Have you ever wondered where some of your diamonds or those sparkling diamond-crusted pieces of jewelry come from? Well, they come from somewhere, and a lot of them come from Africa.
It is no secret that Africa is rich in valuable minerals crucial for economic development, ranging from extensive oil reserves to lush agricultural lands.
What is fascinating is that these mineral riches are not concentrated in one specific region but are spread across the continent, significantly contributing to the economic growth of many African countries.
Among this abundance of resources, diamonds stand out as one of the most sought-after treasures.
Recent diamond production statistics from the Kimberley Process, a joint government, industry and civil society initiative that regulates the trade and production of diamonds, revealed the prominent role of African nations in the global diamond industry.
Globally, rough diamond production, also known as uncut, raw, or natural diamonds, is undertaken by only 22 countries extracting them from deposits within their borders. Remarkably, eight African nations have secured prestigious positions within the top ten diamond-producing countries worldwide in 2023.
Botswana’s diamond production from mines in 2023 was valued at 3.28 billion U.S. dollars. In the same year, Russia’s diamond mine production reached a total value of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars. As a result, Botswana and Russia ranked as the world’s top two countries in diamond production value.
Below are the top 10 African countries with the highest diamond production values:
| Rank | Country | Production volume (cts) 2023 | Value ($) 2023 | Production volume (cts) 2022 | Value ($) 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Botswana |
25,094,818 |
$3,283,178,851.00 |
24,509,939 |
$4,700,321,539.00 |
|
2 |
Angola |
9,754,309 |
$1,531,977,106.05 |
8,763,309 |
$1,965,247,499.47 |
|
3 |
Namibia |
2,054,227 |
$1,234,496,934.12 |
2,054,227 |
$1,234,496,934.12 |
|
4 |
South Africa |
5,891,885 |
$793,950,820.00 |
9,660,233 |
$1,538,930,037.97 |
|
5 |
Zimbabwe |
4,461,450 |
$423,612,395.43 |
4,461,450 |
$423,612,395.43 |
|
6 |
Lesotho |
471,744 |
$138,707,055.08 |
727,736 |
$314,358,893.67 |
|
7 |
Sierra Leone |
525,457 |
$102,494,008.63 |
688,970 |
$142,907,210.45 |
|
8 |
DR Congo |
8,347,462 |
$64,963,508.80 |
10,780,285 |
$76,722,018.02 |
|
9 |
Tanzania |
191,010 |
$31,159,266.94 |
375,533 |
$110,936,767.64 |
|
10 |
Liberia |
54,700 |
$17,643,108.39 |
60,448 |
$24,078,343.75 |
