Agriculture, Tourism | Deforestation |
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