The total area of ​​Tropical Africa is more than 20 million km2, the population is 650 million people. It is also called "black Africa", since the population of the subregion in its overwhelming part belongs to the equatorial (Negroid) race. But in terms of ethnic composition, individual parts of Tropical Africa differ quite strongly. It is most complex in West and East Africa, where at the junction of different races and language families, the greatest "pattern" of ethnic and political boundaries arose. The population of Central and South Africa speaks numerous (with dialects up to 600), but closely related languages ​​of the Bantu family (this word means "people"). Swahili is the most widely spoken language. And the population of Madagascar speaks the languages ​​​​of the Austronesian family.

There is also much in common in the economy and settlement of the population of the countries of Tropical Africa. Tropical Africa is the most backward part of the entire developing world; it contains 29 least developed countries. Today it is the only major region in the world where agriculture remains the main area of ​​material production.

About half of the rural residents are engaged in subsistence agriculture, the rest - low-commodity. Hoe tillage prevails with the almost complete absence of a plow; It is no coincidence that the hoe, as a symbol of agricultural labor, is included in the image of the state emblems of a number of African countries. All major agricultural work is done by women and children. They cultivate root and tuber crops (cassava or cassava, yame, sweet potato), from which they make flour, cereals, cereals, flat cakes, as well as millet, sorghum, rice, corn, bananas, and vegetables. Animal husbandry is much less developed, including because of the tsetse fly, and if it plays a significant role (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia), it is carried out extremely extensively. In the equatorial forests there are tribes, and even peoples, who still live by hunting, fishing and gathering. In the zone of savannahs and tropical rainforests, the basis of consumer agriculture is the slash-and-burn system of the fallow type.

Against the general background, areas of commercial crop production stand out sharply with a predominance of perennial plantations - cocoa, coffee, peanuts, hevea, oil palm, tea, sisal, spices. Some of these crops are cultivated on plantations, and some on peasant farms. It is they who primarily determine the monocultural specialization of a number of countries.

According to the main occupation, the majority of the population of Tropical Africa lives in rural areas. The savannahs are dominated by large riverside villages, while the tropical forests are dominated by small villages.

Tropical Africa is the least urbanized region in the world. Only in eight of its countries there are "millionaire" cities, which usually rise like lone giants above numerous provincial towns. Examples of this kind are Dakar in Senegal, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nairobi in Kenya, Luanda in Angola.

Tropical Africa also lags far behind in the development of the transport network. Its pattern is determined by the "penetration lines" isolated from each other, leading from the ports to the hinterland. In many countries there are no railways at all. It is customary to carry small loads on the head, and at a distance of up to 30-40 km.

Finally, in sub-Saharan Africa, the quality of the environment is rapidly deteriorating. It was here that desertification, deforestation, and depletion of flora and fauna assumed the most menacing proportions. Example. The main area of ​​drought and desertification is the Sahel zone, stretching along the southern borders of the Sahara from Mauritania to Ethiopia across ten countries.

24. The main patterns of distribution of the population of Australia: historical and natural background.

The distribution of the population on the territory of the mainland is determined by the history of its development by Europeans and natural conditions. Coastal regions in the east and southwest of the continent have a population density of 10 times or more the average population density. The interior of the mainland is almost deserted. The bulk of the population lives in cities. At the same time, 2/3 of the population live in large cities. Only in Sydney and Melbourne there are more than 6 million people. The Commonwealth of Australia is the only state in the world that occupies the territory of the entire mainland, as well as the island of Tasmania and a number of other small islands. The Australian Union belongs to the group of developed capitalist countries. This is an economically highly developed state, the formation of the economy of which was facilitated by both historical and favorable natural factors.

Before the start of European colonization, 300,000 natives lived on the mainland, and now there are 150,000 of them. Aborigines belong to the Australo-Polynesian race and ethnically do not form a single whole. They are divided into numerous tribes speaking different languages ​​(there are over 200 in total). Aborigines received civil rights in 1972.

The population throughout the country is distributed extremely unevenly, its main centers are concentrated in the east and southeast, northeast and south. Here the population density is 25-50 people. per 1 km2, and the rest of the territory is very poorly populated, the density does not reach even one person per 1 km2. In the deserts in the interior of Australia, there is no population at all. In the last decade, there have been shifts in the distribution of the country's population, thanks to the discoveries of new mineral deposits in the north and south. The Australian government encourages the movement of the population to the center of the mainland, to poorly developed areas.

Australia occupies one of the first places in the world in terms of urbanization - 90% of the population. In Australia, cities are considered to be settlements with a population of more than 1 thousand people, and sometimes less. The population lives in cities that are far from each other. Such resettlement predetermined the uneven distribution of the manufacturing industry and the high cost of its products due to very significant transport costs.

The largest urban agglomerations of the country are Sydney (3 million people), Melbourne (about 3 million people), Brisbane (about 1 million people), Adelaide (over 900 thousand people), Canberra (300 thousand people .), Hobart (200 thousand people), etc.

Australian cities are relatively young, the oldest being 200 years old, most of them were the centers of the colonies, and then became the capitals of the states, performing several functions: administrative, commercial, industrial and cultural.

Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 3

1 General economic and geographical characteristics of African countries ... 4

2 Colonization of Africa……………………………………………………… 6

3 Natural conditions and resources of Africa………………………………. 9

4 Mining regions of Africa………………………………… 11

5 Economy: sectoral and territorial structure, place

Africa in the world………………………………………………………………………. 12

6 Problems and difficulties of African states…………………… 16

7 Integration processes……………………………………………. 16

8 External economic relations…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

9 Sub-regions of Africa…………………………………………………… 18

9.1.1 North Africa…………………………………………………… 18

9.1.2 Economic assessment of Egypt………………………………… 18

9.2.1 Tropical Africa…………………………………………… 20

9.2.2 Economic assessment of Angola………………………………… 21

9.3.1 Republic of South Africa……………………………… 24

9.3.2 Economic Assessment of South Africa…………………………………. 24

Conclusion……………………………………………………………… 30

List of used sources…………………………………. 31

Introduction

Africa covers an area of ​​29.2 million km². The length from north to south is 8 thousand km, from west to east in the northern part - 7.5 thousand km. A feature of the EGP of many countries in the region is the lack of access to the sea. At the same time, in countries facing the ocean, the coastline is slightly indented, which is unfavorable for the construction of large ports. There are 55 states on the territory of Africa, of which three are monarchies, one (Nigeria) is a federal republic, the rest are republics. All countries, with the exception of South Africa, are developing, most of them are the poorest in the world (70% of the population lives below the poverty line).

There is no other continent in the world that would suffer as much from colonial oppression and the slave trade as Africa.

