The article examines the spatial component of the interaction of religions in Africa in the 19th early 21st centuries. As a theoretical and methodological basis for the study, the authors use the concept of the cyclical development of the religious landscape under the influence of religious competition. Based on the conditions of the passage and duration of the phases of the religious competition cycle (R-cycle), as well as the current state of the religious landscape of African countries, the authors distinguish six main types of its dynamics: acyclic (the cycle of replacement of Islam was not launched, the religious landscape was at rest for a long time); reverse cyclic (the cycle of replacement of Islam by Christianity was reversed); single complete cycle (passing through the all phases of the cycle of replacement of ethno-religions by Christianity or staying in the last of them); cascade cyclic (first successive passing of the cycle of replacement of ethno-religions by Christianity, and after its completion the cycle of replacement of Christianity by Islam); slow cyclic (religious competition is sluggish). with subtypes of ascending (passing the upward part of the cycle), peak (being in the phase of parity of competing religions) and descending (passing of the downward part of the cycle of replacement of ethno-religions or its end) cyclicality; secular (major competitor of dominant religion is secular ideologies; anomalous cycle of competition). The authors come to the conclusion that in most African countries R-cycles are either in their final phases or their religious landscape has reached the stage of religious saturation. These include 31 African countries, which the authors attributed to types 1 through 4 and a subtype of descending slow cyclicality of type 5. According to the authors' forecasts, the religious landscape of these countries will not undergo significant changes at least until the middle of the 21st century. The competition between Islam and Christianity will proceed at a slower pace here, the most significant of this rivalry will be for the countries of types 3 (Kenya), 4 (Gabon) and partly 5; in countries of type 2 and, especially, type 1, it will be barely noticeable and will not be able to shake the stage of religious saturation established here. Most of the conflicts on religious grounds are currently localized in countries of type 5, located within the Sahel and south of it: their polarized confessional space, divided into two or even three parts, intensifies the exacerbation of intercommunal contradictions.
