Final answer:
The West African country whose name may refer to the shape of nearby hills that resemble an animal is 'Guinea'. It is associated with both the Guinea coins of the 1686 English era and the historical Slave Coast during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Option A is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name of the West African country that may refer to the shape of nearby hills resembling a certain beast is Guinea. This reference can be traced back to the 1686 English guinea coin which shows the logo of the Royal African Company, an elephant and castle, beneath a bust of King James II.
The coin was commonly called guinea because most British gold came from Guinea in West Africa. Guinea is nestled on the Atlantic coast and its name is believed to be derived from the Africa term 'Guiné', which means 'land of the blacks'. The region was historically important during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, known as the Slave Coast.