Nature and the Arts. An area of great human, natural, and climatic variety, West Africa is inhabited by indigenous and migrant populations that have lived for at least ten thousand years in an area larger than the United States. The geography and biodiversity of West Africa have inspired and challenged its people and contributed to their distinct and rich cultural heritage. In the north, the basins, oases, mountains, dunes, and blowing sands of the Sahara Desert influenced the attire of its nomadic peoples, as well as their architecture, folklore, and oral traditions. In the south, rivers and other waterways feature prominently in regional myths of origin and legends of conquest and resettlement. The rich colors, textures, and sounds of diverse flora and fauna in the forest region influenced its rituals and performances, its instrumental and human music, and the iconography and design of its visual arts and attire...