Economy

With a complex history marked by successive waves of migration and periods of colonisation and occupation, the Philippines is home to a host of ethnicities and languages across its roughly 1000 inhabited islands. It is the 12th-most populous country in the world, with a population expected to reach 99.43m by 2014, according to the IMF. The Philippines has plentiful natural resources. An estimated...

Known as the “pace setter state”, Oyo borders the states of Ogun, Osun and Kwara, as well as Benin in south-west Nigeria. Oyo’s natural resources are most suited to agriculture production and processing with an abundance of uncultivated arable land and reserves of gold, marble, clay and granite, among others. While economic indicators compare favourably to other states, the government is working...

Nigeria has achieved consistently high growth over the past decade, including 7.4% in 2011 and 6.6% in 2012, according to the African Development Bank. This expansion makes Nigeria one of the continent’s most consistent performers, with over twice South Africa’s average growth. The IMF forecasts economic growth of 7.2% in 2013 and 7% in 2014. Non-oil GDP is expected to rise 8.5% in 2013,...

One of Africa’s most culturally and ethnically diverse as well as resource-rich countries, Nigeria’s very existence is in many ways an impressive accomplishment, testament to the ability of both its citizens and institutions to find ways – often unconventional – to balance the need for local empowerment and diversity with broader national unity. Political cohesion has not come without a price,...

This section includes articles about the city of Constantine and about reforms to the book industry, as well as information on hotels, government offices and other listings, alongside useful tips for visitors on topics like currency, visas, language, communications, dress, business hours and electricity.

As part of government efforts to diversify the economy, large investments are being made in regional areas outside of the major population centres of Algiers and Oran. As the recipient of one of the largest of these public disbursements, with a package valued at an estimated €4bn over five years, the province (or wilaya) of Béjaïa is set to undergo considerable development. Major transportation...