Madagascar is also considered to be the world's fourth-largest island which offers a plethora of unique collection of flora and fauna. Such trade goods as they obtained from the interior were apparently bought by barter at the coast. Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda have each faced instability and ethnic conflict since independence, most notably the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the 1993 Burundi genocide and subsequent Burundian Civil War. The continent is almost centered over the equator stretching from the consistently warm waters of the Mediterranean in the north right down to the frigid South Atlantic in the south. History buffs should spend some time in Lamu Town, which is full of old Swahili architecture, with buildings made of mangrove timber and coral stone, and huge, carved wooden doors. However, the town was taken and destroyed, and its large treasures went to strengthen the resources of Almeida. The visibility was less than five metres, and it was a disappointing dive. East coast rock lobsters found in the Indo-West Pacific region, from East Africa along the coast of the Indian Ocean, as far as the Malay Archipelago, and then along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean to Japan in the north and Australia, New Caledonia and probably the Marquesas Islands in the south. The Horn of Africa, a major peninsular extension of the African mainland into the Arabian Sea, contains the vast lowland coastal plains of Somalia. Eastern Africa region The Nairobi Convention A: Overview The Western Indian Ocean region is characterised by high biodiversity, both in terms of species and ecosystems, with a young and growing human population, especially in coastal urban centres. Portugal had first established a strong presence in southern Mozambique and the Indian Ocean since the 15th century, while during this period their possessions increasingly grew including parts from the present northern Mozambique country, up to Mombasa in present-day Kenya. Precipitation also is affected by varying elevation: Uganda, Tanzania, and western Kenya receive plentiful rainfall, while Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, and northeastern Kenya receive far less. Overfishingfor local consumption and export to commercial marketsposes a major threat to the region. The Protectorate of Uganda and the Colony of Kenya were located in a rich farmland area mostly appropriate for the cultivation of cash crops like coffee and tea, as well as for animal husbandry with products produced from cattle and goats, such as goat meat, beef and milk. Ancient Africa's east coast was home to trading cities, a region that subsists primarily on international import and export. The coast of East Africa stretches 4,600km from southern Somalia to the Natal shores of South Africa. Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya are not only sources of ivory, but also major conduits for illegal wildlife trade. From: Red Sea Trade and Travel. The coastline of South Africa, stretching 1,740 miles (2,800 kilometers) From Mozambique to Namibia, is presided over by two great oceanic systems: a powerful current on one side of the continent . Its here, in the deep, pelagic waters, where blue sharks (Prionace glauca) call it home. Speakers of Nilo-Saharan languages populate Uganda and the rift valley portions of Kenya and Tanzania, while speakers of Bantu languages constitute much of the remainder of these countries population. However, the official Omani Arab presence in Kenya was checked by German and British seizure of key ports and creation of crucial trade alliances with influential local leaders in the 1880s. Learn the historical significance of the Kingdom of Axum and how other . Because of offshore islands, better landing places, and wetter climate, Arab traders from about 700 seem to have preferred the East African coast to the south of modern Somalia. The Swahili term "dhow" encompasses a diversity of sailing ships, from coastal fishing boats to ocean-going vessels. Aromatic gums, tortoiseshell, ivory, and slaves were traded in return. The three main colors of the African country were beige, red, and blue. However, politics have been turbulent at times, including the attempted coup d'tat in 1982 and the 2007 election riots. The scene was of a huge congregation which consisted of a densely stacked (but spread out) base. The East African coast and the Western Indian Ocean are regions of global historical signi cance. The Indian Ocean has cast up a wealth of literature that merges fact and fiction, the most familiar to us being The Seven Voyages of Sindbad as passed down in the The Arabian Nights. [36], East Africa is one of the earliest regions where Homo sapiens are believed to have lived. The rare and protected tiger rockcod at Rocktail Bay, iSimangaliso Marine Park, South Africa Peet J. van Eeden (Photographer of the Year 2018 entrant), The tiger rock cod is a rare saltwater fish species. . Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. Click the image for a larger view. It is narrow, swift and strong. Just off the coast of Kenya, it's a peaceful island, free of cars and surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Because exploitation of turtles is often driven by a lack of economic choices, WWF works to develop alternative livelihoods so that local people are no longer dependent on turtle products for income. Portugal's main goal on the Swahili coast was to take control of the spice trade from the Arabs. Eastern Africa is populated by 160 different ethnic groups or more, depending on the method of counting. A map drawn in Spain dated 1375, showing the king of Mali holding a gold nugget. It is narrow (approx. All rights reserved. Zanzibar is now a semi-autonomous state in a union with the mainland which is collectively and commonly referred to as Tanzania. Omissions? This is . Generally the Eastern Hemisphere includes most of Africa, about half of Antarctica, all of Asia and Australia/Oceania, and most of Europe. The climate of eastern Africa is generally tropical, though average temperatures tend to be reduced by the regions high elevations. A man exercises on an unseasonably warm December day in New York City. This . South Sudanese independence was nearly derailed by the South Kordofan conflict, particularly a dispute over the status of the Abyei Area, and both Abyei and South Kordofan's Nuba Hills remained a source of tension between Juba and Khartoum as of 2011[update]. With these territories secured, Britain was able to serve as gatekeeper of the sea lane leading to British India. [30][31] The recognition of Homo sapiens idaltu and Omo Kibish as anatomically modern humans would justify the description of contemporary humans with the subspecies name Homo sapiens sapiens. Some parts of East Africa have been renowned for their concentrations of wild animals, such as the "big five": the elephant, buffalo, lion, black rhinoceros,[21] and leopard, though populations have been declining under increased stress in recent times, particularly those of the rhino and elephant. They have revealed an extensive pre-Muslim settlement standing on the edge of what was the finest harbour on the coast. The east coast of Africa experiences seasonally alternating 'trade' winds which have enabled sailing dhows to travel up and down the coast, fostering the movement of people and goods between the countries of Arabia, the Western Indian Ocean and East Africa for many centuries. We assist local communities in securing management rights to their local wildlife and fisheries. This warm water current runs south along the east coast of southern Africa from ~25S to 40S, and is the Western Boundary Current of the South Indian Ocean. The state also established its hegemony over the declining Kingdom of Kush and regularly entered the politics of the kingdoms on the Arabian peninsula, eventually extending its rule over the region with the conquest of the Himyarite Kingdom. It must be a long-term collective commitment to protecting what connects us - our ocean. This volume contains papers rst presented at the conference, Early Maritime Cultures of the East NEW YORK -- News that Tanzania will revive a $10 billion port project in the town of Bagamoyo has ignited speculation that . Out here in the deep blue waters, the fin indeed belongs to a blue shark, swimming just below the surface. Off the coast of East Africa is the Indian Ocean. In southwest Africa, the plains and plateaus of Namibia are found . It is believed that almost 90% of the entire wildlife of Madagascar is found nowhere else on planet Earth. Several countries border the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. During the following fifteen centuries, the Bantu slowly intensified farming and grazing over all suitable regions of East Africa, in the process making contact with Austronesian- and Arabic-speaking settlers on southern coastal areas. The red stood for the English, blue stood for the French, and the beige stood for Germany during the period of colonialism. Da Gama's voyage was successful in reaching India, which permitted the Portuguese to trade with the Far East directly by sea. [32][33][34][35], In 2017 finds of modern human remains, dating to ca 300,000 years ago in Jebel Irhoud in Morocco, suggested that modern humans arose earlier and possibly in a larger area of Africa than previously thought. WWF helped Mozambique establish the Quirimbas marine reserve in 2002. People here depend on the regions natural resourcesclean freshwater, healthy forests and mangroves, and abundant fish and wildlife. Popular Destinations Tanzania Apparently established in the 9th century, it is distinguished for its seawalls of coral blocks, each of which weighs up to a ton. The French settled the largest island of the Indian Ocean (and the fourth-largest globally), Madagascar, along with a group of smaller islands nearby, namely Runion and the Comoros. Around 1,200 miles from the east coast of Africa, Mauritius is best known for its beautiful beaches, lagoons, reefs, and rainforests. The geography of East Africa is often stunning and scenic. Warming seawaters threaten the incredible diversity associated with the regions coral reefs, leading to die-offs from bleaching. In Tanzania, WWF works with partners to help improve lives and protect wildlife through the creation of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)communal lands where local communities participate in the management of wildlife and resources. The Kingdom of Aksum was a trading empire centered Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. WWF strives to develop practical solutions to address the conflict that frequently occurs between people and wildlife. The region also provides habitat for threatened shorebirds and seabirds, including the sooty tern, the masked booby, the greater crested tern, and the brown noddy. With imports and exports on the rise in and out of these ports, it's only a matter of time before larger and deeper berths are necessary to accommodate the changes and remain competitive. WWF works with farmers to develop climate smart solutions that conserve natural resources and protect wildlife habitats, while improving local food security and incomes. collapse afer a 1500 year reign over the Southern Nile valley as a result of the migrating Noba, The immigration and Conquest of the Noba would culturally reshape the Sudanese nile valley and lead to the transition of the region into the 3 Nubian speaking Christian kingdoms afterwards, Makuria, Alodia (Also known as Alwa) and Nobatia as result of the Noba who likley spoke proto nubian.