Archive for the ‘Africa’ Category

African Investments Are Showing High Returns

Friday, January 1st, 2010

If you are looking to invest your money in a growing, vibrant market, you should really consider Africa. Many African countries are providing investors with a healthy return on their capital. Africa has been associated with corruption, poverty and despair, but in recent years it has proved that it can provide genuine opportunities for investors. African investments are most definitely on the rise.

Of the 53 countries that make up Africa, excellent growth is being experienced by 50 of these countries. This is in stark contrast to the western economies which are presently flat. With more than half the population of Africa being under 20 years of age, the economy in this vast continent is creating many opportunities. It would be impossible to discuss all prospering countries in Africa, so we will look at just a few.

The country of Morocco is showing itself as a leader in the real estate market. Situated in northern Africa, Morocco is close to Europe and the Middle East. Therefore its culture is tinged with a little of three different continents. With its stunning coastline and breathtaking natural beauty, it is not surprising that Morocco is attracting real estate investors from all over the globe.

Investors from Mauritius, China, India, Portugal and the United Kingdom have taken advantage of the many profitable opportunities in Botswana. These include the tourism industry, coal mining, leather goods, glass products, and the diamond and semi-precious stones industry. All these sectors of Botswana’s economy are enjoying prosperity.

Kenya ranks at number 3 in Africa’s foreign exchange earnings (South Africa and Morocco are 1st and 2nd). As a result of the implementation of several policies designed to attract investment, Kenya is enjoying a burgeoning tourist industry. Scores of foreign investors have climbed on this bandwagon, while many are also taking advantage of Kenya’s fast-growing movie industry.

In pole position of Africa’s foreign investment income is South Africa. Boycotted by the rest of the world for many years due to its racist government, South Africa has made a remarkable recovery under its new government. There is potential for foreign investors in a host of thriving sectors.

In Nigeria, the government is making great strides in attracting foreign investment. This country enjoys rich dividends earned as a result of the high oil price. Therefore investing in an oil company associated with the Nigerian oil industry would be a solid investment. Other options include investment or unit trusts.

Malawi is another African country that has caused would-be investors to prick up their ears. Those who invest in Malawi′s vibrant agricultural industry are enjoying healthy returns. Because of its ideal climate and fertile land, Malawi is making a name for itself as a major food producer in Africa.

Uganda is an African country that welcomes foreign investments in almost all of its economic sectors. With a steady economy and a government with vision, more and more investors are seeing Uganda as a secure investment opportunity. Investors are permitted to retain a 100 percent shareholding in their investments. This is a big factor for potential investors.

Want to find out more about african investment, then visit the African Infrastructure and Global Connection’s (AI&GC) site on how to choose begin investing in this economy.

Advice On Making African Investments

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

In terms of an investment opportunity, the idea of committing finance to Africa can never really been on top of the agenda for most investors. With so many different options for investment elsewhere, and much safer options at that, why consider making African investments that could quite easily be lost without any potential reward?

Well, for one thing, there are most definitely profits to be made if you choose the right industry in which to invest. Another thing is that you will be essentially helping a more unfortunate continent to build itself up and begin to express itself more on the world stage. With such serious problems such as famine and disease and civil war and genocide, Africa has been struggling to maintain the balance and lead to serious growth for many years. This is despite having a wealth of natural resources at its disposal.

Africa’s best chance for building itself up and digging itself out of all its woes is not on continued foreign aid and charity, but on continued foreign enterprise and investment from private companies. A couple of years ago roughly 1% of foreign investment throughout the entire world is invested in sub-Saharan Africa, yet this is changing. As the World Bank has said, Africa offers the highest returns on foreign investment for any region of the world.

Surely then there are great opportunities to make investments. Yet due to the perceived risks, these levels remain smaller than they could and perhaps should be. With political strife all over and currency fluctuations affecting economic stability, you may just run the risk of your investment being lost. However, it is important that you simply know what you are doing and where to go with your money. On the whole there has been a great growth in democracy around the region and this has led on to greater development in different markets and industries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has actually been seeing its finest economic performance for many years, with the strongest areas of growth being infrastructure, finance tourist and automobiles. Intelligent investments in these industries over the previous few years have provided solid and sometimes very lucrative returns for many investors.

