Economics - General

Leopards vs. Tigers

Everyone has heard of the Asian Tigers.  The countries of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan are four countries who have experienced significant economic growth over recent decades.  Due to the meteoric rise in the economic indicators in these countries, many economists have named them the Asian Tigers.

But what about the African Leopards?  A BBC interview with World Bank chief economist François Bourguignon details some African countries who’s economies are growing on average above 5% in the last decade.  Further, these countries are attracting significant amounts of foreign capital.  Mr. Bourguignon attributes the growth to stable institutions, government rule of law, and an absence of war within the countries.  Some examples of these African Leopards include:

  • French-speaking: Senegal, Mali,
  • English-speaking: Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda,
  • Portuguese-speaking: Mozambique.