Africa, Western (also known as Western Africa, West Africa): The geographical area of Africa comprising BENIN; BURKINA FASO; CABO VERDE, COTE D'IVOIRE (formerly Ivory Coast); GAMBIA; GHANA; GUINEA; GUINEA-BISSAU; LIBERIA; MALI; MAURITANIA; NIGER; NIGERIA; SENEGAL; SIERRA LEONE; and TOGO.

NIH MeSH · D000354Geographicals

Africa, Western

Also known asWestern Africa · West Africa · Africa, West

Definition

The geographical area of Africa comprising BENIN; BURKINA FASO; CABO VERDE, COTE D'IVOIRE (formerly Ivory Coast); GAMBIA; GHANA; GUINEA; GUINEA-BISSAU; LIBERIA; MALI; MAURITANIA; NIGER; NIGERIA; SENEGAL; SIERRA LEONE; and TOGO.

MeSH classification

  • Z01.058.290.190

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Related concepts

Africa, Central

The geographical area of Africa comprising CAMEROON; CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC; CHAD; CONGO; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; EQUATORIAL GUI…

Africa, Eastern

The geographical area of Africa comprising BURUNDI, DJIBOUTI, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, KENYA, SOMALIA, SOUTH SUDAN, SUDAN, TANZANIA, and UGANDA.

Africa South of the Sahara

All of Africa except Northern Africa (AFRICA, NORTHERN) including ANGOLA; BENIN; BOTSWANA; BURKINA FASO; CABO VERDE; CAMEROON; CENTRAL AFRIC…

Africa, Southern

The geographical area of Africa comprising ANGOLA; BOTSWANA; LESOTHO; MALAWI; MOZAMBIQUE; NAMIBIA; SOUTH AFRICA; SWAZILAND; ZAMBIA; and ZIMB…

Angola

A republic in southern Africa, southwest of DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO and west of ZAMBIA. Its capital is Luanda.

Benin

A country in western Africa, south of NIGER and between TOGO and NIGERIA. Its capital is Porto-Novo.

Botswana

A republic in southern Africa, between NAMIBIA and ZAMBIA. It was formerly called Bechuanaland. Its capital is Gaborone. The Kalahari Desert…

Burkina Faso

A republic in western Africa, south and east of MALI and west of NIGER. Its capital is Ouagadougou. It was formerly called Upper Volta until…

Common questions about Africa, Western

What does Africa, Western mean in medicine?
The geographical area of Africa comprising BENIN; BURKINA FASO; CABO VERDE, COTE D'IVOIRE (formerly Ivory Coast); GAMBIA; GHANA; GUINEA; GUINEA-BISSAU; LIBERIA; MALI; MAURITANIA; NIGER; NIGERIA; SENEGAL; SIERRA LEONE; and TOGO. This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Africa, Western known by any other names?
Yes. Africa, Western is also referred to as Western Africa, West Africa, Africa, West in different clinical, research and patient-facing contexts. The MeSH descriptor groups all of these synonyms under a single canonical concept so research and records stay consistent.
Where does Africa, Western sit in the medical classification?
Africa, Western falls under the broader medical category "Geographicals" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: Z01.058.290.190). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Africa, Western?
For a plain-language explanation of Africa, Western - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 22+ Indian languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about Africa, Western" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D000354) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