West Africa, or the Sudan as it is known, is located south of the Sahara desert and west of the Nile River. According to one source, “Sudan” is an Arabic word for “Country of the Blacks.” The region covers 2.4 million square miles, which is 5/6ths the size of the United States. The present countries and boundaries in West Africa are the result of 19th and 20th century colonial imperialism, and they cover a wide range of climates and cultures. An entire website could be devoted to each individual native culture in this region. Generally, however, there are some basic Pre-Islamic beliefs that are common to several of these groups that maintained their importance, even after the advent of Islam in western Africa.