Why Is Africa So Poor? Why is Africa still poor?

[Oasis]

Africa has always been poor since the day I heard about it. When people think about Africa they will think about poverty. Africa has a lot of resources which they can get money from but how come the people are so poor? In my opinion it can be because corruption, poor management, etc. It might also be because the people are behind times. There are still many tribes in Africa and they still live the simple life just like their ancestors.

[ebittner]

They are so poor because they were held back so long by the British and now when they are trying to get ahead the UN tells them they are unable to use techniques and tactics that all other countries used hundreds of years ago due to new "global" laws which pretty much keeps them in a Catch 22.

[tgemus]

Yeah really, maybe Africa in the beginning had no funding and therefore couldn't build proper cities/businesses and the government didn't earn off of taxes. Maybe they just don't do anything about it and let other countries try helping, I wish I knew :/

[Julklex]

Africa has been poor for a long time

Started in the 1800's in European colonialism. They pretty much went throughout Europe, knocked down every civilization they found, and enslaved them, forcing them to do things like mining

And once a country is behind, it is very different to catch up, as other nations have far better technology

[bowman]

I think one of the reasons Africa is poor is because of the ruling politicians, every other African country has an ugly ruler and that is the reason for all the disparity. Countries like Congo have almost naked subjects with bear minimum clothes in the interior tribal areas and the rulers don't care for them.

[ryan]

The reason Africa is so poor is that many of the people who live there have never been taught properly, or at all. Also, many companies do not work in Africa as well as the fact that several countries are in third world states that do not have enough resources to take care of their citizens.

[MattChow]

I believed that the reason behind why Africa is poor, is because of the people themselves that govern the country. If funds are allocated to the correct department and reaches its constituents or residents, then they would not suffer the way they are suffering right now. We all know that some aids or assistance that goes to Africa are cut in half by middle men, again cut in half by those receiving it, and about one-fourth or one-eight only reaches the people. Although, this doesn't happen to all aids given to Africa but most of it passes the red tape.

[Walker]

Africa has a very hot and humid climate and the heat is just unbearable most of the times. It is also not very rich minerals and resources and hence the economy lacks basic inherent strength.

Africa is poor only by monetary standards.....otherwise it is rich in wild animals. Just visit their forest and it has variety of wild animals....found in abundance.

The people fail to market their country for tourism..otherwise it is an awesome place to visit.

Regards,

Walker

[jackcool]

Politics is Africa's main problem. If only governments there look at the big picture and not just personal gains and power, for sure countries in Africa could catch up with the rest of the world. Sadly, leaders of these countries fail to provide effective programs for their people as well as their country to prosper.

[crowhit]

Africa can be considered poor only economically , but it has a lot of resources. just the thing is their usage. some areas have people who use them immensely, but some even just think about them.

[RioKwik]

I think a huge reason, and there have been several studies and documentaries on this, Africa is struggling the way it is has to do with the amount of disease that its people have. When 90% of your workforce is sick and not performing to their potential you have a huge problem and the economy cannot survive or grow.

Of course, the course of history has shown us that this continent has been taken advantage of, but it always comes back to disease. Aids is the big story right now, but before that and still now the people are inflicted with malaria which has taken a huge toll on this population.

I really do hope that the extremely bad pockets of Africa get the help that they need, but I am not sure I will ever see it happen.

[rajan1788]

Africa has all the natural resources like say diamonds forests i.e wood source. Sources of many medicines are from the African jungles. So having almost everything in that continent, it is still poor due to other countries which feed on them to develop their own country. Yes this is true diamonds are largely smuggled for profit for an individual as well as a group.

[zowie]

Africans are not electing the right people to govern them. This is the reason behind the poverty of Africa. High illiteracy rates of the area is one major problem for this. And elected officials like Robert Mugabe is making a total mess of his country, Zimbabwe.

[Aleiah]

Africa is poor because they still do not know how to use their resources, they have a lot of natural resources, but they don't have the logistics to use it. So they wait for other countries to develop it for them, in the end, the countries who developed their resources are able to benefit greatly from these. And since corruption also besieged the country, the resources or funds doesn't reach the less fortunate or the needy. These people needs to be educated so they could use it for their own benefit and for their country.

[Buah]

The difference between poverty and prosperity is the reaction to instructions. Africans are poor yet Africans are not ready to react to instructions and therefore Africans will continue to be poor.

[arjun]

I agree with the fact that racism can be on of the reasons that africa is so poor... apart from that the climatic conditions they need to survive in makes them driven apart from the rest of the world.... they are definitely not lazy but do not prefer to venture out in outer world so much as the other nations try to do is what i feel

[Helen]

Not only in Africa but I think most of the third word countries are suffering from similar if not the same causes. Take for example India. India is very poor maybe even poorer yet people in India waste their time and the little energy left fighting tribal wars. Tribal war is another problem I think is facing Africa today and it is one of the main causes of poverty in Africa. Take for example what is going on in Sudan Darfur yet Sudan remains the poorest country in Africa.

