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 1891 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 SOUTHWEST 
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. 
