Bordered by the Sahara desert in the north, jungles in the east, and the Atlantic Ocean in the south and west.
16
Countries
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo
Population
448.6
Million
The most diverse region in Africa with respect to cultural and language groups.
75% Muslim; 20% Christian
Expected to grow by at least 2% each year for the next 20 years.
One of the youngest populations in the world with 12% of the population under the age of 15, and one of the highest fertility rates.
Economics
1% of the popluation owns more than everyone else combined.
With the exception of Ghana, the Human Development Index of West African countries is similar to or worse than Ethiopia and Haiti. All are worse than any country in the Americas.
8
Military coups since 2020
Violence, military coups and unprecedented cycles of flooding and drought in the region continues to weigh on economic growth.
Health
Lowest life expectancy of any major global region: 58
1:13
Children die before age 5
Malaria: 120 million cases, 320,000 deaths
66% of the global maternal mortality occurs in West Africa.
12,000 deaths linked to Islamic militant attacks in 2023
NIGERIA QUICK FACTS
Geography
Capital: Abuja Largest city: Lagos (16 million)
36
States
A little larger than Texas + Oklahoma, and has similar climate to them in the northern half of the country.
Has one of the largest river systems in the world, including the Niger Delta, third largest delta in the world.
Population
224.5
Million
6th most populous nation in the world.
250 ethnic groups & 400 languages
54% Urbanized
54% Muslim (north); 45% Christian (south)
>3 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)
Economics
Largest African oil producer, 14th globally; 6th largest producer of cocoa.
31 million people at high risk of food insecurity in 2024
25%
average annual inflation in 2023, currently over 30%
Health
Over 75% of health care costs are paid out of pocket.
