Chapter 971 Economic Situation
The data standards focused on are different, and the conclusions drawn are also different, but no matter how it is ranked, East Africa is firmly in the top five. As for the total volume of Tsarist Russia, although it is higher than that of East Africa, it is still in the top five. According to Ernst, comparing the two countries, Tsarist Russia is already far inferior to East Africa. Especially with the rapid population growth in East Africa, Tsarist Russia's demographic advantage will be replaced by East Africa.
After all, Tsarist Russia has a large population, but Poland, Ukraine, Central Asia and other lands are not stable. There are many ethnic groups in the country and conflicts are prominent. These populations will even have a negative effect during war.
Tsarist Russia’s millions of “gray animals” may seem oppressive, but with the current total population in East Africa, it is relatively easy to form an army of millions. At the same time, East Africa does not have the same harsh geographical environment as Tsarist Russia. As well as highlighting conflicts, East Africa can vigorously develop its economy and have the confidence to overtake Tsarist Russia in all aspects in the next decade.
In fact, in the future, the key task of the East African government is to bridge the gap in science, technology and culture with the first-mover countries. After making up for this shortcoming, East Africa is almost in an invincible position.
This is not to say that East Africa’s current technological and cultural development level is relatively poor. On the contrary, East Africa’s technological and cultural fields are rapidly catching up with European and American countries.
At the end of the 19th century, East Africa’s domestic technological breakthroughs were no less impressive. However, due to institutional and political reasons, the talents cultivated in East Africa were not active in the international community. This made it easy for people to ignore East African education and Developments in the field of science and technology.
Many talents are trapped by the East African government or scientific research institutions, the most typical of which are in the fields of electricity and internal combustion engines. East Africa is as outstanding as the United States and Germany, but in contrast, East Africa is in these two fields of scientific researchers are relatively unknown in the international community.
Of course, it is undeniable that in terms of cutting-edge basic theoretical talents, the gap between East Africa and other major countries in the world is still significant, but as time goes by, similar talents will emerge as the quality of East African higher education improves. .
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With the release of population data, senior leaders in East Africa have a clearer understanding of the development of East Africa. Population represents the market and labor force. Understanding population data will help the government formulate policies for future development.
Afterwards, the industrial data of East Africa in 1900 was released by the State Planning Commission, and Sweet made a more detailed report.
“As of last year, my country’s steel production has exceeded 3.2 million tons, pig iron production has exceeded 1.9 million tons, and coal production has exceeded 30 million tons, achieving leapfrog development of the steel industry. It is also at the forefront of the world.”
Although there are no specific data from other countries, the East African government can roughly judge that the East African steel industry is at the forefront of the world, because the East African steel industry has achieved a technological update. There is no obvious technological gap with other major countries in the world.
In fact, this is also true. In 1900, East Africa's steel production lagged behind only three countries: the United States, Germany, and Britain. The United Kingdom ranked third, with a production of nearly five million tons, while East Africa ranked fourth. , the fifth is Tsarist Russia, with only more than two million tons.
The development of the steel industry in East Africa is inseparable from the rapid development of transportation and other infrastructure construction in East Africa. Transportation construction itself has a huge demand for basic raw materials such as steel, and transportation development provides conditions for the integration of the steel industry.
For example, the construction of the Upington Railway made the iron mines in southwestern East Africa provide new sources of raw materials for Bulawayo's steel plants, further increasing Bulawayo's steel production.
“In 1900, my country’s total railway mileage reached 90,000 kilometers, making it the third largest railway network in the world after Europe and the United States.”
This data exceeds the Planning Commission’s Plan, but it has not reached the 100,000-kilometer level mentioned by the Ministry of Railways, but it still reflects the rapid progress in railway construction in East Africa. In the field of railways, a single European country cannot compare with East Africa, but East Africa covers an area of more than 13 million square kilometers, which is nearly an area larger than the entire Europe. Therefore, although East Africa ranks second in the world A large railway network, but far from dense enough.
Compared with Europe, the railway construction in the Americas ranks first in the world. The United States and Canada have many railways. The United States ranks first in the world's railway mileage, with a total mileage of 300,000 kilometers. , the railways of the United States alone are comparable to those of the entire country, and there are also countries in the Americas such as Canada and Mexico, especially Canada, which is no worse than European countries, reaching nearly 30,000 kilometers.
Moreover, American railways are still in a stage of rapid development. Before the opening of the Panama Canal and the popularization of automobiles, railways will still be the main way of transporting goods between the east and west coasts of the United States.
So it is impossible for East Africa to surpass the United States in terms of railway mileage. Ernst has no such idea, but this does not change the fact that East Africa’s total railway mileage ranks second in the world, and its land area ranks first. Tsarist Russia is only about 50,000 kilometers away.
The development of the East African railway is an important factor in promoting the expansion of the steel industry. Similarly, the development of shipbuilding, roads, bridges and other transportation have greatly promoted the development of the country's high-speed rail industry.
“The textile industry has also experienced tremendous development. Compared with 1890, our textile industry’s output has nearly tripled. We are also at the forefront of the world and have become the world’s second largest cotton producer. This is The development of my country's textile industry provides basic raw materials, and at the same time, it is exported to Europe and other regions. ”
East Africa has a natural advantage in developing the textile industry, because most areas in East Africa are suitable for cotton cultivation, including Kisan City in the Congo Basin, which is one of the important cotton textile industry centers. After the South African War, East Africa also took over from the Portuguese Lots of cotton plantations.
However, in addition to meeting domestic needs, East African cotton is mainly exported to the markets of Central and Eastern European countries such as Germany. Among them, the German cotton textile industry is developing rapidly, and Germany is not a major cotton producing area, so East Africa has become the main cotton in Germany. Supplier countries, and East Africa can meet almost all of Germany's cotton needs, both in quality and quantity.
“Our country is still in a leading position in emerging industries such as electricity, automobiles, and oil. Most of the important export products in our economy come from these emerging industries. At the same time, in 1889, a new round of oil and natural gas Exploration work provides guarantee for the security of our country’s energy field.”
There is no doubt that the rapidly developing automobile, petroleum, chemical and other industries in East Africa require oil as a basic guarantee, so the East African government’s instructions in Ernst. Next, a new round of energy survey work has begun.
Among them, the Lake Albert (called Lake Constantine in East Africa) basin in Uganda was the focus of this round of oil exploration. The oil resources here are enough to support the needs of East Africa in the next fifty years.
Of course, Ernst does not want to activate the oil resources in the Nile Basin in northern East Africa and the oil resources near Cabinda for the time being. Both areas are on the border and are more likely to cause disputes.
As for the oil near the Lake Albert Basin, there is no such concern. It is located in the Great Lakes region, the core territory of East Africa, and is very safe.
“...As of 1900, the number of enterprises above designated size in our country has reached more than 3,000. These enterprises account for more than 65% of our country’s total economic output, and other enterprises, including local Small and micro enterprises, joint ventures, etc., form the overall economic pattern of East Africa”
(End of this chapter)