Africa is the second largest continent after Eurasia. It is washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the Red and Mediterranean seas. Together with the islands, the mainland covers approximately 30.3 million square kilometers, which is about 6% of the total land area on the planet. This is the hottest continent, its entire territory is located exclusively in hot zones and is crossed by the equator line.

East Africa

This part of the continent includes countries located east of the Nile River. There are 4 language groups in the region and there are about 200 nationalities. That is why there are huge cultural and social differences and frequent conflicts, reaching real civil wars. The borders of the current states in most cases are established by colonial countries, without taking into account any cultural interests of the people living here. That negatively affected the economic development of the region. The situation is especially difficult for countries that do not have access to the oceans. East Africa, like the entire continent as a whole, is also called the "cradle of mankind." Many anthropologists are completely sure that it was here that man appeared and the development of civilization began.

East African countries

To date, there are 22 countries located in the eastern part of the continent (UN classifier), of which 18 are completely independent. The remaining 4 countries are located on islands or a group of islands, are under the control of one or sometimes a state located outside the continent.

Independent states

Burundi is the capital of Bujumbura. About 11 million people live in the country. The state gained independence from Belgium in 1962. The territory of the country is a predominantly mountainous plateau, located at an altitude of 1.4 to 1.8 thousand meters above sea level.

Zambia. The medium-sized country, with a population of 14.2 million people, does not have its own access to the sea. The capital is Lusaka. The state was freed from the yoke of Great Britain in 1964.

Zimbabwe. About 14 million people also live here, the capital is Harare. It gained independence in 1980, in fact, from that date the country was ruled by Roberto Mugabe, who was removed as a result of a military coup last year.

Kenya. A small country located in South East Africa, with a population of 44 million people, the capital is Nairobi. Received freedom from the UK in 1963. The country is famous for its national parks, where every effort is made to preserve the virgin nature.

Madagascar. One of the largest states in the eastern part of Africa, with a population of 24.23 million people. The capital is Antananarivo. Also an island state, with magnificent nature and good tourist infrastructure.

Malawi. The country is home to 16.77 million people, the capital is Lilongwe. This country is also called the "warm heart of Africa" ​​due to the fact that very friendly people live here. However, there are problems with obtaining a visa, therefore, in terms of tourism, the country is not so attractive for Russian citizens.

Mozambique. More than 25 million people live here. The capital is Maputo. This is a former Portuguese colony. The country still has a rather serious criminal situation, so they even put bars on the 15th floor. By the way, it was here that the famous architect of the Eiffel Tower erected an iron structure in which no one could live - it was too hot.

Rwanda. The population is more than 12 million people, the capital is Kigali. In terms of development, the country has already outpaced even Luxembourg. This East African country has long had 4G Internet connections, and children are taught using interactive information technologies. But back in 1994, there was a massacre of the local population, then more than 800 thousand people died.

Tanzania. The population is 48.6 million people. The capital is Dodoma. First of all, the country is unique with 2 interesting facts:

• here is the largest concentration of representatives of the wild animal world;
• on the territory there is the highest African peak - Kilimanjaro, with a height of 5895 meters.

Uganda. It is also a fairly large country, with a population of 34 million, the capital is Kampala. The country managed to survive the civil war and the economic "chasm". To date, peace has reigned here and even stability is observed.

Ethiopia. A large state in which 90 million people live, the capital is Addis Ababa. Quite an attractive country in terms of tourism. An interesting fact is that in Ethiopia the calendar is divided into 13 months.

South Sudan. The population is 12.34 million people. The capital is Juba. A rather poor country, and only 30 kilometers of roads are covered with asphalt. Most of the population works in quarries. It is very dirty here, because no one even knows about the word garbage dump, they just throw garbage on the road, there is no running water, as well as gas.

Eritrea, with a population of 6 million, the capital is Asmara. The state does not have its own access to the sea, but the people have achieved complete freedom of speech and action. There is no theft here, no one fastens bicycles with chains, and forgotten things are brought to the police.

