When did Sub-Saharan Africa become so poor?

Question

I'm sure it wasn't always like that

Answer 1

Sub-Saharan Africa became 'poor' with European colonization. As Europeans 'claimed' African territories they upset the natural balance and development of the area. Tribal and cultural boundaries were disrupted leading to a decline in national identities and internal social structures. Economic patterns were dramatically altered. Subsistence farming was replaced by mining and export farm production. This changed the ability of the people to feed themselves, the quality of the land, and pushed many Africans from their traditional lands.

When European's 'decolonized' Africa and turned political control back to the 'native' population the political and economic systems collapsed on themselves. There weren't enough educated people to adequately run all of the institutions that European's had created to govern the 'contry'. Corruption was rampant, reducing the ability of the economy to function. Add in Communist and Western politicians inciting and supporting rebellions and you have a recipe for disaster. In the resulting territorial and civil wars, many people were forced from their homes and a significant amount of industry and infrastructure was destroyed. This resulted in widespread hunger, which resulted in mass clear cutting of land to farm, which changed the climate (ability of the soil to hold nutrients, rain fall), which made farms yield less, which resulted in more clear cutting and the cycle continues. As industry rebuilt there was little thought for environmental or worker safety, resulting in excessive pollution and people working for less than a subsistence wage, which led to civil unrest, starvation, disease, and again the cycle continues.

The long and the short of it is that sub-Saharan Africa is still struggling to find its national identity. Foreign countries continue to meddle in the economic structures supporting corruption. For over 500 years sub-Saharan Africa has been the world's whipping boy. The result is wide spread poverty and hunger.

Answer 2

THE SUB SAHARAN AREA OF AFRICA HAS NEVER BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS GREAT RICHES BUT SUBSEQUENT TO THE DEPARTURE OF THE EUROPEAN COLONIAL POWERS MOST AREAS WERE FOUGHT OVER AND WHAT WEALTH REMAINED WAS SQUANDERED BY WARLORDS AND NOW THERE IS NOTHING LEFT BUT A FEW WATER HOLES AND SOME HERDS OF GOATS.

Answer 3

sub saharan africa has always been poor, because the blacks who inhabit it are not intelligent enough to be able to exploit the regions vast natural resources. the few areas that were colonized by europe had relative wealth until theeuropeans left. then those areas immediately turned to violent hell holes again

Answer 4

>When the Europeans left.<