Africa not only has cities but also has an urbanization rate of approximately 40%, with some cities surpassing 20 million inhabitants. Projections even suggest that by 2100, the three largest cities in the world will be located in Africa.
Urbanization in Africa has a rich history. For instance, cities like Luxor (Thebes) in Egypt have been thriving for over 5,000 years. South of the Sahara, urbanization began between 200 BC and 1000 AD, with cities such as Djenné in Mali, Ife in Nigeria, Mombasa in Kenya, and many others witnessing growth and development. While it might be challenging to encapsulate Africa's diverse urban landscape in a single model, a renowned geographer has made an effort to do so.
Definition of the Sub-Saharan African City Model
Sub-Saharan Africa refers to the entire African continent, including its islands, with the exception of the Maghreb region (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya), Western Sahara, and Egypt. This region extends from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east, covering diverse areas including the Sahara Desert and the Sahel.
The Sub-Saharan African City Model is a model of African cities that was first published in a 1977 geography textbook. Since then, it has appeared in subsequent editions of the textbook and has been referenced in materials related to non-Western urban models in AP Human Geography.
Creator of the Sub-Saharan African City Model
The African City Model was created by Harm de Blij (1935-2014), a geographer born in the Netherlands who later worked in the United States. De Blij extensively researched the African continent during his academic career, with a particular focus on Maputo in Mozambique (then under Portuguese rule) and Mombasa in Kenya.
De Blij gained international recognition as a geography spokesperson, and his 1977 human geography textbook became influential in college geography education. It also became a significant resource for the AP Human Geography exam. The textbook featured the "African City Model," which subsequently became a standard reference in the field.
Description of the Sub-Saharan African City Model
The African City Model provides a simplified and abstracted diagram that focuses on three distinct types of Central Business Districts (CBDs) and the ethnic and segregated nature of residential areas within former European colonies in Africa.
Traditional CBD
The Traditional CBD is centrally located but usually lacks a grid pattern due to its precolonial origin. Many African cities predate European colonialism by centuries, such as Kano in Nigeria (approximately 1,000 years old) and Gao in Mali (established before 1000 AD).
Colonial CBD
The Colonial CBD features a rectangular street grid and was primarily established as the European center for business and government during the colonial era (from the 1500s to the 1900s). It is often located adjacent to the Traditional CBD. Over time, these areas have witnessed ongoing development, including the construction of prominent buildings, government institutions, and commercial banks.
Market Zone
The Market Zone is a transitional area that functions as its own CBD, situated adjacent to other CBDs. It is characterized by bustling activity, with numerous shops, stalls, and open-air markets. This vibrant space attracts people from various parts of the city and beyond who engage in buying and selling goods. Many businesses in this zone operate informally without licenses.
Ethnic Neighborhoods
Ethnic segregation is prevalent among the middle class in African cities, often based on racial or ethnic divisions. Residential areas for Black Africans are typically separate from neighborhoods where white, East Asian, South Asian, Arab, or "Colored" (a mixed Black/White racial category in South Africa) populations reside. While racial segregation stemming from European colonialism is less common along Black ethnic lines, historical tensions between groups, such as Hutu and Tutsi in Rwanda, may still impact coexistence.
During the Apartheid era in South Africa, urban segregation was strictly enforced, leading to extreme racial separation within cities. Although legal segregation is no longer in place, de facto racial segregation persists, resulting in distinct racial divisions within modern cities. Black African governments that emerged after the end of European colonialism have sought upward mobility, leading to a restructuring of residential neighborhoods along socioeconomic lines.
In Lagos, Nigeria, for example, neighborhoods are now segregated by income, ranging from exclusive gated communities for the super-rich to middle-class suburbs and informal settlements.
Ethnic and Mixed Neighborhoods
According to de Blij, middle-class neighborhoods exhibit an "irregular pattern of ethnic groups," reflecting diversity through the coexistence of various ethnicities.
Manufacturing Zone
The Manufacturing Zone is located farther from the city center than the Ethnic and Mixed Neighborhoods. This area is characterized by small-scale informal manufacturing industries producing goods such as shoes and specific food products. Some mining activities may also occur within this zone.
Informal Satellite Townships
Around African cities, there are informal neighborhoods referred to as townships in countries like South Africa. These satellite townships are characterized by informal settlements primarily occupied by migrants from rural areas. These migrants settle on land without legal titles and initially construct homes using inexpensive materials.
Over time, as social services develop and families accumulate wealth, houses are upgraded with improved materials. Satellite townships predominantly house people from Black African ethnicities.
Example of the African City Model
Although most sub-Saharan African cities do not precisely fit into de Blij's model due to their unique attributes, several cities cited by him as examples were founded by European colonizers. Nairobi, Kenya, established by the British as a railway stop in 1899; Harare (formerly Salisbury), Zimbabwe, founded as a commercial town in 1890; and Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), Congo, founded by Henry Morton Stanley as a trading center for the Congo Free State in 1881, are among these cities.
Other cities founded by European colonizers include Dakar, Senegal (formerly Ndakaaru), which began as a French fort in the mid-1800s and later developed into a major city, and Abidjan, established in 1903 near a small African fishing village.
South African cities like Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg, while influenced by European city layouts, lack traditional Central Business Districts (CBDs) and have limited traditional market zones. However, it is important to acknowledge that these cities have a history of segregation, making them some of the most racially segregated cities on the continent.
Mombasa, a city extensively studied by de Blij, aligns well with the African City Model. Founded in 900 AD, Mombasa exhibits layers of Arab and Swahili historical habitation and street plans that predate British colonization. It currently features all three types of CBDs, historically segregated neighborhoods, and is surrounded by informal settlements.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the African City Model
Due to the vast cultural and historical diversity of sub-Saharan Africa, a single model struggles to fully capture the complex nature of contemporary African urban areas. De Blij's model primarily serves as a teaching tool and a means for geographers to make comparisons with other parts of the world. However, it has had limited influence on urban planning compared to models used in the United States, such as the Central Place Theory or Multiple Nuclei Model.
Nevertheless, de Blij's model represents a significant achievement by acknowledging the importance of African cities, an aspect often overlooked in Western discourse and education. It serves as an inspiration in a world where the largest cities are projected to be in Africa by the end of the 21st century. By then, cities like Lagos and Kinshasa may have populations exceeding 80 million each, while Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is predicted to surpass 70 million.
A major limitation of de Blij's model is its limited applicability to modern, post-colonial Africa, where racial divisions are not as geographically prominent as during the colonial era. Furthermore, the model does not address spatial differences based on Black African ethnicity, failing to specify whether segregation occurs solely between Black Africans and other ethnic groups or extends to divisions among different Black ethnicities.