West African Countries 2022

There are five distinct geographic regions on the continent of Africa. Southern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Equatorial Africa, and the African Transition Zone are some of Africa’s regions.




Rather than using the generalization Africa to refer to the whole continent, it is helpful to refer to nations as belonging to a region of Africa. West African nations will be the focus of this essay.

Why not narrow our emphasis to five lesser-known nations in Western Africa instead of the whole set of eighteen? Although these countries are all in West Africa, how much would you know about each? Let’s put your knowledge to the test and learn more about these West African nations.

Table of Contents

Niger

The Niger River, which runs through the country, inspired the country’s name, which is located in the eastern part of West Africa. Landlocked and distant from Africa’s coast, Niger is Africa’s most isolated country.

Niger borders Nigeria, Chad, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Libya to the northeast, and Algeria to the northwest. Mahamadou Issoufou, the current president of Niger, is in charge of the country’s administration.

Before becoming president, Mahamadou Issoufou served as the country’s prime minister in the early 1990s.

The Sub-Saharan and Saharan regions of Africa are also part of Niger’s territory. Niger has a humid subtropical climate due to its location on the west coast of Africa.

In addition to the land’s flatness, there isn’t much variation in the seasonal cycle. You may put Niger’s size into perspective by comparing it to the size of the state of Texas.

Mali




Mali, a nation in West Africa, is surrounded by several other African countries. Six nations share Mali’s borders because of the country’s geographical isolation.

Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, the Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Mauritania are the six African nations on this list. Additionally, the Niger River and the Senegal River run through Mali’s southern and southwestern areas.

The Sahara Desert and Sahelia region of Africa include Mali. Mali’s climate is similar to that of other West African countries, which tend to be humid.

With its normally dry and barren landscape, Mali is home to some of Africa’s most prosperous cattle and farming communities in the country’s southern land areas.

The Senegal River and the Niger River supply a significant amount of nutrients or water accessibility to the lower regions of the nation, which is why this is the case.

Mauritania

Mauritania occupies a large portion of the Sahara Desert in western Africa. As you would assume from the sounds of a desert lifestyle, Mauritania is a dry and warm nation with just 10% of its area outside of the Sahara.




Mauritania’s westernmost border is located along the Atlantic coast. Hence the nation is not completely landlocked.

Other African nations share all of Mauritania’s borders. Mauritania is bordered by four countries: Algeria, Mali, Senegal, and Western Sahara. According to the United Nations, Mauritania is the tenth biggest nation in Africa.

Senegal

Senegal is located on the western coast of Africa, although its location concerning the Gambia prevents its westernmost boundary from being entirely water-based.

As of the year 2019, the population of Senegal was roughly 16,641 people. Senegal has a population of about 0.22 percent of the world’s population.

In Senegal, the average life expectancy is at 18.4 years, which is shocking to those who have never been to Africa. Because of the poor living conditions in the nation, the median age is very low.




Senegal’s population density is inversely proportional to the country’s land area. There are around 255 persons per square mile of land. Senegal’s overall area is 74,336 square miles, according to this figure.

Gambia

A more formal name for Gambia is The Gambia, a tiny African republic on the continent’s westernmost coast.

Senegal, the African nation we just mentioned and which almost entirely covers the Gambia, is the only other border that surrounds The Gambia except for the Atlantic Ocean’s shore.

Internally, the Gambia River is significant since it travels through all of Gambia before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

Also See: Southern European Countries 2022

Moreover, half of Gambia’s population is under 25 years of age. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, Gambian women seem to prioritize having children and starting households.

Families with four or more children are not uncommon. Over two million individuals four children per household begins to pile up to the point that younger people begin to predominate.




Country2022 Population
Nigeria216746.9340
Ghana32395.4500
Cameroon27911.5480
Niger26083.6600
Burkina Faso22102.8380
Mali21473.7640
Senegal17653.6710
Guinea13865.6910
Benin12784.7260
Togo8680.8370
Sierra Leone8306.4360
Liberia5305.1170
Mauritania4901.9810
Gambia2558.4820
Guinea-Bissau2063.3670
Cape Verde567.6780




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