The continent is crossed almost in the middle by the equator and lies completely between the subtropical belts of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The peculiarity of its shape - the northern part is 2.5 times wider than the southern one - determined the difference in their natural conditions. At the base of most of the continent lies the Precambrian platform, 2/3 covered by sedimentary rocks (at the base in the north). The relief of Africa is characterized by stepped plateaus, plateaus, and plains. The highest uplifts are confined to the outskirts of the mainland. Africa is exceptionally rich in minerals, although they are still poorly understood. Among other continents, it ranks first in reserves of ores of manganese, chromite, bauxite, gold, platinum, cobalt, diamonds, and phosphorites. The resources of oil, natural gas, graphite, and asbestos are also great.

1 General economic and geographical characteristics of African countries

The mainland occupies 1/5 of the earth's land mass. In size (30.3 million square kilometers with islands) of all parts of the world it is second only to Asia. The region includes 55 countries.

There are several options for dividing Africa into regions. In the scientific literature, the five-term division of Africa is most accepted, including the North (the Maghreb countries, the Mediterranean coast), the West (the northern part of the Atlantic coast and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea), the Central (Chad, Tsar, Zaire, the Congo, etc.), the East (located to east of the Great African Rifts), South.

Almost all African countries are republics (with the exception of Lesotho, Morocco and Sutherland, which are still constitutional monarchies). The administrative-territorial structure of states, with the exception of Nigeria and South Africa, is unitary.

Different criteria can be used to evaluate the GWP of African countries. One of the main criteria that separate countries by the presence or absence of access to the sea. Due to the fact that Africa is the most massive continent, no other of them has so many countries located far from the seas. Most of the inland countries are the most backward.

Africa's minerals are unevenly distributed. There are countries in which the lack of a raw material base hinders their development. African land resources are significant. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This, in turn, exacerbates the problem of hunger, which is very relevant for Africa.

The agro-climatic resources of Africa are determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent, lies entirely within the average annual isotherms + 20 "C.

In terms of water resources, Africa is significantly inferior to Asia and South America. The hydrographic network is distributed extremely unevenly.

Africa's forest resources are second only to those of Latin America and Russia. But its average forest cover is much lower, moreover, as a result of deforestation, which exceeds natural growth, deforestation has assumed alarming proportions.

Africa stands out worldwide with the highest rates of population reproduction. In 1960, 275 million people lived on the continent, in 1980-475 million people, in 1990-648 million people, and in 2000, according to forecasts, there will be 872 million.

In terms of growth rates, Kenya-4, 1% (first place in the world), Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda are especially distinguished. Such a high birth rate is explained by centuries-old traditions of early marriages and large families, religious traditions, as well as an increased level of healthcare. Most countries of the continent do not pursue an active demographic policy.

The change in the age structure of the population as a result of the demographic explosion also entails great consequences: in Africa, the proportion of children's ages is high and still growing (40-50%). This increases the "demographic burden" on the able-bodied population. The population explosion in Africa exacerbates many of the problems of the regions, the most important of which is the food problem. Many problems are connected with the ethnic composition of the population of Africa, which is very diverse. 300-500 ethnic groups stand out. According to the linguistic principle, 1/2 of the population belongs to the Niger-Kordofan family, 1/3 to the Afro-Asiatic family, and only 1% are residents of European origin. An important feature of African countries is the mismatch of political and ethnic boundaries as a result of the colonial era of the development of the continent. It is also a legacy of the past that the official languages ​​of most African countries are still the languages ​​of the former metropolises - English, French, Portuguese.

In terms of urbanization, Africa still lags far behind other regions. However, the rate of urbanization here is the highest in the world. Like many other developing countries, Africa is experiencing "false urbanization".

After gaining independence, African countries began to make efforts to overcome centuries of backwardness. Of particular importance were the nationalization of natural resources, the implementation of agrarian reform, economic planning, and the training of national personnel. As a result, the pace of development in the region accelerated. The restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy began. The greatest success along this path has been achieved in the mining industry, which now accounts for 1/4 of the world's output in terms of production. In the extraction of many types of minerals, Africa has an important, and sometimes monopoly place in the foreign world. It is the extractive industry that primarily determines Africa's place in the MGRT. The manufacturing industry is poorly developed or non-existent. But some countries in the region are distinguished by a higher level of manufacturing industry - South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco.

The second branch of the economy, which determines the place of agriculture in the world economy, is tropical and subtropical agriculture. It also has a pronounced export orientation. But in general, Africa lags behind in its development. It occupies the last place among the regions of the world in terms of the level of industrialization, in terms of crop yields.

2 Colonization of Africa

The colonies of Africa at the end of the 19th century: the possessions of Great Britain were the most extensive and richest. The colonial empire of France was not inferior in size to the British, but the population of its colonies was several times smaller, and its natural resources were poorer. Most of the French possessions were in West and Equatorial Africa, and a considerable part of their territory fell on the Sahara, the adjacent semi-desert Sahel region and tropical forests. Belgium owned the Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in 1971-1997 - Zaire), Italy - Eritrea and Italian Somalia, Spain - Spanish Sahara (Western Sahara), Germany - German East Africa (now - the continental part of Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi), Cameroon, Togo and German South West Africa (Namibia).

The main incentives that led to the heated battle between the European powers for Africa are considered to be economic ones. Indeed, the desire to exploit the natural wealth and population of Africa was of paramount importance. But it cannot be said that these hopes were immediately justified. The south of the continent, where the world's largest deposits of gold and diamonds were discovered, began to give huge profits. But before generating income, large investments were first needed to explore natural resources, create communications, adapt the local economy to the needs of the metropolis, to suppress the protests of the indigenous people and find effective ways to make them work for the colonial system. All this took time.

Another argument of the ideologues of colonialism was not immediately justified either. They argued that the acquisition of colonies would create many jobs in the metropolises themselves and eliminate unemployment, since Africa would become a capacious market for European products and huge construction of railways, ports, and industrial enterprises would unfold there. If these plans were implemented, then more slowly than expected, and on a smaller scale.

The First World War was in no small measure a struggle for the redivision of Africa, but it did not affect the life of most African countries particularly strongly. Military operations were conducted only on the territory of the German colonies. They were conquered by the Entente troops and after the war, by decision of the League of Nations, they were transferred to the Entente countries as mandated territories: Togo and Cameroon were divided between Great Britain and France, German South-West Africa went to the Union of South Africa (South Africa), part of German East Africa - Rwanda and Burundi - was transferred to Belgium, the other - Tanganyika - to Great Britain. With the acquisition of Tanganyika, an old dream of the British ruling circles came true: a continuous strip of British possessions arose from Cape Town to Cairo.

