Africa may be seen by the rest of the world as a continent dogged by war and poverty, but Africans themselves are fiercely proud of their homeland, a survey conducted by the BBC showed yesterday.

The survey, which questioned more than 7,500 people across 10 countries, showed 90 percent of Africans are proud of the continent and the majority are optimistic their families will be as well off or better off this year than last. Around 40 percent of Nigerians and Ghanaians felt better off compared to a year ago while Zambians said they had seen the least progress in the past year.

But although most of those surveyed were generally positive about Africa, a clear majority also said they would emigrate if they had the choice – many of them beyond their own continent. Only half of the Kenyans who responded to the survey said they would want to stay in Kenya, while almost three-quarters of Nigerians said they would leave if they could. South Africa was the only country named as a popular destination.

The survey, entitled “Pulse of Africa” and compiled from research conducted in April and May, found that most said they thought outsiders regarded Africans as peaceful, friendly and rich in natural resources. Asked to identify the continent’s most serious problems, the majority of respondents pointed to poverty, followed by HIV/AIDS, unemployment, illiteracy and corruption.

On tackling AIDS, 80 percent of those questioned said they thought their governments were doing well. But in general terms, the majority were dissatisfied with their governments’ performances. Only in Kenya (69 percent), Rwanda (66 percent) and Ghana (56 percent) did majorities say their governments were doing well.

Attitudes on the continent, particularly to social and family issues, were conservative. Around half of the Nigerians and Malawians said they preferred to only wear traditional clothes and the percentage of those surveyed agreeing with the statement “the man should be the head of the family” ranged from 73 percent to 96 percent.