# Conclusion  
This chapter provides an overview of the formation of Afro-Atlantic communities across Atlantic Africa. These communities initially grew out of Africa's ability to dictate the terms of social and commercial interaction with outsiders from the outset of the European presence in Africa. They were characterized by the emergence of individuals and trading families adept in Atlantic trade whose identities reflected extensive exchanges with the outside world. These individuals' command of elements of European culture such as language, and their adroitness in African culture made them pivotal actors in the construction of the Afro-Atlantic world. Transatlantic ties with European colonies in the Americas were another key element explaining the formation of Afro-Atlantic communities. In this regard, the scale and longevity of the slave trade to Brazil set the Bight of Benin and Angola apart from other African regions affected by the slave trade.