Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Videos About Advertise Blog Network Contact
   

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

Featured Ebook


ebook Famous Entrepreneurs - Modern Empire Builders


Featured Ebook

More Evan Carmichael
Have A Suggestion?

Sales Lessons From Starbucks And Dell

Comparison with other developing countries: Africa’s human development

 
African Accounts - Meet The Authors
Rob , MainSpring Rob Smorfitt
MainSpring
Jabu Bags , Profile Jabu Bags
Profile
Erik , Zungu Erik Hersman
Zungu
Andrew , amGLOBAL Consulting Andrew Mack
amGLOBAL Consulting
African Accounts - Meet The Authors
Comparison with other developing countries: Africa’s human development
   

Table 1 sets out the HDI and its components by region for 1994. Life expectancy in Africa is 53 years, compared to 61 in South Asia. Much of the lower life expectancy in Africa reflects higher child mortality. Under-five mortality rates are 31% higher in Africa than in South Asia, and infant mortality rates 19% higher. However, adult mortality is also much higher in Africa than elsewhere (see World Bank, 1993). The explanation for the higher child mortality is probably not under-nutrition: the proportions of low-birth weight infants and of underweight children under five are much lower in Africa than in South Asia (see Table 47, UNDP, 1997). Instead, inferior health care is likely to be a factor.

Immunisation rates are much lower in Africa: only 60.5% of one year olds are fully immunised against measles compared to 75% in South Asia; disparities in immunisation against tuberculosis are similar.

Access to health services is lower in Africa: only 61% can reach a health facility by foot or local means within one hour, compared to 82% in South Asia. This partly reflects the lower population density in Africa. However, there are also less medical personnel. For the sample of countries for which information is available, there are estimated to be 16,957 people per doctor in Africa compared to 3,704 in South Asia. Another factor may be lack of access to “safe water”: only 56% of Africans have access to safe water, compared to 76% of people in South Asia.

Africa has higher adult literacy rates than South Asia. This largely reflects the higher rates of literacy among women in Africa compared to South Asia (43% compared to 34%; for men, literacy rates are 64% and 62% respectively)3. Nonetheless, African men are still nearly 50%

more likely to be literate than African women. Africa’s superiority in literacy rates is likely to be eroded over time: school enrolment rates are now lower in Africa than in any other region.

Combined primary, secondary and tertiary enrolment ratios average 46% in Africa, compared to 53% in South Asia. In most developing countries outside of Africa, male gross primary enrolment ratios are close to 100% whilst in Africa they are 85% (for girls, gross primary enrolment ratios are 73%). Box 1 discusses the issues raised by gender and human resource development.

These comparisons of Africa with other regions need to be seen in the context of trends in income and human development since 1960.

Human Capital and Economic Development Simon Appleton and Francis Teal To learn more about this author, visit African Development Bank's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends
[Get Copyright Permissions] E-Mail | Print | More  


Related Articles Related Articles
Preface: HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  The main theme for the programme of work 2001-2002 at the Development Centre was Globalisation and Governance. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are a key actor of globalisation and also raise numerous governance i...
3.3 Conclusion: Economic Report on Africa 2007
  It is expected that the recent renewed global attention to the problems of developing countries will contribute to redressing the trends towards marginalization of these countries.
Moving Forward: International Community
  Freer access to industrial country markets and greater and more predictable aid are needed to support sustainable development (included under Goal 8 of the MDGs).
THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE OF HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION, INWARD FDI, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS
  The past two sections described how host developing countries attract MNEs. It is found that while basic education for all adults is the key starting point, a demand driven HRD at a higher level is necessary to at...
Summary: HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  This paper synthesises the existing literature on human capital formation and foreign direct investment (FDI) in developing countries.

Related Forum Posts Related Forum Posts
Re: Kathie from Melbourne, Australia Re: Kathie from Melbourne, Australia
Do Entrepreneurs need HR resources? Do Entrepreneurs need HR resources?
Making Money in Eastern Europe. Making Money in Eastern Europe.
KIVA - Women entrepreneur financing KIVA - Women entrepreneur financing
Re: Lost memo Re: Lost memo
Setting a Budget For Professional Development Setting a Budget For Professional Development
What would you do if.... What would you do if....
Re: Hello from a San Diego-based marketer Re: Hello from a San Diego-based marketer

 
About the Author


African Development Bank
(Visit African's Website)
The African Development Bank is the premier financial development institution of Africa, dedicated to combating poverty and improving the lives of people of the continent and engaged in the task of mobilizing resources towards the economic and social progress of its Regional Member Countries.The Bank’s s mission is to promote economic and social development through loans, equity investments, and technical assistance. The ADB is a multilateral development bank whose shareholders include 53 African countries and 24 non-African countries from the Americas, Asia, and Europe. It was established in 1964, with its headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and officially began operations in 1967.
Have A Suggestion?

View Author's Video
Become An Author

Free Downloads


African Development Bank's

Complete
List Of
African-Accounts
Articles


First Name
Last Name
Email
 
If you enjoyed this article, get African Development Bank's Complete List of African-Accounts Articles For FREE!
Become An Author