If you just look at the stock markets of these areas, it is plain to see that there is serious progress being made, as they outscore world averages consistently. At the same time the number of exchanges have seen a rise from eight to ten over the previous decade. Furthermore, the powerhouse of the continent, South Africa, has continued to see positive growth which is fundamentally important to the entire region seeing as it account for about 25% of the GDP.

For any canny investor willing to take a slight risk in the hope of some high returns there is no doubt that Africa can offer some significant opportunity. The main problem for any independent, small time investor is finding funds that will offer then the opportunity.

For those therefore, keen on locating a fund that will offer then high potential investment returns, there are some available, in most cases, just be sure that you can take the hit of losing the money you have invested.

Looking to find the best consultants to help with african investment, then visit www.ai-gc.com to find the best advice on for you.

Preventing Mosquitoes Bites

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

So, you’ve got some time off work, college or school and you want to get outdoors and enjoy it. Possibly even go on vacation. Great idea! Nevertheless what happens when you get where you are going? The mosquitoes come out to get you.

If it were not so routine, it would sound like Freddy Kruger and Nightmare on Elm Street. The female mosquitoes need blood to produce eggs and they seek it out as voraciously as any vampire in a horror movie, while the males go sucking nectar from plants like fairies.

Well, that is the nightmare setting, but it is not that far from the truth either. For many peoples in the world it is also a genuine life and death problem. Millions of people die every year from malaria and tons more from dengue too. Yet both of these diseases are curable as are most of the other mosquito-borne diseases like Yellow Fever, Japanese Jungle Encephalopathy and Nile fever.

The first thing to understand is that usually these diseases can be inoculated against, particularly if you are going on vacation. The next thing to keep in mind – it might help – is that not all mosquitoes are the same. For example, in Thailand, the dengue-bearing mosquito (often called the ‘Egyptian’) comes out during the day time and so bites then too. Between about an hour before dawn and an hour after dusk, whereas the malaria-carrying mosquito, the Anopheles, is a night time huntress.

I am not recommending that you can slacken your vigilance during the day, although many people take for granted that they can. Nobody wants dengue fever either.

So, what can you do? Before you go anywhere, read up on the district or check with medical experts. That part is not complicated, particularly, if you know how to search the Internet. Then prepare yourself with inoculations if the danger is serious enough in your judgment or a medical expert’s judgment. In my opinion, that is the minimum that a conscientious person should be expected to do to safeguard him or herself, the family and the community at large.

Then there are a few other things you can do. For instance, wear voluminous clothes, but long sleeves and long trousers. If you are thin on top by choice or not, wear a hat or cap. Dress in socks or stockings in the evening to safeguard your toes. Get a good-quality mosquito repellent and put it on your bare skin, as often as necessary by the manufacturer, which is typically every four or five hours.

You could rationally stop there, but I like to go a bit further, if the situation calls for it. If I am outside in the garden at home or in a hotel, I like to have one of those tennis racquet style electric bug zappers with me. They are great for zapping the odd mosquito that buzzes you. They are good for clearing the bedroom before retiring too and lastly, if I’m renting, hiking, camping or caravaning, I may find space for a rechargeable lantern-style bug zapper too.

If the little so-and-sos are going to give me a fever, they are going to have to try very hard to do it.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several subjects, but is currently involved with work on mosquito bite allergy problems. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Mosquito Bite Swellings.

Top Tips On Travelling In Africa

Friday, December 18th, 2009

Africa is the world’s second largest continent, yet only contains about 10% of the world’s population. There are so many beautiful countries in the continent to see, and little time for most to see them. Here are just a few tips to help you get the most out of your trip.

First of all, ignore all your expectations. Africa will be a culture shock for most travellers and the best way to see it is to simply arrive with a totally open mind and immerse yourself fully in the culture.

Make sure you drink a lot. Buy bottled water and keep yourself hydrated at all times. With the heat you will be sweating constantly so ensure that you have a good supply to keep your hydration levels up.

Get all of the immunizations you need before you go. Disease is a big problem in Africa and can be combated by decent preparation. Take with you anti-malaria tablets as well and spray to stave off all of the mosquitoes that will vie for your blood.

Keep you money safe at all times. Africa is a very poor continent and you will be seen as a wealthy traveller to the local inhabitants. Do not keep large sums of money together and in easy view as this will draw in thieves. Spread your money and be sure to keep your valuable possessions out of sight at all times.

