▁ge ograph ically ▁because ▁West ▁Africa ' s ▁coast ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean , ▁making ▁it ▁both ▁open ▁to ▁cultural ▁and ▁trade ▁influ ences , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁con quest ▁by ▁sea . ▁West ▁Africa ▁is ▁rich ▁in ▁many ▁pre cious ▁met als , ▁min er als ▁and ▁products , ▁which ▁inv ites ▁the ▁interest ▁and ▁competition ▁of ▁outside ▁powers ▁and ▁influ ences . ▁There ▁were ▁some ▁blo ody ▁conflicts ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁when ▁some ▁of ▁these ▁nations ▁fought ▁against ▁the ▁colonial ▁powers , ▁such ▁as ▁during ▁the ▁Guinea - B iss au ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁( 1 9 6 3 – 1 9 7 4 ). ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁centuries , ▁several ▁African ▁countries ▁experienced ▁bitter ▁civil ▁wars , ▁the ▁blood iest ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 6 7 – 1 9 7 0 ) ▁when ▁B ia fra ▁sought ▁to ▁break ▁away ▁from ▁Niger ia . ▁Other ▁countries ▁have ▁had ▁either ▁civil ▁wars , ▁internal ▁military ▁str ife , ▁and ▁military ▁coup ▁d ' ét ats ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Le one ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 9 1 – 2 0 0 2 ), ▁First ▁Liber ian ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 6 ), ▁Guinea - B iss au ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 9 8 – 1 9 9 9 ). ▁Rec ent ▁wars ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁Civil ▁war ▁in ▁C ô te ▁d ' I vo ire ▁( 2