Small states by population

Djibouti. The country liberated itself from France in 1977. The territory is home to 818 thousand people, the capital is Djibouti. The state is famous for its magnificent nature, it is here that unique natural monuments are concentrated: the Mabla and Goda mountain ranges, the Boura ridge, the Garbi and Hemed mountains, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Lake Assal. A particularly unique place in East Africa is the Boina fumarole field. These are holes and cracks in the ground at the foot of the volcano, which is 300 meters high. Hot gases are constantly emitted from these funnels, and their depth reaches 7 meters.

Comoros or Comoros. With a population of 806 thousand people. The capital is Moroni.

Mauritius. The population is 1.2 million people, the capital is the city of Port Louis. Today it is a real tourist Mecca. The state itself is located on several islands and the Carcados Carajos archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Here is a unique nature, very contrasting, with forests and steep cliffs, lakes and waterfalls.

Somalia. The capital is Mogadishu, the total population of the state is 10.2 million people. This is the easternmost state of East Africa itself. The modern history of the country is inextricably linked with the civil war, which has been going on here since 1988. Other countries, the US and UN peacekeepers have already been drawn into the military conflict.

Seychelles. The capital of the state is the city of Victoria. A little over 90 thousand people live in the country. It's kind of

Countries dependent on France

One of the overseas regions is Mayotte. There are still disputes about ownership between France and the Comoros. More than 500 thousand people live here, the capital is the city of Mamuzu. It is a large island of Mayotte and several nearby smaller islands.

Reunion. Another island in East Africa, which is part of the Mascarene archipelago, where more than 800 thousand people live. The administrative center is the city of Saint-Denis. Here is the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, which periodically wakes up, but it is absolutely safe to watch it.

There are no permanent residents in the southern lands, only scientific expeditions come here.

There are 60 countries within the Black Continent, including unrecognized and self-proclaimed states. The regions of Africa differ from each other in many ways: cultural, economic, demographic, etc. How many of them stand out on the mainland? Which countries are included?

Features of macro-zoning of the mainland: regions of Africa

Each of the African countries is unique and original. However, some common features between these states (natural, historical, social and economic) allow geographers to divide the mainland into several large regions. There are five of them, according to the generally accepted UN classification.

All regions of Africa are listed below:

• Northern;
• Central, or Tropical;
• South;
• Western;
• East Africa.

Each of the listed macroregions covers a number of countries in the corresponding part of the continent. Thus, the leader in the number of states is the Western region. Moreover, most of them boast access to the oceans. But North and South Africa are the largest regions of the mainland in terms of area.

Most countries in the Eastern region have shown significant growth in per capita GDP in recent years. In turn, the central part of Africa concentrated on its expanses the poorest and most economically and scientifically backward states of the planet.

It should be noted that not everyone accepts the existing zoning scheme proposed by the UN. So, for example, some researchers and travelers single out such a region as Southeast Africa. It includes only four states: Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

North Africa

The region covers six sovereign states and one partially recognized: Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Libya, Western Sahara (SADR), Egypt and Algeria. North Africa, in addition, also includes several overseas territories belonging to Spain and Portugal. The countries of this region are characterized by relatively large areas.

Almost all the states of North Africa have a wide outlet to the Mediterranean Sea. This fact played a significant role in their development, denoting rather close economic ties with European countries. Most of the population of the region is concentrated in a narrow coastal strip of the Mediterranean, as well as in the valley of the Nile River. The waters of the Red Sea wash the shores of two more states in this region: we are talking about Sudan and Egypt. On the map of North Africa, these countries occupy the extreme eastern position.

The average GDP per capita in the region is not so high. However, according to IMF forecasts, in the near future they will only increase. Sudan is the poorest country in the macro-district, and oil-producing Tunisia and Algeria are the richest.

North Africa has a fairly developed (by African standards) agriculture. Citrus fruits, dates, olives are grown here. This region is also popular among travelers. Countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are annually visited by millions of tourists from all over the world.

The largest cities in the region: Casablanca, Tunisia, Tripoli, Cairo, Alexandria.

Algeria and Egypt on the map of Africa: interesting facts

Egypt is a state within which one of the world's oldest civilizations arose. This is a country of mysterious pyramids, secret treasures and legends. It is the absolute leader on the entire Black Continent in terms of the development of the recreational and tourist sphere. At least 10 million tourists visit Egypt every year.

