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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.
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