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Explore Africa’s economic growth rates and diverse outcomes, from education to investments, uncovering barriers and opportunities for development. Discover eight insightful facts about Africa's progress and challenges.
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EIGHT THINGS YOU (MAY NOT) KNOW ABOUT AFRICA John Page, Chief Economist Africa Region, World Bank October 31, 2006
1. AFRICA’S GROWTH RATES ARE CATCHING UP TO OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
African per capita income is now increasing in tandem with other developing countries … Annual Change in Real per capita GDP % Forecast 2008 Source: World Bank
2. ECONOMIC OUTCOMES ARE INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, WHILE SOCIAL OUTCOMES ARE CONVERGING
PRODUCTIVITY IN AFRICA’S BEST PERFORMERS (AND BEST FIRMS) EQUALS ASIAN COMPETITORS
Factory floor costs compare well with India & China Direct cost per male shirt
4. AFRICA IS A HIGH COST PLACE TO INVEST BUT LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE MAY CONSTRAIN INVESTMENT MORE
Africa lags other regions in the cost of doing business … Ease of doing business rank, Simple average by region Data sources: The World Bank Doing Business Database, 2005 survey. Building the private sector
…and in access to infrastructure Data sources: The World Bank WDI database, April 2006. Building the private sector
5. SUCCESS INCREASING PRIMARY ENROLLMENTS IS NOT MIRRORED IN SECONDARY AND TERTIARY EDUCATION.
6. MORTALITY AND LIFE EXPECTANCY HAVE REGRESSED TO LEVELS OF PREVIOUS DECADES
Malaria has not received adequate attention and is a major cause of death of children
Inequality limits the benefits of growth to the poor The Poor as Percent of Total Population and Inequality: Data sources: The World Bank Global Poverty Monitoring Database
And the rural-urban divide remains dramatic Rural-urban divide in access to improved water source Data sources: Africa Region Household Survey Standardized Files.
8. INTERNATIONAL FOCUS ON AFRICA IS GROWING BUT STILL FALLS SHORT OF 1990 AND THE GLENEAGLES TARGETS
International focus on Africa is growing, but still falls short of 1990 Data sources and WBI database.
Africa Development Indicators ‘06 Office of the Chief Economist Africa Region, World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/afr/ce