9d.+The+Impact+of+the+Slave+Trade+on+West+Africa

__**Impact of the Slave Trade on West Africa**__


 * 1.**__**De- population**__ - Thirty million people were estimated to have been lost as a result of the slave trade. More than were lost to tribal war and internal struggles in West Africa itself. The following table shows the number of Africans that came to the Caribbean as slaves over 3 centuries.


 * Period ||  || English West Indies || French West Indies || Total numbers in French and English WI ||
 * Before 1650 (before sugar) ||  ||   ||   || 23,000 ||
 * 1650-1700 ||  || 250,000 || 150,000 || 400,000 ||
 * 1700-1800 ||  || 1.4 millon || 1 million2.4million ||   ||
 * 1800-abolition ||  ||   ||   || 250,000 ||
 * 1800-abolition ||  ||   ||   || 250,000 ||


 * 2**. **__Decline in Farming industry.__** - Fear and insecurity caused by the slave trade led to a decline in farming. Traditional West African crafts such as brass working, cotton weaving and iron making were alos lost due to the capture of craftsmen and because the Europeans provided cheaper iron and crafts.