Not everyone knows that this country is one of the most industrialized on the mainland. Oil, gas, iron and manganese ores, gold, coal, etc. are actively extracted and processed here. The chemical, cement and textile industries work effectively in the industrial sector.

No less interesting state in North Africa is Algeria. This country is the largest on the continent in terms of size. Curiously, she received this honorary title only in 2011, when Sudan broke up. In addition to this record, Algeria is also interesting for other facts. For example, did you know that:

• about 80% of the territory of Algeria is occupied by the desert;
• one of the lakes of this amazing country is filled with real ink;
• there are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the territory of the state;
• in Algeria there is not a single "McDonald's" and an Orthodox church;
• alcohol is sold exclusively in specialized stores.

In addition, Algeria impresses travelers with the diversity of its natural landscapes. Here you can see everything: mountain ranges, dense forests, hot deserts, and cool lakes.

West Africa

This African region is the absolute leader in the total number of independent states. There are 16 of them here: Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Most of the countries in the region are underdeveloped states with low GDP. Nigeria is an exception to this list. IMF forecasts for this region are disappointing: GDP per capita indicators will not grow in the short term.

Nearly 60% of the population of West Africa is employed in agriculture. Cocoa powder, wood, palm oil are produced here on a large scale. The manufacturing industry is sufficiently developed only in Nigeria.

The main problems of the region include the following:

• poor development of the transport network;
• poverty and illiteracy;
• the presence of a large number of language conflicts and hot spots.

The largest cities in the region: Dakar, Freetown, Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, Abuja, Bamako.

Central Africa

Central Africa consists of eight countries that differ significantly in size (Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, CAR, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and the island state of Sao Tome and Principe). The poorest country in the region is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a very low GDP of $330 per capita.

In the economy of the macro-region, the leading positions are occupied by agriculture and the mining industry, which the countries inherited from colonial times. Gold, cobalt, copper, oil and diamonds are mined here. The economy of Central Africa has been and remains a resource-based one.

A significant problem in the region is the presence and periodic military conflicts.

The largest cities in the region: Douala, N'Djamena, Libreville, Kinshasa, Bangui.

East Africa

This region covers ten independent Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, a country with the beautiful name of Rwanda and the newly formed South Sudan), as well as several unrecognized state entities and dependent territories.

East Africa is a region with young states, backward economies and the predominance of monoculture agriculture. Piracy flourishes in some countries (Somalia), and armed conflicts (both internal and between neighboring countries) are not uncommon. In some states, the tourism industry is quite well developed. In particular, tourists come to Kenya or Uganda to visit local national parks and get acquainted with wild

The largest cities in the region: Juba, Addis Ababa, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Kampala.

South Africa

The last macroregion of the continent includes 10 Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, as well as two enclaves (Lesotho and Swaziland). Madagascar and the Seychelles are also often referred to this region.

Countries differ from each other in terms of development and GDP indicators. The most economically developed state in the region is the Republic of South Africa. South Africa is an amazing country with three capital cities at once.

Tourism is quite well developed in some states of the region (primarily in South Africa, Botswana and the Seychelles). Swaziland attracts many travelers with its well-preserved culture and colorful traditions.

The largest cities in the region: Luanda, Lusaka, Windhoek, Maputo, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth.

Conclusion

All countries of the African continent are original, extremely interesting and often so different from each other. However, geographers were still able to group them according to historical, socio-economic and cultural criteria, identifying five macro regions: North, West, Central, East and South Africa.

East Africa from A to Z. Population, countries, cities and resorts of East Africa. Map, photo and video, descriptions and reviews of tourists.

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The real, primordial and genuine cradle of mankind and, in addition, the ancestral home of Alexander Sergeevich, East Africa is a region dear to the entire 7 billion population of our planet in general and to 180 million of our fellow citizens in particular. However, such an outstanding past of the region is not the only subject of interest. There is also a whole bunch of wonderful destinations in terms of tourism for every taste: a lot of exotic animals run around, and the ocean is amazingly beautiful, and beaches with the finest loose sand are considered among the best on the planet. Therefore, East Africa is considered the second most visited region of the continent after the Mediterranean north. Among the tourist lucky ones are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and the pearls of "island" tourism: Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius.

