Problems of Large-Scale Industry in Africa

Abstract

Africa, with an area of 11,700,000 square miles, is the second largest continent and its population is the third largest in the world, viz. 236,000,000, or 8 per cent of the total world population, the sub-Saharan population being approximately one-half of this. Within its boundaries it has more peoples, tribes, languages, and cultures than any other continent. Apart from the European lan guages 812 African languages are known.¹. All these peoples are grouped in sixty territories, of which some are self-governing and others are not. Tremendous topographical, climatic, and economic variation and contrast exist within Africa. These differences must be borne in mind if any generalizations are made. An intimate knowledge of the circumstances in each territory is necessary before any reliable recommendation for the economic improvement of the territory can be made.