Economy of Africa - Wikipedia Economy of Africa This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. ( July 2014 ) Economy of Africa Statistics Population 1.3 billion ( 15 % ; 2017 ) GDP Nominal : US $2.2 trillion, € 1.80 trillion ( 2017 ) PPP : US $ 6.757 trillion ( 2017 ) GDP growth Per capita : 5.16 % ( 2004 -- 2006 ) GDP per capita Nominal : US $3,320, € 1,692 ( 2013 ) PPP : US $6,136, € 5,113 ( 2017 ) Millionaires ( US $ ) 140,000 ( 0.011 % ) Top 10 % income 44.7 % People living less than US $1 per day 36.2 % External External debt as % of GDP 60.7 % ( 1998 ) 25.5 % ( 2007 ) IMF External debt payments as % of GDP 4.2 % 3.0 % ( 2007 ) IMF Foreign - aid revenue as % of GDP 3.2 % ( 2001 ) Numbers from the UNDP and AfDB. Most numbers exclude some countries for lack of information. Since these tend to be the poor nations, these numbers tend to have a bias. Numbers are mostly from 2002. All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars. World economy Africa Americas Central America North America South America Asia East Asia Europe Oceania Listen to this article ( info / dl ) This audio file was created from a revision of the article `` Economy of Africa '' dated 2009 - 11 - 27, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ( Audio help ) More spoken articles The economy of Africa consists of the trade, industry, agriculture, and human resources of the continent. As of 2012, approximately 1.07 billion people were living in 54 different countries in Africa. Africa is a resource - rich continent. Recent growth has been due to growth in sales in commodities, services, and manufacturing. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is expected to reach a GDP of $29 trillion by 2050. In March 2013, Africa was identified as the world 's poorest inhabited continent : Africa 's entire combined GDP is barely a third of the United States ' GDP ; however, the World Bank expects that most African countries will reach `` middle income '' status ( defined as at least US $ 1,000 per person a year ) by 2025 if current growth rates continue. In 2013, Africa was the world 's fastest - growing continent at 5.6 % a year, and GDP is expected to rise by an average of over 6 % a year between 2013 and 2023. In 2017, the African Development Bank reported Africa to be the world 's second - fastest growing economy, and estimates that average growth will rebound to 3.4 % in 2017, while growth is expected to increase by 4.3 % in 2018. Growth has been present throughout the continent, with over one - third of Sub-Saharan African countries posting 6 % or higher growth rates, and another 40 % growing between 4 % to 6 % per year. Several international business observers have also named Africa as the future economic growth engine of the world. Contents 1 History 2 Current conditions 2.1 Trade growth 2.2 Future 3 Causes of the economic underdevelopment over the years 3.1 Infrastructure 3.2 Colonialism 3.3 Language diversity 3.4 Trade based theories 3.5 Governance 3.6 Foreign aid 4 Trade blocks and multilateral organizations 5 Economic variants and indicators 5.1 Regions 5.2 African nations 6 Economic sectors and industries 6.1 Agriculture 6.2 Energy 6.3 Infrastructure 6.4 Mining and drilling 6.5 Manufacturing 6.6 Investment and banking 6.6. 1 Stock exchanges 7 Trade blocs and multilateral organizations 7.1 Regional economic organizations 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links History This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2013 ) Further information : Economic history of Africa and Scramble for Africa Ancient Egyptian units of measurement also served as units of currency. Africa 's economy was diverse, driven by extensive trade routes that developed between cities and kingdoms. Some trade routes were overland, some involved navigating rivers, still others developed around port cities. Large African empires became wealthy due to their trade networks, for example Ancient Egypt, Nubia, Mali, Ashanti, and the Oyo Empire. The Sultanate of Mogadishu 's medieval currency. Some parts of Africa had close trade relationships with Arab kingdoms, and by the time of the Ottoman Empire, Africans had begun converting to Islam in large numbers. This development, along with the economic potential in finding a trade route to the Indian Ocean, brought the Portuguese to sub-Saharan Africa as an imperial force. Colonial interests created new industries to feed European appetites for goods such as palm oil, rubber, cotton, precious metals, spices, cash crops other goods, and integrated especially the coastal areas with the Atlantic economy. Following the independence of African countries during the 20th century, economic, political and social upheaval consumed much of the continent. An economic rebound among some countries has been evident in recent years, however. The dawn of the African economic boom ( which is in place since the 2000s ) has been compared to the Chinese economic boom that had emerged in Asia since late 1970 's. In 2013, Africa was home to seven of the world 's fastest - growing economies. As of 2016, Nigeria is the biggest economy, followed by South Africa, with Egypt economically scrambling and suffering from the recent political turmoil. Equatorial Guinea possessed Africa 's highest GDP per capita albeit allegations of human rights violations. Oil - rich countries such as Algeria, Libya and Gabon, and mineral - rich Botswana emerged among the top economies since the 21st century, while Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, potentially among the world 's richest nations, have sunk into the list of the world 's poorest nations due to pervasive political corruption, warfare and braindrain of workforce. Botswana remains the site of Africa 's longest and one of the world 's longest periods of economic boom ( 1966 -- 1999 ). Current conditions The National Cement Share Company of Ethiopia 's new plant in Dire Dawa The United Nations predicts Africa 's economic growth will reach 3.5 % in 2018 and 3.7 % in 2019. As of 2007, growth in Africa had surpassed that of East Asia. Data suggest parts of the continent are now experiencing fast growth, thanks to their resources and increasing political stability and ' has steadily increased levels of peacefulness since 2007 '. The World Bank reports the economy of Sub-Saharan African countries grew at rates that match or surpass global rates. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the improvement in the region 's aggregate growth is largely attributable to a recovery in Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa, three of Africa 's largest economies. The economies of the fastest growing African nations experienced growth significantly above the global average rates. The top nations in 2007 include Mauritania with growth at 19.8 %, Angola at 17.6 %, Sudan at 9.6 %, Mozambique at 7.9 % and Malawi at 7.8 %. Other fast growers include Rwanda, Mozambique, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia. Nonetheless, growth has been dismal, negative or sluggish in many parts of Africa including Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Many international agencies are increasingly interested in investing in emerging African economies. especially as Africa continues to maintain high economic growth despite current global economic recession. The rate of return on investment in Africa is currently the highest in the developing world. Debt relief is being addressed by some international institutions in the interests of supporting economic development in Africa. In 1996, the UN sponsored the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries ( HIPC ) initiative, subsequently taken up by the IMF, World Bank and the African Development Fund ( AfDF ) in the form of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative ( MDRI ). As of 2013, the initiative has given partial debt relief to 30 African countries. Trade growth Trade has driven much of the growth in Africa 's economy in the early 21st century. China and India are increasingly important trade partners ; 12.5 % of Africa 's exports are to China, and 4 % are to India, which accounts for 5 % of China 's imports and 8 % of India 's. The Group of Five ( Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates ) are another increasingly important market for Africa 's exports. Future A mobile phone advertisement on the side of a van, Kampala, Uganda. Africa 's economy -- with expanding trade, English language skills ( official in many Sub-Saharan countries ), improving literacy and education, availability of splendid resources and cheaper labour force -- is expected to continue to perform better into the future. Trade between Africa and China stood at US $166 billion in 2011. Africa will only experience a `` demographic dividend '' by 2035, when its young and growing labour force will have fewer children and retired people as dependents as a proportion of the population, making it more demographically comparable to the US and Europe. It is becoming a more educated labour force, with nearly half expected to have some secondary - level education by 2020. A consumer class is also emerging in Africa and is expected to keep booming. Africa has around 90 million people with household incomes exceeding $5,000, meaning that they can direct more than half of their income towards discretionary spending rather than necessities. This number could reach a projected 128 million by 2020. During the President of the United States Barack Obama 's visit to Africa in July 2013, he announced a US $ 7 billion plan to further develop infrastructure and work more intensively with African heads of state. A new program named Trade Africa, designed to boost trade within the continent as well as between Africa and the U.S., was also unveiled by Obama. Causes of the economic underdevelopment over the years The seemingly intractable nature of Africa 's poverty has led to debate concerning its root causes. Endemic warfare and unrest, widespread corruption, and despotic regimes are both causes and effects of the continued economic problems. The decolonization of Africa was fraught with instability aggravated by cold war conflict. Since the mid-20th century, the Cold War and increased corruption and despotism have also contributed to Africa 's poor economy. Infrastructure The Trans - African Highway network According to the researchers at the Overseas Development Institute, the lack of infrastructure in many developing countries represents one of the most significant limitations to economic growth and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ). Infrastructure investments and maintenance can be very expensive, especially in such areas as landlocked, rural and sparsely populated countries in Africa. It has been argued that infrastructure investments contributed to more than half of Africa 's improved growth performance between 1990 and 2005 and increased investment is necessary to maintain growth and tackle poverty. The returns to investment in infrastructure are very significant, with on average 30 -- 40 % returns for telecommunications ( ICT ) investments, over 40 % for electricity generation, and 80 % for roads. In Africa, it is argued that to meet the MDGs by 2015, infrastructure investments would need to reach about 15 % of GDP ( around $93 billion a year ). Currently, the source of financing varies significantly across sectors. Some sectors are dominated by state spending, others by overseas development aid ( ODA ) and yet others by private investors. In sub-Saharan Africa, the state spends around $9.4 billion out of a total of $24.9 billion. In irrigation, SSA states represent almost all spending ; in transport and energy a majority of investment is state spending ; in Information and communication technologies and water supply and sanitation, the private sector represents the majority of capital expenditure. Overall, aid, the private sector and non-OECD financiers between them exceed state spending. The private sector spending alone equals state capital expenditure, though the majority is focused on ICT infrastructure investments. External financing increased from $7 billion ( 2002 ) to $27 billion ( 2009 ). China, in particular, has emerged as an important investor. Colonialism Main article : Colonisation of Africa Railway map of Africa, including tracks proposed and under construction, The Statesman 's Yearbook, 1899. The economic impact of the colonization of Africa has been debated. In this matter, the opinions are biased between researchers, some of them consider that Europeans had a positive impact on Africa ; others affirm that Africa 's development was slowed down by colonial rule. The principal aim of colonial rule in Africa by European colonial