After the end of the war, the process of colonial development of Africa accelerated. The colonies were increasingly turning into agricultural and raw material appendages of the metropolises. Agriculture is increasingly export-oriented. An increasing number of colonies became countries of a monocultural economy. On the eve of the Second World War in many countries from two-thirds to 98% of the value of all exports was accounted for by any one crop. In the Gambia and Senegal, the peanut has become such a crop, in Zanzibar - the carnation, in Uganda - cotton. Some countries had two export crops: coffee and cocoa in the Ivory Coast and Togo, coffee and tea in Kenya, and so on. In Gabon and some other countries, valuable forest species have become a monoculture.

In West Africa, as well as in most parts of East and Central Africa, export products were produced mainly on the farms of the Africans themselves. European plantation production did not take root there because of the difficult climatic conditions for Europeans. The main exploiters of the African manufacturer were foreign companies. Export agricultural products were produced on farms owned by Europeans located in the Union of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, part of Northern Rhodesia, Kenya, South West Africa.

During the Second World War, military operations in Tropical Africa were conducted only on the territory of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somalia. Hundreds of thousands of Africans were mobilized in the metropolitan army. An even greater number of people had to serve the troops, work for military needs. Africans fought in North Africa, Western Europe, the Middle East, Burma, Malaya.

1960 went down in history as the Year of Africa. 17 new African states appeared on the world map. Most of them are French colonies and UN Trust Territories.

1960 changed the whole situation on the African continent. The dismantling of the rest of the colonial regimes has already become inevitable.

3 Natural conditions and resources of Africa

Africa is a continent of great economic opportunities, which is characterized by a variety of natural conditions, a wealth of mineral resources, the presence of significant land, water, plant and other resources. Africa is characterized by a slight dissection of the relief, which contributes to economic activity - the development of agriculture, industry, and transport.

The location of most of the continent in the equatorial belt largely determined the presence of huge tracts of humid equatorial forests. Africa accounts for 10% of the world's forest area, accounting for 17% of the world's timber resources - one of the main African exports.

The largest desert in the world - the Sahara - contains huge reserves of fresh water in its bowels, and large river systems are characterized by gigantic volumes of flow and energy resources.

Africa is rich in minerals, which are resources for the development of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and the chemical industry. Thanks to new discoveries, Africa's share in the proven world reserves of energy raw materials is increasing. There are more reserves of phosphorites, chromites, titanium, tantalum than in any part of the world. The reserves of bauxite, copper, manganese, cobalt, uranium ores, diamonds, rare earth metals, gold, etc. are of world importance. Zambia to East Africa (deposits of copper, uranium, cobalt, platinum, gold, manganese); Guinean part of West Africa (deposits of bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, oil); the zone of the Atlas Mountains and the coast of Northwest Africa (cobalt, molybdenum, lead, zinc, iron ore, mercury, phosphorites); Northern Africa (oil, gas of the Mediterranean coast and shelf).

Africa is exceptionally rich in natural resources. In depressions and coastal areas there is fuel raw material. Oil and gas are produced in North and West Africa (Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Libya). Enormous reserves of cobalt and copper ores are concentrated in Zambia and the People's Republic of the Congo; manganese ores are mined in South Africa and Zimbabwe; platinum, iron ores and gold - in South Africa; diamonds - in Congo, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Ghana; phosphorites - in Morocco, Tunisia; uranium - in Niger, Namibia.

Table 1 - Classification of African countries according to the degree of their wealth in minerals

Countries rich in diverse mineral resources	Countries rich in one or two types of minerals	Countries poor in minerals
South Africa - gold, platinum, diamonds, uranium, iron, chromite, manganese ores, coal, asbestos. Zaire - cobalt, manganese, copper, tin, zinc-lead ores. Guinea- gold, diamonds, bauxites, iron ore, oil.	Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Gabon and others - oil and natural gas. Liberia, Mauritania, Algeria- ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, uranium, diamonds, iron ore. Ghana- bauxites. Zambia, Morocco- cobalt. Zambia- copper. Nigeria- tin. about. Madagascar- mica and graphite. North African countries- Phosphites, lead and zinc. Botswana- lithium, chromite. Tanzania, Morocco- manganese.	Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan.

4 African mining regions

Over the past decades, Africa has emerged as one of the largest producers of minerals. Africa's share in the world mining industry is 1/4, but in the production of diamonds, gold, cobalt, manganese ores, chromites, uranium concentrates, and phosphites, it is much larger. It also produces a lot of copper and iron ore, bauxite, oil and natural gas. Africa dominates the market for such "metals of the 20th century" as vanadium, lithium, beryllium, tantalum, niobium, and germanium. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries, which makes its economy more dependent on the world market. In particular, this applies to countries such as Algeria, Libya, Guinea, Zambia, Botswana, where the mining industry provides more than 9/10 of all exports.

Africa has very favorable natural conditions for the development of the mining industry.

In total, seven main mining regions can be distinguished in Africa.

1. The region of the Atlas Mountains stands out for its reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).

2. The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron, titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.

3. The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by the largest oil and gas reserves.

4. West Guinean region - rich in oil, gas, metal ores.

6. Zaire-Zambian region - on its territory there is a unique "Copper Belt" with deposits of high-quality copper, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, silver.

Zaire is the world's leading producer and exporter of cobalt.

7. The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of oil, gases and bauxites.

5 Economy: sectoral and territorial structure, place

Africa in the world

African countries have not yet succeeded in changing the colonial type of sectoral territorial structure of the economy, although the pace of economic growth has somewhat accelerated. The colonial type of the sectoral structure of the economy is distinguished by the predominance of small-scale, consumer agriculture, the weak development of the manufacturing industry, and the lag in the development of transport. African countries have achieved the greatest success in the mining industry. In the extraction of many minerals, Africa holds a leading and sometimes monopoly place in the world (in the extraction of gold, diamonds, platinoids, etc.). The manufacturing industry is represented by light and food industries, other industries are absent, with the exception of a number of areas near the availability of raw materials and on the coast (Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia, Zaire).

The second branch of the economy, which determines Africa's place in the world economy, is tropical and subtropical agriculture. Agricultural products account for 60-80% of GDP. The main cash crops are coffee, cocoa beans, peanuts, dates, tea, natural rubber, sorghum, spices. Recently, grain crops have been grown: corn, rice, wheat. Animal husbandry plays a subordinate role, with the exception of countries with arid climates. Extensive cattle breeding prevails, characterized by a huge number of livestock, but low productivity and low marketability. The continent does not provide itself with agricultural products.

