<u>Ghana, Mali, Songhai </u>are the three empires in western Africa that were flourished because of the trans-Saharan trade of gold and salt.
<u>Explanation</u><u>:</u>
<u>Ghana: </u>Gold mining led Ghana to grow into a powerful kingdom. Gold mining was the major contribution to the Ghana economy. Iron was another important factor in the development of the Ghana kingdom, as it was used in making tools and weapons.
<u>Mali</u>: Mali is the landlocked country in West Africa. Mali had control over both the gold trade and salt trade.
<u>Songhai</u>: Songhai was made up of the land of the kingdom of Mali and included land to the east and north. Islam was the most widely spread religion in Songhai. Islam was the common source that unified the people of Songhai.
