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West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:

With the exception of Mauritania, all of these countries are members of the ECOWAS or Economic Community of West African States. The UN region also includes the island of Saint Helena, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Background

West Africa is west of an imagined north-south axis lying close to 10° east longitude. The Atlantic Ocean forms the western and southern borders of the region. The northern border is the Sahara Desert, with the Ranishanu Bend generally considered the northernmost part of the region. The eastern border is less precise, with some placing it at the Benue Trough, and others on a line running from Mount Cameroon to Lake Chad.

Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West African nations, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups between two or more countries.

The inhabitants of West Africa are, in contrast to most of Southern and Middle Africa, non-Bantu speaking peoples.

Geography and climate

West Africa, if one includes 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 vast majority of this land is plains lying less than 300 meters above sea level, though isolated high points exist in numerous countries along the southern shore of the region.

The northern section of West Africa is composed of semi-arid terrain known as Sahel, a transitional zone between the Sahara and the savannahs of the western Sudan forests form a third belt between the savannas and the southern coast, ranging from 160 km to 240 km in width.

Culture

Despite the wide variety of cultures in West Africa, from Nigeria through to Senegal, there are general similarities in dress, cuisine, music and culture that are not shared extensively with groups outside the geographic region.

Islam, mixed with traditional beliefs in some places, is the predominant historical religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent; Christianity, a relative newcomer, has become the predominant religion in the central and southern part of Nigeria, and the coastal regions stretching from southern Ghana to coastal parts of Sierra Leone; and elements of indigenous religions are practiced throughout. African traditional religion is also prevalent.

Along with historic migrations, these religions have culturally linked the peoples of Northern Africa more than those in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Traditionally, musical and oral history as conveyed over generations by Griots are typical of West African culture.

Recreation

The game oware is quite popular in many parts of West Africa. Soccer is also a pastime enjoyed by many, either spectating or playing. The national teams of some West African nations, especially Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, regularly qualify for the World Cup.

Music

Mbalax, Highlife, Fuji and Afrobeat are all modern musical genres which listeners enjoy in this region.

Clothing

A typical formal attire worn in this region are the knee to ankle-length flowing Boubou robe, Dashiki and Senegalese Kaftan (also known as ''Agbada'' and ''Babariga''), which has its origins in the clothing of nobility of various West African empires in the 12th century.

History

The history of West Africa can be divided into five major periods: first, its prehistory, in which the first human settlers arrived, developed agriculture, and made contact with peoples to the north; the second, the Iron Age empires that consolidated both intra-African, and extra-African trade, and developed centralized states; third, Major polities flourished, which would undergo an extensive history of contact with non-Africans; fourth, the colonial period, in which Great Britain and France controlled nearly the whole of the region; fifth, the post-independence era, in which the current nations were formed.

Prehistory

Early human settlers arrived in West Africa around 12,000 B.C. Sedentary farming began in, or around the fifth millennium B.C, as well as the domestication of cattle. By 400 B.C, ironworking technology allowed an expansion of agricultural productivity, and the first city-states formed.

The domestication of the camel allowed the development of a cross-Saharan trade with cultures across the Sahara, including Carthage and the Berbers; major exports included gold, cotton cloth, metal ornaments and leather goods, which were then exchanged for salt, horses, textiles, and other such materials. Local leather, cloth, and gold also contributed to the abundancy of prosperity for many of the following empires.

Empires

The development of the region's economy allowed more centralized states and civilizations to form, beginning with the Nok culture which began 500 B.C. and the Ghana Empire in the 8th century AD which stretched to the Mali empire. Based on the city of Kumbi Saleh in modern-day Mauritania, the empire came to dominate much of the region until its defeat by Almoravid invaders in 1052.

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 fifteenth century, the Songhai would form a new dominant state based on Gao, in the Songhai Empire, under the leadership of Sonni Ali and Askia Mohammed.

Meanwhile, south of the Sudan, strong city states arose in Igboland, such as the Kingdom of Nri in the tenth century, Bono in the 12th century which eventually culminated in the formation the all-powerful Akan Empire of Ashanti, while Ife and Benin rose to prominence around the fourteenth century. Further east, Oyo arose as the dominant Yoruba state and the Aro Confederacy as a dominant Igbo state in modern-day Nigeria.

