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One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.

Welcome to the real Africa— told through food, memory, and truth.

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🔵 African Recipes & Cuisine

Dive into flavors from Jollof to fufu—recipes, science, and stories that feed body and soul.

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🔵 African Proverbs & Wisdom

Timeless sayings on love, resilience, and leadership—ancient guides for modern life.

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Oral legends and tales that whisper ancestral secrets and spark imagination.

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🔵African Plants & Healing

From baobab to kola nuts—sacred flora for medicine, memory, and sustenance.

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Big Five to folklore beasts—wildlife as symbols, food, and spiritual kin.

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Journey through Africa's rich historical tapestry, from ancient civilizations to modern nations.

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About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: Wikipedia • Emory University African Studies • University of Kansas • University of KwaZulu-Natal • MDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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From political insights through food to traditional wisdom and modern solutions - explore Africa's depth.

What is the Average Number of Children Africans Have

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📁 African facts

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The median age in Africa is 19.7 in 2012 and will increase to 25.4 in 2050.
The median age in Africa is 19.7 in 2012 and will increase to 25.4 in 2050.

African Countries with the highest fertility rates

Niger 6.62

Burundi 6.04

Mali 5.95

Somalia 5.89

Uganda 5.80

Burkina Faso 5.79

Zambia 5.67

Malawi 5.54

Angola 5.31

South Sudan 5.19


African Countries with the lowest fertility rates

Djibouti 2.35

South Africa 2.31

Botswana 2.30

Cabo Verde 2.26

Morocco 2.12

Libya 2.04

Tunisia 1.98

Seychelles 1.86

Brunei 1.79

Mauritius 1.75

Birth rates and fertility rates statistics in Africa on the average number of children Africans give birth to

Historically in Africa, a young age structure reflects high fertility coupled with the prevalence of HIV/AIDS-related deaths. 

Africa's population is young, very young and its share in the world population will increase to 24% in 2050, up from about 13% in 2012. 

The median age in Africa is 19.7 in 2012 and will increase to 25.4 in 2050. Throughout Africa, a decline in the median age echoes high fertility rates together with the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. 

Childbearing Age (reproductive age) of women is ages 15-49 as defined by the World Health Organization. Total fertility rate and birth rate do not include adolescent pregnancy, childbirth before the age of 15.

African Fertility Rates 2017

Niger 6.49

Angola 6.16

Mali 6.01

Burundi 5.99

Somalia 5.8

Burkina Faso 5.71

Uganda 5.71

Zambia 5.63

Malawi 5.49

Mozambique 5.08

South Sudan 5.07

Nigeria 5.07

Liberia 5.06

Ethiopia 4.99

Benin 4.77

Tanzania 4.77

Guinea 4.77

Sierra Leone 4.73

Cameroon 4.64

Congo, Republic Of The 4.59

Gabon 4.39

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The 4.39

Equatorial Guinea 4.39

Togo 4.38

Chad 4.34

Central African Republic 4.3

Senegal 4.28

Sao Tome And Principe 4.25

Guinea-Bissau 4.09

Madagascar 4.03

Ghana 4

Eritrea 3.99

Zimbabwe 3.98

Rwanda 3.87

Mauritania 3.86

Sudan 3.57

Gambia, The 3.52

Egypt 3.47

Cote D'ivoire 3.38

Namibia 3.29

Kenya 2.98

Algeria 2.7

Eswatini 2.69

Lesotho 2.63

Botswana 2.56

Djibouti 2.31

South Africa 2.29

Cabo Verde 2.24

Tunisia 2.23

Morocco 2.11

Libya 2.04

Seychelles 1.85

Mauritius 1.75

Birth rate and total fertility rate are two very different statistics when measuring the growth of a country.

Birth rate compares the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear. 

However, total fertility rate compares figures for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. 

Total fertility rate shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. 

Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. 

Niger tops the fertility rate listing with 51% of women between 20 and 24 reporting a birth before the age of 18 with a fertility rate of 6.62 births per women of childbearing age.

 
Niger tops the fertility rate listing with 51% of women between 20 and 24 reporting a birth before the age of 18 with a fertility rate of 6.62 births per women of childbearing age.

Niger tops the fertility rate listing with a fertility rate of 6.62 births per women of childbearing age.

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=
The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
Understanding Africa through the stories our food tells • Since 2006

Africa Worldwide: Top Reads

Africa × World: Editor's Picks

Cross-continental food, science, history, and cultural exchanges from the archive

African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.