African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

The population of Zimbabwe, for example, grewfrom 10.4 million in 1992 to 11.6 million in2002, with a density of 30 persons/km 2 . This representsan average annual intercensal growth rateof 1.1 per cent from 1992 to 2002. The increasein population was accompanied by an increase inthe number of households from 2.16 million in1992 to 2.65 million in 2002. This rapid increasein the country’s population and households alsomeans that the demand for water increases. (NationalAWDR Report, 2005).During the period 2000-2003, the economicperformance of most African countries wassteady and good leading to a positive GDPgrowth (Fig.5.2), except for some countries likeEritrea (2000), the Democratic Republic of theCongo (DRC) Guinea-Bissau (2002), Madagascar(2002) and Seychelles ( 2001-2003). Withrespect to subregions, the Eastern and Westernsubregions had the highest population growthrates during the period 1994-2003 (fig. 5.3).Box 5.1Population and economy of CameroonThe NIS (2001) estimated the population of Cameroon in theyear 2000 to be about 15,292,000 with an annual growth rateof 2.87%. The population is essentially youthful with about 64%of the population under the age of 25 years. One out of twopeople live in urban areas with the urban population increasing atan average rate of about 4.7% per year. About 35% of the urbanpopulation lives in the two biggest towns of Douala and Yaounde.The population density is estimated at 33 inhabitants/km 2 nationallywith the highest value of 127 inhabitants/km 2 recorded in theWest Province.BEAC (2002) estimated the GDP of Cameroon to be 7,076 billionFCFA or 462 700 FCFA per capita with an annual growthrate of about 5% and an inflation rate of 2.8 % a year. Thegrowth rate in the GDP has been at this level during the last sixyears (NIS, 2001). The primary sector contributes about 24%of the GDP, the secondary sector about 27% and the tertiarysector about 28%, while about 22% comes from non-merchantservices and taxes.WATER FOR MEETING BASIC NEEDSFigure 5.3: Africa’s Population Growth1994/2003 by Subregion300,000Population in 103250,000200,000150,000100,00050,0000Eastern Central Northern Southern WesternSub Region2003 1994Source: UNDP, 2003b85