Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Food Is Not the Main Imported Item into Africa

Machinery and equipment, Chemicals, Petroleum products, Scientific instruments, and Foodstuffs are the top five imported commodities into Africa.

Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with the largest economy, followed by South Africa and Egypt while Oil-rich countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Angola have Africa's highest GDP per capita along with Algeria, Libya and Gabon, and mineral-rich Botswana.


List of African Nations and their top imports and import partners


Sewing T Shirts in Ghana
Sewing T Shirts in Ghana

Algeria

Imports - commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 18.7 percent, China 9 percent, Italy 8.5 percent, Spain 6 percent, US 5.5 percent, Germany 5.3 percent, Russia 4.6 percent, Turkey 4.1 percent


Angola

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Imports - partners: Portugal 19.3 percent, China 14.7 percent, US 12.3 percent, Brazil 8.3 percent, South Africa 5.4 percent, France 4.3 percent


Benin

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners: China 39.8 percent, US 14 percent, Thailand 6.9 percent, France 6.9 percent, Malaysia 4.2 percent


Botswana

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products


Burkina Faso

Imports - commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire 26.4 percent, France 18.2 percent, Togo 7.3 percent, Libya 4.2 percent


Burundi

Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 18.3 percent, Kenya 10.7 percent, Belgium 7.9 percent, France 5.8 percent, Uganda 5.1 percent, China 4.9 percent, India 4.5 percent, Germany 4.3 percent


Cameroon

Imports - commodities: machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners: France 21.6 percent, Nigeria 14.2 percent, China 9.2 percent, Belgium 6.2 percent


Cape Verde

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners: Portugal 39.5 percent, Netherlands 11.4 percent, Spain 6.5 percent, UK 6.3 percent, Cote d'Ivoire 4.4 percent, Brazil 4 percent


Central African Republic

Imports - commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners: France 17.3 percent, Cameroon 9.8 percent, Netherlands 7.3 percent, US 6.7 percent


Chad

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: France 19.2 percent, Cameroon 16.2 percent


Comoros

Imports - commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners: Brazil 13.5 percent, France 13.2 percent, China 10.5 percent, UAE 9.2 percent, South Africa 6.1 percent, Italy 5.3 percent, Pakistan 5.3 percent, Singapore 4.2 percent, Kenya 4.2 percent


Dem Rep of the Congo

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners: South Africa 22.1 percent, Belgium 11.5 percent, Zambia 8.3 percent, Zimbabwe 7 percent, Kenya 5.9 percent, China 5.6 percent, France 5.4 percent


Cote D’ivoire

Imports - commodities: fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Nigeria 32 percent, France 15.1 percent, China 7.8 percent


Djibouti

Imports - commodities: foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 22.1 percent, India 16.6 percent, China 9.1 percent, US 6.5 percent, Malaysia 4.5 percent, Ethiopia 4.3 percent


Egypt

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners: US 11.7 percent, China 9.7 percent, Italy 6.4 percent, Germany 6.3 percent, Saudi Arabia 4.7 percent, Russia 4.3 percent


Equatorial Guinea

Imports - commodities: petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners: Spain 15.2 percent, US 13.4 percent, France 12.4 percent, Cote d'Ivoire 11.9 percent, China 10.4 percent, Italy 6.3 percent, UK 5.8 percent


Eritrea

Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: Italy 16.9 percent, UAE 15.7 percent, China 13 percent, India 9.4 percent, US 6.7 percent, Germany 6 percent, Turkey 5 percent


Ethiopia

Imports - commodities: food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners: China 19.5 percent, Saudi Arabia 17.9 percent, India 7.2 percent, US 5 percent, Italy 4.4 percent


Gabon

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners: France 32.1 percent, US 11.1 percent, China 5.2 percent, Belgium 4.6 percent, Cameroon 4.4 percent, Netherlands 4.2 percent


The Gambia

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners: China 22.7 percent, Senegal 11.7 percent, Cote d'Ivoire 8.4 percent, Brazil 7.4 percent, Netherlands 4.9 percent


Ghana

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: China 15.9 percent, Nigeria 15.8 percent, US 5.9 percent, France 4.7 percent, UK 4.7 percent


Guinea

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: China 10.3 percent, France 7.8 percent, Netherlands 7.6 percent


Guinea-Bissau

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Portugal 24.6 percent, Senegal 17.3 percent, Pakistan 4.8 percent, France 4.6 percent, Cuba 4 percent


Kenya

Imports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners: UAE 12.5 percent, China 10.5 percent, Saudi Arabia 8.7 percent, India 8.3 percent, South Africa 6.6 percent, Japan 5.6 percent, US 4.2 percent


