Africa is one of the world’s largest, most populous and fascinating continents. It is home to approximately one-seventh of the world’s population (almost 1 billion people as of 2011) who, together, form hundreds of different cultures. Culture is difficult to define, but basically refers to various ways of life that are shared by certain groups, giving them their unique identity. The elements of any specific culture include:
• Arts and crafts
• Music, song and dance
• Clothing
• Cuisine
• Folklore
• Religion
• Languages
• Social activity or etiquette
• Philosophies (these may coincide with religion)
Cultures develop over generations, taking decades, even centuries, to become so associated with one or two groups that it actually defines them. The different elements of any given culture develop for a number of reasons. They may have been introduced by immigrants or colonialists, they may be associated with a certain religion in the area, or they may have come about because of the mingling of two or more different ethnic groups, who would incorporate their individual cultures to form a new, unique one. Alternatively, they may simply have developed slowly as the group progressed through the ages.
Of the many cultures that exist all over the great continent of Africa, the following ethnic groups make up the largest (comprising at least 10 million people):
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• Arab (approximately 180 million people)
• Berber (approximately 65 million people)
• Hausa – found predominantly in Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Chad, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire and Sudan (approximately 30 million people)
• Yoruba – found in Nigeria and Benin (approximately 30 million people)
• Oromo – found in Ethiopia and Kenya (approximately 30 million people)
• Igbo - in Nigeria and Cameroon (approximately 30 million people)
• Akan – found mainly in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire (approximately 20 million people)
• Amhara - in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti (approximately 20 million people)
• Somali – found mainly in Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya (about 16 million people)
• Ijaw or Ijo - Nigeria (approximately 14 million people)
• Kongo – found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and the Republic of the Congo (approximately 10 million people)
• Fula or Fulani - in Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Chad, Sudan, Togo and Côte d'Ivoire (approximately 10 million people)
• Shona - Zimbabwe and Mozambique (approximately 10 million people)
• Zulu – found in South Africa (approximately 10 million people)
Although these ethnic groups are unique, each displaying their own form of culture, religion and language, there are literally hundreds more that can be explored. This makes Africa a continent of undeniable intrigue, contributing much to the rich diversity of the land and its anthropological value.
For more information, please view; http://www.africanholocaust.net/africanculture.html
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