Countries included in the East Africa region. East Africa

The group of East African states demonstrates an even greater degree of differences, even contrast, and here individual countries stand out noticeably from the rest, as if they are out of the general range. This also applies to Ethiopia, and Somalia, and Tanzania, and some other countries. In general, the countries of the East African region deserve special attention in this sense.

1. Ethiopia is the largest and oldest of them. Its history goes back centuries and it has already been discussed more than once in the previous parts of the work. In the 60s of our century, Ethiopia was an independent and highly respected state in Africa, headed by the revered monarch Emperor Haile Selassie I. True, this populous (over 50 million people) and resource-poor country was constantly plagued by natural disasters, especially droughts, almost regularly brought her economy to a catastrophic state. Droughts, famine, failures with agrarian reform led the country in 1973 to an acute political crisis, which resulted in the deposition of the emperor. Since 1974, power passed to the Provisional Military Administrative Council, whose leaders in a sharp internecine struggle destroyed each other, until M. Haile Mariam came to power in 1977, who firmly set a course for development along the Marxist-socialist model.

The nationalization of industry and land, the strict control of the authorities over the population led the country's economy for a decade and a half to complete degradation. Droughts became more frequent, their consequences became more severe. Millions of people died from simple hunger and disorder in the country, while the ruling bureaucracy was mired in lawlessness and corruption. The decisive blow to the ruling party and its leadership was dealt by the events in our country associated with perestroika and a general change in the ideological and political orientation, as well as by suspending the flow of supplies from the USSR. The weakening of the government's positions, aggravated by defeats in the fight against separatists and rebels in the north, led in 1991 to the collapse of the regime. The dictator fled, and his successors inherited a difficult legacy. There was no more talk of the Marxist-socialist model. Ethiopia is now facing the difficult task of finding its new face, the exit to a normal life.

2. Somalia, located to the east of Ethiopia, on the coast, in the Horn of Africa, is a relatively small state (population of about 6 million people). The inhabitants of British Somalia gained independence in 1960; A democratic parliamentary multi-party republic was established, one of the first of its kind in Africa. But multi-party democracy has led to a weakening of the political structure, further undermined by tribalism and clan patronage-client ties. The coup of 1969 brought S. Barre to power with his dreams of a Greater Somalia and orientation towards the Marxist-socialist model of development. In 1977–1978 in the war with Ethiopia for the Ogaden, Somalia was defeated, and this affected the change of orientation: the Somali authorities abandoned their previous stakes on the USSR, whose leadership preferred to take the side of Ethiopia, and began to seek support in the West. In 1984, Somalia was forced to renounce its claims to the part of Kenya inhabited by Somalis. The idea of Great Somalia collapsed. The era of an acute internal crisis has begun, caused by military spending, devastation, and inflation that are unbearable for a small country. The rebels began to protest against the regime of S. Barre. In 1989, he tried to soften his regime, set a course for economic liberalization and privatization, promised a multi-party system and democracy, and even introduced a new constitution in October. But it was already too late. In early 1991, the Barre regime fell under the blows of the rebels. In 1992, a bloody civil strife began in the country. The instability of power in the course of the struggle for political domination by various ethno-political groups created a situation of dangerous instability in Somalia and led the country to famine.

3. Kenya, located south of Ethiopia and southwest of Somalia, in the past an English colony, gained quite wide popularity in the first post-war years, when a broad national movement led by D. Kenyatta unfolded here. This movement was closely connected with the terrorist actions of the Mau Mau society, which terrified the British. In 1953, the Mau Mau movement was crushed, and Kenyatta was behind bars. In 1960, the country gained independence, and Kenyatta became its president. In 1978, after his death, the country was headed by D. Moi. The one-party presidential system has given serious failures under this president: corruption has become noticeable, the opposition has become more active, demanding a multi-party system. In 1990, Moi made concessions and at the end of 1991 announced the introduction of a multi-party system. The country's economy is still in a difficult position, the standard of living of the population (about 25 million people) is low, but in the recent elections (1993), Moi was again elected president.

4. Uganda- a state to the west of Kenya with a population of 16-17 million people. In 1962 it gained independence and became a republic with the former king of Buganda, Mutesa II, as president and M. Obote as prime minister. In 1966, Obote took full power, and the constitution of 1967 abolished the monarchy in the country. In 1971, as a result of a military coup, the bloody dictator Idi Amin came to power. Amin's regime was overthrown in 1979 with the support of Tanzania, and in 1980 Obote won the election again became president. The 1985 military coup deposed Obote; since 1986 the country has been headed by I. Museveni. Uganda is one of the few states in Africa where for quite a long time, albeit with ^ breaks, the multi-party system has operated and is still operating. The economy of the country is undeveloped, the standard of living of the population is very low. The liberalization of the economy at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, however, began to give positive results (6–7% growth per year).

5. Tanzania, located south of Kenya and Lake Victoria, was created in 1964 as a result of the unification of independent since 1961 Tanganyika with the island of Zanzibar, which gained independence in 1963. This is perhaps the only case when such an association turned out to be viable. Population approx. 25 million people Tanzania is a presidential republic with a very stable political system. For many years, the president of the country was D. Nyerere, under whom experiments were undertaken related to the orientation towards the Marxist-socialist model (nationalization, cooperation in the “ujamaa” style, etc.). President A.Kh., who replaced Nyerere in the late 1980s Mwinyi is inclined to support the program of economic revival adopted in 1986, associated with the liberalization of the economy and the departure from socialist experiments.

6–7. Rwanda(approx. 7 million) and Burundi(approx. 5 million people) in 1908–1912. were included in German East Africa, since 1923 they became a mandated territory of Belgium, and in 1962 - an independent republic and a monarchy, respectively. The republican structure of Rwanda proved to be stable. Burundi, having experienced a number of military coups, also became a republic. Both states have a one-party system, the economy is underdeveloped, and living standards are low.

8–12. Djibouti(0.5 million population), as well as a number of island states - reunion(0.6 million), Seychelles(0.07 million), Comoros(0.5 million), Mauritius(1.1 million) - are small independent countries of East Africa that gained their independence relatively late, in 1968-1977. (Reunion remains an overseas department of France). Mauritius is a multi-party parliamentary republic formally recognizing the Queen of England as head of state. Djibouti is a one-party presidential republic. In the Seychelles, a 1979 coup brought to power a party that was guided by the Marxist-socialist model. In the Comoros, a similar coup in 1975 had a different fate: another coup in 1978 returned the government of A. Abdallah to power, which then steadily ruled the country for many years. Common to all these small states is their comparative youth as independent structures (this does not apply to Reunion), a fairly noticeable degree of political stability and, apart from Djibouti, remoteness from the mainland, which to a large extent affects their destinies. It is significant to note that Arabs predominate in the Comoros, Indo-Pakistans in Mauritius, Creole Christians in the Seychelles and Réunion.

13. Madagascar, a large island to the east of Africa, gained its independence in 1960. The population is over 11 million people. Initially, the leader of the Social Democrats, F. Tsiranana, was the head of state and government. The coup of 1972 brought the military to power, in 1975 the Supreme Revolutionary Council, headed by D. Ratsiraka, set a course for development along the Marxist-socialist model. The National Front for the Defense of the Revolution, created by the council, united 7 political parties, banning the rest. The economy is nationalized, the public sector absolutely prevails. In the early 1990s, Ratsiraka's power and his political course collapsed. A powerful opposition movement unfolded in the country.

So, among the 13 large and small countries of the region, in four large (Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Madagascar) and at least two others (Seychelles, Comoros), attempts were made to develop according to the Marxist-socialist model, and in three cases (Ethiopia, Tanzania and Madagascar) these were long-term experiments, calculated in decades. The experiment could have been just as long in Somalia if the political situation had not prompted S. Barre to change his earlier orientation. And only in Uganda, and even then with interruptions, did a multi-party system function. All major countries in the region are poorly developed and have a low standard of living. Only some of the islands (Mauritius, Reunion and the tiny Seychelles) stand out against the general bleak background for the better. With reservations, the same can be said about Djibouti. Slightly higher than in other large countries of the region, the standard of living in politically relatively prosperous Kenya.

East Africa. Economic and geographical characteristics

Table of contents

Introduction
General information
Geographical position
Natural conditions and resources
Region population
General information
Demographic situation
Economy of East Africa
General information
Agriculture
Transport
External links
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

East Africa is a region of the world distinguished on the one hand by magnificent natural resources and attractions, on the other hand, one of the poorest regions in the world. Most of the countries in the region have a clearly agrarian-oriented economy. The exception is Zambia, which has an export-oriented economy based on the mining industry (extraction and export of copper).

The region occupies a large territory. This area is home to a significant portion of the African population. Therefore, the task of describing and studying this region is of particular relevance.

Thus, the purpose of this work was to study and analyze the current economic situation in the region, taking into account the specifics of the spatial organization of both the resources of the economic system and the location of its main nodes.

General information

The East Africa region is located in the eastern part of the mainland and includes 10 states (Figure 1, Table 1) - Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.

Table 1 - Composition of the East Africa region

The total area of the region is 4,561,190 km2. The region has a population of 153,741,344 (2005).

Geographical position

The region is characterized by a fairly favorable geographical position. In economic terms, the region is located among the states characterized by a rather underdeveloped economy. However, in relation to the main mineral resource bases, the region has a rather advantageous position - in the northeast (Arabian Peninsula) and west (Gulf of Guinea) there are the richest oil and gas deposits, in the south there is a continuation of Africa's largest copper belt. In terms of transport, the region occupies a fairly advantageous position - proximity to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea provides quite significant potential benefits. In geopolitical terms, the situation is somewhat worsened by the situation among the poor countries of Africa, which are characterized by an extremely unstable political situation.

Figure 1 - East Africa: composition of the region

Natural conditions and resources

Tectonic and geomorphological conditions. Mineral resources

Tectonic-geomorphologically, the region is heterogeneous. The Ethiopian Highlands (Ethiopia, Eritrea) is a highly elevated block of the African Platform, which is characterized by high tectonic fragmentation and a variety of landscapes due to a clear separation of structural and morphological regions and altitudinal zonality. According to the degree of potential development, the region is difficult to access and poorly developed. The Somali Plateau in the east of the region is much smaller and much less indented, greatly increasing the potential for development. The East African Plateau (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) is a mobile, tectonically active part of the African Platform. The greatest rift system and the greatest heights of the mainland are concentrated here. The region is characterized by extremely difficult terrain and low levels of potential development.

In terms of the availability of mineral resources, the region belongs to the medium-provided region. There are no fuel and energy resources (natural gas, oil). An exception is the hard coal deposits in southwestern Zambia.

Metallic minerals are represented sufficiently. Gold deposits are located in the south of Ethiopia, in the west of Uganda, in the south of Zambia. A separate link in the spectrum of metallic minerals is copper ore. Widely known and of international importance is the so-called Copper Belt of Central Africa, which ends in Zambia. In addition to deposits of high-quality copper ore, deposits of polymetals (cobalt ores, nickel ores) are confined to this belt.

Non-metallic minerals are represented by diamond deposits in Tanzania (the Mwadui deposit), table salt (the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia).

Climatic conditions and agro-climatic resources

The region is climatically located in the subequatorial zone (a zone of sufficient moisture in the west, insufficient moisture in the east of Tanzania). The far north of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Eritrea lies in the tropical arid zone (Figure 2).

