Why Africa's Borders are a Mess

In much of the world, national borders have shifted over time to reflect ethnic, linguistic, and sometimes religious divisions. Spain's borders generally enclose the Spanish-speakers of Europe; Italy and Croatia roughly encompass ethnic Italians and Croats. Thailand is exactly what its name suggests, the land of the Thai. Africa is different, its nations largely defined not by its peoples heritage but by European colonialism.

But as the continent becomes more democratic and Africans assert desires for national self-determination, the continent's decision to maintain colonial era borders is a subject of intense debate.

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