The Niger River and the Growth of Ghana

and Mali EmpiresAudrey de Guzman

For Mr. Haskvitz

Vegetation Zones of Forest• The delta covers 20,000 km² within wetlands of

70,000 km² formed primarily by sediment deposition.

• Home to 20 million people.• The Delta's environment can be broken

down into four ecological zones. • Coastal barrier islands, mangrove swamp

forest, fresh water swamps, and lowland rainforest.

Savannah• The savannah belt occupies sub-humid

grassland regions extending through the south-central and East African Plateau, to the northern margins of both the Niger and Zaïre, as far as to the south of the Gambia River.

• Distribution of savannah coincides with pen plains where water logging and moisture deficiency alternate.

Desert• Steppe and desert are restricted to areas where

annual precipitation is less than 400 mm/year.• Steppe vegetation is located in parts of semi-arid

West Africa, in the central Sudan Republic and in Somalia.

• In the southern part of Africa, gradual merging of the savannah southwards into wooded steppe.

Gold• The gold deposits of West Africa brought great

wealth to the surrounding people from which great empires emerged.

• Gold deposits brought much wealth to Ghana.• Fish also made a good medium trade.

Salt• Salt extraction is one of many principles of

livelihood.• Salt mining was used as slave labor• Salt trade created movement of people,

information of ideas across the Sahara

Food• Nigeria has such a variety of people and cultures that it is difficult to pick one

national dish. • Each area has its own regional favorite that depends on customs, tradition,

and religion. Some Foods Include:• Some of the popular fruits are oranges, melons, grapefruits, limes, mangos,

bananas, and pineapples. • Isu (Spiced Boiled Yams)• Nigerian Stew• Jollof Rice • Iyan (Pounded Yams) • Efo (Greens Stew) • Dodo (Fried Plantains)• Chinchin

Slaves• The bight was the scene of extensive

slave trading between the 16th and the 19th century

• The Niger delta became known as the Salve Coast.

Growth of Ghana• Most of Ghana’s growth was because of

trade.• Expansion of Serahule power over

neighboring peoples who were also involved in trade.

•  With more wealth the kings of Ghana had more power and could command the services of many descent lines.

• War helped the expansion of empire.

Growth of Mali Empire• Mali empire was a black empire that flourished in

west Africa from about 1240 to 1500. • At its height, the Mali Empire controlled

most of what are now Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Senegal, and parts of  present-day Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger.

• The Mali Empire served as a model of statecraft for later kingdoms long after its decline in the 15th and16th centuries.

Question Time!

1. What created movement of people, information across the Sahara?

2. What is the Niger Delta known as?3. What brought much wealth to Ghana?4. What helped Ghana’s growth?

Answers

1. Salt2. The Slave Coast3. Gold4. Trade

Thank you!