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Article: Engaging with Africa.(BYTES OF NOTE)(Africa gross domestic product internet resources)
- Article from:
- Environment
- Article date:
- January 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The continent of Africa is home to 14 percent of the world's population and 26 percent of the world's countries. On the whole, the people of Africa are not doing well. In constant terms, sub-Saharan gross domestic product per capita (1) declined steadily from $1,770 in 1975 to $1,425 in 1993, recovering only modestly to $1,505 in 2002. Similarly, life expectancy at birth peaked at 50 years in 1990 and 1991 but has since declined to 45.8 years in 2002. (2) These downward trends are especially distressing when one realizes that they are unique to Africa: In other regions of the world, these aggregate trends have all improved. This article highlights some of the resources ...