West Side High School - Lamp Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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The Land Many Americans still think of Tropical Africa as one vast jungle extending from the Atlantic ('oast to the Indian Ocean. We tend to think that all of the people in this region share the same climate, live in the same manner, and face the same problems. In order to understand the problems of the new nations, one must know more about the land and climate that counts so much in Africa. Tropical Africa — The region between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn which covers alxnit 84 million square miles in Tropical Africa. It is alxnit twice the size of the United States. It includes the island of Madagascar (now the Malagas)’ Republic) off the east coast of Africa. Only alxnit six percent of all Africa is covered by thick forest, where the rainfall is one hundred inches or more per year. It is found mostly along the coast of West Africa and in the Congo River Basin. As you go inland from the west coast, the forest gradually thins exit and becomes the Savanna. The Savanna lies in two regions, each alxnit six hundred miles wide. They are north and south of the jungle. In these belts, there are wooded plains, grassy lands with trees and fields where some grass grows. The Savannas arc the farm and cattle zones of the continent. In South Africa they are called the Veld and in the North, they are called the Sudan. Beyond the Savannas are the deserts. The Sahara, the largest in the world, takes up about oik fourth of the land surface of the continent. It extends from the Atlantic Ocean east to the Red Sea. These are Africa’s major types of lands. Ways Of Life e Tribal Life A trilx is a group of |x oplc who have cultural and political unity. Each has its own customs and way of life. Most consist of several families. One family is usually the ruling group. The oldest mcmix;r of that family may Ik the chief of the trilx. , although some are ruled by a group of elders. Some trilx are the size of nations, while others are small village communities. Most permit polygamy which means that men who can afford to. will have several wives. In tribal life the individual identifies his welfare with welfare of the group. Most Africans are trained from childhood to share things with other members of the trilx . Tribalism slows economic progress in the new nations of Africa. Trilxal culture, which is cooperative, does not encourage individual initiative nor the longing for material goods. Life In Cities Even when Africans move from their homeland to cities, they seldom forget tribal ties. They keep many tribal practices and most of them return frequently to their homelaixis. Only alxnit forty percent of the people in Africa live in cities. The educated minority of adult Africans usually hold government positions or work in industry. Many of the memliers of this educated elite were trained in missionary schools. Many have attended colleges in Europe and the United States. Most of the leader of the new nations south of the Sahara, recognize that stx'ial change requires emphasis on education. Some governments are spending up to thirty percent of their money on education. A shortage of teachers is a major problem in Africa. The United States Peace Corps volunteers are helping to meet this inadequacy in some countries. Farming Over seventy-five percent of African people are engaged in sulisistence; that is, they produce what they need for their family and often have little or nothing extra to sell for income. In the rain forest regions of western and central Africa, the typical farm and garden staples are: yams, cassava, bananas and manioc. All of thffe foods are high in carlxihydrates which provide available starch base for the African diet. In the great savannah areas, grains — chiefly millet aixl coni are cultivated. In the plateau of eastern, central, and southern Africa com is the major grain. The coastal areas of the African continent prodix-e a variety of tropical fniits: bananas, citrus fruits, mangoes, pineapples, and avocados. The Tsetse fly has prevented cattle raising in much of Africa. In most areas where cattle are kept, the grasses are not of a quality to make them fat enough for export. Africa has roughly alxnit twelve percent of the world’s cattle. Africa does produce a major share of the worlds supply of some agricultural commodities. Nearly the entire world’s supply of vanilla aixl cloves comes from Africa as do over seventy-five percent of the sisal. If African farmers are to achieve higher yields, it will lx necessary to apply the best scientific and technological knowledge available. Irrigation is needed as well as lx tier fertilizers. Crop researchers must find tatter, hardier plants that will thrive aixl bring high yields under African growing conditions. Small farmers must learn to abandon their old technique when better ones are found.