In order to get a real understanding of some of the things that not only South Africa as a country but the surrounding region are facing we need to look at the facts of what is going on there. First off, the unemployement level through these regions is very low. This leads to poverty at an unprecedented rate. With poverty levels being so high many young children arent able to attend school and must work instead, therefore leaving the education level low also. On the monetary side there is also a fundamental lacking in foreign investment which keeps the GDP very low in many of these countries. Many regions in Africa have turned into a double decker economy. This means that there is a wide gap between the people with wealth and the ones in poverty. There has yet to been established a strong middle class to work for. Thus widening this never ending struggle between the people of Africa. The poor are getting poorer while the rich get richer. Another problem that has turned into somewhat of a pandemic, is the huge numbers of people suffering from AIDS. This is limiting the life and potential of many Africans. The lack of education is also spreading this disease at a rate these countries can hardly sustain. Without the ability to educate the people about this disease it could potentially wipe out mass amounts of Africans. The map above gives an idea of how this disease is affecting all of Africa, even though it is a little out dated.