Slavery and European contact

Following the 1591 destruction of the Songhai capital by Moroccan invaders, a number of smaller states arose across West Africa, including the Bambara Empire of Ségou, the Bambara kingdom of Kaarta, the Fula/Malinké kingdom of Khasso, and the Kénédougou Empire of Sikasso.

Portuguese traders began establishing settlements along the coast in 1445, followed by the French and English; the African slave trade began not long after, which over the following centuries would debilitate the region's economy and population. The slave trade also encouraged the formation of states such as the Asante Empire, Bambara Empire and Dahomey, whose economic activities include but not limited to exchanging slaves for European firearms.

The expanding trans-Atlantic slave trade produced significant populations of West Africans living in the New World, recently colonized by Europeans. The oldest known remains of African slaves in the Americas were found in Mexico in early 2006; they are thought to date from the late 16th century and the mid-17th century.

European and American governments passed legislation prohibiting the Atlantic slave trade in the 19th century, though slavery in the Americas persisted in some capacity through the century; the last country to abolish the institution was Brazil in 1888. Descendants of West Africans make up large and important segments of the population in Brazil, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States.

Colonialism

In the early nineteenth century, a series of Fulani reformist jihads swept across Western Africa. The most notable include Usman dan Fodio's Fulani Empire, which replaced the Hausa city-states, Seku Amadu's Massina Empire, which defeated the Bambara, and El Hadj Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire, which briefly conquered much of modern-day Mali.

However, the French and British continued to advance in the Scramble for Africa, subjugating kingdom after kingdom. With the fall of Samory Ture's new-founded Wassoulou Empire in 1898 and the Ashanti queen Yaa Asantewaa in 1902, most West African military resistance to colonial rule came to an effective end.

Britain controlled The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria throughout the colonial era, while France unified Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire 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. Only Liberia retained its independence, at the price of major territorial concessions.

Postcolonial era

Following World War II, nationalist movements arose across West Africa. In 1957, Ghana, under Kwame Nkrumah, became the first sub-Saharan colony to achieve its independence, followed the next year by France's colonies (Guinea in 1958 under the leadership of President Ahmed Sekou Touré); by 1974, West Africa's nations were entirely autonomous.

Since independence, many West African nations have been submerged under political instability, with notable civil wars in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire, and a succession of military coups in Ghana and Burkina Faso.

Since the end of colonialism, the region has been the stage for some of the most brutal conflicts ever to erupt. Among the latter are:

Nigerian Civil War

First Liberian Civil War

Second Liberian Civil War

Guinea-Bissau Civil War

Ivorian Civil War

Sierra Leone Civil War

Regional organizations

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), founded by the 1975 Treaty of Lagos, is an organization of West African states which aims to promote the region's economy. The West African Monetary Union (or UEMOA from its name in French, ''Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine'') is limited to the eight, mostly Francophone countries that employ the CFA franc as their common currency. The Liptako-Gourma Authority of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso seeks to jointly develop the contiguous areas of the three countries.

Women's peace movement

Since the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000, women have been engaged in rebuilding war-torn Africa. Starting with the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace and ''Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET),'' the peace movement has grown to include women across West Africa.

Established on May 8, 2006, ''Women Peace and Security Network - Africa'' (WIPSEN-Africa), is a women-focused, women-led Pan-African non-governmental organization based in Ghana. The organization has a presence in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Regional leaders of nonviolent resistance include Leymah Gbowee, Comfort Freeman, and Aya Virginie Toure.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a documentary film about the origin of this peace movement. The film has been used as an advocacy tool in post-conflict zones like Sudan and Zimbabwe, mobilizing African women to petition for peace and security.

See also

2004 locust outbreak

Akan people

Ashanti people

African American people

Atlantic slave trade

British West Africa

Empire of Ashanti

French West Africa

Fula people

Ghana Empire

Hausa people

Igbo people

Jews of the Bilad el-Sudan (West Africa)

Mali Empire

Mande people

Manillas – A form of archaic money unique to West Africa

Nsibidi Script - An indigenously developed West African writing system

Seedies and Kroomen

Songhai Empire

Soninke people

Vai syllabary

Western Sahara

World Heritage Site

Yoruba people

References

External links

''West Africa by Region and Country'' – African Studies at Columbia University

ouestaf.com – Online source for news and current affairs in west Africa.

