ABSTRACT
The Northern Territories of the Gold Coast lie entirely within the Sudanese Zone. It has been variously described as 'parkland', 'savannah', or 'orchard bush' country, terms which indicate the sparse and uniform forestation characteristic of this zone. The traveller in West Africa who enters this region from the south is impressed by the contrast with the forest belt. The climate of the Sudanese Zone exhibits two clearly defined seasons, a dry season lasting about half the year (October to March) and a wet season lasting the remaining six or seven months. In spite of the general similarity of climate and vegetation in the Sudanese Zone, local variations produce significant ecological differences. Topographical differences also appear to influence the distribution of population. Delafosse, in his monumental survey of the peoples of the western Sudan, distinguished five 'families' by ethnological and linguistic criteria.
