(General Education Assessment for ECON 301: 200 points)
Please choose a Central African country such as: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, or Gabon.Then, write a double-spaced research paper (minimum: 10 pages and maximum: 15 pages; No Plagiarism!!!). Before submitting the entire “Research Paper”, you must turn in the following items at due dates:
A. Research Paper Outline (2 pages maximum: 20 points).
B. Four Progress Reports:
2.1.Research Paper Draft # 1: History, Political Situation, and Economy (10 points).
2.2.Research Paper Draft # 2: Judiciary System, Environment and Health Concerns (10 points).
2.3.Research Paper Draft # 3: Society, Family, Culture and Religion and Education (10 points).
C. Final Research Paper as follow:
1. History of the Country (15 points): Colonization, independence, revolution, war…
Describe at least three components related to the history of the country.
2. Political Situation (15 points): Government, parties, parliament, congress…
Describe at least three components related to the history of the country.
3. Economic Situation (15 points): Exports, imports, foreign direct investment, agriculture, industry, tourism, infrastructure, recession, depression, privatization, nationalization…
Describe at least five components related to the economic situation of the country.
4. Key macroeconomic Variables (15 points): Economic (GNP or GDP) growth, Income (GNP or GDP per capita), Inflation rate, unemployment rate, spending (consumer/government), investment…
Describe at least three key macroeconomic variables.
5. Justice/Judiciary System (15 points): Constitution, laws, regulations, legal reform, Supreme Court, bar…
Describe at least three components related to the justice/judiciary system of the country.
6. Environment Concerns (15 points): Air pollution, water pollution, soil erosion, solid waste, deforestation, desertification…
Describe at least three components related to environment concerns.
- Health Concerns (15 points): HIV/Aids, health care system, access to health care, tropical diseases, life expectancy…
Describe at least three components related to health concerns.
- Society/Family/Culture (15 points): Culture, ethnic groups, languages, gender issues, sports, Family size (small vs. large), classes (low, middle, upper), marriage (polygamy vs. monogamy)…
Describe at least five components related to Society, Family, and Culture.
- Religion (15 points): Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Pentecost, Baptist, Buddhist…
Describe at least three components related to Religion.
- Education (15 points): Primary, secondary, and/or higher education, literacy rate…
Describe at least three components related to Education.
D. Online Resources: Useful Data and Research Sites
1. African Development Bank. (2009). African Economic Outlook 2009 (Country Profiles). Retrieved November 05, 2009 from http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/.
2. African Development Bank. (2008). Gender, Poverty and Environmental Indicators on African Countries. Vol. 9. Retrieved January 31, 2010 from http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/GenderPovertyEnvironmental_IndicatorsAfricanCountries2009_01_Full_Report.pdf
3. African Development Bank. (2008). Selected Statistics on African Countries. Vol. 27. Retrieved January 31, 2010 from
4. African Development Bank. (2009). African Statistical Yearbook 2009.
Retrieved November 05, 2009 from http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/African%20Statistical%20Yearbook%202009%20-%2000.%20Full%20Volume.pdf.
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5. Nnadozie, E. (2003). African Economic Development. Academic Press. Retrieved January 31, 2010 from
6. The World Bank. (2008). African Development Indicators 2008/09. January 31, 2010 from
7. The World Bank. (2007). World Development Indicators 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2009 from http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/DDPQQ/member.do?method=getMembers&userid=1&queryId=6.
8. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Economic Development in Africa Report 2009. Retrieved November 05, 2009 from http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/aldcafrica2009_en.pdf
9. United Nations Development Program (UNDP). (2007). Human Development Report 2008/2009. January 31, 2010 from
