Why is some parts of africa called the sub-saharan? what does that mean.

Question

Aint the sahara on the north of africa? what has it got to do with the west...can someone explain thankss.

Answer 1

Africa is a huge place with many different Races of People

In the North there are Arab People South of the Sahara are Black People

The term Sub or South of the Sahara may have been introduced to avoid coursing offense to Black People

At the time this term was introduced many White People were unsure what was correct

I'm going back some time When I first herd this term I was unsure of what to call a Black Person without Them taking offense I believed to call a Person Black was wrong

These days things are very different and a Black Person as I understand it wouldn't be offended if a Person was to say Black Africa when referring to that part of the World

West may be refering to us Westerners  

Answer 2

The Sahara Desert is in the Northern part of the African continent. Sub-Suharan means south of the Sahara desert, and is applied to anything dealing with lands and Non-Arabic people living in those regions. It is sometimes referred to as Black Africa.

North Africa aka the "Arab World" tends to refer to lands and people in and North of the Sahara Desert up to the Mediterranean Sea to the North and East to the Sanai Pensinsula.

The regions are very different in so many ways culturally and geographically, so I suppose that is the reason for the distinction here in the West.

Answer 3

Sub is prefix that means below, so Sub-Sahara is referring to countries or regions below the Sahara Desert.