Latest African Development Indicators are now available

Africa Development Indicators (ADI) 2011 is the latest set of data from the World Bank on social and economic conditions across the continent and provides the most detailed collection of data on Africa. It contains macroeconomic, sectoral, and social indicators, covering 53 African countries. The ADI is designed to provide all those interested in Africa with a focused and convenient set of data to monitor development programs and aid flows in the region. It is an invaluable reference tool for analysts and policymakers who want a better understanding of the economic and social developments occurring in Africa.

The road ahead

Despite the gains made in recent years, African countries still continue to face persistent, long-term development challenges. Undiversified production structure, low human capital, weak governance, state fragility, women’s empowerment, youth employment, and climate change are among the key challenges. With increased demand for information to monitor the World Bank’s Africa Regional Strategy, governments’ Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), National Development Programs and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as access to electronic media widening in Africa, ADI is expected to continue evolving with the goal of offering the most valuable information to monitor development progress. This will allow countries and their development partners to assess the magnitude of problems and challenges they face and to measure progress. Better statistics are of great value and this still remains a great challenge for Africa.

Some interesting facts:

• The Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of the richest Sub-Saharan country is 83 times larger than the GNI per capita of the poorest.
• Nigeria has the largest population in Sub-Saharan Africa (154.7 million people) and accounts for 18% of the continent’s total population.
• Seychelles has 1,049 mobile phones per 1000 people; Eritrea has 28 per 1000 people. They are the countries with the highest and lowest number of mobile phones per 1,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Only 24% of the rural population of Sub-Saharan Africa have access to improved sanitation compared to 42% of the urban population.
• Between 2000–2009, Rwanda and Uganda made the greatest gains in life expectancy 8 and 7 years respectively. Conversely, life expectancy decreased by 5 years in Lesotho, and 4 years in South Africa and Swaziland.
• In 21% of Sub-Saharan African countries, one or two products accounts for at least 75% percent of total exports.
• Rwanda has the highest number of women in national parliament with 56% of total seats. Comoros has the lowest with 3%.
• The largest recipient of net official development assistance (ODA) in Sub-Saharan Africa received an amount 165 times larger than the smallest recipient. The largest recipient is Ethiopia, and the smallest is Seychelles.
• Infant mortality increased by 21% in Congo Republic during 1990-2009, the largest increase in Sub-Saharan Africa. The largest drop was in Madagascar, by 60%.
• In the mid-1980s, over 80% of Sub-Saharan African countries had autocratic regimes. By 2009, more than half the countries of Sub-Saharan were democracies.

More information on ADI can be found from:

• www.worldbank.org/adi
• data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/africa-development-indicators
• ADI 2011 Factoids

The data can also be accessed using our mobile apps by clicking here. For more information, send us an email to ADI@worldbank.org.