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University of California Press

About the Book

Volume III of this acclaimed series is now available in an abridged paperback edition. The result of years of work by scholars from all over the world, The UNESCO General History of Africa reflects how the different peoples of Africa view their civilizations and shows the historical relationships between the various parts of the continent. Historical connections with other continents demonstrate Africa's contribution to the development of human civilization. Each volume is lavishly illustrated and contains a comprehensive bibliography.

Volume III documents the increasing influence of Islam and its dissemination and interaction with traditional African culture in northern and western regions. The essays place Africa in the context of world history at the opening of the seventh century and examine the impact of Islamic penetration, expansion of the Bantu-speaking peoples, and the growth of civilizations in West Africa.

Table of Contents

Preface by Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, former Director-General of UNESCO (1974-1987) 
Description of the Project by B. A. Ogot, former President of the
   International Scientific Committee for the Drafting of a
   General History of Africa (1978-1983)
Note on chronology
Members of the International Scientific Committee for the
   Drafting of a General History of Africa
Biographies of the authors who contributed to the main edition

1 Africa in the context of world history
2 The coming of Islam and the expansion of the Muslim empire
3 Stages in the development of Islam and its dissemination in Africa
4 Islam as a social system in Africa since the seventh century
5 The peoples of the Sudan: population movements
6 The Bantu-speakingp eoplesa nd their expansion
7 Egypt from the Arab conquest until the end of the Fiftimid state (1171)
8 Christian Nubia at the height of its civilization 
9 The conquest of North Africa and Berber resistance 
10 The independence of the Maghrib 
11 The role of the Sahara and Saharians in the relationships between north and south 
12 The emergence of the Fatimids 
13 The A lmoravids 
14 Trade and trade routes in West Africa 
15 The Chad region as a crossroads 
16 The Guinea zone: general situation 
17 The Guinean belt: the peoples between Mount Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire 
18 The peoples of Upper Guinea (between Cote d'Ivoire and the Casamance) 
19 The Horn of Africa 
20 Ethiopia's relations with the Muslim world 
21 The East African coast and the Comoro Islands 
22 The East African interior 
23 Central Africa to the north of the Zambezi 
24 Southern Africa to the south of the Zambezi 
25 Madagascar 
26 The African diaspora in Asia 
27 Relations between the different regions of Africa 
28 Africa from the seventh to the eleventh century:five formative centuries 

Bibliography 
Index