Journey through East Africa

There are two secrets of such popularity: firstly, the richest nature and, as a result, picturesque landscapes and diverse wildlife, and secondly, recreational wealth “for idlers”, that is, warm water, soft sand and the sun generously gilding the skin. Let's add to this a wise policy in the field of inviting potential customers: hotel and excursion service is at a very high level. Of course, along with the achievements, there are also certain shortcomings - take, for example, Somali pirates or local conflicts that periodically flare up here and there, but in general, the region can be called very attractive, hospitable and pretty.

For fans of wildlife in East Africa is a real expanse. Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda have long ceased to be perceived as exotic and hard-to-reach corners of the planet. Every year, whole armies of tourists arrive here, ready to snap the big African five from a photo gun: rhinos, lions, elephants, buffaloes and leopards. Of course, there are enough other representatives of the animal world here - from giant mountain gorillas to handsome lemurs of Madagascar. In addition, the surrounding expanses amaze even the most daring imagination with their diversity: what are the savannahs trembling in the midday heat with rare umbrellas of acacias or the “moon mountains” of Rwenzori, forever covered with clouds, on the slopes of which you can immediately see the vegetation of almost all climatic zones known to science.

Immersion in Tanzania

The title of the king of the beaches of East Africa is deservedly held by the Seychelles, whose lush tropical nature framed by azure water has become the inspiration for more than a dozen artists and writers. In addition, this is a real earthly paradise for surfers and fishermen: the first excitedly talk about two-meter waves, the second - about two-meter tuna and sharks. And if you want to combine the tropics with amazing animals and a distinct European flair, you have a direct road to the former colonial islands - Mauritius and Madagascar.

By the way, East Africa is much calmer in the epidemiological sense than West and Central: vaccinations are forced to be done when visiting only a few countries (but insurance is still required). And in mountainous Rwanda, for example, even unpleasant bloodsuckers are almost completely absent.

The article contains general information about the East Africa region. Forms an idea of ​​the socio-economic situation in this part of the continent. Indicates the reasons that hinder the development and growth of the territory from an economic point of view.

East Africa

The area of ​​the region is 7.7 million square meters. km. The population of the region is close to 200 million people.

Rice. 1. Map of the region.

The list of East African countries includes:

• Sudan;
• Ethiopia;
• Eritrea;
• Djibouti;
• Somalia;
• Kenya;
• Rwanda;
• Uganda;
• Burundi;
• Tanzania;
• Malawi;
• Zambia.

East Africa is not included in the list of regions that are rich in natural resources.

The states of this part of the continent act more as large producers and suppliers of coffee to the world market. Tea is also grown here, sisal and cotton are produced. Leather production and extraction of raw materials are developed here. Somalia and Djibouti have 1/4 of all pastures. To ensure the domestic market in the region grow:

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• millet,
• sorghum,
• corn,
• legumes,
• sweet potato,
• cassava

Rice. 2. Pastures of East Africa.

In this part of the continent there are enterprises for the primary processing of agricultural and livestock products, as well as food and light industries.
Interesting: East Africa is recognized by anthropologists of the world as the cradle of all mankind.

States of East Africa

In the past, the territorial boundaries of the main part of the states of East Africa were introduced by the once-colonial powers in an arbitrary manner. Natural ethnic and cultural boundaries were not taken into account. Because of this, the overall development of the whole region was significantly complicated.

In many states, civil armed conflicts have been raging for decades. The reason for this is religious and ideological differences.
Interesting: In 1967, a number of East African countries formed a customs union, which was called the East African Community.

Rice. 3. Economic map of the region.

East Africa contains 17 sovereign states.

Four language groups have spread here.

East Africa is ranked among the most problematic regions of the continent. Here, the usual phenomenon is: infectious diseases, hunger, low socio-economic level of development of the population.

Most of the states of the region are once former colonies of the powers of Europe. They received sovereignty only in the 60s of the last century. The detachment of developed countries regarding the issue of investing in the economic sector of East Africa noticeably slows down progress in the economy of the entire region.

What have we learned?