Monocultural specialization and the low level of economic development of African states are manifested in an insignificant share in world trade and in the great importance that foreign trade has for the continent itself. Thus, more than 1/4 of Africa's GDP goes to foreign markets, foreign trade provides up to 4/5 of government revenues to the budget of African countries. About 80% of the trade turnover of the continent falls on the developed countries of the West

The leading role in the foreign economic relations of African countries belongs to foreign trade. Exports are dominated by mining and agricultural raw materials, while imports are dominated by finished products. Oil is exported by Algeria, Nigeria, Libya, iron ores - Liberia, Mauritania, diamonds and gold - South Africa, copper - Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, phosphates - Morocco, uranium - Niger, Gabon, cotton - Egypt, Sudan, Tanzania, coffee - Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Uganda, Angola and others, peanuts - Senegal, Sudan, olive oil - Tunisia, Morocco.

Typical for African countries is a low level of national income, the predominance of commodity-export production in agriculture, and the spread of monoculture. The foreign trade of the continent retains mineral and agrarian raw material specialization.

For the economy of Africa, the following features are typical:

a) versatility;

b) low level of economic development;

c) the agrarian nature of the economy of most countries;

d) a sharp delimitation in agriculture of commodity-export production, subsistence and small-scale farming, serving local needs;

e) the spread of monoculture in agriculture;

f) the predominance of the mining industry in industrial production;

g) preservation of the colonial character in foreign trade.

The essential features of the location of the economy of most African countries are the concentration of economic activity in several centers and a significant gap in the levels of population, development and economic development of individual territories and countries.

Comparatively economically developed in Africa are the territories adjacent to capitals - cities that became important economic centers back in the colonial period, as well as to ports through which raw materials are exported and where they are partially processed (the Casablanca region in Morocco, Lagos in Nigeria, Alexandria in Egypt, Mombasa in Kenya, etc.). Significant industrial and economic centers arose in the zones of extraction of mineral raw materials (the centers of the "copper belt" in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, industrial centers associated with the oil and gas fields in Algeria and Libya, industrial regions of South Africa).

Africa is a world supplier of many types of tropical plant raw materials: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, spices, etc. At the same time, the agriculture of developing countries does not provide food for the local population due to the lag in most countries in the production of basic food crops from population growth rates. More than 1/3 of the mainland area is used in African agriculture. Under arable land and perennial plantations, about 7% is occupied, and under pastures - 24% of the area of ​​the continent. and oil palm (tropics), olive (subtropics). In some areas, coffee (coffee) and chocolate (cocoa) trees are grown. The plantation economy in Africa is quite developed, but less than in Latin America and Southeast Asia. In the tropical zone, only separate scattered areas of plantations arose.

On the mainland, the network of means of communication is not sufficiently developed, especially in the hinterland. Rail transport is represented mainly by single-track lines connecting ports with hinterland or connecting navigable sections of rivers. Modern highways are available only near metropolitan or industrial cities. Transport retains the colonial type: railroads run from the areas of extraction of raw materials to the port of its export. Relatively developed rail and sea modes of transport. In recent years, other types of transport have also been developed - automobile (a road has been laid across the Sahara), air, and pipeline.

Most states of the mainland are characterized by the presence of "dirty" industries, as well as fuel and communication (construction of communication lines, development of communications) problems.

6 Problems and difficulties of African states

Swollen, unprofessional and inefficient bureaucracies have emerged in most African states. Given the amorphous nature of social structures, the army remained the only organized force. The result is endless military coups. The dictators who came to power appropriated untold wealth. The capital of Mobutu, the President of the Congo, at the time of his overthrow was $ 7 billion. The economy functioned poorly, and this gave room for a "destructive" economy: the production and distribution of drugs, illegal mining of gold and diamonds, even human trafficking. Africa's share in world GDP and its share in world exports were declining, output per capita was declining.

The formation of statehood was extremely complicated by the absolute artificiality of state borders. Africa inherited them from the colonial past. They were established during the division of the continent into spheres of influence and have little in common with ethnic boundaries. The Organization of African Unity, created in 1963, realizing that any attempt to correct this or that border could lead to unpredictable consequences, called for these borders to be considered unshakable, no matter how unfair they may be. But these borders have nevertheless become a source of ethnic conflict and the displacement of millions of refugees.

7 Integration processes

A characteristic feature of the integration processes in Africa is the high degree of their institutionalization. At present, there are about 200 economic associations of various levels, scales and directions on the continent. But from the point of view of studying the problem of the formation of subregional identity and its relationship with national and ethnic identity, the functioning of such large organizations as the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS), the South African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), etc. The extremely low effectiveness of their activities in previous decades and the advent of the era of globalization required a sharp acceleration of integration processes at a qualitatively different level. Economic cooperation is developing in new - in comparison with the 70s - conditions of contradictory interaction between the globalization of the world economy and the increasing marginalization of the positions of African states within its framework and, naturally, in a different coordinate system. Integration is no longer seen as a tool and basis for the formation of a self-sufficient and self-developing economy, relying on its own forces and as opposed to the imperialist West. The approach is different, which, as mentioned above, presents integration as a way and means of including African countries in the globalizing world economy, as well as an impulse and indicator of economic growth and development in general.

8 Foreign economic relations

Monocultural specialization and the low level of economic development of African states are manifested in an insignificant share in world trade and in the great importance that foreign trade has for the continent itself. Thus, more than 1/4 of Africa's GDP goes to foreign markets, foreign trade provides up to 45 government revenues to the budget of African countries. About 80% of the trade turnover of the continent falls on the developed countries of the West.

9 Sub-regions of Africa

9.1.1 North Africa

North Africa(area - 10 million km2, population - 150 million people). The northern part of this subregion is adjacent to Southern Europe and Southwestern Asia and has access to sea routes, the southern part forms the sparsely populated desert and semi-desert spaces of the Sahara. The main centers of the manufacturing industry, the main districts of subtropical agriculture and almost the entire population are concentrated in the coastal strip. Large cities - Cairo, Alexandria, Tunisia, Algiers, Casablanca.

9.1.2 Economic evaluation of Egypt

Nationalization - the basis of the economy of Egypt, according to the constitution of 1971, are the principles of socialism. Major nationalization steps were taken after 1961 with the aim of restricting the private sector and weakening the influence of the capitalists. By the early 1970s, almost all important sectors of the economy were already controlled by the government, including large-scale industry, banking, finance, cotton trading, and foreign trade.

Taxation - The income tax rate is progressive. The goal is to achieve equality in the distribution of income. There is a direct income tax.

Trade unions are mostly government-run. The workers receive a share of the profits earned by the corporations and elect their representatives on the board of directors. Trade unions are also represented in the National Assembly.

Investment Policy - In the early 1970s, the Egyptian government began to campaign to increase foreign investment in the country's economy and began to receive financial assistance from wealthy Arab states. Although Arab aid was suspended after the signing of a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, the subsequent return of several Western and Japanese corporations increased the potential for further foreign investment in the country's economy.