- The loss of Togo in result in World War 1

Loccidental – The News reference for West Africa.

West Africa Review – An e-journal on West Africa research and scholarship.

West African Plants Database – photos and plant identification

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name	Keri Hilson
background	solo_singer
birth name	Keri Lynn Hilson
birth date	December 05, 1982
birth place	Decatur, Georgia,
genre	R&B;, pop, hip hop
occupation	Singer–songwriter
years relevant	2008
label	Zone 4, Mosley Music, Interscope
associated acts	The Clutch, Timbaland, Polow da Don, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Akon
website	}}

Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B; recording artist, and songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson made herself a name as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch. In 2006, she signed a recording contract with Timbaland's label, Mosley Music. Critics have credited Hilson for her amazing songwriting skills and her vocal performances.

Hilson released her debut studio album, ''In a Perfect World...'' in March 2009, which peaked within the top five of the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart and featured the hit singles "Knock You Down" and "Turnin Me On". The album reached number one on the US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was eventually certified gold. Hilson earned two Grammy Award nominations for the album including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down", which features Kanye West and Ne-Yo. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany and certified platinum there. Unfortunately for Hilson, however, saw no success in receiving a Grammy. As a prominent guest vocalist in both the contemporary R&B; and hip hop genres, Hilson has been featured on over a dozen singles by other artists, including the number-one hit single "The Way I Are" with Timbaland.

Life and career

1982–2000: Early life and career beginnings

Hilson was born in Decatur, Georgia. She attended Tucker High School in Tucker, Georgia. At the age of 12, Hilson began piano and singing lessons. During her mid to late teens, Hilson began her career as a songwriter and background vocalist, working under producer Anthony Dent. After trying and failing with two girl groups, Pretty Toni and D'Sign, Hilson enrolled at Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, Georgia while still pursing a music career. Hilson cites Janet Jackson as a major influence in her career.

2001–2007: Songwriting with The Clutch and solo ventures

When the pennies from performances at Magic City in Atlanta Georgia were not making ends meet, Hilson began writing music for other artists in 2001 as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch. She also made a name for herself as a song arranger and sung background vocals on many of the songs she had written for artists such as Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara. Hilson's songwriting was responsible for numerous hit singles, including Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am", Omarion's "Ice Box", the Pussycat Dolls' "Wait a Minute", Britney Spears' "Gimme More", Nas's "Hero",and also Ciara's "Like a Boy".

She remained mostly behind the scenes until 2004, when she was featured on the single "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" by the rapper Xzibit. Hilson made her performing debut at the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards in which she performed the song live with Xzibit. In 2006 she signed as an artist to Timbaland's record label, Mosley Music. In 2007 Hilson made several appearances on Timbaland's solo effort ''Shock Value'', including the singles "Scream" and "The Way I Are" which reached number three on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Furthermore, she was featured on the track "Lost Girls" on Zone 4-labelmate Rich Boy's debut album and its second single "Good Things". Hilson was credited as a writer and backing vocalist on Britney Spears's album ''Blackout''. She made several appearances in music videos for singles such as "Love in This Club" by Usher and also in the music video for Ne-Yo's single, "Miss Independent".

2008–2009: The Year of Relevance: ''In a Perfect World...''

After several pushbacks, Hilson's debut album ''In a Perfect World...'' was released in March 2009. According to the singer, the title of the album is her way of "saying nothing in the world is perfect and no person in it is, either. None of us are exempt from certain hardships and heartbreaks and we all have something about our lives that we'd change if only we could - be it body image, financial status, love life... It was really important for me to write songs that women can relate to from real situations. I didn’t want to do an album that painted myself as perfect because no matter how things look, no one is. I called it that with the ellipses - dot dot dot - because it's an incomplete statement. I wanted to talk about how nobody's exempted from the realities of life and all those things." It was executively produced by Timbaland and Polow da Don. ''In a Perfect World...'' debuted at number four on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and at number one on the US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart with first week sales of approximately 94,000 copies, and earned generally favorable reviews from music critics who noted it a "seductive debut CD full of slick, radio-friendly cuts." and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.

