south+africa+by+liam



It's been four years since South Africa's 41 million people began the transition to majority, rule. U.S. agricultural exporters, who sold $268 million worth of products to the country in 1997, are among the first to appreciate the country's progress towards economic reform and trade liberalization. Future expansion opportunities for U.S. exports look good, especially for consumer-oriented products. With $75 million in sales last year, this market has increased fivefold since 1993. In 1997, South Africa's growing middle class contributed to a rising gross domestic product (GDP) of $129 billion, which parcels out to a per capita income close to $3,200.