Final answer:
Western Sudan was pivotal in the trans-Saharan trade, housing important trade hubs that connected sub-Saharan Africa with North African and Mediterranean markets. Arab traders described the region as a critical part of the trade network, facilitated by the spread of Islam and the use of camels for desert transport.
Step-by-step explanation:
Parts of western Sudan were described by Arab traders as regions integral to the trans-Saharan trade. This included important trading towns such as Oualata, Gao, Timbuktu, and Djenné, which linked regional economies to the vast desert commerce. The emergence of the Sudanic empire, notably Mali, magnified the importance of these trade routes, with Mali’s Muslim rulers stimulating the growth of trade based on shared Islamic laws and values. The Arab conquests and the spread of Islam across North Africa also facilitated the unification of regional trades into a comprehensive trans-Saharan system of commerce, thereby strengthening the role of Arab merchants in trading hubs like those in western Sudan.Moreover, the adoption of the camel for desert transport enabled goods from sub-Saharan Africa, such as gold, ivory, and slaves, to become more accessible to the Mediterranean world. The trade routes not only shifted wealth and goods but also cultures and religions, with Islam spreading along these trading networks. Western Sudan's strategic position and its Sahara-crossing caravan cities were pivotal in these developments.