Statistical annex

Data used in this edition of Africa’s Development Dynamics have been compiled and presented in tables available for free download on the Development Centre’s website (https://oe.cd/AFDD-2022) along with some additional social and economic indicators that add context to the report’s analysis.

All indicators that were chosen for the annex provide national data figures for all or nearly all African countries, as well as most countries in the rest of the world. These choices were made in order to allow for both comparisons between African countries and comparisons with groups of similar countries outside of Africa that could serve as benchmarks. These data give context to the analyses presented in the report and allow readers to investigate the underlying data in more depth.

Data were obtained from various sources, including harmonised data sets of annual national data from reputable international institutions, as well as some indicators that were calculated by researchers working on the publication. Figures will get updated as new data come available so that readers can always track the latest versions of key indicators. Therefore some differences between figures in the statistical annex and figures reported in the publication may reflect changes to the data tables made after the publication of the written report.

Access the online Africa’s Development Dynamics Statistical Annex here: https://oe.cd/AFDD-2022.

The figures presented in these statistical tables, with the exception of Tables 2-4, represent the most recent years for which data are available. However, a complete dataset containing all these indicators for the years 2000-present in one Excel file can be downloaded from the following link: https://bit.ly/3g4I2tL. The same data in a compressed flat csv file can be downloaded from this link: https://bit.ly/3KLsQQd. Otherwise, the same indicators can be found online through the OECD’s online statistical portal at https://stats.oecd.org/ and clicking on “Development”, followed by “Africa’s Development Dynamics” on the menu.

In addition to allowing users to download all data listed above, the online statistical annex at the Africa’s Development Dynamics 2022 web page (https://oe.cd/AFDD-2022) features the interactive Compare Your Country data analysis tool. Users can use this tool to create visualisations of the full time series of certain key variables interactively, selecting which countries can be placed in comparison, the type of chart, and other parameters.

The Statistical Annex reports statistics for nearly all world countries, and also aggregations of indicators over country groups developed for benchmarking and analysis. The table (https://doi.org/10.1787/888934299517) indicating the countries that belong to each group is among the files available in the statistical annex. The country groups featured in the analysis are the following:

  • The five regions of the African Union (Central Africa, East Africa, North Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa, as defined by the Abuja Treaty)

  • Africa and benchmark country groupings (Africa, Asian countries excluding high-income countries, Latin America and Caribbean countries, and the World)

  • Resource-rich countries

    Countries that obtain a significant fraction of their GDP from underground natural-resource extraction are referred to as “resource-rich”. These resource endowments can have major implications for economic, political, and social development. In this report, countries are identified as resource-rich based on whether, over the previous decade, the estimated contribution of the extraction of hydrocarbons, coal and minerals to economic output exceeds 10% of GDP in at least five years.

  • Income level

    The World Bank divides the countries of the world into four categories based on GNI per capita, using their Atlas Method:1 low-income countries, lower middle-income countries, upper middle-income countries, and high-income countries.

  • Geographic access

    The report provides a breakdown between countries that are landlocked, countries that have a portion of coastline, and island nations. Gaining access to world trade can be complicated by a country’s access to the ocean or lack thereof, while island nations have been shown to have different development patterns than other coastal nations. In addition to this three-way breakdown of countries, this report provides data on countries deemed “Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC)” and “Small Island Developing States (SIDS)” by the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).2

  • Least developed countries 3

    The UN-OHRLLS classifies some countries as “Least Developed Countries (LDC)”. This categorisation of countries was officially established in 1971, by the UN General Assembly, and represents countries that face low levels of socio-economic development. Countries are designated as LDC countries based on income criteria, the health and education of their populations, and their economic vulnerability.

  • Fragile states 4

    The OECD studies fragility as a multi-dimensional concept of risks that could pose a critical challenge to the ability of countries to achieve their development aspirations, in particular the goals outlined by the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Based on the results of this research, presented in the OECD States of Fragility report, countries are categorised as being “fragile” or “extremely fragile”.

  • Regional Economic Communities and other intergovernmental organisations

    Partnerships of countries formed for the purposes of regional integration or co-operation that have economic or political significance and that are particularly relevant to an analysis of African economic performance are included here. This includes the 8 Regional Economic Communities (REC) recognised by the African Union, as well as other regional and international organisations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mercado Común del Sur (MERCOSUR), the European Union (EU) and the OECD that serve as benchmarks. Aggregate figures for PALOP (Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa, or the Portuguese-speaking African countries) were included in response to a request from members of this country grouping.

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