In agro-climatic terms, the region is confined to the tropical zone, characterized by continuous vegetation of plants throughout the year (it can only be interrupted by a dry period for a subequatorial climate with insufficient moisture). The tropical zone is characterized by the possibility of collecting several crops per year. Most of the region is within the isotherm of the sum of the air temperature for the period with temperatures above 10С more than 8000С. Under these conditions, heat-loving perennial and annual crops with the longest growing season (sugarcane, coffee, cocoa, cinchona, rubber plants, etc.) can be grown. The eastern part of Ethiopia and western Tanzania, as well as western Kenya and eastern Uganda are within the isoline air temperatures for a period with temperatures above 10 C from 4000 C to 8000 C. These areas belong to the subtropical agro-climatic zone and are characterized by the possibility of growing heat-loving temperatures with a very long growing season (cotton, late corn, olives, citrus fruits, tobacco, tea, sometimes date palm, etc. .).

Hydrological conditions and water resources

There are no major rivers in the region. However, small rivers, descending from the plateaus, develop a sufficiently high speed, which characterizes their hydropower potential as acceptable for the construction of hydroelectric power stations.

In terms of water resources, the region belongs to the poor enough ones. Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea and Somalia are characterized by the availability of total river flow resources of 2.5 - 5 thousand m 3 per year, Kenya - 0.5 - 2.5 thousand m 3 per year. Zambia is characterized by the most favorable conditions for the provision of full river flow resources (10 - 25 thousand m 3 per year).

The region has the largest lakes on the mainland - Victoria, Nyasa, Tanganyika. The lakes have significant recreational potential, which is intensively used.

Vegetation and fauna. Land resources

The region is characterized by the presence of 3 natural zones - humid equatorial forests (west of the region), subequatorial forests and woodlands (Zambia, Malawi), wet savannahs (along river valleys), typical savannahs (Ethiopia), deserted savannahs (Somalia, Kenya).

In connection with the above, the land resources of the region are mainly grazing (this is due to the large spread of savannahs). Fragmentary there are forests that do not have an industrial value. Land suitable for cultivation has a small distribution.

east africa economic geographical

Figure 2 - Climatic zones of East Africa

( I - equatorial climate; II - Subequatorial climate: 1a - with sufficient moisture, 1b - with insufficient moisture; III - tropical climate )

Figure 3 - East African Land Resources

Region population

General information

The population of the region is 153,741,344 people (2005). The average population density is 33.7 people. / km 2. The largest population is typical for Kenya - 53,142,980 people, the smallest - for the Seychelles (73,000 people (2005).

Table 2 - Population density in East African countries

The highest population density is typical for the Seychelles, which is associated with a small area of the state. The average indicators for states are small and poorly reflect the real situation.

Demographic situation

Birth rates in the region are quite high. The northern states of the region are characterized by birth rates from 40 to 45 ‰, for the southern states - from 45 to 50 ‰. At the same time, mortality rates are also high - from 15 to 20 ‰. The natural increase in the population of the region for the southern countries of the region is more than 30‰, for the northern - 25 - 30‰.

In the age and sex structure, women predominate, only in Kenya and Uganda there is a predominance of the male population.

Ethnic structure of the population

The southern part of the region is inhabited by the peoples of the Niger-Kardofan family of the subgroup of the central Niger-Congo - the peoples of Rwanda, Rundi, Kongo, Luba, Malawi, etc. The peoples of the Kushite group of the Afroasian family - Oromo, Somali, Afar, Beja, etc. live in Ethiopia and Somalia. West The region is inhabited by representatives of the Eastern Sudanese group of the Nilo-Saharan family - Nubians, Dinka, Kalenjin, etc.

Thus, the ethnic structure of the studied region is characterized by considerable diversity.

Placement of the population. Urbanization

The region is rather unevenly populated. In the center of Ethiopia, in certain regions of Kenya, in the coastal zone of Lake Victoria, the population density reaches 100 - 200 people. per km 2. The rest of the region is rather poorly populated - the population density is from 1 to 10 people. per km 2.

The region belongs to the least urbanized parts of the world - the level of urbanization for most countries is from 10 to 20%. The exception is Zambia. Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, about 44% of its population is concentrated in large cities and urban industrial agglomerations.

Economy of East Africa

General information

Leading role in Ethiopian economy played by consumer agriculture. In the early 1990s, more than half of the gross domestic product (GDP) came from agricultural production. During the same period, the share of trade and services in GDP grew. From 1989-1990 to 1994-1995 financial years, the annual growth in the share of services in GDP was 2.4%. In fiscal year 1993-1994, the service sector accounted for 22% of GDP (data include economic indicators for Eritrea). Until recently, Ethiopia was one of the poorest countries in the world, and its economy developed slowly. In the period from 1960 to 1974, the average annual growth in production did not exceed 4%. Revolutionary upheavals led to the fact that this figure in 1974-1979 fell to 1.4%. Due to rapid population growth, per capita output in 1985-1995 decreased annually by an average of 0.3%. During this decade, the population growth rate averaged 2.6% per year. Severe droughts and civil war also greatly affected the deterioration of living conditions. In the early 1990s, there were signs of an economic recovery. From 1989-1990 to fiscal years 1994-1995, the average GDP growth rate was 1.9%. In fiscal year 1996-1997, GDP increased by 7%. The main factor in improving the economic situation was foreign loans and financial assistance.

Economy Zambia depends on world prices for copper - the main export product of the country. In the 1960s and 1970s, copper export earnings enabled the government to maintain a relatively high standard of living (compared to many African countries). As a result of a significant increase in the cost of importing oil, a significant drop in world prices for copper and the mistakes of the economic policy of the government of K. Kaunda, Zambia already in the 80s faced a whole range of financial and economic problems. The inept implementation in the 90s of the IMF's programs for the structural restructuring of the economy led to an increase in unemployment and a further increase in inflation. The government of L. Mwanawasa is making efforts to curb negative trends in economic development. There is a process of privatization of state-owned companies. According to official government data, 257 (out of 280 scheduled for transfer into private hands) state and semi-state enterprises were privatized in 1991-2002. Zambian entrepreneurs acquired 56% of the privatized companies. In 2001-2002, foreign investments in the country's economy exceeded 100 million US dollars annually. Zambia receives financial assistance from the IMF under two programs - PRGF (a program to help fight poverty and accelerate economic growth, it received 110 million US dollars in 2002) and HIPC (a program for the most heavily indebted poor countries, it received 155 million in 2002 .3 million USD). In January 2003, L. Mwanawasa unveiled a national development transition plan through 2005.

Somalia - economically backward and poor country. It has scarce mineral resources, the basis of the country's economy is mainly nomadic and semi-nomadic animal husbandry. About 80% of the able-bodied population is employed in agriculture, mainly in animal husbandry; the sale of live cattle, meat products and skins brings the country over 80% of the total amount of export earnings. The share of industrial production in the national economy is very insignificant, and mineral resources do not pay off the costs of their development. Two factors adversely affected the state of the country's economy in the second half of the 1970s: first, a severe drought, which significantly reduced the number of livestock, and then the war with Ethiopia, as a result of which a stream of up to one million refugees poured from Ethiopia into Somalia. Even more damage was done to the country's economy by the inter-clan struggle that unfolded after the overthrow of the Siad Barre regime in 1991.

Kenya- an agricultural country, but its economy is different from the economy of many other countries in Africa. Kenya has not one but several export crops, a modern tourism industry and a strong manufacturing industry. During the colonial period, trade and commercial agriculture were in the hands of Europeans and Asians. The government of independent Kenya contributed to the strengthening of the role of Africans in all these areas.

The model of socialism adopted in Tanzania after gaining independence, was based on two basic principles - self-reliance and equal distribution of social wealth. Implementation of this model was fraught with great difficulties and proved untenable mainly due to the focus of the Tanzanian economy on the export of agricultural products. Despite the arid climate and other adverse natural conditions, agriculture is the backbone of Tanzania's economy.

In the 1970s, the country's economy developed at a relatively fast pace, which was associated with high world prices for Tanzanian export products. The policy of forced creation of "socialist villages" led to the alienation of the peasants from the land, and the rate of growth slowed down. In the late 1970s, Tanzania entered a period of economic crisis. The fall in world prices for Tanzanian exports, the global oil crisis and the burdensome war with Uganda led to a balance of payments disruption. Domestic political factors also played an important role. The state systematically underpaid the peasants for export products and accumulated a significant part of the income from exports. Therefore, the peasants faced a dilemma: either to produce less products, or to sell a significant part of it on the black market. The economy of the socialist type also assumed the presence of political restrictions on economic activity. The Arusha Declaration of 1967 forbade party functionaries and government officials from engaging in entrepreneurship and using hired labor. Despite the efforts of the Tanzanian leadership to prevent the personal enrichment of the party elite and civil servants, the economic crisis of the 1980s gave rise to a large-scale shadow economy. Party workers and government officials, faced with the inability to live on their salaries, took up entrepreneurial activities. Experts note that it is difficult to objectively assess the state of the Tanzania economy, since it is almost impossible to determine the scale of the shadow economy.

In the early 1980s, the Tanzanian government made several attempts to adjust economic policy, but this did not help the ailing socialist economy. In 1986, Tanzania negotiated with the IMF in order to obtain loans for the restructuring of the country's economy. The agreement reached meant a radical change in the economic course of the country, since the conditions for granting loans provided for the rejection of socialist methods of management. Like most reform countries, Tanzania is privatizing the public sector of agriculture and industry. The IMF also demanded trade liberalization and devaluation of the Tanzanian shilling. In recent years, as a result of the curtailment of social programs, the peasants have lost state support, and now they have to rely only on themselves.

Tanzania is still a predominantly agricultural country, with 85% of the rural population employed in the agricultural sector. In 1997, agricultural exports accounted for 60% of all export earnings. Although the IMF has named Tanzania as a successful economic restructuring country, the actual results are at best half-hearted. For the majority of peasants, production oriented to the domestic market often does not even provide a living wage.

Throughout the 19th century main exports Uganda were ivory and animal skins. Completion in 1901 of the construction of a railway line from Mombasa on the coast of the Indian Ocean to Kisumu (in present-day Kenya) on Lake. Victoria has reduced the cost of transporting exported goods. Missionaries and the protectorate's colonial authorities experimented with growing several crops. The choice was made in favor of cotton. Its first harvest was obtained in 1904, and in the next decade the collection increased so much that from 1915 the British Treasury stopped subsidizing the administrative apparatus of the protectorate.

At the same time, the authorities strongly encouraged the development of plantation farms of white settlers, who specialized in the production of rubber and coffee. By 1920, there were over 200 such farms in Uganda with a total area of 51,000 hectares, although almost three-fourths of these lands were not cultivated. When in 1920-1921 there was a fall in world prices for rubber and cotton, many white settlers were on the verge of bankruptcy and ceased production. In this situation, at the beginning of 1923, the authorities decided to support the small farms of African peasants. Thus, unlike Kenya and Zimbabwe, Uganda avoided many of the problems associated with the dominance of white settlers in the economy. In the 1920s, African farmers in Uganda began growing coffee, and in the 1950s the crop became a major source of export earnings, pushing cotton into the background.

