(a) On a sketch map of West Africa, show and name (i) the home areas of the Ashanti, the Wolof and the Mandingo (ii) two areas with a population density of ...

(a) Sketch map of West Africa

Key to the map

1. Home areas of ethnic groups:
   • Ashanti: south-central Ghana, around Kumasi.
   • Wolof: western Senegal, especially the Senegal River and Dakar hinterland.
   • Mandingo: the Upper Niger region, mainly Guinea and south-western Mali.
2. Areas with population density above 100 persons per km²:
   • South-eastern Nigeria, especially the Igbo heartland.
   • Southern Ghana, especially the Accra-Kumasi-coastal belt.
3. Areas with population density below 5 persons per km²:
   • Northern Mauritania.
   • Northern Mali and northern Niger, within the Sahara Desert.

(b) Factors aiding variation in population density in West Africa

1. Historical factors: Ancient towns such as Kano, Katsina and Timbuktu grew as centres of trans-Saharan trade. They attracted traders, craftsmen and administrators and consequently retained relatively large populations. Areas that formed capitals of old empires or enjoyed protection from warfare also became more densely settled. Conversely, slave raiding, wars and insecurity caused people to leave some areas, reducing their population density.
2. Agriculture: Fertile soils, reliable rainfall and good water supply encourage intensive farming and support many people. For example, parts of eastern Nigeria and the Ashanti area of Ghana have relatively high densities because food crops and cash crops can be grown successfully. Dry areas with infertile soils, sparse vegetation and unreliable rainfall, especially in the Sahara and Sahel, support little farming and therefore have sparse population.
3. Mining: Mineral deposits attract miners, investors and supporting services. Employment in gold-mining areas of Ghana, tin-mining areas of the Jos Plateau and other mineral fields attracts migrants. Mining settlements grow and local population density rises.
4. Industrialisation: Industries provide employment and stimulate the growth of trade, transport, housing, schools and health services. People therefore migrate to industrial and commercial centres such as Lagos, Accra, Kano and Dakar. This concentrates population in and around such towns, while areas with few industries remain less densely populated.