By the end of the 16th century the Spanish Empire included Central America, the Wet Indies, western South America, and most of the Philippine Islands. The need to safeguard the new lands, their precious natural resources and the new trading networks which evolved, led to the development of a colonial administration of unparalleled scope.  Royal authority was vested in the twin institutions of audiencias, with political, administrative, and judicial functions, and a series of viceroys, who acted primarily as powerful governors, though they possessed no judicial powers.  All information relating to government I the Spanish territories was controlled by specially created councils, the Council of Castile and the Council of the Indies, which met regularly to ensure communication between Spain and the distant possessions of the Spanish Empire. 

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Industry

Most African industries are based on processing raw materials such as food crops of mineral ores.  Some African countries depend on one product or crop for most of their income, but in many larger cities different industries are developing. Northern Africa, Nigeria, and South Africa have the widest range of industries

Mineral Resources

The southern countries in particular South Africa, have large reserves of diamonds gold uranium and copper.  The large copper deposits in Dem. Rep. Congo (Zaire) and Zambia are known as the “copper belt.”  Oil and gas are extracted in Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya, and Nigeria.

Climate

Africa is the world’s hottest continent: temperatures of more than 122 F have been recorded in the Sahara.  The northern cost has a hot dry climate with little rainfall.  Farther inland, the Sahara is extremely arid, with strong, dry winds.  South of the Sahara is the Sahel, where cutting down trees for fuel has turned farmland into desert. Close to the equator there is more rainfall, and huge rain forests can grow in western and central Africa.  In the south the climate is much drier, and drought is a problem. 

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