During the colonial period and the first decade after independence, the government played a key role in economic planning. In the 1950s, major infrastructure projects such as the Owen Falls power station on the river were built by the government or with its participation. Victoria Nile in the Jinji region and the Kilembe copper pyrite mine in the far west of the country. The government created public corporations to fund development projects and streamlined cooperatives, disbanding those that were organized without a government license. Through the creation of state cooperatives, African farmers have been able to accumulate enough funds to purchase coffee processing and cotton ginning enterprises. During the period of independence, both legally elected and military representatives of Uganda significantly expanded the public sector and the scope of state regulation of the economy. This process continued until the late 1980s, when the government of the National Resistance Movement (DNM) began to reduce the regulatory role of the state in the economy: it stopped the practice of setting purchase prices for agricultural raw materials and initiated a program of selling state-owned enterprises into private hands. The government of the DNS abandoned the administrative regulation of the exchange rate of the national currency.

In 1971-1986, the national economy was destroyed by the pernicious policies of the military regime of Idi Amin and two wars that were fought within six years after the overthrow of the dictatorship. The expulsion of Indians from Uganda, who owned 90% of private sector enterprises, carried out in 1972 on the orders of Amin, practically destroyed it. During the reign of Amin, the economy continued to degrade due to the lawlessness that prevailed in the country, the expropriation of private property, the inability of the government to pay off the peasants for export products and maintain roads in order. The 1979 war, which toppled Amin's dictatorial regime, led to widespread looting that did as much damage to the economy as Amin's rule itself. The process of returning to civilian rule led to a new war in the central part of the country, which created serious obstacles to economic recovery. This entire period was characterized by rising inflation, corruption and domestic political instability. An economic revival began in the 1990s.

Seven months after coming to power, the Musaveni government began to pursue an economic course focused on the restoration of the public sector. This led to inflation unprecedented in the history of Uganda. In 1987, Uganda agreed to an economic restructuring program proposed by the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Up until 1999, the government generally adhered to the recommendations of international financial institutions.

In 1987-1997, Uganda achieved impressive economic success: the average annual GDP growth was at the level of 6%. In 1997 Uganda's GDP was approx. 6.5 billion dollars, and the annual income per capita - 320 dollars, which, taking into account purchasing power, exceeded 1,500 dollars. The share of money income was 77% of GDP. Thanks to strict and consistent economic policies, annual inflation dropped from 200% in 1988 to 6-10% in the mid-1990s. A significant incentive for investment in commercial agriculture in the 1990s was the road construction program. By 1999, the country had largely approached or even surpassed the level of crop production (with the exception of cotton) achieved in 1972.

Fuel and energy complex

Ethiopia has a powerful hydropower potential, which is estimated at about 60 billion kWh, which, however, is practically not used.

In the 70s Zambia completely self-sufficient in electricity and even began to export it to neighboring Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire). Several power plants were built - Kafue George, Kariba North, etc. However, the share of wood is about 50% of the fuel and energy balance of Zambia. Only 17% of the population is provided with electricity. Residents of most villages and even cities still use wood and charcoal for cooking and heating their homes. The Government attaches high priority to the electrification of rural areas. In 1998, the World Bank approved a $75 million loan to finance a project to modernize the Zambian energy industry.

In 1989 in the energy balance Kenya about 80% was wood, and among the remaining 20%, a significant part was oil, which was imported from the United Arab Emirates. Currently, 14% of the electricity required by the country is supplied by hydroelectric power plants on the river. Tana. Other power plants run on petroleum products; in addition, a geothermal station operates in the Olkaria region. A small amount of energy comes from the Owen Falls hydroelectric plant in Uganda. As a result of the widespread use of wood as an energy source, forest area decreased by 11% between 1975 and 1990. Forests are cut down to use the vacated land for arable land, and the wood is used for fuel and used in housing construction.

90% of the energy needs of the population and small enterprises Uganda are met by wood, mainly charcoal. In 1999, the capacity of the Owen Falls hydroelectric power station was increased from 180 to 240 thousand kW (in 1996, due to a decrease in domestic demand for electricity, it was reduced to 60 thousand kW). Uganda has no oil refining industry at all. In 1996, oil imports cost the country $91 million.

mining industry

Bosom Ethiopia poorly studied. Gold mining, mainly from poor deposits in the south and west, has long been a side industry for the local population. Since the late 1960s, the development of rich gold deposits near Kybre-Mengist (Adola) in the state of Sidamo has contributed to the growth of production of this metal. In the 1970s, gold production declined, but in 1986 it amounted to 923 kg. Recently, a gold deposit with a capacity of about 500 tons was discovered in the town of Laga-Dembi in the Wallega region. Iron ore is mined and processed on a modest scale. Significant deposits of iron ore and coal have been discovered in the areas of Wallega, Illubabor and Shoa, but development has not yet come to fruition there. There are reports that the subsoil of Ethiopia, primarily in the Ogaden and Gambel, contains significant reserves of oil and gas, and exploration work has been carried out there since the late 1980s. Table salt is mined in the country, but it is not enough to meet domestic needs. Deposits have been explored or mining is underway on a small scale of other minerals: copper, sulfur, potassium salt, platinum, oil, marble, mica, cinnabar and manganese.

The mining industry began to develop in Zambia even during the colonial period. The mining of copper ore is the main industry. A significant part of the Copper Belt (Copperbelt) is located on the territory of the country. Potentially the richest copper deposits are located near the Konkola area, which has 44.4 million tons of ore reserves. By 1969 the country had become the world's leading producer of crude copper. However, by the mid-1970s, copper smelting and income from its exports had noticeably decreased (due to falling copper prices on the world market). In 1996, the mining industry accounted for 10.8% of GDP and employed about 10% of the entire workforce. Extraction of purified copper in 2002 amounted to 309.7 thousand tons, and cobalt - 3.8 thousand tons. According to the Central Bank of Zambia, copper exports in 2002 amounted to 303.9 thousand tons (in 2001 - 271.8 thousand tons). The growth in production and export of copper is caused by the demand for it from China. In 2002, a new copper deposit was discovered in Solwezi, the reserves of which are estimated at 481 million metric tons. Cobalt, zinc, lead, gold, silver, selenium, and marble are mined from other minerals in the country. Emeralds, aquamarines, amethysts and a small amount of diamonds are mined. Zambian malachite is widely known in the world, especially the most valuable of its species - turquoise. In the mid-1990s, a significant proportion of the emeralds on the international market were of Zambian origin. In 1992, a new diamond deposit was discovered in the Western Province, in 2002 - in the Eastern Province. According to the department of geology, De Beers specialists have discovered about 100 kimberlite pipes in Zambia over the past 30 years. A serious problem for the government is the illegal export of precious stones. In 1999, about 70% of Zambian emeralds were taken out of the country illegally.

Uganda has limited mineral resources. Reserves of copper ore are estimated at 4 million tons, reserves of nickel, gold, tin, tungsten, bismuth and phosphorites are much less. Copper ore deposits in the Rwenzori mountain range were intensively exploited until 1979, when work was stopped due to falling world copper prices and the unstable situation during the reign of Amin. In 1970, 17 thousand tons of copper were produced. It is planned to annually extract up to 1 thousand tons of cobalt from dumps formed over many years of copper pyrite mining. In the southwestern part of the country, deposits of other minerals are being developed on a small scale. Foreign companies conducted gold prospecting in the northeast and southeast of Uganda and oil exploration at the bottom of lakes Albert and Edward.

Manufacturing industry

Manufacturing industry in Ethiopia underdeveloped, and in the 1993-1994 financial year, the share of its products in GDP was only 7%. Mainly there are enterprises for processing agricultural products and light industry. The main products of the manufacturing industry are textiles, food (sugar, flour, pasta, biscuits, canned meats and tomatoes), beer, shoes, cement, soap, alcoholic beverages, medicines and vegetable oils. Artisans make clothes, wood crafts, carpets and jewelry. Many manufacturing industries are concentrated near the urban centers of Addis Ababa, Harare and Dire Dawa. In 1975 the government nationalized 72 industrial enterprises and acquired the majority of shares in 29 enterprises. Industrial development is hampered by a shortage of electricity.

The development of industry depends on investments, primarily foreign ones. In order to attract foreign investors, a government decree was issued in 1950, according to which all new enterprises were exempted from paying taxes for the first five years. The decree provided that capital equipment could be imported into Ethiopia without paying customs duties, that the participation of the Ethiopian side would be kept to a minimum, and the investor had the right to transfer foreign exchange profits from Ethiopia abroad in proportion to the capital invested.

In 1975 the government nationalized large industrial enterprises, as well as banks, financial institutions and insurance companies. The socialist policy of the government provided for the functioning of three sectors in the Ethiopian economy. The main branches of industry, natural resources and public utilities have passed into state ownership. The mixed public-private sector included mining, paper and plastics, construction of large facilities, tourism, i.e. those areas that Ethiopia could not develop without the participation of foreign capital. The third sector of the economy, representing an extensive field of activity for private capital, included wholesale, retail and foreign trade, land transport, except for the railway, the food industry, the hotel business, and small enterprises of various profiles. At the same time, many private firms were nationalized.

The average annual growth rate in the industrial sector decreased from 6.4% in 1965-1973 to 3.8% in 1980-1987. From 1989-1990 to 1994-1995 financial years, the average annual growth rate of industrial production was 1.6%. However, there have been positive developments in the industry in recent years. Its share in GDP in the 1993-1994 financial year increased to 7.1%, and in the 1994-1995 financial year - up to 8%. Although the state still owns and operates some large industrial and commercial enterprises, the government has increased private investment in the economy and limited the economic role of the state.

Manufacturing industry in Zambia It is represented by several factories for the processing of agricultural raw materials, the production of beverages, cigarettes and paper. Trucks of Toyota, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen brands are assembled in Ndola.

Somalia is mainly engaged in the processing of agricultural raw materials (production of canned meat, sugar refining, leather tanning). Textile factories use local and imported cotton. Among the new industries are cement and oil refineries. About 4/5 of the country's industrial enterprises are included in the public sector of the economy. Industry employs 6% of the economically active population.

underdeveloped manufacturing industry Uganda significant damage was done during the years of internal political instability. Despite the growth of manufacturing in 1987-1997 from 5% to 9%, it still makes up an insignificant part of GDP. The country is forced to import most of its industrial products. Uganda's economy is highly vulnerable and dependent on world prices for the goods it exports and imports. The largest enterprises are factories for processing agricultural products: coffee, tea, sugar, tobacco, edible oils, cereals, milk and cotton. In addition, there are facilities for the production of beer and soft drinks, car assembly plants, textile factories, a copper and steel mill, cement, soap, shoes, furniture and animal feed factories. The work of many enterprises is disorganized due to the lack of spare parts, interruptions in the supply of raw materials, unsatisfactory transport and low productivity. Nevertheless, the textile industry has significantly increased output.

Agriculture

The temperate climate, fertile soils and abundant rainfall in most of the Ethiopian highlands create favorable conditions for the development of agriculture in Ethiopia. The main crops are wheat grown at higher altitudes in cooler climates, corn, millet and cereals grown at lower altitudes, as well as crops such as durro (a type of sorghum), teff (a type of millet with small grains, used for baking bread) and dagussa (from which black bread is baked). Coffee is an important export crop. In the 1994-1995 financial year, its share in export earnings was 66%. A significant part of the coffee crop is harvested on plantations in the state of Kefa. Other crops are cotton, date palm, sugar cane, beans and peas, oilseeds, chat (the leaves of which contain the drug), castor beans, fruits and vegetables.