powers was to exploit natural wealth in the African continent at a low cost. Some writers, such as Walter Rodney in his book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, argue that these colonial policies are directly responsible for many of Africa 's modern problems. Critics of colonialism charge colonial rule with injuring African pride, self - worth and belief in themselves. Other post-colonial scholars, most notably Frantz Fanon continuing along this line, have argued that the true effects of colonialism are psychological and that domination by a foreign power creates a lasting sense of inferiority and subjugation that creates a barrier to growth and innovation. Such arguments posit that a new generation of Africans free of colonial thought and mindset is emerging and that this is driving economic transformation. Historians L.H. Gann and Peter Duignan have argued that Africa probably benefited from colonialism on balance. Although it had its faults, colonialism was probably `` one of the most efficacious engines for cultural diffusion in world history ''. These views, however, are controversial and are rejected by some who, on balance, see colonialism as bad. The economic historian David Kenneth Fieldhouse has taken a kind of middle position, arguing that the effects of colonialism were actually limited and their main weakness was n't in deliberate underdevelopment but in what it failed to do. Niall Ferguson agrees with his last point, arguing that colonialism 's main weaknesses were sins of omission. Analysis of the economies of African states finds that independent states such as Liberia and Ethiopia did not have better economic performance than their post-colonial counterparts. In particular the economic performance of former British colonies was better than both independent states and former French colonies. Africa 's relative poverty predates colonialism. Jared Diamond argues in Guns, Germs, and Steel that Africa has always been poor due to a number of ecological factors affecting historical development. These factors include low population density, lack of domesticated livestock and plants and the North - South orientation of Africa 's geography. However Diamond 's theories have been criticized by some including James Morris Blaut as a form of environmental determinism. Historian John K. Thornton argues that sub-Saharan Africa was relatively wealthy and technologically advanced until at least the seventeenth century. Some scholars who believe that Africa was generally poorer than the rest of the world throughout its history make exceptions for certain parts of Africa. Acemoglue and Robinson, for example, argue that most of Africa has always been relatively poor, but `` Aksum, Ghana, Songhay, Mali, ( and ) Great Zimbabwe... were probably as developed as their contemporaries anywhere in the world. '' A number of people including Rodney and Joseph E. Inikori have argued that the poverty of Africa at the onset of the colonial period was principally due to the demographic loss associated with the slave trade as well as other related societal shifts. Others such as J.D. Fage and David Eltis have rejected this view. Language diversity A randomly selected pair of people in Ghana has only an 8.1 % chance of sharing a mother tongue. African countries suffer from communication difficulties caused by language diversity. Greenberg 's diversity index is the chance that two randomly selected people would have different mother tongues. Out of the most diverse 25 countries according to this index, 18 ( 72 % ) are African. This includes 12 countries for which Greenberg 's diversity index exceeds 0.9, meaning that a pair of randomly selected people will have less than 10 % chance of having the same mother tongue. However, the primary language of government, political debate, academic discourse, and administration is often the language of the former colonial powers ; English, French, or Portuguese. Trade based theories Dependency theory asserts that the wealth and prosperity of the superpowers and their allies in Europe, North America and East Asia is dependent upon the poverty of the rest of the world, including Africa. Economists who subscribe to this theory believe that poorer regions must break their trading ties with the developed world in order to prosper. Less radical theories suggest that economic protectionism in developed countries hampers Africa 's growth. When developing countries have harvested agricultural produce at low cost, they generally do not export as much as would be expected. Abundant farm subsidies and high import tariffs in the developed world, most notably those set by Japan, the European Union 's Common Agricultural Policy, and the United States Department of Agriculture, are thought to be the cause. Although these subsidies and tariffs have been gradually reduced, they remain high. Local conditions also affect exports ; state over-regulation in several African nations can prevent their own exports from becoming competitive. Research in Public Choice economics such as that of Jane Shaw suggest that protectionism operates in tandem with heavy State intervention combining to depress economic development. Farmers subject to import and export restrictions cater to localized markets, exposing them to higher market volatility and fewer opportunities. When subject to uncertain market conditions, farmers press for governmental intervention to suppress competition in their markets, resulting in competition being driven out of the market. As competition is driven out of the market, farmers innovate less and grow less food further undermining economic performance. Governance Political corruption Concepts Bribery Cronyism Kleptocracy Economics of corruption Electoral fraud Legal plunder Nepotism Slush fund Political scandal Corruption by country Europe Albania Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belgium Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Georgia Greece Iceland Ireland Italy Kosovo Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Ukraine Asia Afghanistan Bahrain Bangladesh Cambodia China India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Malaysia Myanmar North Korea Pakistan Philippines Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Tajikistan Thailand Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Africa Angola Botswana Cameroon