Country Profiles
A Guide to West Africa
Angola:
• Full name: The Republic of Angola
• Population: 14.5 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Luanda
• People: Bakonga (Bakongo, Kongo), Mbundu (Kimbundu)
• Major languages: Portuguese (official), Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo
• Major religion: Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 kwanza = 100 lwei
• Main exports: Oil, diamonds, minerals, coffee, fish, timber
Benin:
• Full name: The Republic of Benin
• Population: 7.1 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Porto-Novo
• People: Adja, Bariba, Fon, Somba
• Major languages: French (official) Fon, Ge, Bariba, Yoruba, Dendi
• Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christianity, Islam
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cotton, palm oil
Burkina Faso:
• Full name: Burkina Faso
• Population: 12.8 million (via UN, 2006)
• Capital: Ouagadougou
• People: Bobo, Fulani (Fula, Peul), Mossi
• Major languages: French, indigenous languages
• Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cotton, animal products, gold
Cameroon:
• Full name: Republic of Cameroon
• Population: 16.6 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Yaounde
• People: Bamileke, Ewondo, Fali, Fulani, Kirdi, Mbenzele, NW Bantu, Tikar
• Major languages: French, English, languages of Bantu, Semi-Bantu and Sudanic groups
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Crude oil and petroleum products, timber, cocoa, aluminium, coffee, cotton
Central African Republic:
• Full name: Central African Republic
• Population: 3.9 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Bangui
• People: Banda, Baya (Gbaya), Biaka (Bayaka), Mbaka, Sara, Lisongo
• Major languages: French, Sangho (lingua franca)
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Democratic Republic of the Congo:
• Full name: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Population: 56 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Kinshasa
• People: Kuba, Mbuti,
• Major languages: French, Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam
• Monetary unit: 1 Congolese franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil
Equatorial Guinea:
• Full name: The Republic of Equatorial Guinea
• Population: 521,000 (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Malabo
• People: Bubi, Fang,
• Major languages: Spanish, French
• Major religion: Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Petroleum, timber, cocoa
Gabon:
• Full name: The Gabonese Republic
• Population: 1.3 million (UN, 2006)
• Capital: Libreville
• People: Fang, Teke
• Major languages: French, Bantu-group languages
• Major religion: Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium
Gambia:
• Full name: Republic of The Gambia
• Population: 1.5 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Banjul
• People: Aku, Fulani (Fulbe), Jola (Diola), Mandinka (Mandingo), Wolof
• Major languages: English, indigenous languages
• Major religions: Islam, Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 dalasi = 100 butut
• Main exports: Peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
Ghana:
• Full name: Republic of Ghana
• Population: 21.8 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Accra
• People: Akan, Ashanti, Fante, Ga, Gonja, Moshi, Nzima,
• Major languages: English, African languages including Akan, Ewe
• Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs, Islam
• Monetary unit: Cedi
• Main exports: Gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminium, manganese ore, diamonds
Guinea:
• Full name: The Republic of Guinea
• Population: 8.8 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Conakry
• People: Fulani, Mande, Mandinka (Mandingo), Soso
• Major languages: French, various tribal languages
• Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 Guinean franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Guinea-Bisseau:
• Full name: The Republic of Guinea-Bissau
• Population: 1.6 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Bissau
• People: Balanta (Balente), Fulani, Mandinka (Mandingo), Mandyako
• Major languages: Portuguese, Crioulo, African languages
• Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Islam, Christianity Life expectancy: 43 years (men), 46 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn timber
Ivory Coast:
• Full name: The Republic of Ivory Coast
• Population: 17.1 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Yamoussoukro
• Largest city: Abidjan
• People: Baule, Bete, Mandinka (Mandingo), Mande, Kru, Senufo
• Major languages: French, indigenous languages
• Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cocoa, coffee, tropical woods, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
Liberia:
• Full name: Republic of Liberia
• Population: 3.6 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Monrovia
• People: Bassa, Bello, Gio, Kissi, Kpelle, Kru
• Languages: English, 29 African languages belonging to the Mande, Kwa or Mel linguistic groups
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
• Main exports: Diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa
Mali:
• Population:The Republic of Mali
• Population: 13.8 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Bamako
• People: Bambara, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Mandinka (Mandingo), Mande, Songhai, Tuareg
• Major languages: French, Bambara, Berber, Arabic
• Major religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cotton, gold, livestock
Niger:
• Full name: The Republic of Niger
• Population: 12.9 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Niamey
• People: Fulani, Kanuri (Beriberi), Songhai, Tuareg
• Major languages: French (official), Arabic, Hausa, Songhai
• Major religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Uranium, livestock products
Nigeria:
• Full name: The Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Population: 130.2 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Abuja
• Largest city: Lagos
• People: Edo, Fulani, Hausa, Ibibio, Igbo (Ibo), Ijaw, Itsekiri, Kanuri (Beriberi), Nupe, Tiv, Urhobo, Yoruba
• Major languages: English (official), Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa
• Major religions: Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 Nigerian naira = 100 kobo
• Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products, cocoa, rubber
Republic of Congo:
• Full name: Republic of the Congo
• Population: 3.9 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Brazzaville
• People: Bakonga, Mbochi, Teke
• Major languages: French, indigenous African languages
• Major religions: Christianity, indigenous African beliefs
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Oil, timber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Senegal:
• Full name: Republic of Senegal
• Population: 10.6 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Dakar
• People: Fulani, Jola, Mandinka (Mandingo), Serer, Tukulor, Wolof
• Major language: French (official), Wolof
• Major religion: Islam
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Fish, peanuts, petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Sierra Leone:
• Full name: Republic of Sierra Leone
• Population: 5.3 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Freetown
• People: Mende, Temne
• Major languages: English, Krio (Creole language derived from English) and a range of African languages
• Major religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs, Christianity
• Monetary unit: 1 Leone = 100 cents
• Main exports: Diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
Togo:
• Full name: Togolese Republic
• Population: 5.1 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Lome
• People: Ewe, Mina
• Major languages: French (official), local languages
• Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christianity, Islam
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cocoa, phosphates, coffee, cotton