Agriculture is a vital industry for Ethiopia. In 1996, it employed 85% of the working-age population, and agricultural production accounted for more than 50% of GDP. Most of the peasants run a consumer economy, many of them are nomadic pastoralists. At least half of the country's land is suitable for agriculture, including vast unused land in the south. In early 1975, the military government nationalized all land in the countryside, promising to distribute it among the peasants. The area of a private individual land plot should not exceed 10 hectares, the use of hired labor was prohibited. Peasant associations were created by government decree to carry out land reform. One such association united an average of 200 peasant households, initially the associations were given the right to resolve all land issues. Later, their powers were significantly expanded, including judicial functions (minor administrative and criminal offenses), maintaining order, and exercising local self-government. In 1979 the government announced plans to transform peasant associations into collective agricultural production associations.

The 17 years of Derg's rule had a detrimental effect on the agricultural sector. Labor productivity has plummeted due to the regime's attempts to force collectivization and set low state purchase prices for agricultural products. The implementation of programs to create new villages and the forced resettlement of peasants disorganized social and economic life in the Ethiopian village. The EPRDF, which overthrew the dictatorial regime of Mengystu Haile Mariam in May 1991, abolished state control over prices for agricultural products. The transitional government gave farmers the right to set minimum guaranteed prices for their crops. However, the authorities retained public ownership of the land.

Most of the territory of the Ethiopian plains, due to the lack of irrigation, is suitable only for pasture cattle breeding. Herds of cattle (mainly zebu), sheep and goats, as well as horses, donkeys and mules (the latter are highly valued as a vehicle for transporting goods and people), accompanied by shepherds, wander from place to place in search of food. Even despite the mediocre quality of the dressing, hides and skins are an important export item. In 1996, Ethiopia had about 30 million cattle, 22 million sheep, 16.7 million goats, 5.2 million donkeys, 2.75 million horses, 630,000 mules and 1 million camels. .

Since ancient times, important caravan routes passed through the territory of Ethiopia. The development of modern modes of transport began with the construction of the Franco-Ethiopian railway from Djibouti to Addis Ababa (since 1981 it became known as the Ethiopian-Djiboutian). Upon completion of construction in 1917, its length was 782 km (including 682 km in Ethiopia).

Zambia- agricultural country. Agriculture employs 50% of the economically active population. The area of fertile land is 47% of the country's territory, but only 6% is cultivated. A variety of climatic conditions makes it possible to grow many crops: corn, cassava, wheat, millet, melons, fruits, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, tobacco, sunflower, rice, etc. Due to the growth in the 90s of fruit exports to Europe at a rapid pace horticulture develops. Cattle breeding is developed in the southern and central regions. The country is dominated by subsistence farming. Relatively few farms producing marketable products (several hundred large plantation farms owned and managed by Europeans). The productivity of African peasant farms is extremely low due to backward agricultural technology, infertile soils and frequent droughts. Frequent droughts cause serious damage. Agriculture is inefficient, the country is forced to import food (mainly corn). In 2003 (for the first time in the last 10 years) an unprecedentedly high corn crop was harvested - 1.1 million tons.

Somalia forced to buy abroad significant amounts of food, primarily grain. Animal husbandry - breeding of cattle, camels, goats and sheep - is widespread in the northern and central regions of the country. Farming is developed in the southern regions, where important crops such as corn, sorghum, cassava, sesame, citrus fruits, sugarcane and cotton are grown. The only export crop is bananas, which are cultivated in the valleys and interfluves of the Jubba and Webi Shabelle. Crop development in much of Somalia is hampered by a lack of irrigation and drought protection measures.

The main branch of the economy Uganda is agriculture. With the exception of sugar cane, which is grown on plantations, all other crops are cultivated on small farms. For most of them, the hoe remains the main tool of labor, mechanization tools are rarely used. The main part of the products produced by the peasants is consumed by their families, the rest is sold on the domestic market or exported. Famine often occurs in different parts of Uganda, but in general the country is self-sufficient in food. The main crops are bananas in the south and west, millet or corn in the west, north and southeast, cassava in the northwest. Sweet potatoes, sorghum, legumes are grown everywhere.

Coffee is cultivated mainly in the central and western regions of the country. In 1996, a record export volume of this crop was recorded - 250 thousand tons. In 1997, 18.3 thousand tons of tea were exported. The main tea production area is the west of Uganda. In the same year, the export of tobacco grown in the northwest amounted to 9.2 thousand tons. Cotton is grown throughout the country, but the most favorable conditions for it exist in the north and east. In 1996, 20.7 thousand tons of cotton were harvested - significantly less than in the early 1970s. In 1997, the number of cattle amounted to 5.5 million heads, sheep - 1 million and goats - 6.3 million heads. Fishing is carried out in inland waters, in 1996 222 thousand tons were caught. In the 1990s, new freezing plants were built, which made it possible to export fish.

Despite the expansion of agricultural exports in the 1990s, coffee still remains the main export item. The production of traditional export crops - tea and tobacco - is gradually being restored, the collection of which fell sharply in the 1970s. If in the 1980s the share of coffee in exports was 95%, by 1998 it had dropped to 56%. The reason for this should be sought both in the increase in exports of tea (4%) and cotton (3%), and in the emergence of new export items - fish (7%) and gold (5%). Most of the gold comes to Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the 1990s, government investment was directed towards creating markets for grains, legumes, cut flowers, sesame, cocoa and vanilla.

From 1987 to 1997, the share of agriculture in GDP fell from 55% to 43%. As peace returned to much of the country, many Ugandans who used to rely on subsistence agriculture to support themselves are now free to devote themselves to other pursuits. Nevertheless, the share of food crops in total agricultural production in 1997 was 58%. The export of agricultural products, fish and skins in the same year provided the country with approx. 90% of foreign exchange earnings.

Transport

Before the start of the Italian occupation in Ethiopia several highways were built, the Italians left behind many new roads. During the Italo-Ethiopian war, transport infrastructure, especially bridges, suffered significant damage, and the repair of roads and their maintenance fell heavily on the state budget. The imperial government was well aware of the role of reliable communications in strengthening the central government and consolidating the country. In 1995, the total length of paved roads was 23.8 thousand km. The expansion of the road network was financed from the state budget and foreign aid. In 1995, the Ethiopian government announced the start of a road construction program, which was subsidized mainly by loans from the EU and the World Bank.

After the Second World War, a merchant marine fleet was created, and air transportation began. Aircraft of the Ethiopian state airline fly to all states of the country, and also connect Addis Ababa with the countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. In 1989, the volume of air transportation carried out by the Ethiopian airline was almost half that carried by all other African airlines. There are three international airports in the country (in Addis Ababa, Bahr Dar and Dire Dawa), domestic airports are available in all administrative centers and a number of large cities. The creation of civil aviation was made possible thanks to loans provided to Ethiopia by the US Export-Import Bank and the American Development Fund. Other types of transport services include intercity bus routes and transportation by boats on the Tana and Abay lakes and along the river. Baro. After Eritrea left Ethiopia in May 1993, the country lost the ports of Massawa and Assab on the Red Sea. However, the Eritrean government granted Ethiopia the right to use the port of Assab for receiving humanitarian aid to the starving and for foreign trade operations.

An integral part of the modernization of Ethiopia was the expansion of internal telephone communications. The first telephone lines were laid during the reign of Emperor Menelik II and later, primarily during the Italian occupation, the telephone network was significantly expanded. Since the early 1950s, the telephone and telegraph have connected Ethiopia with other countries in the world.

At the time of independence (1964) Zambia had one railway line and a single paved road. In 2003, the total length of railways was 2.24 thousand km. Two major railway lines, the Zambia Railways network, cross the country from north to south and link to National Railways Zimbabwe. The total length of motor roads in 2003 was 68.8 thousand km, including 7.3 thousand km of main paved highways. In 1997, the government launched an extensive 10-year road construction program funded by the World Bank. In 2003, there were more than 100 airports, airfields and runways in the country. The international airport (opened in 1967) is located 22.5 km from Lusaka. External and internal air passenger and transport services are carried out by private airlines. Zambia has the port of Mpulungu, located on Lake Tanganyika.

Railways and roads Kenya concentrated mainly in the south of the country. The main rail line runs from Mombasa, a deep water port on the Indian Ocean coast, through Nairobi to Uganda. There are also several side lines, the total length of railways is about 3 thousand km. The main cities are connected by a network of roads passing at any time of the year, with a total length of 70 thousand km (10% - with a hard surface). The highway connects Nairobi with Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Airports of international importance are located in the vicinity of Nairobi and Mombasa. In 1996, the national airline "Kenya Airways" was privatized and incorporated into the airline KLM in order to expand the network of air services.

AT Somalia there is a developed network of roads, mostly without a hard surface. The main road links Mogadishu and Hargeisa. Mogadishu has an international airport. The main seaports are Mogadishu, Berbera and Kismayo.

Total length of roads Tanzania is 90 thousand km, of which 18 thousand km are paved. The length of railways is 3.5 thousand km. The largest seaports in Tanzania are Dar es Salaam and Tanga. Coastal shipping is developed along the coast. There are three international airports - Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar.

Roads Uganda, once the envy of other African countries, fell into disrepair by the end of the 1980s. International financial organizations provided funds for the restoration of the destroyed road network. The total length of paved roads is 2.8 thousand km, unpaved roads 23.7 thousand km. The main railway links Kampala with the copper mining center of Kasese in the west, the cities of Jinja (with a copper smelter) and Tororo in the east, and the port of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast in Kenya. The construction of its northern branch from Tororo to Pakvachu, located on the river. Albert Nile near the lake. Albert, was completed only in 1964. By 1999, all passenger trains were suspended, except for the route from Kampala to Kenya. Delivery of the country's export cargo from the port of Mombasa is carried out both by road and by rail.

The only international airport is located near Kampala in Entebbe. In 1976, after the liquidation of the regional airline "East African Airlines", the national airline "Uganda Airlines" was created. Navigation is developed on lakes Victoria, Albert and Kyoga, however, communication between the settlements of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, located on the shores of Lake. Victoria, in recent years, has been associated with considerable difficulties due to the rapid overgrowth of its water area with hyacinths, especially within the ports.

Uganda's information network is underdeveloped, but is expanding rapidly. In 1986-1996, the number of postal items within the country increased by 50% and reached 6.8 million, the number of letters abroad - by 20%, reaching 3.3 million. During the same period, the number of telephone subscribers increased by 30%, to 76 500. In 1993, there was only one telephone per 1,000 people. An independent press is being activated in the country, which is almost entirely concentrated in Kampala. The largest circulation of 40 thousand copies has a daily newspaper "New Vision", published in English. This state-owned publication is given a lot of freedom in submitting editorials and other materials. The first issue of the newspaper was published in 1986. Its main competitor is the daily newspaper in English "Monitor" with about the same number of readers. The leading newspaper in the Mpanda language is Munno, published since 1911.

