XXᵉ siècle – XXᵉ siècle
Namibia
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Namibia experienced economic strain during the late 1970s and early 1980s as severe drought, international recession and the regional war undermined production and employment. The economy remained heavily dependent on raw-material exports and served as a captive market for South African goods. Economic inequality was extreme, unemployment rose sharply, and rural Black communities were particularly disadvantaged.
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Le récit
The late 1970s brought a combination of severe drought and international recession that ended earlier post-war growth. Crop failure and the near-collapse of the karakul industry increased poverty and unemployment, while many Africans, especially those living south of the Red Line, migrated to towns. The abolition of most pass-law restrictions in 1977 accelerated this movement.
Namibia’s economy remained focused on exporting raw materials rather than achieving self-sufficiency. By the late 1970s, Namibia, Zambia and Zaire ranked equally as the second-largest producers of non-petroleum minerals in Africa. Rio Tinto Zinc had begun mining uranium at Arandis, near Swakopmund, in 1976, while manufacturing remained very limited.
Economic inequality followed the country’s racial hierarchy. In the mid-1970s, the richest ten per cent of the population received 52.8 per cent of total income, while the poorest forty per cent received only 5.9 per cent. Black people living in rural areas were generally worse off than those in towns.
By 1978, unemployment was estimated at around 25 per cent, possibly approaching 50 per cent if under-employment in subsistence agriculture was included. Further redundancies followed the recession, contributing to urbanisation, social distress and political instability during the decade preceding independence.
XXᵉ siècle – XXᵉ siècle
Namibia
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Namibia experienced economic strain during the late 1970s and early 1980s as severe drought, international recession and the regional war undermined production and employment. The economy remained heavily dependent on raw-material exports and served as a captive market for South African goods. Economic inequality was extreme, unemployment rose sharply, and rural Black communities were particularly disadvantaged.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
The late 1970s brought a combination of severe drought and international recession that ended earlier post-war growth. Crop failure and the near-collapse of the karakul industry increased poverty and unemployment, while many Africans, especially those living south of the Red Line, migrated to towns. The abolition of most pass-law restrictions in 1977 accelerated this movement.
Namibia’s economy remained focused on exporting raw materials rather than achieving self-sufficiency. By the late 1970s, Namibia, Zambia and Zaire ranked equally as the second-largest producers of non-petroleum minerals in Africa. Rio Tinto Zinc had begun mining uranium at Arandis, near Swakopmund, in 1976, while manufacturing remained very limited.
Economic inequality followed the country’s racial hierarchy. In the mid-1970s, the richest ten per cent of the population received 52.8 per cent of total income, while the poorest forty per cent received only 5.9 per cent. Black people living in rural areas were generally worse off than those in towns.
By 1978, unemployment was estimated at around 25 per cent, possibly approaching 50 per cent if under-employment in subsistence agriculture was included. Further redundancies followed the recession, contributing to urbanisation, social distress and political instability during the decade preceding independence.
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