Lesotho

Imports - commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products

Imports - partners: China 31.1 percent, Taiwan 23.5 percent, Hong Kong 19.4 percent, India 13.8 percent, Germany 5.2 percent


Liberia

Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners: South Korea 27.5 percent, Singapore 25.2 percent, Japan 11.6 percent, China 11.2 percent


Libya

Imports - commodities: machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products

Imports - partners: Italy 18.9 percent, Germany 7.7 percent, China 7.3 percent, Tunisia 6.8 percent, France 5.7 percent, Turkey 5.4 percent, US 4.3 percent


Madagascar

Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners: China 16.3 percent, France 12.1 percent, Iran 8.3 percent, South Africa 6 percent, Mauritius 4.3 percent


Malawi

Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semi manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners: South Africa 35.7 percent, India 8.1 percent, China 7.2 percent, Tanzania 5.8 percent, US 4.5 percent


Mali

Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semi manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners: South Africa 35.7 percent, India 8.1 percent, China 7.2 percent, Tanzania 5.8 percent, US 4.5 percent


Mauritania

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners: France 16.3 percent, China 8.4 percent, Netherlands 6.2 percent, Spain 5.9 percent, Belgium 5.2 percent, US 4.9 percent, Brazil 4.4 percent


Mauritius

Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: India 21.2 percent, China 11.4 percent, France 10.7 percent, South Africa 7.4 percent


Morocco

Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners: France 16.1 percent, Spain 13.6 percent, China 7.3 percent, Italy 6.7 percent, Saudi Arabia 6.4 percent, Germany 5.9 percent, US 4.5 percent, Netherlands 4.1 percent


Mozambique

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: South Africa 36.7 percent, Australia 8.5 percent, China 4.6 percent


Namibia

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 85.2 percent, US


Niger

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners: France 19.4 percent, Nigeria 8.6 percent, China 8.5 percent, French Polynesia 7.6 percent, Belgium 5 percent, Cote d'Ivoire 4.9 percent


Nigeria

Imports - commodities: machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals

Imports - partners: China 10.6 percent, Netherlands 7.9 percent, US 7.8 percent, South Korea 6.6 percent, UK 5.7 percent, France 4.3 percent, Brazil 4.2 percent, Germany 4.1 percent


Rwanda

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material

Imports - partners: Kenya 17.1 percent, China 6.2 percent, Uganda 6 percent, Belgium 5.9 percent, Germany 5.1 percent


Sao Tome and Principe

Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products

Imports - partners: Portugal 62.2 percent, US 11.6 percent, Gabon 4.5 percent


Senegal

Imports - commodities: food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners: France 22.2 percent, Netherlands 10 percent, China 7.4 percent, UK 6.2 percent, Thailand 5.2 percent, Belgium 4.5 percent


Seychelles

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 18.3 percent, Singapore 12.9 percent, France 10.8 percent, Spain 8.5 percent, Germany 7.4 percent, South Africa 5.7 percent


Sierra Leone

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners: China 10.5 percent, Cote d'Ivoire 8.9 percent, US 7.9 percent, Belgium 6.7 percent, UK 6.7 percent, Thailand 5.2 percent, India 4.2 percent


South Africa

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: Germany 10.9 percent, China 10 percent, Spain 8.2 percent, US 7.2 percent, Japan 6.1 percent, UK 4.5 percent, Saudi Arabia 4.2 percent


Sudan

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners: China 24.9 percent, Saudi Arabia 8 percent, UAE 5.9 percent, India 5.8 percent, Egypt 5.3 percent


South Sudan – no information


Swaziland

Imports - commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners: South Africa 95.6 percent, EU 0.9 percent, Japan 0.9 percent (2006)


Tanzania

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners: China 14.5 percent, South Africa 7.3 percent, Kenya 7.2 percent, India 6.3 percent, UAE 6.1 percent


Togo

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners: China 39.1 percent, Netherlands 7.9 percent, France 7.2 percent, Thailand 5.1 percent


Tunisia

Imports - commodities: textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France 23.8 percent, Italy 21.9 percent, Germany 9.7 percent, Spain 5 percent, Libya 4.4 percent


Uganda

Imports - commodities: capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners: Kenya 31.8 percent, China 7.8 percent, UAE 7.7 percent, South Africa 5.9 percent, India 5.2 percent, Japan 4.8 percent


Zambia

Imports - commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: South Africa 49.3 percent, China 8.2 percent, UAE 7.9 percent, India 4.4 percent


Zimbabwe

Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners: South Africa 52.2 percent, China 7 percent, Botswana 4.5 percent


Port of Dar es Salaam is the principal port serving Tanzania
Port of Dar es Salaam is the principal port serving Tanzania

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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