Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2014, 62(4), 729-747 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201462040729

GDP Structure and Economic Performance in Sub-Saharan Countries

Luboš Smutka, Karel Tomšík

Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic

Africa belongs to important regions of the world economy with specific problems distinguishing this part of the world from other regions. The region is suffering because of limited economy structure and high level of poverty. Low economic performance ranks most of African countries among the worldwide poorest ones (both from the point of view of total economy performance and also individuals living standards); the development is hindered by political instability and also by other accompanied problems as high level of corruption, deficit of democracy, low level of education, limited investments, criminality, local conflicts, civil wars etc. On the other hand, African natural, economy and social resources and unexploited opportunities in many areas offer a potential for a considerable economic development. Understanding the current economic position of African states thus may reveal causes of problematic development and outline ways to overcome existing shortcomings. The aim of the paper is to analyze main changes in area of GDP structure formation (agricultural, industrial and services sector share in GDP and value performance) which have occurred in selected African (Sub-Saharan) countries. Changes are analyzed both in relation to the total GDP and GDP per capita. The authors identify main trends of economic development in the Sub-Saharan region and to specify differences among Sub-Saharan countries with the intention to identify particular groups of African countries according to their economic structure and to identify differences in their GDP formation.

Keywords: Africa, gross domestic product, structure, value, relationship, sensitivity, services, industry, agriculture

Grants and funding:

This paper was prepared with financial support from the project "Socio-economic practices of sustainable development in the new industrialization". The project is supported funded by the Government of the Russian Federation, Grant 074-U01 and conducted within the National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO), in St Petersburg, Russia.

Published: October 4, 2014  Show citation