Wages and standard of living - the general standard of living in Egypt is quite low; and the country's economic resources are limited. The rural population, especially the landless agricultural laborers, have the lowest standard of living in the country. Industrial and urban workers in general have a higher standard of living. The highest wages are in the oil industry.

Resources - Approximately 96 percent of Egypt's territory is desert. The lack of forests, meadows and pastures increases the pressure on arable land, which makes up approximately 3 percent of the country's territory. There are natural resources. The country produces oil, phosphates, manganese, iron ore. There are also explored reserves of chromium, uranium and gold.

Agriculture - one of the main commodities produced in the country - cotton - occupies more than one-fifth of the arable land (in summer) and is a significant part of exports. Egypt is one of the world's major producers of "long cotton" (2.85 centimeters or more in length), producing approximately one-third of the world's crop. Other major crops include grain (corn), rice, wheat, millet, and beans.

Industry - the priority direction of development after the signing of an agreement with the USSR in 1964 was the development of heavy industry. The main source of electricity is the 12 Aswan Dam hydroelectric turbines, which have a capacity of approximately 2,000,000 kilowatts and are capable of generating 10,000,000,000 kilowatt hours per year. The capacity of thermal stations is approximately 45 percent of the capacity of the Aswan dam.

The country is producing oil (Morgan, Ramadan), there are deposits of natural gas. Egypt has several oil refineries, two of which are located in Suez. The first of the oil pipelines, which linked the Gulf of Suez and the Mediterranean in the area of ​​Alexandria, was opened in 1977. This Suez-Mediterranean pipeline, known as "Sumed", can pass up to 80,000,000 tons of oil per year.

Finance - Egypt's banking system is built around the Central Bank of Egypt. In 1961 all banks operating in Egypt were nationalized and their activities concentrated within five commercial banks established in addition to the Central Bank.

Trade - imports make up about one third, exports about one tenth of the gross national product. Almost two-thirds of imports consist of raw materials, mineral, chemical products and capital goods (machines); more than one quarter are food products. More than half of exports consist of oil and oil products, cotton and cotton products. Agricultural exports include rice, onions, garlic, and citrus fruits. Italy and France are among the largest markets for Egypt. The United States is the main source of Egyptian imports.

9.2.1 Tropical Africa

Tropical Africa- located south of the Sahara (territory - 20 million km2, population - over 500 million). The most backward part of the entire developing world (there are 29 least developed countries). The population belongs to the Negroid race. The most complex ethnic composition in West and East Africa. The only sub-region where agriculture remains the main area of ​​material production. Industry: There is one large region of extractive industry - the copper belt in Zaire and Zambia. Transport is underdeveloped. Desertification, deforestation, depletion of flora and fauna are proceeding rapidly. The main area of ​​drought and desertification is the Sahel zone.

The main branch of the economy of most countries in Tropical Africa is agriculture, designed to provide food for the population and serve as a raw material base for the development of the manufacturing industry. It employs the predominant part of the region's able-bodied population and creates the bulk of the total national income. In many states of Tropical Africa, agriculture occupies a leading place in exports, providing a significant part of foreign exchange earnings. In the last decade, an alarming picture has been observed with the growth rates of industrial production, which allows us to speak about the actual deindustrialization of the region. If in 1965-1980 they (on average per year) amounted to 7.5%, then in the 80s only 0.7%, a drop in growth rates took place in the 80s both in the extractive and manufacturing industries. For a number of reasons, a special role in ensuring the socio-economic development of the region belongs to the mining industry, but even this production is reduced by 2% annually. A characteristic feature of the development of the countries of Tropical Africa is the weak development of the manufacturing industry. Only in a very small group of countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sinegal) does its share in GDP reach or exceed 20%.

9.2.2 Economic evaluation of Angola

Angola is an agrarian country with a relatively developed industry on an African scale, based on the oil and mining industries. GNP in 2000 amounted to 3.079 million dollars (5%).

The country's economy is based on agriculture, oil production (it is estimated that Angola's undeveloped deposits contain about 13 billion barrels of oil), gas, diamonds and minerals. The mining industry accounts for up to half of the GNP: oil fields are being developed and diamonds are being mined.

The gross national product remains quite low due to the civil war that has lasted for more than 20 years.

More than 2/3 of the labor force is employed in agriculture. Cassau, sweet potatoes, corn, and beans are grown for the domestic market. Coffee, cotton, tobacco, sisal, sugarcane, and palm oil are grown for export. Animal husbandry is developed throughout the country; cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, and poultry are bred.

The timber industry is developed, in the eastern regions of Angola (the provinces of South Lund and Moxico), as well as in Cabinda, valuable species of wood (black, red and yellow wood) are being harvested, which is exported. In the Benguela region, eucalyptus trees are grown in forest nurseries.

Before gaining independence, Angola had a fairly developed fishing fleet, but during the war the catch gradually began to decline. Stocks of fish in the economic zone of Angola, according to UN estimates, are about 1 million tons. In 1998, the national companies and vessels of Spain, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, China and Russia caught 202 thousand tons. fish, in 1999 - 240 thousand tons. Enterprises of light, food and manufacturing industries operate at 20-30% capacity.

The country's foreign exchange earnings are mainly provided by the export of oil, gas and oil products, the share of which in total exports is more than 90% (3.8 billion dollars). In 1998, diamonds were mined for 800 million dollars. Angola's external debt is $9.5 billion. (1999), including Russia - 2.9 billion, Portugal - 1.2 billion, Brazil - 1 billion, France - 300 million.

Export Composition:

Oil 90%, diamonds, oil products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton. In 2000, the volume of exports amounted to 8 billion dollars.

Export geography:

USA 63%, Benelux 9%, China, Chile, France.

Import composition:

Machinery and electrical equipment, spare parts and components for machines, medicines, food, textiles, weapons and ammunition. In 2000, the volume of imports amounted to 2.5 billion dollars.

Import geography:

Portugal 20%, USA 17%, South Africa 10%, Spain, Brazil, France.

Road length:

72 thousand km, of which about 6 thousand are paved. Railway length: about 3300 km. There are four railways in the country (mainly owned by British and Belgian companies).

Main ports:

Luanda, Lobito, Cabinda, Namibe. There are national and foreign companies that carry out ocean and coastal (only between the ports of Angola) transportation. Airports: international - Luanda, 13 local.

A promising export commodity is granite, especially black (export since 1995 amounted to 5 thousand cubic meters per year). Developments are underway for the extraction of phosphates and uranium.

In 1998, the balance of payments deficit amounted to 600 million dollars. Inflation has exceeded 800%. 60% of the able-bodied population are unemployed. Annual per capita income - $273

In the future, foreign companies, with the support of the Angolan government, plan to invest about $17 billion in the development of the country's industry over the next seven years.

The projects include the development of deep water deposits, the drilling of about 300 mines, the construction of an oil refinery and a natural gas liquefaction plant.

