Botswana is a small country, with 2.2 million people who would probably be in great shape if it weren’t for the high incidence of HIV/AIDS. It has a stable government, a literacy rate approaching 90%, and a GDP per capita of over $16,000. The nation’s big business is diamonds, but tourism generates a lot of… [Read More]
Blog
Category: Emerging Markets
Namibia: Unfinished Business
Namibia was under the rule of the Republic of South Africa until it achieved independence in 1990, with the help of a civil war. This book is an academic text that evaluates the state of the nation’s democracy. I don’t normally read political science works, so it’s been interesting for me to see how it’s… [Read More]
Malawi: Growing Up In Malawi
Malawi is a small, young, and poor country. The nation has about 18 million people, almost 70 percent of whom are under age 24. No surprise, there aren’t a lot of cultural exports. I came across a UK indie band called Lake Malawi, but it’s not the same thing. For this stop in my ongoing exploration of Africa,… [Read More]
Zambia: The Red Bag
The next stop on my quest to learn at least a little bit about every country in Africa is Zambia. Formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, this former British colony has been independent since 1964 and is a functional democracy. It should be wealthier than it is, because of its copper resources and agricultural productivity. However, a very… [Read More]
Scalawags, Spanish prisoners, and Nigerian scams
As part of my ongoing effort to learn about Africa, I read the book 419 by Will Ferguson. It’s about a Canadian who is caught up in the so-called Nigerian scam, and it is also about charity, crime, forgiveness, and retribution. The title comes from the section of the Nigerian legal code that handles punishment… [Read More]