East and South Africa

East Africa. The region under consideration is almost entirely located in equatorial and tropical latitudes (only the southern part of Madagascar enters the subtropics). Its borders are more general geographical than cultural and historical in nature, reflecting the eastern position of the states located here (Table 8.5).

to; -*X)

Table 8.5 Sovereign States of East Africa (Including Island Territories): Statistical Data Bank

The country	... Area, thousand km 2	Population, million people	natural growth, %	Lifespan, years	Intake kcal/day	GDP
men	women	total, billion dollars	for 1 person, USD
Djibouti	23,2	0,5	2,0			2129,1	0,6
Zambia	752,6	11,3	2,1			1933,8	10,3
Zimbabwe	390,8	12,7	0,6			2075,7	24,0
Kenya	580,4	33,8	2,6			1886,1	39,5
Comoros	1,9	0,7	2,9			1 799,9	0,4
Mauritius	2,0	1,2	0,8			2 539,7	16,4	13 300
Malawi	587,0	18,0	3,0			1994,1	15,8
Malagasy Republic	118,5	12,2	2,4			2164.0	7,6
Mozambique	799,4	19,4	1,4			1 938,7	25,6 .
Seychelles	0,5	0,08	1,5			3125,3	0,6
Somalia	637,7	8,6	2,9			1555,0	4,8
Sudan	2 505,8	40,2	2,6			2 359,6	85,2
Tanzania	945,1	36,8	1,8			1939,6	26,6
Uganda	236,6	27,3	3,4			\|_ 2 238,1	46,0
Eritrea	127,3	4,6	2,5			1 646.1	4,5
Ethiopia	1 094,7	73,1	2,3			1803,0	59,9

However, it is impossible not to see some connecting threads of a historical, anthropological, linguistic and, of course, natural nature. So, England at the end of the XIX century. prepared plans for the creation of a continuous strip of possessions from Cairo to Cape Town (these plans were implemented only after the First World War), the annexation of the most valuable economic and geopolitical areas of Western Sudan and other territories. (A certain role in these plans was played by Egypt, which became completely dependent on England and France. In 1821, the Sudan was annexed by the troops of Muhammad Ali to the possessions of Egypt.) The English influence has survived to this day, at least in the mass spread of the English language, especially in port cities.

Common points are also manifested in the fact that, along with numerous representatives of the Caucasoid and Negroid large races, many peoples belonging to transitional anthropological types live here. A significant part of the inhabitants of Sudan speaks Arabic. The Somali language is spoken not only by the population of Somalia, but also by some of the inhabitants of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya. The Swahili language in East Africa has long acquired the status of interethnic communication, and so on. Certain parallels appear in the specialization of the economy of the East African countries. In many countries of the region, Indian business occupies a significant position in the economy, and so on.

Finally, some countries in East Africa "fasten" the Nile (countries of the Nile basin), the Indian Ocean (cabotage) and even the great African graben (fault zones are highly seismic and volcanic manifestations are observed here).

East Africa has unique natural and ethno-cultural features. Economically, most countries in the region are exporters of tropical agricultural products: sisal*, coffee, tea, coconut palm products, cloves, sugar, pepper. Some East African states export copper and other mining products. The manufacturing industry in the countries of the region is poorly represented.

Tanzania emerged as a union of two independent states - Republic of Tanganyika and People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pembas. Both parts - mainland and island, retaining the right to autonomy in certain matters, formed in 1964 a union - the United Republic of Tanzania. The formation of Tanzania was facilitated by the common geographical location, languages, customs, cultures and features of the historical development of its territories. The mainland of the country - Tanganyika - spread out

* Steel- silk grass, bast fiber obtained from the leaves of the agave and some other plant species, for the manufacture of ropes and coarse fabrics.

Elk along the coast of the Indian Ocean, island - on the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia. The area of Tanganyika is 942.6 thousand km 2, Zanzibar - 2.6 thousand km 2.

During the colonial period, Tanganyika and Zanzibar were part of German East Africa, were a protectorate and mandated territory of Great Britain, as well as a United Nations trust territory with British administration. Currently, Tanzania is a presidential republic, it is part of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain.

Most of the country's mainland, with the exception of a narrow strip of the coast of the Indian Ocean, is located within the East African Plateau. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba are geologically young and are composed of coral limestones. The territory of the country is crossed by three branches of the Great African Graben. An extinct volcano is located here kilimanjaro with the highest peak Kibo(5,895 m), active - Meru(4,567 m), Giant Craters Highlands (Ngo-rongoro etc.) and many mountains. The coastal lowland (width 180 km, length - about 900 km) is bordered by coral reefs from the ocean. It is dug by the valleys of the rivers Panga-ni (Ruvu), Rufiji, Ruvuma and others, the waters of which form alluvial deposits in the floodplains.

Unlike the mainland, the surface of the islands is low (up to 120 m high). A significant part of Zanzibar occupies a karst area. The relief of Tanzania is generally favorable for economic activity. In the bowels of the country there are various minerals. They are concentrated mainly in the north and southwest, to a lesser extent - on the central plateau, coastal lowland and island territory. In the north there are deposits of diamonds (technical and jewelry), gold. Gold is also found in the southwestern part, where silver and molybdenum sulfide are mined along with it, and in the center of the country. Tanzania has significant coal resources. There are several coal basins in the southwest. Of the ore minerals, iron ore should be noted in the southwest in the area of coal deposits. The metal content in the ore reaches 48% in some cases. Manganese iron ores were found on the Ufipa plateau (west of the country). In the western part of the country there is an ore field of non-ferrous metals Mpanda (lead, copper). In the north and west there are deposits of tin, nickel, niobium. Phosphorites are found in the northeast and in the center, there are small deposits of apatite, beryllium, tantalum, lead and zinc, tungsten, chromium, precious stones. The lakes contain deposits of soda and table salt.

The sources of hydropower are the rivers of Tanzania. Their transport value is small. On the territory of the country there are 370

many lakes. The largest of them - Victoria, Tanganyika *, Nyasa (Malawi) - are located on the border of Tanzania with Kenya and Uganda. The lakes abound in fish, waterfowl, and are used for transportation.

The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, as well as the coastal mainland of the country, are considered promising for oil. Significant reserves of construction and pottery raw materials (limestone, clay) and some other minerals have been discovered.

Despite its proximity to the equator, various types of savannas are characteristic of Tanzania. Along with the forests of miombo ** savannas occupy most of the country's territory. The mountainous regions are covered with powerful virgin forests. Valuable tree species grow here: ebony, yellow and camphor, ficus, wild olives, etc. However, these forests occupy a relatively small area. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba are covered with secondary scrub and cultivated vegetation. Mangroves are located in the lowlands.

Tanzania is one of the few countries on the African continent where representatives of a rich tropical fauna have been preserved in natural conditions. However, the animal world has become significantly impoverished as a result of prolonged extermination. Large animals are preserved mainly in nature reserves and national parks. The largest of them - Serengeti, Mantra, Ngorongoro, Rua-ha, Mikumi. Protecting the nature of unique landscapes has become an integral part of Tanzania's national policy.

Main part population The country is concentrated on the mainland, 600 thousand people live on the islands (1.9% of the total). The most populated areas are located on the outskirts of the country and are separated by vast, almost deserted spaces. The share of urban residents is about 30%. The largest are Dar es Salaam (1.5 million), Dodoma(capital, 200 thousand), Tanga, Zanzibar, Mwanza, Mbeya.

Dodoma is located in the central part of Tanzania, on a plateau up to 1,290 m high, 320 km from the eastern coast of the Indian Ocean. The city was founded at the end of the 19th century. as one of the colonial settlements in German East Africa. In the first decade of the XX century. the Germans who settled here began the construction of a railway station and the laying of a railway that was supposed to connect the city with large settlements of the country, including its economic and cultural center - the port of Dar es Salaam. At the end

* Lake Tanganyika is the second deepest (after Baikal) lake in the world. Its maximum depth in the southern part is 1470 m.

** Miombo forests cover more than 300,000 km2 in the center and south of the country. These are dry light forests, consisting mainly of brachystegia shrubs.

During World War I, Dodoma became part of the colonial possessions of Great Britain. In the early 1960s, after the formation of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dodoma received the official status of the administrative center of the province of the same name. In 1993, Dodoma became the official capital of Tanzania. The residences of the government and the president of the country were moved to Dodoma, but foreign embassies, as well as most government agencies, industrial enterprises, banks and offices, remain in the former capital, Dar es Salaam.

The ethnic composition of the population of Tanzania is quite complex. There are more than 120 different nationalities in the country. At the same time, the nationalities of the group absolutely predominate. Bantu(Swahili, Makon-de, Wanyamwezi, Wagogo, Vapare, etc.) and Nilotic; Arabs, South Asians and Europeans account for just over 1% of the total population. The official language, along with English, is the African language Swahili, which is increasingly becoming the national language.

The main sector of the economy, which employs 80% of the economically active population, is Agriculture. The leading place in it is occupied by agriculture. Food crops for consumer purposes (corn, millet, sorghum, cassava, sweet potato, bananas, oilseeds, legumes) account for 60% of all agricultural products and are grown in almost all regions of the country. The leading export crops are coffee, cotton, tea, cashew nuts, cloves, sisal, tobacco, corn, rice. Animal husbandry is unproductive. Agriculture as a whole provides 56% of GDP and 80% of export earnings.

Industry is underdeveloped (15% GDP). The main place in it is occupied by the extraction of diamonds, which provide the main export of minerals. Other mineral resources are mined. There are enterprises of light and food industries. There are factories for the production of chemical products, building materials, pulp and paper products, rolled sheets, hardware, and for the assembly of engineering goods.

basis transport are railways (3.5 thousand km). The role of motor roads is growing (81.9 thousand km, with hard surface - 10.3 thousand km). Navigation on the lakes is of great importance. The most important seaports are Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Tanga, Zanzibar. There are three international airports - Dar es Salaam, Arusha (Kilimanjaro) and Zanzibar.

Foreign economic relations carried out mainly with the industrially developed countries of the West. Tanzania has a significant trade turnover with neighboring African countries and Asian states. At the same time, foreign tourism is an important source of foreign exchange earnings for Tanzania. The main tourist sites of the country are the coast of the Indian Ocean,

about. Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, waterfalls, national parks and reserves.

Among the island states, in many respects, it stands out Republic of Madagascar, located on the island of the same name. Madagascar and nearby small islands (Nosy Be, Nosy Buraha, Barren, etc.).

States in the Indian Ocean. Islands in the Indian Ocean belonging to Africa - Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion, Mauritius and Seychelles- embody the simultaneous ethno-cultural influence of the African, Asian, Arab and European worlds. Their impact on the appearance of the region is manifested in various proportions. So, Madagascar and the Comoros were the possessions of France, while Réunion still remains a French overseas department. Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain in 1968. Since 1976, the Seychelles have been independent, which, like the Comoros, are part of the Commonwealth led by Great Britain.

Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world after Greenland, New Guinea and Kalimantan. The coast of Madagascar is slightly indented, the length of the coastline is 5 thousand km. Shallow waters and coral reefs in the west, a chain of lagoons and dunes in the east, steep rocky coasts in the north and south make it difficult to access the island. Deep-water sheltered bays are rare. Convenient natural harbors include Diego Suarez and Antungila in the north.

The nature of the country is very diverse. The central part of the island is occupied by the High Plateau, or Imerina Plateau. In the east, it breaks off with steep slopes to the ocean coast, which is a narrow lowland. In the west, the plateau gradually turns into a zone of gently sloping and uneven terrain, overlooking the Mozambique Channel.

Much of the High Plateau is made up of mountains and valleys, jagged ridges and deep gorges, and chaotically scattered hills. The highest point in Madagascar - the peak of Marumuktra (2876 m) is located in the north of the island in the Tsaratanana mountains, where wild wooded slopes alternate with narrow valleys and dangerous abysses. In the center and in the south there are also mountain ranges, between which lie vast flat depressions and valleys. The valleys are covered with alluvial soils favoring agriculture. The depressions are often occupied by lakes or swampy.

