Selected aspects and specifics of the economic development in sub-Saharan Africa

• Published in: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 517 - 528
• Main Authors: Tomšík, Karel, Smutka, Luboš
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mendel University Press 2013
• Subjects: economy; GDP; GDP/capita; structure; sub-Saharan Africa; trade
• ISSN: 1211-8516; 2464-8310
• DOI: 10.11118/actaun201361020517

The paper examines the development of economies in the sub-Saharan region. It aims to identify particular development trends specific to the region. That means identifying changes which have occurred in the past five decades in following areas: development of the GDP value ​​and structure, growth in the value of foreign trade, demographic growth, and changes in the value of GDP per capita. The results of the analysis show very constrained economic power of sub-Saharan region. Not only weak economy of the region but also a significant population growth is a problem. Increasing production and trade does not contribute effectively to elimination of high level of poverty and malnutrition which remains a long-term problem of the sub-Saharan region. In real terms, the GDP per capita was growing by less than 1 % in the period 1961–2010. Sub-Saharan region is highly dependent on cooperation with other world regions in its effort to increase economic growth and to improve the economic situation of own population. The GDP growth is thus very sensitive to GDP development in Europe and North America. Concerning the foreign trade, development of sub-Saharan trade is dependent on regions of the Southern and Eastern Asia, and Europe.