"Energy" was released as the album's lead single on May 20, 2008. It reached a peak of number seventy-eight on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number twenty-one on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and achieved minor success in the UK. The song became a success in New Zealand, where it reached a peak of number two and gained a gold accreditation there. In October 2008 Hilson collaborated with fellow singer Chris Brown on a song titled "Superhuman", which reached the top twenty in Ireland and New Zealand. "Return the Favor" which features Timbaland was released as the album's second single. It peaked within the top twenty in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium. "Turnin Me On" which featured Lil Wayne became Hilson's first top twenty hit as a solo artist on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, where it reached number fifteen on the chart. The song reached number two on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Hilson's first top five hit on the chart.

"Knock You Down", a collaboration with Kanye West and Ne-Yo, was released as the album's fourth single. The song has proven to be Hilson's most successful worldwide single to date. It peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for three non-consecutive weeks and topped the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It additionally appeared the in top ten of five other countries and certified platinum in New Zealand and gold in Australia. The song received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Awards. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song was used for the German film ''Zweiohrküken'' and became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany which certified platinum there. Meanwhile Hilson continued appearing on single releases by several artists throughout 2009 including Plies' single "Medicine", Fabolous' "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere," Nas' "Hero" and Sean Paul's "Hold My Hand".

2010–present: ''No Boys Allowed''

In January 2010 Hilson guest featured on Akon's charity single "Oh Africa". She was also part of the extended A-list of musical artists during the recording session of "We Are the World 25 for Haiti." Hilson also made guest features on other singles including "Million Dollar Girl" by Trina and T.I's "Got Your Back". In April 2010 it was revealed she was the new face of Avon, replacing singer Jennifer Hudson.

Her second studio album, ''No Boys Allowed,'' was released on December 21, 2010. Hilson explained that "''No Boys Allowed'' is a deeply personal project designed to bring women to their feet. The provocative title, is not what you may think. It's not about excluding men. It's more about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when you want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that's not a bad thing. I write from a female perspective, but I'm also telling men what women are really thinking and feeling about them." The album debuted at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' 200 with 102,000  copies sold. Though it sold 8,000  copies more than her debut album, ''In a Perfect World...'', it failed to match that album's debut chart position of number four.

"Breaking Point," produced by Timbaland was released as the album's lead single in the United States on September 7, 2010. It reached a peak of number forty-four on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Pretty Girl Rock" was released as the second single on October 12, 2010. It has reached a current peak of number ten on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number twenty four on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The music video for the song has received critical acclaim and praise for its homage to musical icons of the past such as Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, The Andrews Sisters, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson and TLC. Hilson appears as each singer in a well-known scene from the era depicted. As of early 2011 she is preparing for a spring tour and is opening for TLC's 20th Anniversary celebration concert and beginning work on a third album featuring TLC, Blaque and more girl groups.

"One Night Stand " featuring Chris Brown, is the album's third single. In February 2011, Hilson told ''Rap-Up'' magazine that she was considering choosing "One Night Stand" as the next single from ''No Boys Allowed'', after an outpouring of fan support. She said, "My fans are really liking "One Night Stand" with Chris Brown ... I have a lot of favorites, but the fans are wanting "One Night Stand." It’s going to be my urban single. Not going to be, but if we go with it, we'll go with that." The song has appeared on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number sixty-eight. It has been announced that "Lose Control" featuring Nelly, will serve as the album's next single.

Discography

''In a Perfect World...'' (2009)

''No Boys Allowed'' (2010)

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Type	! Nominated work	! Award	! Result
2007		"The Way I Are" with Timbaland and D.O.E.	Monster Single of the Year
			Favorite Female R&B;/Soul Artist
Breakthrough Artist
	Best New Artist
Best Female R&B; Artist
	Viewer's Choice
Best Collaboration
rowspan="2"	''In a Perfect World...''	Best Album
	Best Female Act
	Best International Act
Best R&B;/Soul Act
	Best New Artist
"Turnin Me On"	Song of the Year
	Best Collaboration
Record of the Year
		Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
	Best New Artist
NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding New Artist
		Best Female R&B; Artist
"Pretty Girl Rock"	Video of the Year

References

External links

Category:1982 births Category:African American singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:Emory University alumni Category:Interscope Records artists Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia

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