Traditions of urbanisation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
The article focuses on the traditions of construction and spatial form of cities in Sub-Saharan Africa in the pre-colonial period and on the transformations of African cities that took place in the colonial times. The oldest urban civilizations of Africa, like Aksum and Meroe are recalled, followed by the Great Zimbabwe in the Middle Ages in southern Africa, Timbuktu and Djenne in West Africa. Various spatial systems occurring in cities south of the Sahara are discussed. During the colonial period, urban planning was subordinated to the principle of spatial segregation of various population groups in the ethnic and cultural sense. Attention was drawn to the influence of the colony management method on the spatial structure of cities. Materials were presented confirming the fact that the colonial period was a time of accelerated urbanization of African countries.
Keywords:
urbanisation, urban planning, Sub-Saharan AfricaReferences
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