Africa
The Problems and Culture of It's People
Desertification
Desertification is when fertile land turns into a desert as a result of drought, deforestation, or improper agriculture. Two-Thirds of the African continent is desert or dryland. Droughts have been particularly severe in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. Considering the fact that Africa is facing difficult socio-economic conditions, many of Africa's people rely on natural resources for their livelihoods. So, this really affects the lives of Africa's people.
Overpopulation
Overpopulation is when the number of people in an area is too much to compared to the amount of resources for their needs to be met. At the increasing population rate does not yield, Africa's population will double by 2036 (as of 2008). Nigeria and Ethiopia face huge population problems: their populations are expected to triple within the next fifty years. This is caused by the decline in infant mortality rate and high fertility rates. Some effects of overpopulation include a bad environment due to resources being overused, fighting amongst people for resources, and great stress on the governments.
Apartheid
Apartheid was a racial segregation system enforced in South Africa through legislation by the National Party, who governed from 1948 to 1994. It began because the British wanted control over the black races.
Genocide
The Rwanda Genocide went on from April to July 1994 when members of the Hutu began Murdering as many as 800,000 of the Tutsi. This began after the Rwandan president died. The French were angry with him after he sent a rocket attack on them.
Civil Wars
Civil wars in africa have been ongoing since the Rwanda Genocide. Some of the most well known are in Congo and Somalia, while new ones rise, like in Central African Republic. Some are caused when the neighboring country is going through its own war.
Disease
The most common diseases in Africa are Tuberculosis, Diarrhea, Malaria, and HIV/AIDS. While most are prominent is Sub-Saharan Africa, they are all over the continent. However, the worst numbers are in South Africa.
Lack of Education
Lack of education can lead to disease, overpopulation, and desertification. If people would understand the effects of their actions, these things wouldn't be a problem. Essentially, education would provide more medicine, and knowledge of "don't do this/touch that" which could essentially yield diseases, overpopulation and desertification.
Rites of Passage
Rites of Passage are marks of milestones in one's life. Some examples in Africa include Scarification, prolonged periods of isolation and tests of endurance.
Swahili
Swahili is the language of the Bantu people. It is most common in Southern Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Mozambique.
Polygamy
Polygamy is having multiple spouses. Many of the Bantu people as well as Islams in South Africa practice Polygamy.
Bantu
Bantu is a term for the hundreds of ethnic groups in Africa who speak the Bantu language. Some countries that inhabit these people include Angola, Cameroon, CAR, Congo, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Uganda.