Africa
The Problems and Culture of its People
Problems in Africa
Desertification
Desertification is the process which turns productive into non- productive desert as a result of poor land-management. Southern Africa loses about 300-400 million tonnes of topsoil every year. As a result vegetation covers and soil layers are reduced, leaving rain impact and run-off to increase. Overgrazing is the main cause of desertification.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is a huge problem for the people of Africa. The sub-Saharan population is increasing at the rate of 2.5 percent. In South Africa, African women have 5.5 children (average) during their life. The environment is negatively affected.
Apartheid
Apartheid is the name of a racial group that was established in 1948 by the National Party that governed South Africa in 1994. South Africans were forced to live in separate areas from whites, they had to use separate bathrooms, and contact between the two was limited.
Genocide
In 1994 from April to July members of the Hutu ethnic majority in the east-central African nation of Rwandan murdered 800,000 people, mostly of the Tutsi minority. The Tutsi-led Rwandese front gained control in July but thousands were already dead.
Civil Wars
There has been civil wars in Africa among 161 countries from about 1960 and 1999. Every part of Africa has had at least one civil war. The wars are due to high levels of poverty, failed political institutions, and economic independence.
Diseases In Africa
Syphilis
Syphilis is one of the most killer diseases in Africa. 12.2 Million people have been infected in just a year. On an average 157,000 people lose their life to this disease in a year. This disease is spread with blood, blood products, and body fluids.
Malaria
Malaria affects more than 500 million people a year. Only about 1-3 million people actually die from the disease a year. People under the age of 15 seem to get infected easier and will die quicker with this disease.
Tuberculosis
In Africa Tuberculosis is more common. This disease kills more than 2 million people every year. Studies have shown that 3 out of 4 people you walk past in the street are infected with this disease.
How does a lack of education relate to the problems above?
Most people are not aware of the problems in Africa. For example, if more people knew how to stay not get the diseases going around less people would be infected and potentially die. They need to also be aware of the problem desertification. Farming so much on the land due to overpopulation kills the soil which can cause people to die of starvation.
Culture
Rites of Passage
The Rites of Passage is a ceremony in which a person takes the next step in their life. The five rites of passage are birth, adulthood, marriage, eldership, and ancestorship.
Rites of Passage - African
Swahili
Swahili is a Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people. This language is spoken around the African great lakes region and other parts of Southeast Africa.
Polygamy
Polygamy is the practice of marrying more than one woman, basically having many wives. Polygamy is practiced in South Africa sometimes. Although many men only have one wife there are a few that have two or rarely more. It is mostly used in South Africa.
Bantu
The Bantu people of Southern Africa are known to of migrated to this region roughly 2,000 years ago. Some people still speak Bantu and still are native to this region, which include about 72 tribes. Bantu is the language that they speak.