The climate of Madagascar is exceptionally diverse. This is facilitated by the elevated central massif and the double sea front of the island, as well as the fact that it stretches from north to south for more than 1500 km. At the same time, most of the island lies in the tropical climate zone, in the area of cyclones.

The flora of the island is remarkable for its uniqueness. Of the 12 thousand plant species, about 10 thousand are peculiar only to him. Therefore, the plant world here forms a separate Madagascar floristic subregion. Equally unique is the fauna of Madagascar, which also represents a separate zoogeographic region. Many rare and endemic animals are protected by law. More than a dozen national parks and reserves have been created in the country.

The bowels of Madagascar have not been fully studied, but the available data indicate the presence of great wealth here. On the east coast, deposits of graphite are being developed, for the production of which the island occupies one of the first places in the world. Mica is mined in the south, and chromite deposits have been discovered in the center of the island. Deposits of coal, bituminous sandstones, iron ores, bauxites, deposits of nickel, lead-zinc ores and other minerals are known. In various places of the island, there are also various precious and semi-precious stones - garnets, tourmalines, topazes, spinels, etc.

Almost the entire population of the country (99%) are Malagasy - a people of mixed origin, consisting of many ethnic groups. In addition to them, immigrants from the Comoros, Indians and Pakistanis, Arabs, Chinese, French live on the island. The official languages in the state are Malagasy and French. About half of the total population adheres to local traditional beliefs, almost the same number are Christians (Protestants and Catholics), the rest are Muslims, Buddhists, Taoists.

The most populated are the central regions of the island, where the capital of the state is located - Antananarivo(over 1 million inhabitants), and the east coast. Natural population growth is high.

The Republic of Madagascar (formerly a French colony) has existed as a sovereign state since 1960. In terms of the level and nature of economic development, Madagascar is an agrarian country. AT agriculture more than 3/4 of the active population is employed. The share of the agricultural sector in GDP reaches 1/3, while agricultural products provide over 4/5 of foreign exchange earnings. Most of the rural population is engaged in subsistence and semi-subsistence farming. The main food crop in the country is rice, which makes up more than half of the Malagasy diet. Rice is grown everywhere, even in the mountains. The next most important crops are corn and sorghum. While corn, like rice, is grown throughout the island, sorghum is predominantly grown in the south. Cassava, potatoes, beans, bananas, sweet potatoes and yams are also grown for domestic consumption. Among the export crops, coffee is in the first place.

The main coffee production area is the east coast, the High Plateau and about. Nosy Be. Vanilla is also grown for the foreign market (Madagascar ranks first in the world in the production and export of this crop), cloves (second place in the world), pepper, sugar cane, sisal, tobacco, cocoa, tea, and ethereal plants. Cotton is of great importance. It is noteworthy that temperate fruits (apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots) and vegetables grow on the island. Animal husbandry has not received significant development. Fishing is considered a promising sector of the economy.

Industry poorly developed. Its share in the country's GDP does not exceed 13 %. In total, there are about a thousand industrial enterprises on the island, including printing houses, bakeries and confectioneries, small carpentry and furniture workshops. Small and medium-sized enterprises account for about 70% of all workers in the industry. More than half of the total number of industrial enterprises is concentrated in the capital province.

mining industry, despite the diversity of mineral resources, it is underdeveloped. The main products are graphite, mica and chrome ore. Quartz, beryl, tantalite, semi-precious stones, building materials are mined in small quantities. The shortage of fuel and energy resources makes Madagascar's power industry dependent on expensive imported fuel. Manufacturing industry It is represented mainly by enterprises of primary processing of agricultural raw materials. The largest and most modern industry here is sugar industry. The textile industry and the production of building materials are developing. There are small car assembly and shipbuilding plants and other small enterprises.

Remains underdeveloped transport. There is no unified national transport system in Madagascar. The total length of single-track railways does not reach 1,000 km. They connect Antananarivo and Fianarantsoa to the ocean coast. The main mode of transport in the country is automobile. The road network has a length of almost 50 thousand km and is most developed in the central and eastern parts of the island. An important role is played by aviation (in domestic transportation) and maritime transport. The main port in foreign trade and coastal communications is Tamatave.

The leading foreign trade partners of Madagascar are the EU countries (primarily France and Germany), as well as the USA, Japan, and South Africa.

South Africa(Table 8.6). A few decades ago, the mention of South Africa in the Soviet press was associated primarily with racism, apartheid, anti-colonial

Table 8.6 Sovereign Countries of South Africa: A Statistical Data Bank

The country	.0 g, oh"	X I 3	shitty ost, %	Lifespan, years	Consumption	GDP
§ 3 C n	Nasele	Estes nature	men	women	kcal/day	total, billion dollars	for 1 person, USD
Botswana	581,7	1,6	-0,04			2 288,0	16,6
Lesotho	30,4	1,9	-0,5			2 300,0	6,1	3 300
Namibia	825,1	2,0	0,6			2095,6	15,8
Swaziland	17,4	1,2	-0,2			2698,2	6,2	5 300
South Africa	1221,0	44,3	-0,4			2 805,4	527,4

the struggle of the African peoples. This is how the Russian coryphaeus of African studies Yu.D. Dmitrevsky characterized this macro-region: “South Africa is a region that is the last stronghold of colonialism and racism in this part of the world. If we exclude the small island possession of Great Britain - the island of St. Helena, the region includes the imperialist state of South Africa, Namibia annexed by it, the British possession of Southern Rhodesia, the ruling circles of which illegally proclaimed "independence" (under the rule of the white minority) unrecognized by anyone "(1975) etc. Since then, much has changed: the apartheid regime fell, and representatives of the indigenous black population came to power in South Africa; gained sovereignty neighbors South Africa - Angola, Mozambique and Namibia. The contours of the South African macro-region itself began to be considered somewhat differently (in particular, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe and Malawi were more often attributed to other macro-regions of the African continent).

In the south of the African continent is the largest mining area Africa, covering the territory of the Republic of South Africa (South Africa), Botswana, Namibia (as well as Zimbabwe, which we refer to East Africa). The region is one of the richest and most unique territorial combinations of mineral resources in the world. Almost all (with the exception of oil, natural gas, bauxite) fuel resources, ore and non-metallic minerals necessary for the development of a modern economy are being developed here. First of all, this applies to South Africa, which holds a leading position in

in the world in terms of reserves and production of many minerals, including strategic types.

The importance of commercial agriculture in the countries of South Africa is also great.

Republic Of South Africa, located in the south of the continent, until 1961 it was called the Union of South Africa and was part of the British Commonwealth as a dominion. For many years, the country was associated in political perception with a harsh racist regime of "separate development" of ethnic groups of the population - the policy of apartheid, which actually amounted to discrimination by the ruling white minority of citizens with dark skin color. At present, the country has a constitution adopted in 1996, based on the principles of the separation of powers and the rejection of apartheid.

The Republic of South Africa lies in the tropical and subtropical latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. The territory of South Africa is 4.2% of the area of the entire continent. At the same time, the country occupies a strategic position in the hub of transport communications of global importance.

The nature of South Africa is dominated by landscapes of savannahs and woodlands, semi-deserts and deserts, replacing each other from east to west. Separate territories (mountainous southeast) are covered with humid subtropical forests, as well as Mediterranean vegetation (areas of the Cape of Good Hope). In general, natural landscapes have a complex alternation, forming a very variegated picture. Numerous representatives of the animal world look bright against its background. To preserve the natural originality in South Africa, national parks and reserves have been created. (In total, there are about 300 provincial reserves, 16 national parks and one protected lake in the country. The Kalahari-Hemsbok, Kruger, Natal, Hluhluwe national parks and the Faldam, Giants Castle, Mkuze, St. Lucia, etc. national parks are world famous.)

By the nature of the relief of South Africa is a giant "amphitheater". The internal elevated plateaus on the coast of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans are replaced by narrow plains. The coastline is slightly indented, there are no convenient natural bays.

The diversity of the geological structure has determined the exceptional wealth of the country in minerals, including strategic species. In total, about sixty types of mineral raw materials have been discovered on the territory of the country. South Africa occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of reserves and production of gold, platinum, diamonds, antimony, uranium and manganese ores, chromites, vanadium, asbestos, etc. Almost all the most important deposits are located in the interior of the country. The disadvantage of the mineral resource base of South Africa is the lack of oil deposits and

native gas. The energy potential of the rivers is insignificant. In this regard, the main place in the fuel and energy balance is occupied by hard coal, in terms of the reserves of which the country is the leader on the continent.

Population South Africa in numerical terms (over 43 million people) is second only to four countries in Africa: Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Congo (DRC). At the same time, the country's average annual population growth rate (1.3%) is now one of the lowest on the continent, which in the future will lead to a change in the current numerical ratio.

The population of the country is distinguished by the complexity of the ethnic structure. The vast majority (75%) of the country's inhabitants are represented by the indigenous peoples of the Bantu. (Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Pedi, Suto, Tsonga, Swazi, Ndebele etc.), as well as Bushmen(san) and Hottentots(koikoins) - the most ancient inhabitants of the south of the continent. Over 10% of the population are descendants of immigrants from Europe, mainly Afrikaners (Boers) and the British, who fiercely fought among themselves during the Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The rest are people of mixed origin, which in South Africa are called colored people, or calerd people, as well as people from Asian countries, mainly from India. Most of them are the descendants of Indians who were imported under contracts in the second half of the 19th century. to work on plantations. There are also numerous Chinese, Malays, Sri Lankans. Meanwhile, South Africa differs from other countries in Africa mainly because it has a large white population - about one in eight inhabitants of the republic.

The vast majority of the population (77%) are Christians (mostly Protestants). About a fifth of the inhabitants adhere to traditional beliefs, the rest profess Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.

South Africa is the most urbanized country in Africa, with almost half of the population living in cities. Port cities stand out - Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London. The largest center of the country, its financial and commercial capital is the two-millionth Johannesburg. About two million people live in Cape Town (seat of parliament). The capital has one and a half million inhabitants - Pretoria. The millionth Durban is the most Indian city in Africa - half of its population are Indians.

Pretoria is not only the capital of the Republic of South Africa, but also the administrative center of the Transvaal province. The population of Pretoria has more than 1.5 million inhabitants, who are nationally divided into Africans (65 %), mestizos (12%) and immigrants from Europe (English and Afrikaners). The city is located on a stepped plateau at an altitude of 1370 m above

sea level, on the banks of the river. Tswana. This area is dominated by a subtropical climate, which determines positive temperatures throughout the year.

Story Pretoria began in 1837, when the Boer Andries Pretorius built the first farm on the site. The city that formed here was called Pretoria. In 1860, Pretoria was declared the capital of the Republic of South Africa, as the Boer Republic of Transvaal was officially called. Since 1910, the city has become the capital of the Union of South Africa, and since 1961 - South Africa. Currently, Pretoria is one of the most developed capitals in Africa, both industrially and culturally. Pretoria plays an important role in the public life of the country. In the capital of South Africa there are many museums, theaters, institutions of higher education, including the University of Pretoria, the University of South Africa, the Directorate of Agricultural Research, which is subordinate to 11 institutes, the South African Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Geological Survey of South Africa, the Rad -cliff", etc.

