GROWING WEALTH OF AFRICA. 89 



Over great part of the continent civilization is at a low ebb, 

 yet in some parts the natives have shown considerable skill in agri- 

 culture and various mechanical arts, as in weaving and metal 

 working. 



Of African trade two features are the caravans that traverse 

 great distances, and the trade in slaves that still widely prevails 

 and is accompanied by an immense amount of bloodshed. 



Among articles exported from Africa are palm-oil, diamonds, 

 ivory, gold, ostrich feathers, wool, cotton, esparto, caoutchouc, etc. 



The chief independent states in Africa are Morocco, Liberia, 

 Abyssinia, the South African Republic, and the Orange Free State. 

 In 1 891 Portugal annexed part of Loanda. To Great Britain 

 belong the colonies of the Cape and Natal, with some large adjoin- 

 ing tracts, also British East Africa, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, 

 the Niger territory, Zanzibar, the Samali Coast, the islands of 

 Sokotra, and Mauritius; to France belong Algeria and Tunis, 

 Senegambia, and a considerable territory north of the Lower 

 Congo; the western Sahara, Dahomey, a small territory on the Gulf 

 of Aden, known as French Somali, and the Island of Madagascar 

 and adjacent islands ; the Portuguese possess a portion of the west 

 coast of South Africa from about latitude 6 degrees south to 17 

 degrees south, and the east coast from about 10 degrees south to 27 

 degrees south, and a small tract on the west coast. 



GERMANY SWAYS THE DESTINY OF THE SOUTH>A^EST 



Germany now has a portion of the southwest coast, and a large 

 tract near Zanzibar, and the Komerun and Togo on the Gulf of 

 Guinea; to Turkey nominally belong Egypt, Barca and Tripoli; 

 Spain has a part of the coast of Sahara. The Congo State is under 

 the sovereignty of the King of Belgium. 



The name Africa was given by the Romans at first only to a 

 small district in the immediate neighborhood of Carthage. The 

 Greeks called Africa Libya, and the Romans often used the same 

 name. The first African exploring expedition on record was sent 

 by Pharaoh Necho about the end of the seventh century B. C. to 

 circumnavigate the continent. 