From the article, we found out the features of the economic development of the region. We have established which factors have the greatest influence on the dynamics of the functioning of certain industries characteristic of East Africa. We learned when the eastern region of the continent gained independence from colonial influence on the main areas of life.

The group of East African states demonstrates an even greater degree of differences, even contrast, and here individual countries stand out noticeably from the rest, as if they are out of the general range. This also applies to Ethiopia, and Somalia, and Tanzania, and some other countries. In general, the countries of the East African region deserve special attention in this sense.

1. Ethiopia is the largest and oldest of them. Its history goes back centuries and it has already been discussed more than once in the previous parts of the work. In the 60s of our century, Ethiopia was an independent and highly respected state in Africa, headed by the revered monarch Emperor Haile Selassie I. True, this populous (over 50 million people) and resource-poor country was constantly plagued by natural disasters, especially droughts, almost regularly brought her economy to a catastrophic state. Droughts, famine, failures with agrarian reform led the country in 1973 to an acute political crisis, which resulted in the deposition of the emperor. Since 1974, power passed to the Provisional Military Administrative Council, whose leaders in a sharp internecine struggle destroyed each other, until M. Haile Mariam came to power in 1977, who firmly set a course for development along the Marxist-socialist model.

The nationalization of industry and land, the strict control of the authorities over the population led the country's economy for a decade and a half to complete degradation. Droughts became more frequent, their consequences became more severe. Millions of people died from simple hunger and disorder in the country, while the ruling bureaucracy was mired in lawlessness and corruption. The decisive blow to the ruling party and its leadership was dealt by the events in our country associated with perestroika and a general change in the ideological and political orientation, as well as by suspending the flow of supplies from the USSR. The weakening of the government's positions, aggravated by defeats in the fight against separatists and rebels in the north, led in 1991 to the collapse of the regime. The dictator fled, and his successors inherited a difficult legacy. There was no more talk of the Marxist-socialist model. Ethiopia is now facing the difficult task of finding its new face, the exit to a normal life.

2. Somalia, located to the east of Ethiopia, on the coast, in the Horn of Africa, is a relatively small state (population of about 6 million people). The inhabitants of British Somalia gained independence in 1960; A democratic parliamentary multi-party republic was established, one of the first of its kind in Africa. But multi-party democracy has led to a weakening of the political structure, further undermined by tribalism and clan patronage-client ties. The coup of 1969 brought S. Barre to power with his dreams of a Greater Somalia and orientation towards the Marxist-socialist model of development. In 1977–1978 in the war with Ethiopia for the Ogaden, Somalia was defeated, and this affected the change of orientation: the Somali authorities abandoned their previous stakes on the USSR, whose leadership preferred to take the side of Ethiopia, and began to seek support in the West. In 1984, Somalia was forced to renounce its claims to the part of Kenya inhabited by Somalis. The idea of ​​Great Somalia collapsed. The era of an acute internal crisis has begun, caused by military spending, devastation, and inflation that are unbearable for a small country. The rebels began to protest against the regime of S. Barre. In 1989, he tried to soften his regime, set a course for economic liberalization and privatization, promised a multi-party system and democracy, and even introduced a new constitution in October. But it was already too late. In early 1991, the Barre regime fell under the blows of the rebels. In 1992, a bloody civil strife began in the country. The instability of power in the course of the struggle for political domination by various ethno-political groups created a situation of dangerous instability in Somalia and led the country to famine.

3. Kenya, located south of Ethiopia and southwest of Somalia, in the past an English colony, gained quite wide popularity in the first post-war years, when a broad national movement led by D. Kenyatta unfolded here. This movement was closely connected with the terrorist actions of the Mau Mau society, which terrified the British. In 1953, the Mau Mau movement was crushed, and Kenyatta was behind bars. In 1960, the country gained independence, and Kenyatta became its president. In 1978, after his death, the country was headed by D. Moi. The one-party presidential system has given serious failures under this president: corruption has become noticeable, the opposition has become more active, demanding a multi-party system. In 1990, Moi made concessions and at the end of 1991 announced the introduction of a multi-party system. The country's economy is still in a difficult position, the standard of living of the population (about 25 million people) is low, but in the recent elections (1993), Moi was again elected president.

