Southern Africa - Economy and land use
Economy and land use
978-3-14-100890-6 | Page 158 | Ill. 1
Overview
ces only play an important role in relatively few locations. The map shows a focus on those only for the large cities and agglomerations of South Africa. Agriculture and mining dominate the economic structures over large areas. A narrow band of mining sites (metal ores, coal, gemstones) extending from southern Central Africa to South Africa is conspicuous. It is complemented by another band with oil production on the Atlantic coast.In contrast to these areas are the rainforests, the extensive wet and dry savannas of Central and East Africa – focus of agriculture in southern Africa - and the semi-deserts and deserts in the northeast and southwest. It can be seen that the agricultural regions in the south of the continent are very unevenly distributed and that there are extensive semi-natural areas.
Mining, industry and energy
The number and size of symbols for mineral resources, industrial operations and facilities for energy production highlights the economic importance of mining in the region between the southern Congo and the Cape of Good Hope. Zambia and the Republic of Congo are among the internationally important producers of copper.
Zimbabwe has a wide range of mining products. Botswana became the world's second largest supplier of natural diamonds in the 1990s (after Russia). Despite significant nickel, coal and copper deposits, gemstones provide about 70 percent of export earnings. Diamond mining is also important in Namibia, where gold and silver, uranium, copper, lead, and zinc are also mined. Angola, including its exclave Cabinda, is one of Africa's leading oil producers, as is Gabon.
However, all these countries are surpassed by South Africa in terms of the diversity, global economic importance and reserves of their mineral resources. The most industrialised country on the continent has an unusually high wealth of more than five dozen different mineral resources, including diamonds, hard coal, uranium and various metal and precious metal ores. The special position of industry within Africa is reflected, for example, in the fact that the Volkswagen Group's only car and truck plants in Africa are located in South Africa.
Thanks to comparatively favourable natural conditions and artificial irrigation, the country's agriculture is so productive that it not only meets the needs of the population, but also makes South Africa an important agricultural exporter. Livestock farming for milk, meat and wool production and fishing are also of great economic importance.
Transport and urbanisation
The map also shows the importance of transport to the mining and industrial areas of the inland regions. South Africa has the densest and best functioning railway and trunk road network in southern Africa. In addition, there are several international airports and important seaports.
Mining and industrial development has contributed to significant urbanisation in the countries between southern Congo and South Africa. Starting from the border area between Congo and Zambia down to the Cape, rows of cities and densely populated areas have been formed. These are contrasted by vast deserted spaces, such as those found in Botswana or Namibia.
Intergovernmental cooperation
Several approaches can be identified regarding regional economic cooperation. The South African Customs and Currency Union has existed since 1911. In 1980, the countries bordering South Africa founded the Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose most urgent goal today, after the end of apartheid, is to intensify economic and cultural cooperation in the region. Member states of SADC are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, and Tanzania. Most of them have formed a free trade area since 2008, and SADC is also striving for an economic union with a common currency.
Agriculture and livestock
The arrangement of vegetation and land use does not show the same parallel zoning as in the northern part of Africa. This is due to the tropical lowlands of the Congo Basin and the highlands of eastern and southern Africa.
The contrast between the arid west side and the humid east side with the semi-arid interior is due to the location in the southern hemispheric dry zone with the cold, drought exacerbating Benguela Current on the west side and the warm, moisture providing Agulhas Current on the east side of the continent.
Agricultural activities are very unevenly distributed. Basically, tropical and non-tropical high altitude areas allow for a combination of crop and livestock farming. These favourable areas experienced increased settlement by white farmers during the colonial period, especially in Kenya, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The intensive agriculture they established was continued after independence, often by African farmers. In terms of agricultural methods, the above-mentioned areas are comparable to US agriculture.
In the tropical rainforest zone, land swap farming occurs sporadically. On the coast and on the banks of the major rivers in southern Africa, plantation agriculture spread from the colonial period onwards. Oil palms, rubber, coffee, sugar cane, and sisal are still cultivated today, with the most important centres currently located in the highlands of East Africa.
Livestock farming is also considerably restricted south of the equator by the spread of the tsetse fly. Nomadic cattle rearing has long been predominant in the drylands of Kenya and Tanzania, but recently more and more nomads have become sedentary. Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the highlands of Kenya have an efficient cattle ranching economy. Farms and ranches have replaced traditional cattle ranching in Botswana and Namibia.
Intergovernmental cooperation
Several approaches can be identified regarding regional economic cooperation. The South African Customs and Currency Union has existed since 1911. In 1980, the countries bordering South Africa founded the Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose most urgent goal today, after the end of apartheid, is to intensify economic and cultural cooperation in the region. Member states of SADC are Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, and Tanzania. Most of them have formed a free trade area since 2008, and SADC is also striving for an economic union with a common currency.
