How geography impacted trade in africa, especially in relation to the distribution of goods.

Throughout Africa, geography played a signicant role in the development of civilization and the way goods were distributed. Remember that a great deal of Northern and Central Africa was desert, marked by thousands miles of shifting sands, heat, and an utter lack of water. Trade and cities flourished this arid and desolate landscape with the help of the camel. Camels have the ability to fill their humps with water, have tough hides, and long eyelashes to keep the sand out, and long legs to cover a lot of ground. Traders could pack massive amounts of goods and supplies onto each camel. This sort of travel allowed the gold from regions south of the Sahara, or sub-Saharan regions, to travel north to the Mediterranean ports, where it was exchanged for salt. As many of the thriving African cities were on or near seaports, they became trade centers or crossroads for the sub-Saharan/Mediterranean trade. The Phoenicians had established some of these ports, such as Carthage. However, others sprang up naturally around harbors and out of small seaside villages. Many of these port cities existed primarily to serve the trade and quickly became distribution centers that sent caravans in every direction throughout Africa. This further established trade stops, as it brought people from their original communities to settle in distribution centers along the way.