Congo Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Guinea - Bissau Kenya Liberia Mauritius Morocco Nigeria Senegal Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe North America Canada Cuba Haiti Mexico Nicaragua United States South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Paraguay Peru Venezuela Oceania and the Pacific Australia New Zealand Papua New Guinea Transcontinental countries Russia Turkey Although Africa and Asia had similar levels of income in the 1960s, Asia has since outpaced Africa. One school of economists argues that Asia 's superior economic development lies in local investment. Corruption in Africa consists primarily of extracting economic rent and moving the resulting financial capital overseas instead of investing at home ; the stereotype of African dictators with Swiss bank accounts is often accurate. University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers estimate that from 1970 to 1996, capital flight from 30 sub-Saharan countries totalled $187 bn, exceeding those nations ' external debts. This disparity in development is consistent with the model theorized by economist Mancur Olson. Because governments were politically unstable and new governments often confiscated their predecessors ' assets, officials would stash their wealth abroad, out of reach of any future expropriation. Foreign aid Food shipments in case of dire local shortage are generally uncontroversial ; but as Amartya Sen has shown, most famines involve a local lack of income rather than of food. In such situations, food aid -- as opposed to financial aid -- has the effect of destroying local agriculture and serves mainly to benefit Western agribusiness which are vastly overproducing food as a result of agricultural subsidies. Historically, food aid is more highly correlated with excess supply in Western countries than with the needs of developing countries. Foreign aid has been an integral part of African economic development since the 1980s. The aid model has been criticized for supplanting trade initiatives. Growing evidence shows that foreign aid has made the continent poorer. One of the biggest critics of the aid development model is economist Dambiso Moyo ( a Zambian economist based in the US ), who introduced the Dead Aid model, which highlights how foreign aid has been a deterrent for local development. Today, Africa faces the problem of attracting foreign aid in areas where there is potential for high income from demand. It is in need of more economic policies and active participation in the world economy. As globalization has heightened the competition for foreign aid among developing countries, Africa has been trying to improve its struggle to receive foreign aid by taking more responsibility at the regional and international level. In addition, Africa has created the ' Africa Action Plan ' in order to obtain new relationships with development partners to share responsibilities regarding discovering ways to receive aid from foreign investors. Trade blocks and Multilateral organizations The African Union is the largest international economic grouping on the continent. The confederation 's goals include the creation of a free trade area, a customs union, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency ( see African Monetary Union ), thereby establishing economic and monetary union. The current plan is to establish an African Economic Community with a single currency by 2023. The African Investment Bank is meant to stimulate development. The AU plans also include a transitional African Monetary Fund leading to an African Central Bank. Some parties support development of an even more unified United States of Africa. International monetary and banking unions include : Central Bank of West African States Bank of Central African States Common Monetary Area Major economic unions are shown in the chart below. African Economic Community Pillars regional blocs ( REC ) Area ( km2 ) Population GDP ( PPP ) ( $ US ) Member states in millions per capita AEC 29,910,442 853,520,010 2,053,706 2,406 54 ECOWAS 5,112,903 349,154,000 1,322,452 3,888 15 ECCAS 6,667,421 121,245,958 175,928 1,451 11 SADC 9,882,959 233,944,179 737,335 3,152 15 EAC 2,440,409 169,519,847 411,813 2,429 6 COMESA 12,873,957 406,102,471 735,599 1,811 20 IGAD 5,233,604 187,969,775 225,049 1,197 7 Other African blocs Area ( km2 ) Population GDP ( PPP ) ( $ US ) Member states in millions per capita CEMAC 3,020,142 34,970,529 85,136 2,435 6 SACU 2,693,418 51,055,878 541,433 10,605 5 UEMOA 3,505,375 80,865,222 101,640 1,257 8 UMA 5,782,140 84,185,073 491,276 5,836 5 GAFTA 5,876,960 166,259,603 635,450 3,822 5 Economic bloc inside a pillar REC Proposed for pillar REC, but objecting participation Non-African members of GAFTA are excluded from figures smallest value among the blocs compared largest value among the blocs compared During 2004. Source : CIA World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database This box : view talk edit Further information : Economy of the African Union Economic variants and indicators Map of Africa by nominal GDP in billions USD ( 2008 ). 200 + 100 -- 200 50 -- 100 20 -- 50 10 -- 20 5 -- 10 1 -- 5 0 -- 1 After an initial rebound from the 2009 world economic crisis, Africa 's economy was undermined in the year 2011 by the Arab uprisings. The continent 's growth fell back from 5 % in 2010 to 3.4 % in 2011. With the recovery of North African economies and sustained improvement in other regions, growth across the continent is expected to accelerate to 4.5 % in 2012 and 4.8 % in 2013. Short - term problems for the world economy remain as Europe confronts its debt crisis. Commodity prices -- crucial for Africa -- have declined from their peak due to weaker demand and increased supply, and some could fall further. But prices are expected to remain at levels favourable for African exporter. Regions Economic activity has rebounded across Africa. However, the pace of recovery was uneven among groups of countries and subregions. Oil - exporting countries generally expanded more strongly than oil - importing countries. West Africa and East Africa were the two best - performing subregions in 2010. Intra-African trade has been slowed by protectionist policies among countries and regions. Despite this, trade between countries belonging to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ), a