How many Africans were estimated to be taken to North and South America during the African diaspora?

The African diaspora refers to the forced displacement and transportation of millions of Africans, primarily through the transatlantic slave trade, to the Americas from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The estimated number of Africans taken to North and South America during this period is approximately 12 million. This figure encompasses the entire transatlantic slave trade, including those who did not survive the journey, as well as those who were sold into slavery across various regions in the Americas.

The 12 million estimate reflects thorough historical research, including ship logs, plantation records, and other sources that detailed the scale of this human trafficking. This number highlights the immense and tragic impact of the slave trade on African societies and the demographic changes in the New World, where a significant portion of the population became descendants of Africans brought forcibly into these regions.

The other figures, while they might seem significant, do not align with the most widely accepted estimates derived from historical evidence, making 12 million the accurate choice in this context.