Recent historical events have made it quite clear that the world is in for a long-term continuation of ethnic rivalries that have been going on for centuries. The short-term hegemony of the European empires, the Soviet Union, and the United States may have temporarily subdued some of those conflicts, but older identities are now reasserting themselves. The most complicated, diverse ethnic setting is in Africa, where several thousand languages still provide powerful identities to as many ethnic groups. The Peoples of Africa provides a brief description of the more than 1,800 individual African ethnic groups living today in Africa.

Where possible, the individual ethnic groups are discussed in terms of their geographical settings, religion, population, and local economy. Reference librarians, African area specialists, and students of African history and culture will find the book an invaluable guide.