[43]. At altitudes of above 2,500 metres (8,202ft), frosts are common during the dry season and maxima typically about 21C (70F) or less. Should we carry along the same path, its estimated that there will be no fish left in the ocean by 2050. Let's work together to safeguard these globally important reefs for the benefit of communities, the marine ecosystem, the nations of Kenya . Gujarati traders were already criss-crossing the ocean for biashara with the Swahili Coast of Eastern Africa. [69] Madagascar became part of the French colonial empire following two military campaigns against the Kingdom of Madagascar, which it initiated after persuading Britain to relinquish its interests in the island in exchange for control of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanganyika, an important island hub of the spices trade. The two most striking highlands are in Ethiopia and Kenya, respectively, where large areas reach elevations of 6,500 to 10,000 feet (2,000 to 3,000 metres). Discounts at Africas best lodges and on our hand-made packages subscribers only, STORIES & DISCUSSIONS Map Directions Satellite Photo Map Wikivoyage Wikipedia Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0. A senior U.S. Navy officer says that his service no longer considers the East Coast of the United States as an "uncontested" area or an automatic "safe haven" for its ships and submarines. Pop. On the east coast of Africaat the western edge of the Indian Oceanlies a narrow strip of land that has hosted travelers for thousands of years. A large school of slingers at Sodwana Bay, South Africa Anthony Grote (Photographer of the Year 2016 Entrant), ? The only island that is mentioned is Qanbalu, which appears to have been what is now Tanzanias Pemba Island. Coverage of the regions physical and human geography can be found in the article Africa. Within this region, WWF works in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique and the western part of the Indian Ocean. The coast of East Africa provides many excellent natural harbours formed by submerged former river estuaries. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. East African coastal cities participated in a larger Afro-Asian trade network a thousand years before Vasco Da Gama peeked around the Cape of Good Hope to find the way to sail to India. To the west, Africa has its longest coastline with the Atlantic Ocean. All of the states produced pottery. Physical Geography. The major difference between conservation of the animals on the land and that of the sea is that 30 million people rely on the coastal reef ecosystems to subsist and sustain their livelihoods. Only in quite recent times has agriculture spread to the more humid regions south of the equator, through the spread of cattle, sheep and crops such as millet. Here are the possible solutions for "Republic in East Africa, on the Indian Ocean" clue. Atlantic Ocean, body of salt water covering approximately one-fifth of Earth's surface and separating the continents of Europe and Africa to the east from those of North and South America to the west. WWF strives to ensure that local people benefit from economic opportunities that come with new tourism enterprises. At about 30.3 million km 2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area. We measure sea temperature daily in 73 countries or regions, including: Azores, South Africa, England, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Benin, Bermuda and Brazil . Some of the island's historical buildings could be seen from the ocean, especially the House of . We also provide tools to reduce conflict with wildlife. Home to some of the most spectacular and treasured life, the oceans and seas surrounding Africa contain a multitude of creatures that thrive in the warm and cold currents that run along our continent. Twin parallel rift valleys that are part of the East African Rift System run through the region. Today at the Bab-el-Mandeb straits, the Red Sea is about 12 miles (20 kilometres) wide, but 50,000 years ago it was much narrower and sea levels were 70 meters lower. Eastern Africa consists largely of plateaus and has most of the highest elevations in the continent. Linguistic evidence also indicates that Bantus most likely borrowed the custom of milking cattle directly from Cushitic peoples in the area. [51] The Swahili culture that emerged from these exchanges evinces many Arab and Islamic influences not seen in traditional Bantu culture, as do the many Afro-Arab members of the Bantu Swahili people. The kingdom of kush was an empire situated in the Nile Valley from 1070 bc to 550 AD,The kingdom would ultimatly The inhabitants, whose main local currency was cowrie shells, traded with the peoples of the Persian Gulf and, by the early 11th century, had first come under Muslim influence. Elephants, rhinos, lions, wild dogs, and more iconic species roam the landscape. The German Empire gained control of a large area named German East Africa, comprising present-day Rwanda, Burundi and the mainland part of Tanzania named Tanganyika. Rising demand and weak enforcement have led to a higher incidence of elephant poaching and increasing ivory markets. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Well-established gold and ivory trade network existed between African kingdoms in the interior and cities on the east coast of Africa. Experts say it is time . Wildlife crime networks are using more sophisticated weapons and techniques to obtain ivory, such as automatic rifles and helicopters. Local communities play a critical role in management and patrolling of the area, and have established sanctuaries (no-fishing zones) that allow for the recovery of depleted fish stocks and corals. Oxford: University Press. Credit: DOI: 10.1038/s41561-021-00809-x. WWF supports the rangers who patrol protected areas in Tanzania and Mozambique. 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