FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2703   2704   2705   2706   2707   2708   2709   2710   2711   2712   2713   2714   2715   2716   2717   2718   2719   2720   2721   2722   2723   2724   2725   2726   2727  
2728   2729   2730   2731   2732   2733   2734   2735   2736   2737   2738   2739   2740   2741   2742   2743   2744   2745   2746   2747   2748   2749   2750   2751   2752   >>   >|  
semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. South Africa South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. High crime and HIV/AIDS infection rates also deter investment. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. Fees from fishing licenses and related activities traditionally account for around 90% of South Georgia's revenue (about $5.6 million in 2004). There is
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2703   2704   2705   2706   2707   2708   2709   2710   2711   2712   2713   2714   2715   2716   2717   2718   2719   2720   2721   2722   2723   2724   2725   2726   2727  
2728   2729   2730   2731   2732   2733   2734   2735   2736   2737   2738   2739   2740   2741   2742   2743   2744   2745   2746   2747   2748   2749   2750   2751   2752   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Somalia

 

economic

 

growth

 
income
 

Africa

 

million

 

sector

 

exchange

 

provide

 

international


services

 

market

 

financial

 

fishing

 

principal

 
inflation
 

Georgia

 

region

 
strong
 

supply


However

 

abundant

 

middle

 
viewed
 

daunting

 

unemployment

 
skeptically
 

natural

 

emerging

 
developed

communications

 

sectors

 
energy
 
largest
 

transport

 

centers

 

distribution

 
efficient
 

modern

 

infrastructure


supporting
 

resources

 

groups

 

adjacent

 

waters

 

Islands

 
increase
 
household
 

Sandwich

 
licenses