2018 Edition

Background

South Africa is home to some of the world’s oldest human fossils, and during the modern era the region was settled by Khoisan and Bantu peoples. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (Afrikaners, called "Boers" (farmers) by the British) trekked north to found their own republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Afrikaners resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Second South African War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the Afrikaner-dominated National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races - which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule.The first multi-racial elections in 1994 following the end of apartheid ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa has since struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in decent housing, education, and health care. Jacob ZUMA became president in 2009 and was reelected in 2014, but was forced to resign in February 2018 after numerous corruption scandals and gains by opposition parties in municipal elections in 2016. His successor, Cyril RAMAPHOSA, has pledged to crack down on corruption and shore up state-owned enterprises, and is the ANC’s likely candidate for May 2019 national elections.

Area

land

1,214,470 sq km

note

includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

total

1,219,090 sq km

water

4,620 sq km

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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

mean elevation

1,034 m

note

3408 highest point: Njesuthi

Environment Current Issues

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; desertification; solid waste pollution

Environment International Agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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 Eswatini

Irrigated Land

16,700 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (6)

Botswana 1969 km, Lesotho 1106 km, Mozambique 496 km, Namibia 1005 km, Eswatini 438 km, Zimbabwe 230 km

total

5,244 km

Land Use

arable land: 9.9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 69.2% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

79.4% (2011 est.)

forest

7.6% (2011 est.)

other

13% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

prolonged droughtsvolcanism: the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

the population concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densly populated than the west

Terrain

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Age Structure

0-14 years

28.18% (male 7,815,651 /female 7,793,261)

15-24 years

17.24% (male 4,711,480 /female 4,837,897)

25-54 years

42.05% (male 11,782,848 /female 11,503,831)

55-64 years

6.71% (male 1,725,034 /female 1,992,035)

65 years and over

5.81% (male 1,351,991 /female 1,866,182) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

19.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

5.9% (2016)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

54.6% (2016)

