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West African is made up of Arid Steppe and Savannah Dry-Forest. The steppe region is located between the Sahara Desert in the north and Savannah Dry-forest areas in the south. The Western Steppe receives less rain than the Savannah and dry-forest regions to the south. This area of Africa has two seasons a year wet and dry seasons. Rain comes only during the six months of wet season. Western Steppe has many rivers and lakes that don't appear on world maps, because these bodies of water only exist when it rains. During the six months of dry season the temporary lakes and streams dry up. Occasionally a lake may last for several years; long enough to support large numbers of fish, boats and fishing communities; then it would eventually dry up and disappear. The Niger river and the Songhai people are the two constant bodies that remain in that area year after year. It has been said "If you want to kill a Songhai take him far away from the Niger". The same can probably be said about the Niger river as well. 
This is the region where the Great West African civilizations were born, such as Ghana, Mali and Songhai along the Niger River. Many people living in the arid steppe, such as the Bamana, Mossi, Songhai, Bobo and Dogon were near the area or were appart of the Three Famous Niger Civilizations. The older Akan speaking people and Baga people, living in the Western Savannah, were in the arid steppe region at the begining and /or hight of Niger Civilizations.
In the Arid Steppe grains like millet and maize are grown. Much of the wealth in this region was acquired through trade. Salt came from East Africa, gold and timber came from the south.
WESTERN SAVANNAH & DRY-FOREST
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