Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction : new beginnings? -- The map of Africa -- Imagining Africa : roots of Western perceptions of the continent -- Thinking about development : development theory and practice in the African context -- African culture : diversity and creativity -- Societal diversity : language, ethnicity, and religion -- Gender dynamics : men and women in African societies -- Geology and geomorphology of Africa -- Africa's climate : regions, dynamics, and change -- Biogeography and ecology -- The African past -- The colonial legacy -- Independent Africa : politics and development -- Population distribution -- Population growth -- Population mobility -- Africa in the world economy -- National economies : strategies for growth and development -- Prospects for economic integration -- Indigenous food production systems -- Agrarian development and change -- Food security -- The evolution of urban structure -- Urban economies -- Urban living environments -- Mineral and energy resources -- Water resources -- Flora and fauna as economic resources -- Living in poverty -- Social policy : the health sector -- Children in Africa : prospects for the next generation -- Conclusion : Which future?