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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

Christmas & New Year in Africa

Christmas & New Year Across Africa

Holiday traditions, recipes, and celebrations

Christmas across Africa

Merry Christmas in African Languages

Traditions
Krampus dessert

Krampus's Favorite African Dessert

Recipes
New Year fireworks in Africa

How Africa Celebrates New Year

Celebrations
Black eyed pea casserole

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Luck & Prosperity

FOOD PROVERBS

African Food Proverbs

Culinary wisdom passed down through generations

African food sayings and proverb

Best Ten African Food Sayings & Proverbs

Culinary Wisdom
Meat stew representing animal wisdom

Honoring Animal: African Wisdom of Thankfulness

Gratitude
Diverse hands placing food on shared table

Bring Something to the Table

Community
Lemon varieties representing spice of life

6 African Proverbs That Will Spice Up Your Cooking

Transformation

Africa’s Land and Maritime Boundaries: Ongoing Disputes and History

Part of our African Geography Hub — Explore Africa's landscapes and environment.

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Africa’s Land and Maritime Boundaries

Map showing Africa’s land and maritime boundary disputes

Why Africa’s Borders Are So Disputed

Africa, the world’s second-largest continent, straddles the equator and has 54 sovereign states. Yet the creation and maintenance of clear national boundaries — on land and at sea — has rarely been straightforward. Many borders were drawn during the colonial era with little concern for cultural, ethnic, or geographic realities. Today, when resources, safety, or national revenue are at stake, unclear boundaries often spark disputes.

Clear property lines matter — but in Africa, land markers can be moved, rivers shift, and maritime zones hold valuable oil, gas, and fishing grounds.

Land Boundaries

Boundary stones or monuments physically mark where one country ends and another begins. However, some nations accuse neighbors of shifting or destroying markers. Others face porous borders that allow refugee flows, migration, and smuggling. For example, Liberia and Ghana have special land commissions to review claims, while other countries rely on old colonial surveys that no longer reflect reality.

Maritime Boundaries

African maritime boundaries define exclusive rights over oil, gas, fishing, and seabed minerals. Normally measured from the coastline, these lines influence both security and economic development. Lakes and rivers, however, are often treated as part of land boundaries and can still cause conflict — such as disputes over Lake Malawi / Lake Nyasa.

Current African Land and Maritime Boundary Disputes

African CountryKey Disputes
AlgeriaRejects Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara; supports the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; border with Morocco remains closed.
AngolaAccused by the Democratic Republic of Congo of shifting boundary monuments.
BeninBorder dispute with Burkina Faso near Koualou.
Burkina FasoBoundary alignment issues with Mali, Niger, and Benin; some cases referred to the International Court of Justice.
Côte d’IvoireLost a long maritime boundary case against Ghana in 2017 over 9,000 square nautical miles of offshore oil-rich waters.
Egypt & SudanDispute over Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil; overlapping claims affect oil and mineral rights.
GhanaWon a 2017 maritime case against Côte d’Ivoire, confirming boundaries critical for offshore drilling.
KenyaUnclear border in the Ilemi Triangle with South Sudan; large refugee flows strain resources.
Malawi & TanzaniaDispute over Lake Malawi / Lake Nyasa intensified after oil exploration licenses were issued.
MoroccoControls Western Sahara despite UN decolonization debates; disputes with Spain over Ceuta, Melilla, and nearby islands.
Nigeria & CameroonLong-running Bakassi Peninsula maritime dispute resolved by ICJ but still sensitive locally.
South Sudan & SudanFrequent clashes along oil-rich borders; Abyei’s final status remains unresolved.
Zambia & DRCContests over small riverine zones and mineral-rich borderlands continue.

This list is a snapshot; border issues evolve as treaties, court rulings, and natural resource discoveries change the stakes.

Did you know? Some African borders were literally drawn with rulers on colonial maps. Today, satellite imagery, oil exploration, and population shifts often reignite decades-old disputes.

Related Reading

Part of our African Geography Hub — discover how Africa’s land, people, and natural features shape its story.

Part of our African Geography Hub — discover how Africa’s land, people, and natural features shape its story.

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A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: Wikipedia • Emory University African Studies • University of Kansas • University of KwaZulu-Natal • MDPI Scholarly Journals.
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Recipes as Revolution

Recipes as Revolution

When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

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African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

Working Hands of Africa

The labor and love that feeds a continent

Hands holding African fruit

African Culture & Traditions

Harvest & Heritage
Hands preparing fufu

How Fufu Explains Politics

Food & Power
Farming hands in Africa

Slow Food Disappearance

Farming & Tradition
Hands with plantains

The Universal Plantain

Cooking & Community

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.