particularly strong economic region, grew six-fold over the past decade up to 2012. Ghana and Kenya, for example, have developed markets within the region for construction materials, machinery, and finished products, quite different from the mining and agriculture products that make up the bulk of their international exports. The African Ministers of Trade agreed in 2010 to create a Pan-Africa Free Trade Zone. This would reduce countries ' tariffs on imports and increase intra-African trade, and it is hoped, the diversification of the economy overall. African nations Country Total GDP ( nominal ) ( billion US $ ) GDP per capita ( US $, PPP ) GDP Growth, 2007 - 2011 ( in % ) HDI 2015 Algeria 7002188700000000000 ♠ 188.7 7003871500000000000 ♠ 8,715 7000270000000000000 ♠ 2.7 6999733000000000000 ♠ 0.733 Angola 7002124100000000000 ♠ 124.1 7003773600000000000 ♠ 7,736 7000910000000000000 ♠ 9.1 6999532000000000000 ♠ 0.532 Benin 7000830000000000000 ♠ 8.3 7003179100000000000 ♠ 1,791 7000390000000000000 ♠ 3.9 6999480000000000000 ♠ 0.480 Botswana 7001148000000000000 ♠ 14.8 7004157520000000000 ♠ 15,752 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3.0 6999698000000000000 ♠ 0.698 Burkina Faso 7001102009999900000 ♠ 10.2 7003131000000000000 ♠ 1,310 7000490000000000000 ♠ 4.9 6999370000000000000 ♠ 0.370 Burundi 7000230000000099999 ♠ 2.3 7002772000000000000 ♠ 772 7000430000000000000 ♠ 4.3 6999400000000000000 ♠ 0.400 Cameroon 7001296000000000000 ♠ 29.6 7003283000000000000 ♠ 2,830 7000310000000000000 ♠ 3.1 6999512000000000000 ♠ 0.512 Cape Verde 7000190000000000000 ♠ 1.9 7003641600000000000 ♠ 6,416 7000580000000000000 ♠ 5.8 6999646000000000000 ♠ 0.646 Central African Republic 7000220000000000000 ♠ 2.2 7002816000000000000 ♠ 816 7000280000000099999 ♠ 2.8 6999350000000000000 ♠ 0.350 Chad 7000950000000000000 ♠ 9.5 7003153100000000000 ♠ 1,531 7000290000000000000 ♠ 2.9 6999388000000000000 ♠ 0.388 Comoros 6999600000000000000 ♠ 0.6 7003111700000000000 ♠ 1,117 7000150000000000000 ♠ 1.5 6999503000000000000 ♠ 0.503 Democratic Republic of the Congo 7001327000000000000 ♠ 32.7 7002809000000000000 ♠ 809 7000590000000000000 ♠ 5.9 6999433000000000000 ♠ 0.433 Congo 7001147000000000000 ♠ 14.7 7003586900000000000 ♠ 5,869 7000490000000000000 ♠ 4.9 6999591000000000000 ♠ 0.591 Ivory Coast 7001241000000000000 ♠ 24.1 7003180300000000000 ♠ 1,803 7000110000000000000 ♠ 1.1 6999432000000000000 ♠ 0.432 Djibouti 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1.0 ( 2009 ) 7003229000000000000 ♠ 2,290 ( 2009 ) 7000530000000000000 ♠ 5.3 6999470000000000000 ♠ 0.470 Egypt 7002229500000000000 ♠ 229.5 7003632400000000000 ♠ 6,324 7000520000000000000 ♠ 5.2 6999690009999900000 ♠ 0.690 Equatorial Guinea 7001198000000000000 ♠ 19.8 7004347390000000000 ♠ 34,739 7000880000000000000 ♠ 8.8 6999587000000000000 ♠ 0.587 Eritrea 7000260000000000000 ♠ 2.6 7003119600000000000 ♠ 1,196 7000130000000000000 ♠ 1.3 6999483000000000000 ♠ 0.483 Ethiopia 7001475000000000000 ♠ 47.5 7003138000000000000 ♠ 1,380 7000970000000099999 ♠ 9.7 6999442000000000000 ♠ 0.442 Gabon 7001193000000000000 ♠ 19.3 7004192640000000000 ♠ 19,264 7000360000000000000 ♠ 3.6 6999684000000000000 ♠ 0.684 Gambia 6999900000000000000 ♠ 0.9 7003166100000000000 ♠ 1,661 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6.0 6999441000000000000 ♠ 0.441 Ghana 7001481000000000000 ♠ 48.1 7003399200000000000 ♠ 3,992 7000830000000000000 ♠ 8.3 6999578990000000000 ♠ 0.579 Guinea 7000510000000099999 ♠ 5.1 7003112800000000000 ♠ 1,128 7000240000000000000 ♠ 2.4 6999411000000000000 ♠ 0.411 Guinea - Bissau 7000100000000000000 ♠ 1.0 7003140700000000000 ♠ 1,407 7000360000000000000 ♠ 3.6 6999420000000000000 ♠ 0.420 Kenya 7001552000000000000 ♠ 55.2 7003279500000000000 ♠ 2,795 7000420000000000000 ♠ 4.2 6999548000000000000 ♠ 0.548 Lesotho 7000240000000000000 ♠ 2.4 7003257600000000000 ♠ 2,576 7000490000000000000 ♠ 4.9 6999497000000000000 ♠ 0.497 Liberia 7000200000000000000 ♠ 2.0 7002878000000000000 ♠ 878 7001116000000000000 ♠ 11.6 6999430000000000000 ♠ 0.430 Libya 7001624000000000000 ♠ 62.4 ( 2009 ) 7004168550000000000 ♠ 16,855 ( 2009 ) 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4.0 6999724000000000000 ♠ 0.724 Madagascar 7001106000000000000 ♠ 10.6 7003141400000000000 ♠ 1,414 7000230000000099999 ♠ 2.3 6999510000000000000 ♠ 0.510 Malawi 7000570000000000000 ♠ 5.7 7002918000000000000 ♠ 918 7000680000000000000 ♠ 6.8 6999445000000000000 ♠ 0.445 Mali 7001106000000000000 ♠ 10.6 7003109900000000000 ♠ 1,099 7000450000000000000 ♠ 4.5 6999380000000000000 ♠ 0.380 Mauritania 7000410009999999999 ♠ 4.1 7003257100000000000 ♠ 2,571 7000280000000099999 ♠ 2.8 6999506000000000000 ♠ 0.506 Mauritius 7001119000000000000 ♠ 11.9 7004177140000000000 ♠ 17,714 7000450000000000000 ♠ 4.5 6999777000000000000 ♠ 0.777 Morocco 7002100200000000000 ♠ 100.2 7003498600000000000 ♠ 4,986 7000430000000000000 ♠ 4.3 6999628000000000000 ♠ 0.628 Mozambique 7001156000000000000 ♠ 15.6 7003110500000000000 ♠ 1,105 7000690000000000000 ♠ 6.9 6999416000000000000 ♠ 0.416 Namibia 7001131000000000000 ♠ 13.1 7003958300000000000 ♠ 9,583 7000370000000000000 ♠ 3.7 6999628000000000000 ♠ 0.628 Niger 7000600000000000000 ♠ 6.0 7002732000000000000 ♠ 732 7000430000000000000 ♠ 4.3 6999348009999900000 ♠ 0.348 Nigeria 7002568500000000000 ♠ 568.5 7003586300000000000 ♠ 5,863 7000680000000000000 ♠ 6.8 6999514000000000000 ♠ 0.514 Réunion ( France ) 7001159800000000000 ♠ 15.98 7003823300000000000 ♠ 8,233 ( nominal ) 6999850000000000000 ♠ 0.850 ( 2003 ) Rwanda 7000750000000000000 ♠ 7.5 7003147400000000000 ♠ 1,474 7000730000000000000 ♠ 7.3 6999483000000000000 ♠ 0.483 São Tomé and Príncipe 6999300000000000000 ♠ 0.3 7003297100000000000 ♠ 2,971 7000570000000000000 ♠ 5.7 6999555000000000000 ♠ 0.555 Senegal 7001143000000000000 ♠ 14.3 7003198100000000000 ♠ 1,981 7000350000000000000 ♠ 3.5 6999466000000000000 ♠ 0.466 Seychelles 7000140000000099999 ♠ 1.4 7004263860000000000 ♠ 26,386 7000420000000000000 ♠ 4.2 6999772000000000000 ♠ 0.772 Sierra Leone 7000220000000000000 ♠ 2.2 7002877000000000000 ♠ 877 7000520000000000000 ♠ 5.2 6999336000000000000 ♠ 0.336 Somalia ( N / A ) ( N / A ) ( N / A ) ( N / A ) South Africa 7002349800000000000 ♠ 349.8 7004128670000000000 ♠ 12,867 7000270000000000000 ♠ 2.7 6999666000000000000 ♠ 0.666 South Sudan 7001118000000000000 ♠ 11.8 7003203000000000000 ♠ 2,030 6999467000000000000 ♠ 0.467 Sudan 7001551000000000000 ♠ 55.1 7003214100000000000 ♠ 2,141 7000410009999999999 ♠ 4.1 