Central Africa Economy, Culture, and Human Impact

Economy

 Mostly rural  Subsistence agriculture instead of cash crops  Why? What about the climate/vegetation makes plantations difficult?  Dense vegetation in equatorial region (the area around the Equator) makes clearing land for farming difficult

Economic Activity  Timber (wood)  hardwood exports  DRC, Cameroon, Gabon  Gems  SW DRC (near Kinshasa)  Hydroelectric power  DRC on the Congo River  Petroleum  Along the coasts of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo

Culture

 At least 250 ethnic groups in DRC and Cameroon  Central African Republic  each group has own language  ~ 700 local languages in DRC  One of the least densely populated populated regions in Africa  Where it is densely populated, cities hold millions of people  Kinshasa (capital of DRC) = political, economic, and cultural hub of the region

 Colonization  Missionaries, rulers, & businessmen promote Euro. culture at expense of traditional cultures  Christianity becomes predominant in many areas (sometimes mixed with other religions)  Independence  Serious conflicts  Late 1960s-1990s: DRC led by dictator Mobutu Sese Seko  Human rights abuses, single party rule, war

 Conflicts hurt education systems  Under colonial rule, religion dominated education  Trying to raise literacy rates in rural areas but lack support  Range from 50% (Cent. Af. Rep.) to 85% (Equatorial Guinea)  Typically lower for women  Why do you think that is?

 Like East Africa, Central Africa has trouble eradicating common diseases  Sleeping sickness carried by tsetse fly  Ebola spread by rats, bugs, and monkeys  Lack of safe drinking water  Vaccine shortages  Rising number of AIDS victims

Human Impact

 Dams for hydroelectric power change surrounding landscape  Mining  Deforestation  Pollution  Road and railway building  Waste from sites  Climate change