Also, the current government is making efforts to attract potential investors in the development of tourism.

Industrial projects:

The government plans to sell some of the state-owned enterprises into private hands. The newly acquired cement factory has tripled its productivity and output. Industrial development projects include the possibility of acquiring three pharmaceutical plants in Luanda, Benguela and Dondo and the rehabilitation of a fish processing plant in Namibe. In the future, there is also the construction of a steel complex, a shipyard, a seaport in the province of Cabinda, a conveyor for the assembly of military trucks and a brewery.

9.3.1 Republic of South Africa

Republic of South Africa(South Africa) is the only economically developed country on the continent. According to all indicators of economic development, it belongs to the 1st place in Africa. South Africa accounts for 2/5 of industrial production, 4/5 of steel production, 7z of railway length. d., 1/2 car park Africa. The largest industrial region of the continent is the Witwatersrand, in which the capital Pretoria is located.

In accordance with the racist policy of apartheid, 10 "independent black states" or bantustans were created on the site of the former reservations. At the present time apartheid has been officially abolished, but the backwardness of the Bantustans persists.

9.3.2 Economic assessment of South Africa

Today South Africa is one of the most promising markets among all third world countries. The economy of the Republic of South Africa, this economic giant on the scale of the African continent, contains a unique combination of socio-economic factors inherent in both developed countries and third world countries. The presence of a developed economic infrastructure, a broad technological base, highly qualified managerial and engineering personnel, as well as a vast market for fairly cheap skilled and unskilled labor have made South Africa extremely attractive and profitable for free enterprise and foreign capital investment. The largest international investment companies highlight South Africa as an emerging market with the most favorable conditions for foreign investment.

The recent global financial crisis, which had such a strong impact on a number of third world countries, only underscored the strength and dynamism of the South African economy. Among the fundamental factors that determine the socio-economic situation in the country, in the first place, the increased attention of the South African government to the issues of supporting the constant growth of the country's exports, investment in fixed assets, the dynamics of consumption growth and real incomes of the population stands out. The South African government is called upon to provide the most favorable conditions for the external development of the country's economy, maintaining a positive balance of payments and foreign trade of South Africa. This is expressed, first of all, in the creation of a legal framework that in every possible way supports free enterprise and long-term investments.

Thanks to the economic reforms of the GEAR program, the economic situation since the end of 1996 has been characterized by constantly increasing GDP growth (at least 3%), low inflation, a stable exchange rate, and a trend towards improving budget indicators at all levels. Favorable domestic market conditions and increasing investment have been factors stimulating economic growth and economic stability in South Africa.

Along with economic transformations, reflected in fiscal and tax reforms, the South African government is encouraging investment and employment through the restructuring and privatization of state-owned enterprises.

Another priority for the government of South Africa is the solution of issues related to unemployment and the redistribution of incomes of the population, which is expressed primarily in the creation of additional jobs for low-skilled workers and the implementation of special subsidy programs.

The main components of the South African economy:

· The richest raw material base;

· In terms of reserves of a number of minerals, such as gold, platinum group metals, manganese, aluminoglucates, South Africa ranks first in the world;

· Most of the South African deposits are unique in terms of conditions and scale of occurrence of resources;

· Availability of the widest range of extracted minerals;

· Large agricultural sector;

· South Africa is not only fully self-sufficient in agricultural products, but is also one of the six countries in the world that are able to export agricultural products on a permanent basis;

· Developed financial market, characterized by clarity and reliability of banking and insurance services;

· The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is one of the 15 largest in the world;

· Widespread use of advanced technologies in the banking sector, such as Internet technologies;

· Presence of an extensive network of well-organized telecommunication services;

· Provision of all types of telecommunication services and Internet services;

· South Africa's mobile services and IP technology market is one of the fastest growing in the world;

· Telcom, a South African telecommunications company with a backbone network, is constantly increasing its share of the fiber-optic component, which allows increasing the speed and quality of telecommunications services;

· Modern transport infrastructure.

The number of railways and roads exceeds the similar averages of other African countries by 15 and 10 times, respectively.

· The presence of large commercial ports that guarantee South Africa access to all maritime destinations: to Asia, Europe, America and other countries of the African continent.

· The presence of a powerful energy base.

· A constant surplus of electricity produced over consumption guarantees the future supply of an ever-increasing number of consumers.

· Consumption prices for electricity available throughout South Africa are among the lowest in the world.

· Progressive legislation aimed at attracting foreign capital.

· Attraction of investments and introduction of advanced technologies occurs in all significant sectors of the economy of South Africa.

The average value of return on investment has been steadily increasing since 1992, which was made possible by a significant increase in average labor productivity (in 1997, labor productivity growth was 4.32%, in 1998 - 4.56%).

South Africa is one of the top 25 exporters in the world. Incomes from foreign trade reach 50% of GDP, while the volume of exports exceeds the volume of imports.

The main trading partners of South Africa are the USA, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy and Canada, and the turnover of foreign trade with these countries is increasing.

South Africa is one of the few countries with a unique dual system of property rights (public and private) for minerals. The restructuring of state enterprises, in which there is a redistribution of property rights from the state to private owners of enterprises, is especially noticeable in the mining industry. Another trend that is most noticeable in this sector of the economy is the merger of the largest companies and the monopolization of the market. Thus, more than 90% of diamond mining in South Africa is controlled by branches of the South African monopoly De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd.

South Africa is the world leader in the production of gold, platinum group metals, and holds the world's leading position in the production of diamonds and hard coal. The share of production of enterprises associated with the direct processing of minerals, including metal production, is approximately 14% of GDP. The share of exports of minerals in the total exports of South Africa, despite a gradual decline, is currently more than 33%.

Mechanical engineering is the largest sector of the South African economy, the main component of which is the automotive and machine tool industries owned by the largest foreign corporations.

Buses, trucks, trailers and semi-trailers, as well as spare parts for them, totaling more than 200 items, 159 of which are manufactured by NAACAM, come off the conveyors of factories owned by leading automobile corporations in the USA, Japan, Western Europe. Component parts are supplied not only to the assembly plants of the country, but also to the markets of the USA, South America, Europe, the Far East and Africa.

In addition, in South Africa there are a number of enterprises for the production of sea and river vessels, railway cars and locomotives, aircraft, components and some special devices. This sector of the economy is dominated by a group of companies led by Dorbyl Ltd.

Conclusion

Despite the huge natural and human potential, Africa continues to be the most backward part of the world economy. Therefore, the main task of the current stage is to accelerate socio-economic transformations that contribute to the solution of complex demographic, food and environmental problems.

