POPULATION DISTRIBUTION IN WEST AFRICA

The population of west Africa is not evenly distributed. Some areas are densely populated, some moderately populated and other are sparsely populated.

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1.AREA OF DENSE POPULATION: These include Lagos, Kano, Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Monrovia and Dakar.
2.AREA OF MODERATE POPULATION: These include Benin, Ashanti Religion, Mano river area, Ouagadougou, Niamey, Bamako.
3.AREA OF SPARSE POPULATION: These include upper Gambi, middle belt of Nigeria, Northern Niger, Mali and Mauritania.

REASON OR FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION OF WEST AFRICA

1.HISTORICAL FACTORS: some densely populated areas like Kano have been centres of trans- Saharan trade which contributed to its high population as a source area for trans- Saharan slave trade.
2.MINING: The presence of minerals attracts high population while absence of mineral and mining activities discourage high population densities.
3.AGRICULTURE: Fertile soil Cavour high populated densities while poor soils and lack of farming activities discourage high populated growth.
4.INDUSTRIALISM: The presence of industries or industrial activities encourage high population concentration while absence of industries encourage low population.

REASON FOR HIGH POPULATION DESITIES IN SOME AREA

• FAVOURABLE CLIMATE :- Some area like Lagos, Kano, Abidjan, Accra and Dakar have adequate rainfall and favourable climate which ensure the production of food and human habitation.
• FERTILE SOILS:- Fertile soil in Nigeria favors the cultivation of cocoa and kolanut in the west, oil palm, cassava and yam in the east and groundnut and cotton in Kano.
• NATURAL ATTACHMENT/HISTORICAL FACTORS:- The growth of some empire in the past like Kano and Oyo empire favored high population densities.
• EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNIES:- The availability of jobs in these towns also swells the population.
• PRESENCE OF MINERALS:- The presence of minerals also contribute to high population densities of these towns e.g coal in Enugu and Tin in Jos.