Question

what most affected ancient west african trade?
lack of transportation natural landforms limited resources for trade
too many merchants

Explanation:

To determine what most affected ancient West African trade, we analyze each option:

• "Lack of transportation": Ancient West Africa had trade routes (like trans - Saharan) using camels, so transportation wasn't a major limiting factor.
• "Natural landforms": West Africa's geography, including deserts (Sahara), rivers (Niger, Senegal), and savannas, shaped trade routes (e.g., desert limited overland routes, rivers enabled river - based trade). Landforms influenced where trade could occur and the goods traded (e.g., desert regions traded salt, savannas traded gold, agricultural products).
• "Limited resources for trade": West Africa was rich in resources like gold, salt, ivory, and agricultural goods, so resources weren't limited.
• "Too many merchants": More merchants would increase trade, not hinder it. So natural landforms had the most impact.

Answer:

natural landforms