List of sources used

1Maksakovskiy, V.P. Economic and social geography of the world: textbook. for 10 cells. general education Institutions / V.P. Maksakovskiy. - 16th ed., Rev. – M.: Enlightenment, 2008. – 398 p.

2 Maksakovskiy, V.P. Geographical picture of the world. In 2 books. Book II: Regional characteristics of the world. - 2nd ed., stereotype. – M.: Bustard, 2005. – 480 p.

3 Economic analysis of countries [Electronic resource] - Access mode: http: // www.profishop.lv, free. - Zagl. from the screen.

4 School.LV [Electronic resource] / Lessons / Economic geography - Access mode: http: // www.http ://shkola.lv/index.php?mode=lsntheme&themeid=199&subid=303, free. - Zagl. from the screen.

The purpose of the lesson:

1. The study of the subregions of Africa, familiarity with the regional division of the African continent. Identification of the features of the North African region.
2. Development of skills in working with a map, skills to generalize, work with a computer.
3. With the help of ICT, cultivate interest in the subject of geography.

Materials and equipment: textbook, atlases, computer, screen, projector, presentation, laptops, Internet access via Wi-fi.

During the classes

I. Organizing time.

Today's lesson is unusual, today's lesson will be held in the form of a master class. In a short time we will test all our knowledge.

II. Actualization.

Let's remember what regions of the world we have studied?

• In the 10th grade of the country of Foreign Europe
• Overseas Asia
• North America
• Latin America
• Started exploring Africa

Let's repeat the topics studied. To do this, look at the screen / test tasks are shown on the screen /.

Choose the correct answer.

A1. The country is the largest in terms of population:

1. Indonesia
2. Japan
3. Brazil

A2. Country with the highest natural population growth:

1. Italy
2. Brazil
3. China
4. Nigeria

A3. In which country is the policy aimed at population growth:

1. Algeria
2. India
3. France
4. Kenya

A4. Steel smelting using predominantly imported raw materials and fuel is carried out in:

1. Japan and Italy
2. China and Russia
3. Germany and Brazil
4. Ukraine and USA

A5. In the energy balance of which state is generated the most electricity at nuclear power plants?

1. Italy
2. Germany
3. France
4. Russia

A6. Intensive dairy farming is typical for the country:

1. Algeria
2. India
3. Mexico
4. Finland

A7. The main cargo carried by Worldwide Sea Transport is:

1. Machinery and equipment
2. Oil
3. Ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores
4. Corn

A8. Among the listed countries, select 3 countries in which the automotive industry is an industry of international specialization:

BUT) Italy
B) Colombia
AT) Sweden
D) Sudan
D) France
E) Nigeria

A9. Write the correspondence between the seaport and the country of its location:

A10. Why is Brazil one of the world's leading aluminum producers? Give at least 2 examples.

III. Exploring a new topic.

Divide the class into 4 groups. Each group is given certain tasks and 4 laptops. Tasks are performed independently according to the textbook (pp. 54-59, 113-118, 129-135, 252-253), atlas. You can use materials from the Internet.

Division of Africa into sub-regions:

North Africa	West Africa	Central Africa	East Africa	SouthAfrica
				Botswana
West Sahara
Mauritania
				Swaziland
			Tanzania
		Republic of the Congo		Zimbabwe
	Burkina Faso	Equatorial Guinea		Mozambique
	Ivory Coast			Madagascar
		Sao Tome and Principe

Describe the plan:

• Group 1: the main features of North Africa, the countries that make up the territory
• Group 2: characterize the peoples of North Africa
• Group 3: characterize the natural resources and economic development of the region
• Group 4: describe the economic activity of North Africa

Characterization plans are sent to each group by e-mail:

Outline of the characteristics of the main features of Africa

1. Mainland area
2. Number of countries in Africa
3. Countries with access to the seas and oceans
4. Countries that do not have access to the seas and oceans
5. Countries - monarchies
6. Number of countries with a republican form of government
7. Number of countries with a unitary administrative-territorial structure
8. What and for what purpose was an organization created in 1963 to strengthen the unity and cooperation of the states of the African continent, to preserve their integrity and independence.

Character plantiki peoples of north africa

1. The total population of Africa. The population of the region.
2. How many times has the population increased in the 20th century? What is Africa's place in the world in terms of population?
3. List countries with a population of over 25 million
4. Give a brief description of the age and sex composition of the population
5. In what countries do women outnumber men?
6. Africa's average population density? Average population density of North Africa? Which areas have the highest population density?

Plan for characterization of natural resources and economic development of the region

1. Economic and geographical position.
2. Natural conditions and resources (developed and promising). Oil and natural gas producing countries
3. Energy production cycles, stages of their development.
4. Development prospects.
5. Environmental problems associated with the industry and ways to solve them.

Farm Characterization Plan

1. Branches of crop production in agriculture, main crops
2. Livestock, main industries
3. Development of industries
4. Oil, gas industry. OPEC countries
5. Environmental problems of the region

IV.Physical education minute

v.Consolidation.

1. Drawing up a diagram on the topic of resource availability of the regions of the world.

(Offered to one team member according to the following data).

The game "Who is faster"

1 student from each team is invited to the board. A geographical term, an object is called. You must be the fastest to find and show on the map.

1. In which country is the highest point in Africa located? / Tanzania/
2. The most abundant river in Africa - ...... / Congo/
3. What separates Africa from Europe? / strait of Gibraltar/
4. Where is the hottest and driest region in Africa located? / in the Sahara Desert, North Africa/
5. What river is Victoria Falls on? / Zambezi, Zambia/
6. Identify the country by its brief description: This small country is the largest in terms of population on the continent. Its capital is not the largest city in the country. The main wealth of the country is oil. The country is a member of OPEC. / Nigeria/
7. This is a small African country whose name is the same as the name of its capital. It has a variety of mineral resources, including iron lead-zinc ores, phosphorites. It also produces oil, but the country is not a member of OPEC. ITS diverse recreational resources, unique monuments of antiquity and the warm sea contributed to the transformation of tourism into the leading branch of its economy. / Tunisia/
8. In which region are the countries of Algeria, Libya, Egypt? / North Africa/
9. A large territory of this country is located on a mountainous area, the country is the birthplace of many varieties of wheat, rye, coffee. / Ethiopia/
10. Which city has geographical coordinates: 30 ° S, 32 ° E. / Cairo/

VI. Generalization.

Despite the abundance of natural resources, labor resources, Africa is a backward continent in terms of economic development. Therefore, one of the problems of modern mankind is the elimination of the economic backwardness of the mainland.

VII.Homework:

1. On a contour map, mark the borders and countries of the regions of Africa.
2. Make a description of one of the countries of North Africa according to the plan.
3. Make a test of 5 questions for African countries.

Historically, Africa has been divided into two natural sub-regions: Tropical Africa and North Africa. But Tropical Africa still separately includes Central, Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.

