Comparison of Three African Economies

Kenya ~ Few natural resources Capital Investment: $301/person Literacy Rate: 78% GDP per capita: $3,083

Nigeria ~ rich oil resources Capital Investment: $513/person Literacy Rate: 60% GDP per capita: $5,992

South Africa ~ rich in mineral resources Capital Investment: 1,294/person Literacy Rate: 94% GDP per capita: $13,278

Use the chart to compare and contrast the three modern economies shown. How are they the same? How are they different? Use complete sentences to explain your observations.

(5 points)

One similarity among the three African economies is that they all have a literacy rate above 50%, indicating a relatively educated population. Additionally, they all have GDP per capita figures above $3,000, which suggests a certain level of economic development in each country.

However, there are also significant differences among the three economies. Kenya has few natural resources compared to Nigeria and South Africa, which are both rich in oil and mineral resources, respectively. This affects their GDP per capita levels, with South Africa having the highest GDP per capita due to its abundance of mineral resources.

Another difference is in capital investment per person, with South Africa having the highest figure at $1,294/person, followed by Nigeria at $513/person and Kenya at $301/person. This indicates a higher level of investment in physical capital in South Africa compared to the other two countries.

Overall, while all three countries have made progress in terms of literacy rates and GDP per capita, their level of natural resources and capital investment vary, resulting in differences in their economic development.