6999479000000000000 ♠ 0.479 Swaziland 7000400000000000000 ♠ 4.0 7003668500000000000 ♠ 6,685 7000210000000000000 ♠ 2.1 6999531000000000000 ♠ 0.531 Tanzania 7001436000000000000 ♠ 43.6 7003244300000000000 ♠ 2,443 7000680000000000000 ♠ 6.8 6999521000000000000 ♠ 0.521 Togo 7000430000000000000 ♠ 4.3 7003139100000000000 ♠ 1,391 7000310000000000000 ♠ 3.1 6999484000000000000 ♠ 0.484 Tunisia 7001459000000000000 ♠ 45.9 7003941500000000000 ♠ 9,415 7000300000000000000 ♠ 3.0 6999721000000000000 ♠ 0.721 Uganda 7001247000000000000 ♠ 24.7 7003167400000000000 ♠ 1,674 7000740000000000000 ♠ 7.4 6999483000000000000 ♠ 0.483 Zambia 7001268000000000000 ♠ 26.8 7003392600000000000 ♠ 3,926 7000640000000000000 ♠ 6.4 6999586000000000000 ♠ 0.586 Zimbabwe 7001135000000000000 ♠ 13.5 7003183200000000000 ♠ 1,832 6999600000000000000 ♠ 0.6 6999509000000000000 ♠ 0.509 Economic sectors and industries Because Africa 's export portfolio remains predominantly based on raw material, its export earnings are contingent on commodity price fluctuations. This exacerbates the continent 's susceptibility to external shocks and bolsters the need for export diversification. Trade in services, mainly travel and tourism, continued to rise in year 2012, underscoring the continent 's strong potential in this sphere. Agriculture See also : Women and agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa A Kenyan farmer at work in the Mount Kenya region The situation whereby African nations export crops to the West while millions on the continent starve has been blamed on developed countries including Japan, the European Union and the United States. These countries protect their own agricultural sectors with high import tariffs and offer subsidies to their farmers, which many contend leads the overproduction of such commodities as grain, cotton and milk. The result of this is that the global price of such products is continually reduced until Africans are unable to compete, except for cash crops that do not grow easily in a northern climate. In recent years countries such as Brazil, which has experienced progress in agricultural production, have agreed to share technology with Africa to increase agricultural production in the continent to make it a more viable trade partner. Increased investment in African agricultural technology in general has the potential to reduce poverty in Africa. The demand market for African cocoa has experienced a price boom in 2008. The Nigerian, South African and Ugandan governments have targeted policies to take advantage of the increased demand for certain agricultural products and plan to stimulate agricultural sectors. The African Union has plans to heavily invest in African agriculture and the situation is closely monitored by the UN. Energy Further information : Energy in Africa The Athlone Power Station in Cape Town, South Africa Africa has significant resources for generating energy in several forms ( hydroelectric, reserves of petroleum and gas, coal production, uranium production, renewable energy such as solar and geothermal ). The lack of development and infrastructure means that little of this potential is actually in use today. The largest consumers of electric power in Africa are South Africa, Libya, Namibia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe, which each consume between 1000 and 5000 KWh / m per person, in contrast with African states such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Tanzania, where electricity consumption per person is negligible. Petroleum and petroleum products are the main export of 14 African countries. Petroleum and petroleum products accounted for a 46.6 % share of Africa 's total exports in 2010 ; the second largest export of Africa as a whole is natural gas, in its gaseous state and as liquified natural gas, accounting for a 6.3 % share of Africa 's exports. Infrastructure Lagos, Nigeria, Africa 's largest city Lack of infrastructure creates barriers for African businesses. Although it has many ports, a lack of supporting transportation infrastructure adds 30 -- 40 % to costs, in contrast to Asian ports. Many large infrastructure projects are underway across Africa. By far, most of these projects are in the production and transportation of electric power. Many other projects include paved highways, railways, airports, and other construction. Telecommunications infrastructure is also a growth area in Africa. Although Internet penetration lags other continents, it has still reached 9 %. As of 2011, it was estimated that 500,000,000 mobile phones of all types were in use in Africa, including 15,000,000 `` smart phones ''. Mining and drilling Main article : Mineral industry of Africa Oil production by country ( 1 ) Rank Area bb / day Year Like... _ W : World 85540000 2007 est. 01 E : Russia 9980000 2007 est. 02 Ar : Saudi Arb 9200000 2008 est. 04 As : Libya 4725000 2008 est. Iran 10 Af : Nigeria 2352000 2011 est. Norway 15 Af : Algeria 2173000 2007 est. 16 Af : Angola 1910000 2008 est. 17 Af : Egypt 1845000 2007 est. 27 Af : Tunisia 664000 2007 est. Australia 31 Af : Sudan 466100 2007 est. Ecuador 33 Af : Eq. Guinea 368500 2007 est. Vietnam 38 Af : DR Congo 261000 2008 est. 39 Af : Gabon 243900 2007 est. 40 Af : Sth Africa 199100 2007 est. 45 Af : Chad 156000 2008 est. Germany 53 Af : Cameroon 87400 2008 est. France 56 E : France 71400 2007 60 Af : Ivory Coast 54400 2008 est. _ Af : Africa 10780400 2011 Russia The mineral industry of Africa is one of the largest mineral industries in the world. Africa is the second biggest continent, with 30 million km2 of land, which implies large quantities of resources. For many African countries, mineral exploration and production constitute significant parts of their economies and remain keys to future economic growth. Africa is richly endowed with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum - group metals ( PGM ), vermiculite, and zirconium. Gold mining is Africa 's main mining resource. African mineral reserves rank first or second for bauxite, cobalt, diamonds, phosphate rocks, platinum - group metals ( PGM ), vermiculite, and zirconium. Many other minerals are also present in quantity. The 2005 share of world production from African soil is the following : bauxite 9 % ; aluminium 5 % ; chromite 44 % ; cobalt 57 % ; copper 5 % ; gold 21 % ; iron ore 4 % ; steel 2 % ; lead ( Pb ) 3 % ; manganese 39 % ; zinc 2 % ; cement 4 % ; natural diamond 46 % ; graphite 2 % ; phosphate rock 31 % ; coal 5 % ; mineral fuels ( including coal ) & petroleum 13 % ; uranium 16 %. Manufacturing Both the African Union and the United Nations have outlined plans in modern years on how Africa can help itself industrialize and develop significant manufacturing sectors to levels proportional to the African economy in the 1960s with 21st - century technology. This focus on growth and diversification of manufacturing and industrial production, as well as diversification of agricultural production, has fueled hopes that the 21st century will prove to be a century of economic and technological growth for Africa. This hope, coupled with the rise of new leaders in Africa in the future, inspired the term `` the African Century '', referring to the 21st century potentially being the century when Africa 's vast untapped labor, capital, and resource potentials might become a world player. The Soucreye sugar factory in Sidi Bennour ( Doukkala ), Morocco This hope in manufacturing and industry is helped by the boom in communications technology and local mining industry in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Namibia has attracted industrial investments in recent years and South Africa has begun offering tax incentives to attract foreign direct investment projects in manufacturing. Countries such as Mauritius have plans for developing new `` green technology '' for manufacturing. Developments such as this have huge potential to open new markets for African countries as the demand for alternative `` green '' and clean technology is predicted to soar in the future as global oil reserves dry up and fossil fuel - based technology becomes less economically viable. Nigeria in recent years has been embracing industrialization, It currently has an indigenous vehicle manufacturing company, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing ( IVM ) which manufactures Rapid Transit Buses, Trucks and SUVs with an upcoming introduction of Cars. Their various brands of vehicle are currently available in Nigeria, Ghana and other West African Nations. Nigeria also has few Electronic manufacturers like Zinox, the first Branded Nigerian Computer and Electronic gadgets ( like tablet PCs ) manufacturers. In 2013, Nigeria introduced a policy regarding import duty on vehicles to encourage local manufacturing companies in the country. In this regard, some foreign vehicle manufacturing companies like Nissan have made known their plans to have manufacturing plants in Nigeria. Apart from Electronics and vehicles, most consumer, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, building materials, textiles, home tools, plastics and so on are also manufactured in the country and exported to other west African and African countries. Nigeria is currently the largest manufacturer of cement in Sub-saharan Africa. and Dangote Cement Factory, Obajana is the largest cement factory in sub-saharan Africa. Ogun is considered to be Nigeria 's industrial hub ( as most factories are located in Ogun and even more companies are moving there ), followed by Lagos. The manufacturing sector is small but growing in East Africa. The main industries are textile and clothing, leather processing, agribusiness, chemical products, electronics and vehicles. East African countries like Uganda also produce motorcycles for the domestic market. Investment and banking See also : Central banks and currencies of Africa and List of African stock exchanges Many financial firms have offices in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa. Africa 's US $107 billion financial services industry will log impressive growth for the rest of the decade as more banks target the continent 's emerging middle class. The banking sector has been experiencing record growth, among others due to various technological innovations. China and India have showed increasing interest in emerging African economies in the 21st century. Reciprocal investment between Africa and China increased dramatically in recent years amidst the current world financial crisis. The increased investment in Africa by China has attracted the attention of the European Union and has provoked talks of competitive investment by the EU. Members of the African diaspora abroad, especially in the EU and the United States, have increased efforts to use their businesses to invest in Africa and encourage African investment abroad in the European economy. Remittances from the African diaspora and rising interest in investment from the West will be especially helpful for Africa 's least developed and most devastated economies, such as Burundi, Togo and Comoros. However, experts lament the high fees involved in sending remittances to Africa due to a duopoly of Western Union and MoneyGram that is controlling Africa 's remittance market, making Africa is the most expensive cash transfer market in the world. According to some experts, the high processing fees involved in sending money to Africa are hampering African countries ' development. Angola has announced interests in investing in the EU, Portugal in particular. South Africa has attracted increasing attention from the United States as a new frontier of investment in manufacture, financial markets and small business, as has Liberia in recent years under their new leadership. There are two African currency unions : the West African Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest ( BCEAO ) and the Central African Banque des États de l'Afrique Centrale ( BEAC ). Both use the CFA franc as their legal tender. The idea of a single currency union across Africa has been floated, and plans exist to have it established by 2020, though many issues, such as bringing continental inflation rates below 5 percent, remain hurdles in its finalization. Stock exchanges The Bourse de Tunis headquarters in Tunis, Tunisia As of 2012, Africa has 23 stock exchanges, twice as many as it had 20 years earlier. Nonetheless, African stock exchanges still account for less than 1 % of the world 's stock exchange activity. The top ten stock exchanges in Africa by stock capital are ( amounts are given in billions of United States dollars ) : South Africa ( 82.88 ) ( 2014 ) Egypt ( $73.04 billion ( 30 November 2014 est. ) ) Morocco ( 5.18 ) Nigeria ( 5.11 ) ( Actually has a market capitalisation value of $39.27 Bln ) Kenya ( 1.33 ) Tunisia ( 0.88 ) BRVM ( regional stock exchange whose members include Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea - Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo : 6.6 ) Mauritius ( 0.55 ) Botswana ( 0.43 ) Ghana (. 