Africa has less than 3% the world's economy

[Warman17]

What does Africa provide which is essential to the world economy?
It seems like the entire continent could vanish overnight and the rest of the world could go about its business

 

[Godwynn]

What does Africa provide which is essential to the world economy?
It seems like the entire continent could vanish overnight and the rest of the world could go about its business

If Africa vanished, there would be a lot less HIV/AIDS to spread, as well as savings from foreign aid.

But what about the diamonds?!

 

[Azale]

Yea, because Western countries only took a few centuries to stop being festering crapholes. If Africa can't do it in 60 years, time to start over!

 

[Imrahil91]

I think they export quite a lot of fruit and some other agricultural products like cocoa. There are also much minerals and natural resources there, but it's nothing we couldn't get elsewhere. And of course they export many good football players that European teams want.

 

[Quackers]

Yea, because Western countries only took a few centuries to stop being festering crapholes. If Africa can't do it in 60 years, time to start over!

China has done it in about 30 years tyvm.

EDIT: Took Japan like...50 years from feudal backwardness to defeating Russia in a war?

 

[Karalysia]

The solution is redistribution.

 

[BuckyRea]

What does Africa provide which is essential to the world economy?
It seems like the entire continent could vanish overnight and the rest of the world could go about its business

Yes, but then who would the big pharmaceutical companies mass test their dangerous drugs on?

If you do persist in removing Africa from the globe, please at least leave Nigeria in place. My country still needs the oil. Plus I'm looking into some very interesting investment opportunities there that I learned about through the emails.

 

[GoodGame]

what does africa provide which is essential to the world economy?
It seems like the entire continent could vanish overnight and the rest of the world could go about its business

raw materials!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mango Elephant]

What does Africa provide which is essential to the world economy?
It seems like the entire continent could vanish overnight and the rest of the world could go about its business

There are lots of African people here. So ... imigrants?

 

[dwaxe]

Despite the best efforts of European hegemony, Africa has not bled dry. The continent still has plentiful natural resources.

Africa's biggest problem is its imperial past, which the governments have yet to get over.

 

[Azale]

China has done it in about 30 years tyvm.

EDIT: Took Japan like...50 years from feudal backwardness to defeating Russia in a war?

They started from totally different (and far more advanced) economic, political, and cultural bases.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Where do you get that figure that Africa only has 3% of the world's economy? Some countries have a fairly high GDP per capita:

Spoiler :

And other countries in Africa don't have a very high GDP per capita, but they also don't have sizeable populations:

http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/earth/human-conditions.php



If there is nobody there, they can't very well have viable economies.

And I think this particular map speaks volumes - percentage of population without access to safe water:



And here is another interesting map - Human Development Index (HDI) and Recent Colonial Control:

The "HDI" ranks the relative "development" of the world's countries based on three indicators: longevity, as measured by life expectancy at birth; educational attainment, measured by a combination of adult literacy rate (two thirds weight) and combined gross primary, secondary and tertiary enrolment in schools (one third weight); and standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita - PPP (purchasing power parity) US$.

 

[dwaxe]

What's the second map?

 

[cardgame]

Thanks for giving us a map without explaining the data

 

[dwaxe]

Jumping off of Formaldehyde's newly edited post :

One of Africa's biggest problems is infrastructure, and it's not being addressed effectively. Running water is pre-requisite for almost everything else, as it allows high-maintenance buildings to be built (Simcity 3 taught me this). High-maintenance industries like ISPs need the basics before they can even exist.

The day that 50% of Africa can visit CFC will be a cause for celebration.

 

[Cutlass]

I think it's more basic then that. No human capital because schools are few and far between. Subsistence lives, so education is hard to come by. High death rate of children and young adults due to epidemic disease, wars, famine, and other factors make it even harder and more expensive to get an education. Bad governments limit opportunities. many, many, factors.

 

[bhsup]

They are calling over 234 years ago "recent foreign colonial control"?

 

[Cynovolans]

They are calling over 234 years ago "recent foreign colonial control"?

Well the first colonies were founded by the Egyptians in the Canaan, over 5000 years ago. So that's pretty recent.

 

[dwaxe]

They are calling over 234 years ago "recent foreign colonial control"?

Yes, the fact that the East Coast was outlined surprised me too.

 

[Formaldehyde]

They are calling over 234 years ago "recent foreign colonial control"?

I think that's a screw-up since they don't have Canada outlined in red.