North Africa: characteristics and features

This region is adjacent to Southwest Asia and Southern Europe and covers an area of ​​about 10 million km2. North Africa has access to the sea routes from Europe to Asia, and part of this region forms the sparsely populated expanses of the Sahara desert.

In the past, this region formed the ancient Egyptian civilization, and now North Africa is called Arab. This is due to the fact that most of the population speaks Arabic and the main religion of the region is Islam.

The cities of North Africa are subdivided into two parts: the old part of the city is located on a hill and surrounded by protective walls, and the new part of the city is modern and stylish buildings.

North Africa is the center of the manufacturing industry, especially its coastal strip. Therefore, almost the entire population of this part of Africa lives here. Also North Africa is a region of subtropical agriculture.

Tropical Africa: characteristics of a backward region

This region is called "black Africa", as the bulk of the population belongs to the Negroid race. The ethnic composition of Tropical Africa is diverse, the population of South and Central Africa speaks closely related languages, but still they differ from each other. Swahili is the most widely spoken language.

The population of Tropical Africa is 650 million people, and the area is 20 million km2. This region is recognized as the most backward from the developing world, as it contains 29 countries that are considered the least developed in the world. .

This is due to the fact that the main industry is agriculture, which does not contribute to the development of such a large area and population of the region. It is noteworthy that the soil is cultivated in the absence of a plow, and agricultural activities are carried out by women and children.

Animal husbandry is not very developed, but there are regions in which hunting and fishing are practiced, mainly equatorial forests. Most of the population of Tropical Africa lives in rural areas, as people work either on plantations or on farms.

The life of the population is connected with subsistence farming, which is the basis of their life. In addition to Christianity and Islam in Tropical Africa, traditional beliefs are developed - belief in the spirits of nature, fetishism and the cult of ancestors. This region of Africa is called the least industrialized and least urbanized.

Only eight countries have millionaire cities: Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luanda in Angola, Dakar in Senegal and Nairobi in Kenya. This region is characterized by environmental degradation, desertification, depletion of flora and fauna and deforestation.

In one of the desert regions of Tropical Africa, the "Sahel tragedy" occurred - due to the lack of precipitation for ten years, the Sahel became a scorched earth zone. Since 1974, droughts began to recur, subsequently killing millions of people and reducing the number of livestock.

Africa, distinguished by the richness and diversity of natural resources, due to deep political, social, economic problems, is considered the economically least developed continent. On a total area of ​​Africa of 30.3 million square kilometers, there are 62 countries and territories, 54 of which are independent states. Of all the countries and territories in Africa, 10 are islands, 15 are inland, 37, located on the mainland, have access to the sea. African countries are divided into 5 sub-regions.

The countries of North, West, Central, East and South Africa differ among themselves in terms of geographical location, natural resources, number and average size of states.

The countries of North Africa, due to the presence of access to the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Atlantic Ocean, have been closely connected with Europe and Asia Minor since ancient times. The subtropical and tropical climate of the countries of the subregion contributed to the specialization of agriculture in the cultivation of cotton, olives, grapes, and citrus fruits. Industry is primarily associated with the extraction and processing of mineral raw materials (oil, natural gas, phosphorites, iron ore). In addition, the light and food industries, processing agricultural raw materials, are well developed. Maritime transport plays an important role in the transport system. Especially, the Suez Canal plays an important role in the development of shipping off the coast of North Africa. International tourism has also developed significantly.

The majority of the population are Arabs. In the course of centuries of history, developed areas of irrigated agriculture and nomadic animal husbandry, as well as centers of crafts, have developed in the countries of the subregion. The leading countries of the subregion in terms of socio-economic development are Egypt and Algeria.

The countries of West Africa are located between the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea, in the conditions of tropical deserts, savannahs and humid equatorial forests. This sub-region is one of the most densely populated in Africa. The ethnic composition of the population is very complex. During the era of colonialism, it was in West Africa that the slave trade was most actively conducted.

The modern appearance of the countries of the subregion is determined, first of all, by specialization in agriculture, which has been developed here since ancient times. The plantation economy in the countries of West Africa is mainly aimed at the cultivation of industrial crops. Agriculture is developing mainly in line with the monoculture of such products of export value as peanuts, cocoa, coffee, tropical fruits, and natural rubber. The leading industry is mining. The extraction of iron and uranium ores, bauxites, tin, oil, diamonds, and gold is mainly carried out. The state of Nigeria is an economically relatively developed country in West Africa.

The countries of Central Africa are located mainly in natural areas of humid equatorial forests and savannahs. The subregion stands out for its rich reserves and diversity of mineral wealth not only on the mainland, but throughout the world. In addition, the countries of the subregion are rich in water, biological (especially forest) resources, the possibilities of which are not fully used. The countries of Central Africa export rough diamonds, copper, cobalt, manganese, tin, oil. The export value of forest resources is also great. The main industry is mining, but the manufacturing industry is also gradually developing. The ethnic composition of the population is dominated by the peoples of the Bantu family. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest country in the subregion in terms of territory, population and economic potential.

For the countries of East Africa, the subequatorial and tropical climate is mainly inherent. Since ancient times, East Africa has had close trade ties with India and the Arab countries due to access to the Indian Ocean. It differs from other subregions of the mainland by its lower wealth in mineral resources. In this regard, much attention is paid to the use of other natural resources. Specializing in tropical agriculture, the countries of the subregion mainly export coffee, tea, coconut products, and spices. Some countries in the subregion also export minerals (mainly copper). Manufacturing industries are developing. Numerous nature reserves and national parks have become resources for the development of international tourism. The population of East Africa is a complex mixture of numerous peoples and tribes. Kenya stands out among the countries of the subregion with relatively high indicators of socio-economic development.

The countries of South Africa, at a considerable distance from Europe, Asia, America, have an advantageous economic and geographical position. Important international sea routes pass along their coast. Located in the tropical and subtropical zones of the Southern Hemisphere, the countries of South Africa have rich natural, especially mineral, resources. The Republic of South Africa is considered the most developed country not only in the sub-region of South Africa, but also in the entire continent. It is one of the largest suppliers of various types of mineral raw materials to the world market. At the same time, the manufacturing industry also occupies a prominent place in its economy. The rest of the countries in the subregion are dominated by agriculture. The ethnic composition of the population is diverse. A feature of the population of South Africa is the relatively high proportion of Europeans.

African countries have rich natural and socio-economic resources. However, the low level of socio-economic development of many countries, the peculiarities of the ethnic and religious composition of the population, the low standard of living and education, the mismatch of state and ethnic borders inherited from the times of colonialism are sources of acute geopolitical problems on the continent. The irrational use of natural resources, in turn, has led to acute environmental problems, especially desertification.