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South African Americans

Decent Essays

Allison Jensen
South Africa-Economic

BCE-17th Century
Before the arrival of European settlers, economy was dominated by subsistence farming and hunting
The San peoples followed a hunting lifestyle
Pastoral economies also existed among Bantu people
Wealth was measured by number of cattle that men had
The Khoikhoi peoples followed a pastoral lifestyle
In 1692 Europeans created an establishment in Cape Town
They imported slaves from Malaya as artisans
They also influenced clothing, modern farming methods, and wine production
A British colony in Natal was established for sugar production
Local Zulu tribes did not accept the role of cane cutters in this location, so indentured workers were brought from India
The descendents of these tribe play …show more content…

Rand Rebellion-an event in which white miners came into conflict with black miners
This triggered a series of other smaller rebellions
Sharecropping was another widely practiced method at this time
A Depression during this time period caused many to be forced to sell their land, resulting in sharecropping
In the job industry, blacks had little power and whites used their power to ensure jobs for other whites

19th Century-20th Century
1930s and 1940s saw a quick industrialization of South Africa’s economy
Not only did South Africa contain gold and diamonds, but there was also iron, coal, and various other minerals
As the mining industry grew, old agricultural ways began to diminish
1948-Apartheid was put in place-segregation of blacks and whites in the work place
Whites held the job advantages during this …show more content…

South Africa has developed a first world infrastructure due to their mining success
Currently they have a high unemployment rate
The rate of unemployment is 25.2%
Chief exports: corn, diamonds, fruits, gold, metals, minerals, sugar, wool, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, manufactured goods, and petroleum
Corn is the country’s most important dietary staple, and is grown commercially on farms in the North-West part of the country
Corn production surpasses 10 million tons in sufficient years
Fruits, including grapes for wine, can produce up to 40% in agricultural export earnings annually
South Africa is also the world’s 10th largest sugar producer
Production for this is centered in Natal
Tropical fruits are also grown in the northeast and some coastal areas
This includes pineapples, avocados, mangos, and bananas
South Africa’s current rate of inflation is 5.2%
South Africa’s average tariff rate is 4.5%
Currently South Africa has the highest quarterly GDP growth rate post apartheid
The manufacturing sector in South Africa’s economy continues to hold a significant share of the economy
The real estate and business service sectors have recently increased in importance from 17% to

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