Pouris, A (Pouris, Anastassios); Pouris, A (Pouris, Anthipi) The state of science and technology in Africa (2000-2004): A scientometric assessment PROC OF ISSI 2007: 11TH INTL CONF OF THE ISSI, VOLS I AND II 619-630, 2007

[Eugene Garfield]

Email address: Anastassios.pouris at up.ac.za
Author(s): Pouris, A (Pouris, Anastassios); Pouris, A (Pouris, Anthipi) 
Title: The state of science and technology in Africa (2000-2004): A 
scientometric assessment 
Editor(s): TorresSalinas, D; Moed, HF 
Source: PROCEEDINGS OF ISSI 2007: 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR SCIENTOMETRICS AND INFORMETRICS, VOLS I AND II 
619-630, 2007 
Language: English 
Document Type: Article 
Conference Title: 11th International Conference of the International-
Society-for-Scientrometrics-and-Informetrics 
Conference Date: JUN 25-27, 2007 
Conference Location: Madrid, SPAIN 
Conference Sponsors: Int Soc Scientrometr & Informetr, CSIC, Minist Educ & 
Ciencia, FECYT, Comunidad Madrid, Eugene Garfield Fdn, Thomson Sci, 
Elsevier, Journal Informetr, Scopus, Ayuntamiento Madrid, Sci Metrix, Univ 
Carlos III Madrid 
Author Keywords: Africa; science; technology; research; patents; 
publications 
Abstract: This article reports for first time the state of science and 
technology in the African Continent on the basis of two scientometric 
indicators - number of research publications and number of patents 
awarded. We suggest that the effort covers partially the need for 
monitoring indicators for the Continent. Our analysis shows that Africa 
produced 68 945 publications over the 2000-2004 period or 1.8% of the 
World's publications. In comparison India produced 2.4% and Latin America 
3.5% of the World's research. More detailed analysis reveals that research 
in Africa is concentrated in just two countries - South Africa and Egypt. 
These two counties produce just above 50% of the Continent's publications 
and the top 8 countries produce above 80% of the Continent's research. 
Disciplinary analysis reveals that few African countries have the minimum 
number of scientists required for the functioning of a scientific 
discipline. Examination of the Continent's inventive profile, as 
manifested in patents, indicates that Africa produces less than one 
thousand of the world's inventions. Furthermore 88% of the Continent's 
inventive activity in concentrated in South Africa. On the basis of the 
recent declarations on the importance of science and technology for 
development we suggest that the African Governments should pay particular 
attention in developing their national research systems. 
Addresses: Univ Pretoria, Inst Technol Innovat, Pretoria, ZA-0002 South 
Africa. 

Publisher Name: INT SOC SCIENTOMETRICS & INFORMETRICS-ISSI 
Publisher Address: KATHOLIEKE UNIV LEUVEN, FACULTEIT E T E W, DEKENSTRAAT 
2, LEUVEN, B-3000, BELGIUM 

Cited Reference Count: 14 

*DHEW
SOC REP : 1970 
  
 *EC
2 EUR REP S T IND 19 : 1997   

 *NEPAD
FIRST NEPAD MIN C SC : 2003   

 *NSB
SCI ENG IND 2004 : 2004   

 *OECD
MAIN SCI TECHN IND : 2003   

 *UN
SCI TECHN SUST DEV L : 2003   

 *UN MILL PROJ
INN APPL KNOWL DEV : 2005   

 BRAUN T
"Nanoscience and nanotechnology on the balance"
SCIENTOMETRICS 38 : 321 1997  
 
 FORDIS BJ
BIO-TECHNOL 13 : 42 1995   

 GRILICHES Z
"Patent Statistics as Economic Indicators: A Survey"
J ECON LIT 28 : 1661 1990 
  
 HICKS D
"The changing composition of innovative activity in the U.S. - a portrait 
based on patent analysis"
RES POLICY 30 : 681 2001   

 KING DA
"The scientific impact of nations"
NATURE 430 : 311 2004   

 PRICE DD
YB SCI FUTURE ENCY B : 1975   

 SCHUBERT A
"Publication Potential - An Indicator of Scientific Strength for Cross-
National Comparisons"
SCIENTOMETRICS 9 : 231 1986