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Africa History Atlas Diachronic map showing pre-colonial cultures of Africa (spanning roughly 500 BCE to 1500 CE) This map is "an artistic interpretation" using multiple and disparate sources. Date: 1 May 2007: Source: Own work: Author: Jeff Israel : Other versions: Derivative works of this file: African-civilizations-map-imperial.png
There were many kingdoms and empires in all regions of the continent of Africa throughout history. A kingdom is a state with a king or queen as its head. [1] An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant centre and subordinate peripheries".
The 7th to 13th centuries in West Africa were a period of relatively abundant rainfall that saw the explosive growth of trade, particularly across the Sahara desert, and the flourishing of numerous important states. [153] The introduction of the camel to the western Sahel was a watershed moment, allowing more merchandise to move more easily. [104]
The Fra Mauro map of 1459 shows a more detailed picture of Africa as a continent, including the Cape of Diab at its southernmost point, reflecting an expedition of 1420. Sebastian Münster 's Cosmographia (1545) labels the Cape of Good Hope , reached by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, as caput bonae spei .
The history of East Africa has been divided into its prehistory, the major polities flourishing, the colonial period, and the post-colonial period, in which the current nations were formed. East Africa is the eastern region of Africa , bordered by North Africa , Central Africa , Southern Africa , the Indian Ocean , and the Sahara Desert .
Map of Central Africa: Dark Green: Central Africa (Geographic) Medium Green: Middle Africa (UN Subregion) Light Green/Gray: Central African Federation (Political: Defunct) The history of Central Africa has been divided into its prehistory, its ancient history, the major polities flourishing, the colonial period, and the post-colonial period, in which the current nations were formed.
Map of Southern Africa: Dark Green: Southern Africa (UN subregion) Green: Geographic, including above Light Green: Southern African Development Community (SADC) The history of Southern Africa has been divided into its prehistory, its ancient history, the major polities flourishing, the colonial period, and the post-colonial period, in which the current nations were formed.
The history of the territories which since ca. 1900 have been known under the name of Nigeria during the pre-colonial period (16th to 18th centuries) was dominated by several powerful West African kingdoms or empires, such as the Benin Kingdom, Oyo Empire and the Islamic Kanem-Bornu Empire in the northeast.