339. During the past decade, Africa has ar.so suffered competjtion on world marketsfrom other devel0ping countries for the few simple nanufactures that it exports.As a result of hiqb costs. low quatity, recession ln induslrial countries and traderestrictions, the ratio of manufacturing exports to the total exports of theAfrlcan countries is lolrer today than in 1920. The failures in agriculture haveoeen conpounded ty the unfulfilled hope6 in industry. 3. Social cbange 340. Despice the foregoing economic difficur!ies, some improvenents in soci.alconditions i'n Afri.ca have occurred. Ttle crude death r€te (per r,000 peopre) insub-saharan Africa declined fron 25 in r9G0 to 17 in 1990, and from 43 to 23 forchildren l to 4 years ofd. The nunber of people per physician declined fron about53,000 in 1960 to about 21,000 in 1980. Significant inprovenents also occurred ineducation vrhere the nurnber of children enroled in prirnary school as a percentage oftheir age group junped fron 36 ln 1960 to 78 in 1900, and in secondary edDcationfron 3 to 15. 341. Nevertheless, suffering, hunger and desperation are commonplace in Africatoday' T?enty per cent of the population s.till eats less than the ninimum resuiredfor subsistence. Average per capiea ca}orie intake t'as only 90 per cent. of theminium reouirements, and 86 per cent in the poorer countries in 19g2. Furthernore,while the nunber of people per physician has decreased sharpty, it is sCill Cbreetimes the average for all low-income developing countries of the h,orld, and thenumber of people per nursing person is six t.imes larger.
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic and social challenges faced by African countries, highlighting issues such as competition on world markets, low quality and high costs of manufactured goods, and poor healthcare and education outcomes. It also touches on the topic of humanitarian aid and relief, mentioning widespread suffering, hunger, and desperation. The text does not explicitly discuss natural resources, environment, agriculture, forestry, fishing, transport, communication, industry, employment, or culture.

**Category**
Economic development, Health, Education, Humanitarian aid and relief