ABSTRACT
One of Africa’s nicknames is “the continent of beginnings.” Fossil and records there of the earliest humans go back more than 4 million years. What can be considered our early upright ancestor, Homo erectus , departed Africa on the long journey that eventually peopled the Earth. It now seems likely that every person in today’s world comes from a lineage that derives from the ancient Africans. Innumerable cave paintings and petroglyphs, from the Sahara to South Africa, provide clues to the beliefs and ways of life of these age-old hominids. 1
We need to appreciate Africa as the cradle of human civilization, not just as a continent of economically developing countries. After an overview of African history, this chapter will examine the nations and peoples on this diverse continent and will provide specifi cs regarding their respective cultures, so as to not only facilitate communications and business with Africans, but also to better understand Africans and some of the challenges they face.
