ABSTRACT
There were relatively few towns in Black Africa before its colonization by Europeans, although the often-heard statement that there were no towns in old Africa is far from true. Some of the more important ones were the generally sparse population, the low level of technological development, and the many indigenous social organizations which did not require urban centers. The new urban phenomenon in Black Africa is of a different order. Although commerce and industry have had profound impacts upon urban growth in Black Africa, such activities as administration, education, and entertainment have also been important. The completion of railroads, added to stimuli from the outside world was responsible for the spread of commerce, and thus for urban growth other than in the port towns. Although many towns were founded in Africa and elsewhere before the local introduction of industry, sustained and rapid urban growth is usually linked with industrialization, including mining.
