1998 Edition

Area

total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Area-comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Coastline

2,798 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Environment-current issues

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification

Environment-international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Geography-note

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

Irrigated land

12,700 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 4,750 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Land use

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 67% forests and woodland: 7% other: 15% (1993 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts

Natural resources

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Terrain

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 7,502,396; female 7,366,144) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,947,521; female 13,079,892) 65 years and over: 4% (male 778,767; female 1,159,800) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

26.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

12.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Infant mortality rate

52.04 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 55.65 years male: 53.56 years female: 57.8 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.8% male: 81.9% female: 81.7% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: South African(s) adjective: South African

Net migration rate

0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

42,834,520 (July 1998 est.) note: South Africa took a census 10 October 1996 which showed a total of 37,859,000 (after a 6.8% adjustment for underenumeration based on a post-enumeration survey); this figure is still about 10% below projections from earlier censuses; since the full results of the census have not been released for analysis, the numbers shown for South Africa do not take into consideration the results of this 1996 census

Population growth rate

1.42% (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), traditional and animistic 28.5%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.16 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape

Constitution

10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa abbreviation: RSA

Data code

SF

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Executive Deputy President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and executive deputy presidents elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 May 1994 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 1999) election results: Nelson MANDELA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation); Thabo MBEKI and Frederik W. DE KLERK elected executive deputy presidents; percent of National Assembly vote-100% (by acclamation) note: the initial governing coalition, made up of the ANC, the IFP, and the NP, which constituted a Government of National Unity or GNU, no longer includes the NP which was withdrawn by DE KLERK on 30 June 1996 when he voluntarily gave up his position as executive deputy president and distanced himself from the programs of the ANC

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James A. JOSEPH embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083 mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048

[27] (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side, embracing a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one-three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side

Government type

republic

Independence

31 May 1910 (from UK)

International organization participation

AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Party or DP [Tony LEON, president]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK, executive director]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Roelf MEYER and Bantu HOLOMISA, leaders] note: 11 other parties won votes in the April 1994 elections but not enough to gain seats in the National Assembly; moreover, in September 1997, a substantial new party, the United Democratic Movement or UDM, was formed, with Roelf MEYER and Bantu HOLOMISA as leaders Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Sam SHILOWA, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Charles NQAKULA, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note-COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

Legal system

based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, ten members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note-following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and Senate-last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held between May and July 1999); note-the Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces on 6 February 1997 election results: National Assembly-percent of vote by party-ANC 62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2; Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3

National capital

Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)

National holiday

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Budget

revenues: $30.5 billion expenditures: $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (FY94/95 est.)

Currency

1 rand (R) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$23.5 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: current aid pledges include US $600 million over three years, 1994-96; UK $150 million over three years; Australia $21 million over three years; Japan $1.3 billion over two years ending in 1996; EU $833 million over five years

Economy-overview

South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth has been positive since the historic election of President Nelson MANDELA in the country's first multi-racial elections in 1994, but not strong enough to cut into the substantial unemployment. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and economic empowerment among the blacks. Other problems are crime and corruption. The new South African Government demonstrated its commitment to open markets, privatization, and a favorable investment climate with the release of its macroeconomic strategy in June 1996. Called "Growth, Employment and Redistribution," this policy framework includes the introduction of tax incentives to stimulate new investment in labor-intensive projects, expansion of basic infrastructure services, the restructuring and partial privatization of state assets, continued reduction of tariffs and subsidies to promote economic efficiency, improved services to the disadvantaged, and integration into the global economy.

Electricity-capacity

34.566 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

3,559 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

163.56 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

rand (R) per US$1-4.94193 (January 1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996), 3.62709 (1995), 3.55080 (1994), 3.26774 (1993)

Exports

total value: $31.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: gold 20%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% (1997) partners: Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$270 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 37% services: 58% (1995 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$6,200 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

3% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $28 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, petroleum products, textiles, scientific instruments (1994) partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (1996 est.)

Industries

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Inflation rate-consumer price index

9.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 14.2 million economically active (1996) by occupation: services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0

Radios

12.1 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, and radiotelephone communication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

5,206,235 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

67 (1987 est.)

Televisions

3.45 million (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (1997 est.); note-an additional 11% of the workforce is underemployed

Airports

750 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 9 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 607 1,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 308 under 914 m: 264 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 331,265 km paved: 137,475 km (including 1,142 km of expressways) unpaved: 193,790 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 274,797 GRT/270,837 DWT ships by type: container 6, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

Railways

total: 21,431 km narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

Military branches

South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$2.9 billion (FY95/96)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2.2% (FY95/96)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 11,144,895 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 6,777,677 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 445,110 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom

Illicit drugs

transshipment center for heroin and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana (dependent territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)