africa then and now


So.

I have written couple of things about Africa. It occurred to me that it is really difficult to keep up with countries names and governments mostly because in the past 100 years or so almost every sub Sahara country in Africa has been “renamed.”

So. I enlightened myself and dug up an old map and then found a new map so everyone could scan Africa geography 101.

This first map reflects Africa with its “European defined” country borders as of 1914. Colonialism actually defined borders up to that time. The conclusion of World War 1 changed the face of Africa significantly (and if you want to read about one of the most brutal side wars of WW1 pick up “Tip and Run” which blow by blow brutally showcases the German/British clashes during that period).

This following map reflects Africa today. The biggest thing to note is that once European colonialism subsided the continent reverted more to the traditional “like minded people” governed countries (a side note but Africa actually showed us what would happen in the Balkans once that geography stepped out of the European defined boundaries if we had paid attention to that activity in that way).

Okay.

This last map.

The reason why I am including this one is simply because I have written so much about the economic conflict taking place throughout Africa. It is the battle for the economic potential. And China and USA (and the west) are standing on each side.

In China part 3 I pointed out how large Africa is. In this map I am showing how large the potential is. And potential is reflected in poverty numbers.

When you look at numbers like these of course your first thought is sadness. So many people living in poverty while we, in the USA, live in such abundance.

The second thing you think of is potential. The possibility of even doubling the economic output is staggering. The possibility of raising their productivity level to say even a Greece (the poster child for bankruptcy) is mind boggling in its numbers and size.

There you  go.

Africa and China and USA. Something to pay attention to.

Ok.

I am probably done with this series now (at least for now) and move on to discussing the situation in the Middle East because that would be the next big battleground for democracy.

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Written by Bruce