The beginning of the European exploration of southern Africa was laid by the Dutch, who in 1662 founded the Cape Colony here in the area of present-day Cape Town. The main occupation of the settlers was extensive agriculture and cattle breeding, based on the exploitation of the enslaved local population. Later to the Dutch Boer colonists, who later began to call themselves Afrikaners the French and finally the British joined. At the beginning of the XIX century. the British government annexed the Cape Colony and Natal (in 1856 the latter was separated into a separate colony). Under pressure from the British, the Boers were forced to move to the interior of South Africa (the "Great Track"), where they formed a number of independent republics (Transvaal, Orange Free State), where the practice of semi-slavish exploitation of local tribes continued. The African population eventually turned out to be forced into areas with marginal lands, which later became the basis of reserves, and then bantustan*. The consequences of colonization were heavy losses suffered by Africans during wars and uprisings, as well as the disappearance of many tribes and peoples.

The desire of Great Britain to dominate South Africa and further advance deep into the continent along the Cape Town - Cairo line led to the capture of the last independent territories.

* Bantustans (homelands) - pseudo-state formations in South Africa, created and existed during the apartheid policy in order to separate the European and non-European population. In total, there were 10 bantustans - Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, Ciskei, Gazankulu, Lebova, Kuakua, KwaZulu, Kangwane and Kwandebele.

The rhetoric of the South African Bantu and, ultimately, to the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, which ended with the capture of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State by Great Britain. In 1910, these territories, together with the Cape Colony, were united into the Union of South Africa (SA), which became a British dominion - a self-governing part of the British Empire. In 1961, South Africa was transformed into the Republic of South Africa.

Modern South Africa is a unitary republic with elements of federalism. The country's policy is based on the principle of separation of powers and the rejection of apartheid. Under the current Constitution, South Africa is divided into 9 provinces: Western Cape(capital Cape Town), Eastern Cape (Bisho), Northern Cape (Kimberley), Free State (Bloemfontein), KwaZulu-Natal, North Western Province (Mabata), Goteng (Johannesburg), Mpumalanga (Neletpreit), Northern Province (Petersburg). It is noteworthy that one of them (KwaZulu-Natal) provides for a monarchical form of government. Another constitutional detail is related to the distribution of power: Pretoria in the province of Goteng is the administrative capital of the state, Cape Town (Western Cape) is the legislative capital, Bloemfontein (the Free State or Free Province, where the Orange Free State used to be located - a legacy of the Boer War) is the judicial capital.

South Africa is the only one in Africa industrial-agrarian a country in the conventional sense of the term (states with a high proportion of extractive industries, such as Libya, are not taken into account). Occupying only 4% of the territory of the continent, the republic produces almost 30% of the gross, over 40% of the industrial and 30% of the agricultural product in Africa. In terms of GDP, the country is in 20th place in the world. At the same time, the economy of South Africa retains many features characteristic of peripheral states.

Industries remain dominant mining industry. One of them - gold mining - is the main one in the entire economy. South Africa concentrates more than half of all predicted gold reserves in the world and almost a third of its production. The country occupies a leading position in terms of uranium reserves, which is mined as a by-product during the processing of gold-bearing ores. South Africa is in the first or one of the first places in the world in the extraction of manganese ore, chromites, vanadium, titanium, platinum group metals, antimony, as well as iron ore, copper and other minerals.

South Africa is the world's largest diamond producer. They are developed by the transnational concern De Beers, which owns all diamond mining in the country and controls the world diamond market. Technology of extraction and processing of al-

maz, gold and other minerals in South Africa surpasses similar European and American systems.

With the discovery and extraction of gold, diamonds and other minerals, not only modern history is connected, but also the geography of the economy of this country. Intensive development of mineral resources has led to the formation of large mining areas. The most important of them is Witwatersrand (Rand) occupying the small province of Goteng. Here lies gold, uranium raw materials, coal, diamonds and many other minerals. To the north of this area is the so-called Bushveld complex, where the world's largest deposits of platinum group metals, chromites, iron-titanium and other ores are located. To the east stretches the High Veld with deposits of chromites, vanadium ores, and asbestos. Southwest of the Witwatersrand lies the Kimberley region with the famous kimberlite pipes, igneous rocks containing diamonds.

The mining industry of South Africa provides 2/3 of the value of the country's exports. South African mineral raw materials, supplied to almost 100 countries of the world, are a global resource base. At the same time, the specialization of South Africa in the world mining industry is determined primarily by the development of gold, uranium and diamonds.

Fuel and energy industry South Africa is based on coal and uranium resources. Coal is used not only for the needs of the electric power industry, but is also exported, mainly to Japan. South Africa produces a significant amount of electricity - more than half of the African level. The main volume of electricity is produced at thermal power plants. The share of HPPs and NPPs is insignificant.

Among industries manufacturing industry an important place belongs black and non-ferrous metallurgy. Section steel, rails, steel sheets are produced at metallurgical plants in Pretoria, Vanderbeilpark, Newcastle. The production of ferroalloys and special grades of steel is concentrated in Vereeniching, Witbank. South Africa is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of ferrochromium, ferromanganese and electrolytic manganese. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by a number of copper smelting plants in the areas of copper ore deposits, aluminum (Richrds Bay), zinc (Springs) and the world's largest gold refining (cleaning) enterprise in Germiston.

Significant development has also been metalworking and mechanical engineering. The country produces various types of mining equipment, process plants for chemical plants, rolling mills, equipment for power plants, engines and vehicles, electrical

Czech and radio electronic products. Leading centers are located in areas of metallurgical production, in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban. (South Africa has created industries military industry, producing almost all types of military equipment and weapons. There are opportunities to organize the production of nuclear weapons. The main military-industrial centers are Johannesburg, Cape Town, Sasolburg, Durban.)

Among the most developed branches of the manufacturing industry is chemical industry. Explosives, mineral fertilizers, plastics and synthetic resins, pharmaceuticals, etc. are produced at Modderfontein (in the Johannesburg region), Somerset West (in the Cape Town region) and Umbogintwin (in the Durban region). operate in Durban and Cape Town. The production of artificial liquid fuel from coal has reached a significant scale. It is established in Sasolburg (Free State) and Sekunda (Goteng).

The products of numerous food and light industry enterprises meet the needs of the domestic market. Vegetable, fruit and fish canned food, cane sugar are of export importance. The production of building materials is carried out on a significant scale in the country.

The largest area of employment in South Africa is an agriculture. More than 30% of the economically active population, predominantly African, is concentrated in it. The country fully provides domestic needs for food and a significant amount of agricultural products. It exports. The main industry is agriculture. Wheat and sorghum, corn, sugarcane, peanuts, tobacco, grapes used in winemaking, citrus and other fruits are grown. Meat animal husbandry is developed, mainly sheep breeding. A significant amount of wool is exported. Almost all agricultural products come from farms owned by Afrikaners.

Rapid development in recent decades has received fishing. It is carried out especially intensively along the western coast. Among African countries, South Africa ranks first in the catch of marine fish and the export of fish products.

South Africa is the only country in Africa that is well endowed transport. The main role in domestic transportation is played by iron drogues. The configuration of the rail network is radial, centered on Johannesburg. From there, road lines lead to ports. South Africa is connected by several lines with Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The configuration of roads as a whole repeats the pattern of railway tracks. Several highways connect the country with neighboring states.

Maritime transport serving foreign trade relations is of exceptional importance for South Africa. The main seaports are Cape Town and Durban. At the same time, they are the base for shipping in the Southern Hemisphere and are of strategic importance. Foreign relations are also served by air transport. Pipelines ensure the delivery of oil and oil products from ports to major industrial centers.

The main trading partners of South Africa are Great Britain, Germany, USA, Japan, Italy. In recent years, there has been a desire to expand foreign economic relations with other states, including African ones.

Africa is the largest platform region of tropical land in terms of area, is characterized by high values of total solar radiation and is considered the hottest continent on the globe. Its natural peculiarity also lies in the aridity of the climate, in the extremely uneven distribution of water resources and the relatively low average water supply compared to other areas of the Earth's tropical land. Desertification of the region occurs under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors.

The natural resource factor plays an exceptional role in the development of the region. The development of natural resources in the region is carried out in forms that were dictated from outside and in most cases did not contribute to the economic development of the region. At present, this process is determined by the terms of trade with the leading industrial countries.

The region is one of the world leaders in terms of natural population growth and ethnic diversity. Here are countries with the highest birth rate in the world, many of them are home to dozens of ethnic groups, often located on the territory of two or more states. The majority of sub-Saharan Africa's population lives in rural areas, due to the agrarian nature of the economy.

At the present stage, the threat of crisis situations in the “nature-society” system has become noticeably aggravated in the region. The main reason for this is the increased anthropogenic pressure on the natural environment due to the growing role of demographic and technical and technological factors associated with the process of urbanization and the introduction of new productive equipment in resource industries.

Among the states of the region in terms of the level of economic development, a special place is occupied by the Republic of South Africa - the only industrial and agrarian country on the continent, where

1. Specify factors

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Chapter 9

Anglo-Saxon America: post-industrial transformation

Africa is a part of the world with an area of \u200b\u200bwith islands of 30.3 million km 2, this is the second place after Eurasia, 6% of the entire surface of our planet and 20% of the land.

Geographical position

Africa is located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres (most), a small part in the Southern and Western. Like all large fragments of the ancient mainland Gondwana, it has a massive outline, large peninsulas and deep bays are absent. The length of the continent from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east - 7.5 thousand km. In the north it is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, in the northeast by the Red Sea, in the southeast by the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Africa is separated from Asia by the Suez Canal, from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar.

Main geographical features

Africa lies on an ancient platform, which determines its flat surface, which in some places is dissected by deep river valleys. On the coast of the mainland there are few lowlands, the northwest is the location of the Atlas Mountains, the northern part, almost completely occupied by the Sahara desert, is the Ahaggar and Tibetsi highlands, the east is the Ethiopian highlands, the southeast is the East African plateau, the extreme south is the Cape and Draconian mountains The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m, Masai plateau), the lowest is 157 meters below sea level in Lake Assal. Along the Red Sea, in the Ethiopian Highlands and to the mouth of the Zambezi River, the world's largest fault in the earth's crust stretches, which is characterized by frequent seismic activity.

Rivers flow through Africa: Congo (Central Africa), Niger (West Africa), Limpopo, Orange, Zambezi (South Africa), as well as one of the deepest and longest rivers in the world - the Nile (6852 km), flowing from south to north (its sources are on the East African plateau, and it flows, forming a delta, into the Mediterranean Sea). The rivers are high-water only in the equatorial zone, due to the large amount of precipitation there, most of them are characterized by high flow speed, have many rapids and waterfalls. In lithospheric faults filled with water, lakes were formed - Nyasa, Tanganyika, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest after Lake Superior (North America) - Victoria (its area is 68.8 thousand km 2, length 337 km, max depth - 83 m), the largest salty drainless lake is Chad (its area is 1.35 thousand km 2, located on the southern outskirts of the largest desert in the world, the Sahara).

Due to the location of Africa between two tropical zones, it is characterized by high total solar radiation, which gives the right to call Africa the hottest continent on Earth (the highest temperature on our planet was recorded in 1922 in El Azizia (Libya) - +58 C 0 in the shadow).

