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50 Things You Didn't Know About Africa

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Some Interesting Facts About Sub Saharan Africa
1
More than 35% of Africans live in sustained-growth economies that have grown at more than 4% a year for ten years.
26
Niger has the highest proportion of men in its labor force (95.1%); Namibia has the lowest (62.7%).
2
In 1975-2005 the GDP per capita growth (PPP) was 0.70%; in 1995-2005 it was 1.88%.
27
In South Africa, the poorest 20 per cent have 3.5% of national consumption; in Ethiopia they have 9.1%. (MDG 1).
3
During accelerated growth periods the region grew 3.6% a year (per capita PPP), but shrank –2.7% during periods of growth collapses.
28
Thirty three percent of children who start first grade reaches grade five in Chad; in Mauritius 97% reach fifth grade. (MDG 2).
4
In 1975-2005, the probability of observing growth acceleration and deceleration were 0.25 and 0.22, respectively. In 1995-2005, these probabilities were 0.42 and 0.12.
29
The lowest net primary enrolment ratio is found in Djibouti (33.3%); the highest is in Sao Tome and Principe (96.7 per cent). (MDG 2).
5
Exports rose from $182 billion in 2004 to $230 billion in 2005, a 26% rise.
30
In Swaziland more than one in every three 15-49 year olds has contracted HIV (33.4%); the rate is six in every thousand in Mauritania.
6
Crude oil comprises more than half of total Africa’s exports.
31
Mauritius has the highest life expectancy (73 years); Botswana has the lowest (35 years).
7
In two thirds of SSA countries, one or two products are responsible for at least 60% of the country’s total exports.
32
In the last decade Rwanda and Uganda have made the greatest gains in live expectancy: 12 and 7 years respectively. Conversely, life expectancy has decreased 21 years in Botswana, 17 years in Lesotho, and 16 years in Swaziland.
8
On average, the merchandise export within trade blocs is 6% of total bloc exports.
33
The Seychelles have the highest adult literacy rate (92%); Mali and Burkina Faso have the lowest (24%).
9
Growth volatility is five times higher in SSA than that observed in low and middle income countries, as given by the coefficient of variation of GDP per capita growth.
34
In Seychelles 92% of women are literate; the figure is 13% for Chad and 15% for Niger.
10
In 2005 the richest 10% of African countries had 18.5 times the GDP per capita of the poorest 10%, from 10.5 times in 1975.
35
In Mauritius there are 22 children per primary school teacher; there are 72 in Ethiopia.
11
In 2005, 60.5% of total net foreign direct investments in SSA went to oil exporter countries.
36
Mauritania has the highest gross enrolment rate in secondary education (88%); Namibia has the lowest (7%).
12
South Africa’s and Nigeria’s GDP comprise 54% of total SSA’s GDP.
37
In Sierra Leone two women die for every 100 live births; in Mauritius 24 die per 100,000 live births. (MDG 5)
13
South Africa has SSA’s largest real GDP ($160.8 billion); the smallest is Guinea Bissau ($213 million).
38
In Burundi, 56.8% of children under the age of 5 are short for their age; in Gambia it is 19.2%.
14
The Seychelles have SSA’s highest GNI per capita ($6,666); Burundi has the lowest ($105).
39
In South Africa, 2.5% of population are below the minimum dietary energy consumption; in Eritrea, 75% are below.
15
In Guinea-Bissau, the agriculture value-added as percentage of GDP is 59.2%; in Botswana it is 1.8%.
40
Nearly one child in two under the age of five is underweight in Burundi (45.1%); in Swaziland it is one in 10. (MDG 4)
16
The largest population in SSA is 131.5 million ( Nigeria); the smallest is Seychelles (0.1 million).
41
In Ethiopia, 22% of the population has access to a safe source of water. In Mauritius, it is 100%. (MDG 7)
17
It takes 14 days to start a business in the Central African Republic, and 233 days in Guinea Bissau. (IDA10).
42
South Africa has 724.3 mobile phones per 1000 people; Ethiopia has the least with 5.8 per 1000 people.
18
In the 2006/7 Doing Business Indicators, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana were ranked among the top third best countries to do business, but the average rank of African countries was 136 among 178 countries.
43
In Chad, 9% of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities; in Mauritius 94% have such access.
19
Access to finance, infrastructure, institutions, and skills are the constraints most often reported as “major” or “very severe” by entrepreneurs.
44
In Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Niger 2 persons out of a thousand are Internet users; there are 249 in every thousand people in Seychelles, which also has 189 computers per 1000 people. (MDG 8).
20
It takes 7% of GNI per capita to start a business in South Africa and 1195 per cent in Sierra Leone. (IDA 9)
45
In 2004 the poverty headcount ratio at $1 a day was 41% of population from 47% in 1990.
21
The average CPIA score in 2006 was 3.2, from 2.8 in 1996, and 27 of 36 countries evaluated in both years improved their scores.
46
In South Africa 10.7% of the people live under $1 per day (PPP); 70.8% do so in Nigeria. (MDG 1, IDA 1)
22
The best CPIA ratings in 2006 were in macroeconomic management and trade policy.
47
In Sierra Leone 165 out of 1,000 children die before the age of one; in Seychelles the rate is 12 per 1,000. (MDG 4)
23
Congo Republic receives the highest net ODA per capita ($362.3); Cote d’Ivoire receives the lowest ($6.6).
48
In Sierra Leone 282 children per 1,000 die before the age of five; in Seychelles, the rate is 13 per 1,000. (MDG 4, IDA 2)
24
South Africa uses the most electric power per person (4,884.8kW/h); Ethiopia uses the least (32.7 kW/h).
49
Skilled personnel attend 5.7% of births in Ethiopia; they attend 99.2% of births in Mauritius. (MDG 5, IDA 4)
25
Burundi has the highest proportion of women in its labor force (90.5% 2005); Sudan has the lowest (22.5%).
50
Liberia has three phone lines per 1,000 people (0.28); the Seychelles has 93 per 100 people. (MDG 8, IDA 8)

Source: Africa Development Indicators (ADI) 2007

Data Sources

Africa Development Indicators was produced primarily using the data reporting tool of the Africa Live Database (LDB) system. Using data warehousing technology, the LDB instantly recalculates all indicators from the Africa Regional Database and aggregates them once new information is available. This guarantees that the most recent data are reflected in this and future volumes.

The World Bank (WB) provided data on national accounts, balance of payments, trade, prices and government finance (referred as “operational data” from country desks), external debt (WB Debt reporting System), the regulatory environment for businesses (Doing Business), HIPC (WB HIPC unit) and Household Welfare (Survey-based Harmonized Indicators Program). In addition, many World Bank staff provided information on their country, economic, or sectoral specialties.

The IMF provided data on money, banking and some trade. The chapters on power, communications and transportation and social indicators tap into the World Bank’s World Development Indicators and UN agencies databases. Some transport and communication data was provided by the Road Federation and International Telecommunication Union. UNAIDS provided data on HIV/AIDS. The World Resources Institute provided data on the environment. ILO provided the labor data while the OECD provided data on aid flows.

 




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