Demographics
Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara
Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively.
Arabic-speaking Arab-Berber peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan
Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations. There is a great diversity of
physical types among Sub-Saharan African peoples -- ranging from the Masai and Tutsi,
known for their tall stature, to Pygmies who are among the world's shortest adults.
Aside from the Nilotic groups of southern Sudan, some Nilotic groups in Ethiopia, and a
Bantu African minority in Somalia, Africans from the Northeast parts of the continent
typically have a different appearance from those in other regions. Speakers of Bantu
languages are the majority in southern, central and east Africa proper; but there are also
several Nilotic groups in East Africa, and a few remaining indigenous Khoisan ('San' or
'Busmmen') and Pygmy peoples in southern and central Africa, respectively. Bantu-
speaking Africans also predominate in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and are found in
parts of southern Cameroon and southern Somalia. In the Kalahari Desert of Southern
Africa, the distinct people known as the Bushmen (also "San", closely related to, but
distinct from "Hottentots") have long been present. The San are physically distinct from
other Africans and are the indigenous people of southern Africa. "Pygmies" are the
indigenous people of central Africa.
The peoples of North Africa are primarily Arab-Berber; the Arabs who arrived in the 7th
century have assimilated the indigenous Berber people. The Semitic Phoenicians, and
the European Greeks and Romans settled in North Africa as well. Berber peoples
remain a significant minority within Morocco and Algeria, and are present in Tunisia and
Libya. The Tuareg and other often-nomadic peoples are the principal inhabitants of the
Saharan interior of North Africa. Nubians also developed civilizations in North Africa
during ancient times.
Some Ethiopian and Eritrean groups (like the Amhara and Tigray, collectively known as
"Habesha") have Semitic (Sabaean) ancestry. The Somalis as a people originated in the
Ethiopian highlands, but most Somali clans can trace Arab ancestry as well. Sudan and
Mauritania are divided between a mostly Arab north and a native African south (although
many of the "Arabs" of Sudan clearly have African ancestry, and are far off in
appearance from Arabs in Iraq or Algeria). Some areas of East Africa, particularly the
island of Zanzibar and the Kenyan island of Lamu, received Arab and Asian Muslim
settlers and merchants throughout the Middle Ages.
Beginning in the 16th century, Europeans such as the Portuguese and Dutch began to
establish trading posts and forts along the coasts of western and southern Africa.
Eventually, a large number of Dutch, augmented by French Huguenots and Germans
settled in what is today South Africa. Their descendants, the Afrikaners, are the largest
European-descended group in South Africa today. In the 19th century, a second phase
of colonization brought a large number of French and British settlers to Africa. The
French settled in large numbers in Algeria, and on a smaller scale in other areas of North
and West Africa. The British settled in South Africa as well as the colony of Rhodesia,
and in the highlands of what is now Kenya. Smaller numbers of European soldiers,
businessmen, and officials also established themselves in administrative centers such as
Nairobi and Dakar. Decolonization during the 1960s often resulted in the mass exodus of
European-descended settlers out of Africa — especially in Algeria, Kenya, and Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe). However, in South Africa, the colonial minority (10% of the population)
has largely remained in the country after the end of European rule in 1994.
European colonization also brought sizeable groups of Asians, particularly people from
the Indian subcontinent, to British colonies. Large Indian communities are found in South
Africa, and smaller ones are present in Kenya, Tanzania, and some other southern and
east African countries. A fairly large Indian community in Uganda was expelled by the
dictator Idi Amin in 1972, though many have since returned.
Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara
Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively.
Arabic-speaking Arab-Berber peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan
Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations. There is a great diversity of
physical types among Sub-Saharan African peoples -- ranging from the Masai and Tutsi,
known for their tall stature, to Pygmies who are among the world's shortest adults.
Aside from the Nilotic groups of southern Sudan, some Nilotic groups in Ethiopia, and a
Bantu African minority in Somalia, Africans from the Northeast parts of the continent
typically have a different appearance from those in other regions. Speakers of Bantu
languages are the majority in southern, central and east Africa proper; but there are also
several Nilotic groups in East Africa, and a few remaining indigenous Khoisan ('San' or
'Busmmen') and Pygmy peoples in southern and central Africa, respectively. Bantu-
speaking Africans also predominate in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and are found in
parts of southern Cameroon and southern Somalia. In the Kalahari Desert of Southern
Africa, the distinct people known as the Bushmen (also "San", closely related to, but
distinct from "Hottentots") have long been present. The San are physically distinct from
other Africans and are the indigenous people of southern Africa. "Pygmies" are the
indigenous people of central Africa.
The peoples of North Africa are primarily Arab-Berber; the Arabs who arrived in the 7th
century have assimilated the indigenous Berber people. The Semitic Phoenicians, and
the European Greeks and Romans settled in North Africa as well. Berber peoples
remain a significant minority within Morocco and Algeria, and are present in Tunisia and
Libya. The Tuareg and other often-nomadic peoples are the principal inhabitants of the
Saharan interior of North Africa. Nubians also developed civilizations in North Africa
during ancient times.
Some Ethiopian and Eritrean groups (like the Amhara and Tigray, collectively known as
"Habesha") have Semitic (Sabaean) ancestry. The Somalis as a people originated in the
Ethiopian highlands, but most Somali clans can trace Arab ancestry as well. Sudan and
Mauritania are divided between a mostly Arab north and a native African south (although
many of the "Arabs" of Sudan clearly have African ancestry, and are far off in
appearance from Arabs in Iraq or Algeria). Some areas of East Africa, particularly the
island of Zanzibar and the Kenyan island of Lamu, received Arab and Asian Muslim
settlers and merchants throughout the Middle Ages.
Beginning in the 16th century, Europeans such as the Portuguese and Dutch began to
establish trading posts and forts along the coasts of western and southern Africa.
Eventually, a large number of Dutch, augmented by French Huguenots and Germans
settled in what is today South Africa. Their descendants, the Afrikaners, are the largest
European-descended group in South Africa today. In the 19th century, a second phase
of colonization brought a large number of French and British settlers to Africa. The
French settled in large numbers in Algeria, and on a smaller scale in other areas of North
and West Africa. The British settled in South Africa as well as the colony of Rhodesia,
and in the highlands of what is now Kenya. Smaller numbers of European soldiers,
businessmen, and officials also established themselves in administrative centers such as
Nairobi and Dakar. Decolonization during the 1960s often resulted in the mass exodus of
European-descended settlers out of Africa — especially in Algeria, Kenya, and Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe). However, in South Africa, the colonial minority (10% of the population)
has largely remained in the country after the end of European rule in 1994.
European colonization also brought sizeable groups of Asians, particularly people from
the Indian subcontinent, to British colonies. Large Indian communities are found in South
Africa, and smaller ones are present in Kenya, Tanzania, and some other southern and
east African countries. A fairly large Indian community in Uganda was expelled by the
dictator Idi Amin in 1972, though many have since returned.
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