Avoid eating western food when you are there and immerse yourself in the local cuisine. This is particularly important for those on smaller budgets as the food you will be able to buy will be extremely cheap for the most part and your dollars can go a long way.

Bargain for any purchases you make from touts. Do not let them take advantage of you and look to get a good price for any of their products of services.

Finally, make sure you have a good camera with you. Africa is a stunningly beautiful continent wherever you are, and it would be a shame to waste the opportunity to document your travels.

Pa-Ru Madokkusu is fascinated by Africa and travels there at every opportunity. Her favourite place is Zanzibar.

An Overview Of Africa And Its Countries

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Africa is a diverse continent with its uncivilized villages to its enormous cities with all of the modern conveniences. Around 12 percent of the people in the world live in these 49 distinct countries. This is the most diverse continent in the world.

The population is made up of many different tribes and people groups. Each tribe and people group has its own distinct way of living. Their culture and customs are all different. Each country has its own indigenous people, plus different ethnic groups that have arrived over the years.

Did you know that the Sudan has more pyramids than any other country? Because the pyramids in Egypt are more well-known, most people think of Egypt as the land with the most pyramids, but that isn’t true. Sudan has a minimum of 223 pyramids. They are fascinating structures measuring 75 to over 100 feet high with extremely steep sides.

Libya is an interesting country. It is the only country in the whole world that has a flag of only one solid color without any other details on it. In land size, it is the fourth largest country on the continent and the seventeenth largest country in the world.

It has such a large land mass that it is numbered number 17 in size compared to the other world countries and in Africa it is number four. Its flag, also, distinguishes it from other countries around the world. It is the only country that has a solid colored flag with no other details.

Children will enjoy knowing that the world’s largest frog, known as the Goliath frog, is found in Cameroon and Equitorial Guinea. Its body measures 12 inches long, and if you stretch it out, it can be up to 30 inches long. Do you realize that is the size of most house cats? This frog is unique in that it can jump as far as 10 feet, but it doesn’t make any noises. When they are born, they are the same size as other species of tadpoles.

Africa is a fascinating continent with many interesting facts. It is mainly known for its abundant wild life and the Safaris. Adventurers will enjoy travelling throughout these intriguing countries.

Yamashita Kazuma is intrigued by all things African and plans to visit Africa as soon as he is able to.

African Traditional Cultures

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Africa is the cradle of civilization. It is home to the earliest societies on earth. Not surprisingly, Africa has an amazing array of religions and cultures, which are reflected in the many traditions and ceremonies the people engage in.

Weddings

Every society has some sort of wedding ceremony. The centerpieces of weddings in any culture have always been religion and spirituality as a rule, though in Africa there is a sense of family. This is more than two people joining, this is an entire family. The traditions involved in the ceremony date back hundreds or thousands of years.

In Africa, the entire continent is ruled by it’s religious diversity. Everywhere you go you can find a melting pot of different religions. Muslims, Christians, Hindus, even religions that are unique to Africa.

However, regardless of the area you are in, the wedding ceremonies are going to be quite elaborate, and unlike wedding ceremonies elsewhere, these can last for quite a few days. In some cases there might even be more than one couple married at the same wedding.

While it might not be excusable in other nations, polygamy is something that is incredibly common on the continent of Africa. A man can have many wives, each of them bought from their respective family. Such a fee is known as a bridewealth.

Prearranged marriages are also a part of African culture and are common in many African countries. In fact, it is not at all uncommon for a girl to be engaged before she is even born. These agreements are made between families who are either close friends or have some sort of business arrangement.

During African traditional weddings, there will be song, there will be dance, and there will be bright colors. This is a symbol of a transition. The transition between childhood and adulthood, though by most standards, the newly married couple would barely be adults. African people can be married at the age of thirteen, or even younger.

You won′t find much evidence of divorces in African culture, and therefore it is not done very often. Typically problems that could be seen as a divorce are discussed and a solution will be found. It is an investment by the entire family, as the two families are joined once the wedding ceremony is completed.

Music

We already mentioned how important music and dance are to African culture. Reading and writing were latecomers to the continent, meaning that the primary forms of communication involved dance and music. African music is very different. It is defined by it’s rhythms, it’s beats, as well as it’s unique harmonies. In the beginning the African musicians knew and played many different instruments, though the main instrument is the drum.

You can learn more on African traditional culture and traditions and listen to free African traditional music at the African Side website.