[Pastor]

Through the person of Jesus Christ, God has chosen to share His love completely with us. How might I be able to reciprocate?

We all know Africa is poor but not everyone of us know how to help Africa. Even as we celebrate Christmas this year, please don't forget to remember your brothers and sisters around the world who have little or none at all to eat during this Christmas period. Remember that Christmas is a time of giving and he who gives shall be given says the LORD. You can help where ever you are and with whatever you have. You can donate to great organizations such as "feed the children" and Unicef. And you know what? God will bless you abundantly. God will answer your prayers and God will provide all your needs as you cared for your brothers and sisters in Africa, in India, and around the world. God bless you.

[BlueSword]

Africa is poor because the people lack knowledge and will to improve. They need to be educated so they could live by their own means, like teaching them how to cultivate and make use of their natural resources. Once they are able to do that, they will be able to stand on their own. Although, at the beginning they would need all the help that we could provide like knowledge, machinery, logistics, etc...

[Ziveeman]

Originally Posted by BlueSword

Africa is poor because the people lack knowledge and will to improve. They need to be educated so they could live by their own means, like teaching them how to cultivate and make use of their natural resources. Once they are able to do that, they will be able to stand on their own. Although, at the beginning they would need all the help that we could provide like knowledge, machinery, logistics, etc...

I agree.

I also think that Africa needs a good, smart, and efficient leader. America got lucky because we had greats like George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson, who were able to see through their greed and able to lead America to become one of the greatest countries in the world.

Unfortunately, Africa doesn't have a capable leader of doing such a thing, which is sad because it really needs one right now.

[jessika]

well poverty in Africa is an aftermath of the long slavery of the continent. the continent had been under constant struggle for so many decades and i think the situation will take some time to be resolved. another important effort can be from the well off countries in the development of Africa.

[cena_john]

Africa is so poor due to many reasons. Most important of them is the internal rift between the different races living there . The white and black thing going on there doesn't help their cause in any way. If the people of a state are not ready to improve the condition and are wasting time on racism then how can the state be developed. Also the illiteracy rate is so high that people there do not have a mindset of improving their life. They are just satisfied with earning and living

[mteager]

It's pretty simple really. They live in an environment where water can be scarce, crops are hard to grow and disease can spread pretty well. a place well suited to nomadic living... move where the water is, where the grass is to graze animals. The country would have developed in its own time, but western countries like to stick their oar in... give them aid to get moving, only their infrastructure isn't sufficient for it to work as well. That and the fact that we will give aid or a loan on the condition that they buy a ridiculous amount of weapons off us that they don't need but will put them into more debt and financial trouble than before the aid.

[nishant20]

as far as i have heard, the poverty in africa is mainly due to the corruption that exists there and also because of the governments which are not so active
both of this reasons are the root of crime and their lack of growth

[ferdousx]

Africa is poor for many reasons. Many things playing simultaneously there. Maybe a strange reason is their resources. they have gold, they have diamond. These things can make them rich. but in reality , these things making there leaders greedy, leading to corruption which is then fueled by big godfathers and regional and world leaders. So, they never come out of poverty.

[vishrut]

According to me, Africa is poorer because of their background. Africa was a colonialist continent, so they now don't have any experience, which they are supposed to have now that they are alone. Moreover, blacks earlier were treated as slaves, so they did not have enough money to start with. not that they are poor, maybe because they have a bit bad luck. But on the other hand, same happened with India earlier, and now they are improving a lot, so I think Africa's next generation will not be that poor.

[aru2112]

There are many reasons for this. One of them is tradition, as most of them are traditionally attached to their work and kind of living which stop them mixing with the modern beliefs.
other might be because of its geographic location. Top of Africa is the world's biggest dessert and middle part of it, equatorial forest but bottom is rich with many minerals like gold and diamond but not utilized properly.
Even i think Africa was ruled by foreign countries for many centuries, who exploited them

[sanil09]

To answer this question we must look back at history. There are many reasons behind it. for examples slavery ( human force exploitation) , bad weather conditions , underdeveloped country, wars and so on. Wondering how much years they will suffer more.

[squintoo]

People generally blame the natural resource for this but i dont think this is true, People do work in africa but the reason they are not able to achieve what they really want is because they are just doing hard work they need to do smart work as well..

I think africa only is responsible for this, my intention is not to blame the continent but if they do smart work then surely it will be a rich continent

[Abena2k]

My dear, Africa by itself is one of the richest continent in the universe but our corrupt leaders with lack of morals and intergrity will never let Africa live up to it capability and unless that change, Africa will remain the poorest continent in the universe.