38 ) Between 2009 and 2012, a total of 72 companies were launched on the stock exchanges of 13 African countries. Trade blocs and Multilateral organizations Further information : Economy of the African Union The African Union is the largest international economic grouping on the continent. The confederation 's goals include the creation of a free trade area, a customs union, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency ( see African Monetary Union ), thereby establishing economic and monetary union. The current plan is to establish an African Economic Community with a single currency by 2023. The African Investment Bank is meant to stimulate development. The AU plans also include a transitional African Monetary Fund leading to an African Central Bank. Some parties support development of an even more unified United States of Africa. International monetary and banking unions include : Central Bank of West African States Bank of Central African States Common Monetary Area Major economic unions are shown in the chart below. African Economic Community Pillars regional blocs ( REC ) Area ( km2 ) Population GDP ( PPP ) ( $ US ) Member states in millions per capita AEC 29,910,442 853,520,010 2,053,706 2,406 54 ECOWAS 5,112,903 349,154,000 1,322,452 3,888 15 ECCAS 6,667,421 121,245,958 175,928 1,451 11 SADC 9,882,959 233,944,179 737,335 3,152 15 EAC 2,440,409 169,519,847 411,813 2,429 6 COMESA 12,873,957 406,102,471 735,599 1,811 20 IGAD 5,233,604 187,969,775 225,049 1,197 7 Other African blocs Area ( km2 ) Population GDP ( PPP ) ( $ US ) Member states in millions per capita CEMAC 3,020,142 34,970,529 85,136 2,435 6 SACU 2,693,418 51,055,878 541,433 10,605 5 UEMOA 3,505,375 80,865,222 101,640 1,257 8 UMA 5,782,140 84,185,073 491,276 5,836 5 GAFTA 5,876,960 166,259,603 635,450 3,822 5 Economic bloc inside a pillar REC Proposed for pillar REC, but objecting participation Non-African members of GAFTA are excluded from figures smallest value among the blocs compared largest value among the blocs compared During 2004. Source : CIA World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database This box : view talk edit Regional economic organizations During the 1960s, Ghanaian politician Kwame Nkrumah promoted economic and political union of African countries, with the goal of independence. Since then, objectives, and organizations, have multiplied. Recent decades have brought efforts at various degrees of regional economic integration. Trade between African states accounts for only 11 % of Africa 's total commerce as of 2012, around five times less than in Asia. Most of this intra-Africa trade originates from South Africa and most of the trade exports coming out of South Africa goes to abutting countries in Southern Africa. There are currently eight regional organizations that assist with economic development in Africa : Name of organization Date created Member countries Cumulative GDP ( in millions of US dollars ) Economic Community of West African States 28 May 1975 Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea - Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo 657 East African Community 30 November 1999 Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania 232 Economic Community of Central African States 18 October 1983 Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Chad 289 Southern African Development Community 17 August 1992 Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe 909 Intergovernmental Authority on Development 25 November 1996 Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan 326 Community of Sahel - Saharan States 4 February 1998 Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comores, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea - Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Togo, Tunisia 1, 692 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 5 November 1993 Burundi, Comores, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe 1,011 Arab Maghreb Union 17 February 1989 Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia 579 See also Sustainable development portal Africa portal Africa -- China economic relations African Economic Community African Economic Outlook Demographics of Africa Economic history of Africa Land grabbing Languages of Africa Notes ^ Jump up to : `` 2013 World population '' ( PDF ). 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( Washington : Howard UP, 1982, ISBN 0 - 88258 - 096 - 5 ) Sahn, David E., Paul A. Dorosh, Stephen D. Younger, Structural Adjustment Reconsidered : Economic Policy and Poverty in Africa ( Cambridge University Press, 1997, ISBN 0 - 521 - 58451 - 5 ) Laouisset, Djamel ( 2009 ). A Retrospective Study of the Algerian Iron and Steel Industry. New York City : Nova Publishers. ISBN 978 - 1 - 61761 - 190 - 2 External links Economy of Africa at Curlie ( based on DMOZ ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Economy of Africa. The Age of the Dragon : China 's Conquest of Africa Howard W. French 's book `` China 's Second Continent '' -- On China 's increasing African presence Holding the door open for multinationals to extract Africa 's wealth, Foreign Policy in Focus Africa in the World Economy : the national, regional and international challenges by Jan Joost Teunissen and Age Akkerman Africa : Living on the Fringe, Monthly Review. Samir Amin offers a Marxist analysis of Africa 's continued economic crisis BBC : Africa 's Economy OECD work on African economy Africa Economic Analysis World Economic Forum -- Africa African Development Bank Group IMF World Economic Outlook ( WEO ) -- September 2003 -- Public Debt in Emerging Markets Language and Africa Africa 's economy : A glimmer of light at last ? -- The Economist Africa and the Knowledge Economy -- World Bank Institute report. Economic analysis of Middle Africa From Aid to Trade with Africa News and analysis by Inter Press Service African Development Hindered by Vast US Corporate Interests in Continent 's Resources -- video report by Democracy Now ! 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Question: how much is the continent of africa worth
Answer: US$2.2 trillion