Abstract
This chapter takes a broad look at Africa and examines why Africa is the new emerging destination for international business. It outlines the current economic, trade, and investment situation in Africa as a whole and in specific countries. This chapter considers the factors that make Africa conducive to international investments and examines the challenges and risks that are faced by businesses seeking to gain a foothold in the continent. The chapter briefly looks at the role of The People’s Republic of China in the African political and economic landscape. Although Africa is referred to as a whole throughout this chapter, it is important to note that Africa is a very large continent with many separate and distinct tribes, countries, and regions. Individuals doing business in Africa must recognize and consider these differences when making plans to do business in Africa.
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Appendix
Appendix
Table 1.2 Listing of African countries (nominal GDP $ billions; GDP/capita)
Name of country | Nominal GDP in billions of dollars | GDP per capita |
|---|---|---|
Algeria | 214.063 | 5484.1 |
Angola | 131.401 | 5900.5 |
Benin | 8.747 | 903.5 |
Botswana | 15.813 | 7123.3 |
Burkina Faso | 12.543 | 713.1 |
Burundi | 3.094 | 286.1 |
Cabo Verde | 1.871 | 3641.1 |
Cameroon | 32.549 | 1407.4 |
Central African Republic | 1.783 | 358.5 |
Chad | 13.922 | 1024.7 |
Comoros | 0.648 | 810.1 |
Congo—Republic of the | 14.135 | 3147.1 |
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 32.962 | 448.3 |
Cote d’Ivoire | 34.254 | 1545.9 |
Djibouti | 1.582 | 1813.6 |
Egypt | 291.538 | 3148.7 |
Equatorial Guinea | 147.308 | 18918.3 |
Eritrea | 3.858 | 544.5 |
Ethiopia | 54.798 | 573.4 |
Gabon | 17.228 | 10772.1 |
Gambia | 0.807 | 484.1 |
Ghana | 38.648 | 1441.6 |
Guinea | 6.624 | 539.6 |
Guinea-Bissau | 1.022 | 567.8 |
Kenya | 65.9 | 1358.3 |
Lesotho | 2.088 | 1034.2 |
Liberia | 2.027 | 457.9 |
Libya | 41.119 | 6573.2 |
Madagascar | 10.593 | 449.4 |
Malawi | 4.258 | 255 |
Mali | 12.074 | 704.5 |
Mauritania | 5.061 | 1275 |
Mauritius | 12.616 | 10016.6 |
Morocco | 107.005 | 3190.3 |
Mozambique | 16.386 | 585.6 |
Namibia | 13.43 | 5408.2 |
Niger | 8.169 | 427.4 |
Nigeria | 568.508 | 3203.3 |
Rwanda | 7.89 | 695.7 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 0.335 | 1810.7 |
Senegal | 15.579 | 1067.1 |
Seychelles | 1.406 | 15543.2 |
Sierra Leone | 4.892 | 766 |
Somalia | NA | 542.6 |
South Africa | 352.817 | 6482.8 |
South Sudan | 13.07 | 1115.1 |
Sudan | 63.815 | 1875.8 |
Swaziland | 3.4 | 3477.1 |
Tanzania | 49.115 | 955.1 |
Togo | 4518 | 635 |
Tunisia | 46.995 | 4420.7 |
Uganda | 26.312 | 714.6 |
Zambia | 27.066 | 1721.6 |
Zimbabwe | 13.663 | 931.2 |
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Punnett, B.J. (2017). Africa: Open for Business. In: LEAD: Leadership Effectiveness in Africa and the African Diaspora. Palgrave Studies in African Leadership. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59121-0_1
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