4. Uganda- a state to the west of Kenya with a population of 16-17 million people. In 1962 it gained independence and became a republic with the former king of Buganda, Mutesa II, as president and M. Obote as prime minister. In 1966, Obote took full power, and the constitution of 1967 abolished the monarchy in the country. In 1971, as a result of a military coup, the bloody dictator Idi Amin came to power. Amin's regime was overthrown in 1979 with the support of Tanzania, and in 1980 Obote won the election again became president. The 1985 military coup deposed Obote; since 1986 the country has been headed by I. Museveni. Uganda is one of the few states in Africa where for quite a long time, albeit with ^ breaks, the multi-party system has operated and is still operating. The economy of the country is undeveloped, the standard of living of the population is very low. The liberalization of the economy at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, however, began to give positive results (6–7% growth per year).

5. Tanzania, located south of Kenya and Lake Victoria, was created in 1964 as a result of the unification of independent since 1961 Tanganyika with the island of Zanzibar, which gained independence in 1963. This is perhaps the only case when such an association turned out to be viable. Population approx. 25 million people Tanzania is a presidential republic with a very stable political system. For many years, D. Nyerere was the president of the country, during which experiments were undertaken related to the orientation towards the Marxist-socialist model (nationalization, cooperation in the “ujamaa” style, etc.). President A.Kh., who replaced Nyerere in the late 1980s Mwinyi is inclined to support the program of economic revival adopted in 1986, associated with the liberalization of the economy and the departure from socialist experiments.

6–7. Rwanda(approx. 7 million) and Burundi(approx. 5 million people) in 1908–1912. were included in German East Africa, since 1923 they became a mandated territory of Belgium, and in 1962 - an independent republic and a monarchy, respectively. The republican structure of Rwanda proved to be stable. Burundi, having experienced a number of military coups, also became a republic. Both states have a one-party system, the economy is underdeveloped, and living standards are low.

8–12. Djibouti(0.5 million population), as well as a number of island states - reunion(0.6 million), Seychelles(0.07 million), Comoros(0.5 million), Mauritius(1.1 million) - are small independent countries of East Africa that gained their independence relatively late, in 1968-1977. (Reunion remains an overseas department of France). Mauritius is a multi-party parliamentary republic formally recognizing the Queen of England as head of state. Djibouti is a one-party presidential republic. In the Seychelles, a 1979 coup brought to power a party that was guided by the Marxist-socialist model. In the Comoros, a similar coup in 1975 had a different fate: another coup in 1978 returned the government of A. Abdallah to power, which then steadily ruled the country for many years. Common to all these small states is their comparative youth as independent structures (this does not apply to Reunion), a fairly noticeable degree of political stability and, apart from Djibouti, remoteness from the mainland, which to a large extent affects their destinies. It is significant to note that Arabs predominate in the Comoros, Indo-Pakistans in Mauritius, Creole Christians in the Seychelles and Réunion.

13. Madagascar, a large island to the east of Africa, gained its independence in 1960. The population is over 11 million people. Initially, the leader of the Social Democrats, F. Tsiranana, was the head of state and government. The coup of 1972 brought the military to power, in 1975 the Supreme Revolutionary Council, headed by D. Ratsiraka, set a course for development along the Marxist-socialist model. The National Front for the Defense of the Revolution, created by the council, united 7 political parties, banning the rest. The economy is nationalized, the public sector absolutely prevails. In the early 1990s, Ratsiraka's power and his political course collapsed. A powerful opposition movement unfolded in the country.

So, among the 13 large and small countries of the region, in four large (Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Madagascar) and at least two others (Seychelles, Comoros), attempts were made to develop according to the Marxist-socialist model, and in three cases (Ethiopia, Tanzania and Madagascar) these were long-term experiments, calculated in decades. The experiment could have been just as long in Somalia if the political situation had not prompted S. Barre to change his earlier orientation. And only in Uganda, and even then with interruptions, did a multi-party system function. All major countries in the region are poorly developed and have a low standard of living. Only some of the islands (Mauritius, Reunion and the tiny Seychelles) stand out against the general bleak background for the better. With reservations, the same can be said about Djibouti. Slightly higher than in other large countries of the region, the standard of living in politically relatively prosperous Kenya.