On the territory of Africa, such natural zones are distinguished as evergreen equatorial forests (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Congo depression), in the north and south turning into mixed deciduous-evergreen forests, then there is a natural zone of savannahs and light forests, extending to Sudan, East and South Africa, to Sevre and southern Africa savannas are replaced by semi-deserts and deserts (Sahara, Kalahari, Namib). In the southeastern part of Africa there is a small zone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains - a zone of hard-leaved evergreen forests and shrubs. The natural zones of mountains and plateaus are subject to the laws of altitudinal zonation.

African countries

The territory of Africa is divided among 62 countries, 54 are independent, sovereign states, 10 are dependent territories belonging to Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and France, the rest are unrecognized, self-proclaimed states - Galmudug, Puntland, Somaliland, the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). For a long time, the countries of Asia were foreign colonies of various European states and only by the middle of the last century gained independence. Africa is divided into five regions based on geographic location: North, Central, West, East and South Africa.

List of African countries

Nature

Mountains and plains of Africa

Most of the African continent is a plain. There are mountain systems, uplands and plateaus. They are presented:

the Atlas Mountains in the northwestern part of the continent;
the Tibesti and Ahaggar uplands in the Sahara desert;
Ethiopian highlands in the eastern part of the mainland;
Dragon Mountains in the south.

The highest point in the country is Mount Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5,895 m, belonging to the East African Plateau in the southeastern part of the mainland ...

Deserts and savannas

The largest desert zone of the African continent is located in the northern part. This is the Sahara Desert. In the southwestern side of the continent is another smaller desert, the Namib, and from it inland to the east is the Kalahari Desert.

The territory of the savanna occupies the main part of Central Africa. In terms of area, it is much larger than the northern and southern parts of the mainland. The territory is characterized by the presence of pastures typical for savannahs, low shrubs and trees. The height of grassy vegetation varies depending on the amount of precipitation. It can be almost desert savannas or tall grasses, with grass cover from 1 to 5 m in height...

Rivers

On the territory of the African continent is the longest river in the world - the Nile. Its direction of flow is from south to north.

In the list of major water systems of the mainland, Limpopo, Zambezi and the Orange River, as well as the Congo, which flows through the territory of Central Africa.

On the Zambezi River is the famous Victoria Falls, 120 meters high and 1,800 meters wide...

lakes

The list of large lakes of the African continent includes Lake Victoria, which is the second largest freshwater reservoir in the world. Its depth reaches 80 m, and its area is 68,000 square kilometers. Two more large lakes of the continent: Tanganyika and Nyasa. They are located in the faults of the lithospheric plates.

There is Lake Chad in Africa, which is one of the world's largest endorheic relict lakes that have no connection with the oceans ...

Seas and oceans

The African continent is washed by the waters of two oceans at once: the Indian and the Atlantic. Also off its coast are the Red and Mediterranean Seas. From the Atlantic Ocean in the southwestern part of the water form the deep Gulf of Guinea.

Despite the location of the African continent, coastal waters are cool. This is influenced by the cold currents of the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary in the north and the Bengal in the southwest. From the Indian Ocean, the currents are warm. The largest are Mozambique, in the northern waters, and Needle, in the southern ...

Forests of Africa

Forests from the entire territory of the African continent make up a little more than a quarter. Here are subtropical forests growing on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains and the valleys of the ridge. Here you can find holm oak, pistachio, strawberry tree, etc. Coniferous plants grow high in the mountains, represented by Aleppo pine, Atlas cedar, juniper and other types of trees.

Closer to the coast there are cork oak forests, in the tropical area evergreen equatorial plants are common, for example, mahogany, sandalwood, ebony, etc...

Nature, plants and animals of Africa

The vegetation of the equatorial forests is diverse, there are about 1000 species of various tree species: ficus, ceiba, wine tree, olive palm, wine palm, banana palm, tree ferns, sandalwood, mahogany, rubber trees, Liberian coffee tree, etc. . It is home to many species of animals, rodents, birds and insects living right on the trees. On earth live: bush pigs, leopards, African deer - a relative of the okapi giraffe, large apes - gorillas ...

40% of the territory of Africa is occupied by savannas, which are huge steppe areas covered with forbs, low, thorny shrubs, milkweed, and stand-alone trees (tree-like acacias, baobabs).

Here there is the largest accumulation of such large animals as: rhinoceros, giraffe, elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, buffalo, hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, jackal, crocodile, hyena dog. The most numerous animals of the savannah are such herbivores as: bubal (antelope family), giraffe, impala or black-fifth antelope, various types of gazelles (Thomson, Grant), blue wildebeest, and in some places there are rare jumping antelopes - springboks.

The vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts is characterized by poverty and unpretentiousness, these are small thorny shrubs, separately growing bunches of herbs. In the oases, the unique Erg Chebbi date palm grows, as well as plants that are resistant to drought conditions and the formation of salts. In the Namib Desert, unique velvichia and nara plants grow, the fruits of which feed on porcupines, elephants and other animals of the desert.

Of the animals, various species of antelopes and gazelles live here, adapted to the hot climate and capable of traveling great distances in search of food, many species of rodents, snakes, and turtles. Lizards. Among mammals: spotted hyena, common jackal, maned sheep, Cape hare, Ethiopian hedgehog, gazelle dorcas, saber-horned antelope, Anubis baboon, wild Nubian donkey, cheetah, jackal, fox, mouflon, there are permanently living and migratory birds.

Climatic conditions

Seasons, weather and climate of African countries

The central part of Africa, through which the equator line passes, is in an area of low pressure and receives sufficient moisture, the territories north and south of the equator are in the subequatorial climatic zone, this is a zone of seasonal (monsoonal) moisture and arid desert climate. The extreme north and south are in the subtropical climate zone, the south receives precipitation brought by air masses from the Indian Ocean, the Kalahari Desert is located here, the north has the minimum amount of precipitation due to the formation of a high pressure area and the characteristics of the movement of the trade winds, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara, where the amount Precipitation is minimal, in some areas it does not fall at all ...

Resources

African Natural Resources

In terms of water resources, Africa is considered one of the least prosperous continents in the world. The average annual volume of water is only enough to meet primary needs, but this does not apply to all regions.

Land resources are represented by large areas with fertile lands. Only 20% of all possible land is cultivated. The reason for this is the lack of the proper volume of water, soil erosion, etc.

The forests of Africa are a source of timber, including species of valuable varieties. The countries in which they grow, the raw materials are exported. Resources are misused and ecosystems are slowly being destroyed.

In the bowels of Africa there are deposits of minerals. Among those sent for export: gold, diamonds, uranium, phosphorus, manganese ores. There are significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

Energy-intensive resources are widely represented on the continent, but they are not used due to the lack of proper investments...

Among the developed industrial sectors of the countries of the African continent, one can note:

the mining industry that exports minerals and fuels;
the oil refining industry, distributed mainly in South Africa and North Africa;
chemical industry specializing in the production of mineral fertilizers;
as well as the metallurgical and engineering industries.

The main agricultural products are cocoa beans, coffee, corn, rice and wheat. In the tropical regions of Africa, oil palm is grown.

Fishing is poorly developed and accounts for only 1-2% of the total volume of agriculture. The indicators of animal husbandry are also not high, and the reason for this is the infection of livestock with tsetse flies ...

culture

The peoples of Africa: culture and traditions

About 8,000 peoples and ethnic groups live on the territory of 62 African countries, which in total is about 1.1 billion people. Africa is considered the cradle and ancestral home of human civilization, it was here that the remains of ancient primates (hominids) were found, which, according to scientists, are considered the ancestors of people.

Most of the peoples in Africa may number from several thousand people to several hundred living in one or two villages. 90% of the population are representatives of 120 peoples, their number is more than 1 million people, 2/3 of them are peoples with more than 5 million people, 1/3 - peoples with more than 10 million people (this is 50% of the total population of Africa) - Arabs , Hausa, Fulbe, Yoruba, Igbo, Amhara, Oromo, Rwanda, Malagasy, Zulu...

There are two historical and ethnographic provinces: North African (the predominance of the Indo-European race) and Tropical-African (the majority of the population is the Negroid race), it is divided into such areas as:

West Africa. The peoples who speak Mande (Susu, Maninka, Mende, Wai), Chadian (Hausa), Nilo-Saharan (Songhai, Kanuri, Tubu, Zagawa, Mawa, etc.), Niger-Congo languages (Yoruba, Igbo, Bini, nupe, gbari, igala and idoma, ibibio, efik, kambari, birom and jukun, etc.);
Equatorial Africa. Inhabited by Buanto-speaking peoples: Duala, Fang, Bubi (Fernandese), Mpongwe, Teke, Mboshi, Ngala, Komo, Mongo, Tetela, Cuba, Kongo, Ambundu, Ovimbundu, Chokwe, Luena, Tonga, Pygmies, etc.;
South Africa. Rebellious-speaking peoples, and speaking Khoisan languages: Bushmen and Hottentots;
East Africa. Bantu, Nilotic and Sudanese groups of peoples;
North East Africa. The peoples speaking Ethio-Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Tigra.), Cushitic (Oromo, Somalis, Sidamo, Agau, Afar, Konso, etc.) and Omotian languages (Ometo, Gimirra, etc.);
Madagascar. Malagasy and Creoles.

In the North African province, the main peoples are considered to be Arabs and Berbers, belonging to the South European minor race, mainly practicing Sunni Islam. There is also an ethno-religious group of Copts, who are direct descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, they are Monophysite Christians.

Some historians believe that it East Africa became the birthplace of human civilization. The borders of the subcontinent pass mainly along the water - it stretched along the coast of the Indian Ocean, where the easternmost point of Africa is located - Cape Ras Hafun in Somalia. In the north it has access to the Red Sea, and in the west it is limited by the Nile. Today, seventeen states are located in this region, this also includes one of the largest island states - Madagascar and the Seychelles.

Weather and nature - local variations

There is no need to talk about some kind of uniformity, evaluating the weather features of this region - different East African countries located in radically different climatic zones. The Seychelles are humid maritime tropics that depend on the power of the monsoons; on the continent, something similar can be found in Ethiopia or Tanzania. Somalia is mostly a hot desert, and Uganda has more rainy days than dry days.

This variation affects the local flora. East Africa is savannas and tropical jungles, subequatorial forests and almost dead sands (although the latter are relatively few here). The fauna is extremely rich, the region is home to many large and small mammals (including primates), birds, and amphibians. Large lakes (Tanganyika and Victoria) are located on the territory, the Congo, the deep-water Nile and Zambezi originate here.

Economic advantages of the subcontinent

The abundance of land suitable for pasture has made the countries of East Africa the leaders of the continent in terms of animal husbandry. In general, it is agriculture that brings most of the income to the budget of these countries. Kenya exports fruit and tea, Madagascar spices, Mozambique citrus fruits, cashew nuts and cotton, Ethiopia olives and coffee. Where there is access to the sea, industrial fishing is developed.

The natural resources of the countries of the subcontinent are less rich than those of their neighbors, however, there are also important minerals here. Rubies, diamonds and gold, fluorite and iron ore, cobalt and tungsten are mined in the region. The processing and textile industries are actively developing. The most important industry that brings significant income to most states (primarily island states) is tourism.

Somalia is considered the poorest country in the region - there are few mineral resources, the amount of fertile soil is limited. In addition, constant armed conflicts and civil unrest make this state frankly unattractive for investors.

List of East African countries

Countries included in the East Africa region. East Africa

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