Abstract: | The difficulties inherent in the exercise of drawing comparisons between States with widely different characteristics lie at the heart of much of the debate about contemporary Africa. This article attempts to circumvent some of these problems by using three indicators to compare living conditions in, and the economic performance of, various African States. These indicators are the physical quality of life index (PQLI), the per capita income level and the growth rate in per capita income. First the author discusses the countries with the highest and lowest PQLI. Then he compares the living standards in South Africa, the 'independent' homelands and SWA/Namibia with those in the rest of Africa, paying special attention to the other southern African States, the North African States, the Marxist-oriented States and the landlocked States. Finally, in order to appreciate the impact of different value systems, he compares the predominantly Christian States with the Muslim-dominated States and the States dominated by traditional animist religious systems. Ref. |