Tuesday, January 25, 2011

(Africa) Burkina Faso

BURKINA FASO (ca. Ouagadougou)

Monday, January 24, 2011

(Africa) Republic of Botswana

BOTSWANA (ca. Gaborone)
  • Botswana is the least corrupt country in Africa and ranks similarly close to Portugal and South Korea.
  • "Botswana is currently facing two major environmental problems: drought and desertification." 50% of Batswana own livestock. And with more livestock, the land needs more land for grazing which results to desertification, not only drought. With frequent drought in Botswana, the people depend on groundwater, and with that, soil erosion may result.
  • One of six Batswana is infected with AIDS, making it the second highest infection rate in the world after Swaziland.
  • Botswana is composed of 70% Christians.
  • Bushmen still thrive in this country. Years before, they were being persecuted until a professor, Prof. James Anaya, abolished persecution on February 2001.
  • Football (or "soccer") is the most popular sport in Botswana.
  • Ref. Wikipedia
  • Youtube (19:34): The Kalahari Bushmen - Botswana

Friday, January 21, 2011

(Africa) Republic of Benin

BENIN (ca. Catanou)
  • Benin is not Benin City in Nigeria nor is it related to the Benin Kingdom/Benin bronzes, but of the body of water, Bight of Benin, on which the country lies.
  • Benin is considered by a few to be a model democracy in Africa.
  • Marthieu Kérékou (from converting to Islam to becoming a Christian; ended his rule in 2006) is widely praised for making no effort to change the constitution so that he could remain in office or run again, unlike many African leaders.
  • In a 2004 study by NationMaster, Benin was found to be the most corrupt out of 95 countries analyzed.
  • The economy of Benin is dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  • Lack of women's wage equality, the use of child labour, and the continuing issue of forced labour.
  • A third of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day.
  • Benin had one of the highest death rates for children under the age of five in the world.
  • Many Beninese continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated into Christianity the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha.
  • Women are particularly subject to illiteracy. - from above Ref. Wikipedia
  • Youtube (8:56): Benin, Africa - Fresh Water Well Short Documentary
  • "She [Kerekou's wife] said, "The country of Benin wants to hear about God." - Francis Loko, Benin's Ambassador to Canada
  • "We forget that the human dimension is also a spiritual dimension." - Loko
  • Youtube (24:10): Magic and Murder (Sacrificing children is still being practiced, part of witchcraft.)
  • Youtube (2:47): Benin battles belief in sorcery

Thursday, January 20, 2011

(Africa) Algeria & Angola

ALGERIA (ca. Algiers)
  • "Women make up 70 percent of Algeria's lawyers and 60 percent of its judges, and also dominate the field of medicine. Increasingly, women are contributing more to household income than men. Sixty percent of university students are women, according to university researchers." - Ref. Wikipedia
  • The country is mostly Muslims. Christians are one of the minority groups. "Although the government says there is religious freedom in the country, critics say minority faiths are subject to pressure. There is no law that non-Muslims follow the rules of Islam, but the prosecutor says the men offended public morals by eating in public." - Ref. Youtube
  • There is shortage in housing and medical supplies.
  • Although, with their improved sanitation and water sources, many of those living in rural areas are still unreached.

ANGOLA (ca. Luanda)
  • "Oil production from Angola has increased so significantly that Angola now is China's biggest supplier of oil." - Ref. World Atlas
  • Due to the country's Civil War from 1974-2002, the country's fertile land has become obsolete and replaced by land mines. Millions of its citizens died and lived in poverty. And even though education is compulsory and free of charge for the first 8 years, schools were destroyed resulting the overcrowding of students, teachers are overworked/underpaid, other factors; therefore, literacy is quite low. - Ref. Wikipedia
  • It has one of the highest infant mortality rate and second lowest life expectancy.
  • The country is rich in diamonds and the second-largest oil producer in Africa.
  • "People are thinking shortage of water is a... Water is a matter of life. And people needs it for shua. Whether you want... It is not a matter of choice; it's a need. But we cannot say the same thing to the petrol. If I have not enough money to buy petrol for my car, I can walk. But without water I cannot survive." (Said by an Angolan) - Ref. Youtube

Interesting Facts from all over the world

This 2011, from Project 365 to Weekly Journal/Diary. Now studying about a country and praying for the country. One country per day at 1PM from Monday to Friday.

I just started last January 18, 2011 (Tuesday) with Africa. Then Algeria (yesterday). Angola (today).

While studying, I find facts that I find interesting. Because I want to take note of these things, rather have myself a pen and paper, I think to just post it online without the trouble of storage.