ABSTRACT
In geography, manufacturing has frequently been treated as one of the activities taking place in urban centers and affecting the characteristics of these centers. This chapter describes the nature of this conceptual framework and examines the rise and growth of manufacturing industries in Africa as well as structured and locational characteristics. It assesses the significance of manufacturing in terms of resource development and regional economic cooperation and considers certain problems and prospects for the future growth of manufacturing. Starting from the late 1950s, most countries in tropical Africa began a process of industrial development based essentially on two principles: export valorization and import substitution. A growing appreciation has developed for the close relationship that exists between the level of economic development of a country and the nature of its spatial organization. Industries in tropical Africa must become increasingly export-oriented before manufacturing can come to contribute its fair share to the gross domestic product in most of these countries.
