Ethnic Unit Classification and Analysis

In Section B, Part I, Chapter 2 and in each of the country profiles in Part II we give information based on the ethnic composition of the populations of African states. This information is not given to perpetuate esoteric interests in traditional or primitive societies, nor are we interested per se in exotic statistics on the number of different languages and tribes in the African continent and the national boundaries of their constituents. Rather the collection and presentation of these data are intended to inform the analysis of sociological theories of pluralism, integration, and other approaches to the continuing, but not unique, problems of national unity in Africa.