Death Rate

9.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

South Africa’s youthful population is gradually aging, as the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined dramatically from about 6 children per woman in the 1960s to roughly 2.2 in 2014. This pattern is similar to fertility trends in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and sets South Africa apart from the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, where the average TFR remains higher than other regions of the world. Today, South Africa’s decreasing number of reproductive age women is having fewer children, as women increase their educational attainment, workforce participation, and use of family planning methods; delay marriage; and opt for smaller families.As the proportion of working-age South Africans has grown relative to children and the elderly, South Africa has been unable to achieve a demographic dividend because persistent high unemployment and the prevalence of HIV/AIDs have created a larger-than-normal dependent population. HIV/AIDS was also responsible for South Africa’s average life expectancy plunging to less than 43 years in 2008; it has rebounded to 63 years as of 2017. HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious public health threat, although awareness-raising campaigns and the wider availability of anti-retroviral drugs is stabilizing the number of new cases, enabling infected individuals to live longer, healthier lives, and reducing mother-child transmissions.Migration to South Africa began in the second half of the 17th century when traders from the Dutch East India Company settled in the Cape and started using slaves from South and southeast Asia (mainly from India but also from present-day Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia) and southeast Africa (Madagascar and Mozambique) as farm laborers and, to a lesser extent, as domestic servants. The Indian subcontinent remained the Cape Colony’s main source of slaves in the early 18th century, while slaves were increasingly obtained from southeast Africa in the latter part of the 18th century and into the 19th century under British rule.After slavery was completely abolished in the British Empire in 1838, South Africa’s colonists turned to temporary African migrants and indentured labor through agreements with India and later China, countries that were anxious to export workers to alleviate domestic poverty and overpopulation. Of the more than 150,000 indentured Indian laborers hired to work in Natal’s sugar plantations between 1860 and 1911, most exercised the right as British subjects to remain permanently (a small number of Indian immigrants came freely as merchants). Because of growing resentment toward Indian workers, the 63,000 indentured Chinese workers who mined gold in Transvaal between 1904 and 1911 were under more restrictive contracts and generally were forced to return to their homeland.In the late 19th century and nearly the entire 20th century, South Africa’s then British colonies’ and Dutch states’ enforced selective immigration policies that welcomed "assimilable" white Europeans as permanent residents but excluded or restricted other immigrants. Following the Union of South Africa’s passage of a law in 1913 prohibiting Asian and other non-white immigrants and its elimination of the indenture system in 1917, temporary African contract laborers from neighboring countries became the dominant source of labor in the burgeoning mining industries. Others worked in agriculture and smaller numbers in manufacturing, domestic service, transportation, and construction. Throughout the 20th century, at least 40% of South Africa’s miners were foreigners; the numbers peaked at over 80% in the late 1960s. Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, and Eswatini were the primary sources of miners, and Malawi and Zimbabwe were periodic suppliers.Under apartheid, a "two gates" migration policy focused on policing and deporting illegal migrants rather than on managing migration to meet South Africa’s development needs. The exclusionary 1991 Aliens Control Act limited labor recruitment to the highly skilled as defined by the ruling white minority, while bilateral labor agreements provided exemptions that enabled the influential mining industry and, to a lesser extent, commercial farms, to hire temporary, low-paid workers from neighboring states. Illegal African migrants were often tacitly allowed to work for low pay in other sectors but were always under threat of deportation.The abolishment of apartheid in 1994 led to the development of a new inclusive national identity and the strengthening of the country’s restrictive immigration policy. Despite South Africa’s protectionist approach to immigration, the downsizing and closing of mines, and rising unemployment, migrants from across the continent believed that the country held work opportunities. Fewer African labor migrants were issued temporary work permits and, instead, increasingly entered South Africa with visitors’ permits or came illegally, which drove growth in cross-border trade and the informal job market. A new wave of Asian immigrants has also arrived over the last two decades, many operating small retail businesses.In the post-apartheid period, increasing numbers of highly skilled white workers emigrated, citing dissatisfaction with the political situation, crime, poor services, and a reduced quality of life. The 2002 Immigration Act and later amendments were intended to facilitate the temporary migration of skilled foreign labor to fill labor shortages, but instead the legislation continues to create regulatory obstacles. Although the education system has improved and brain drain has slowed in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, South Africa continues to face skills shortages in several key sectors, such as health care and technology.South Africa’s stability and economic growth has acted as a magnet for refugees and asylum seekers from nearby countries, despite the prevalence of discrimination and xenophobic violence. Refugees have included an estimated 350,000 Mozambicans during its 1980s civil war and, more recently, several thousand Somalis, Congolese, and Ethiopians. Nearly all of the tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who have applied for asylum in South Africa have been categorized as economic migrants and denied refuge.

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.7 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

12.9 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.5 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

44.8 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99.6% of population

rural: 81.4% of population

total: 93.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population

rural: 18.6% of population

total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

black African 80.9%, colored 8.8%, white 7.8%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2018 est.)

note

colored is a term used in South Africa, including on the national census, for persons of mixed race ancestry

Health Expenditures

8.8% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

18.8% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

110,000 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

7.2 million (2016 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

26.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

33.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

29.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

isiZulu (official) 24.7%, isiXhosa (official) 15.6%, Afrikaans (official) 12.1%, Sepedi (official) 9.8%, Setswana (official) 8.9%, English (official) 8.4%, Sesotho (official) 8%, Xitsonga (official) 4%, siSwati (official) 2.6%, Tshivenda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes Khoi, Nama, and San languages) 1.9% (2017 est.)

note

data represent language spoken most often at home

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

65.6 years (2018 est.)

male

62.7 years (2018 est.)

total population

64.1 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

93.4% (2015 est.)

male

95.4% (2015 est.)

total population

94.4% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

9.227 million Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni), 4.43 million Cape Town (legislative capital), 3.134 million Durban, 2.378 million PRETORIA (capital), 1.231 million Port Elizabeth, 765,000 Vereeniging (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

138 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

27.6 years (2018 est.)

male

27.2 years

total

27.4 years

Nationality

adjective

South African

noun

South African(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

28.3% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.82 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

55,380,210 (July 2018 est.)

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population Growth Rate

0.97% (2018 est.)

Religions

Christian 86%, ancestral, tribal, animist, or other traditional African religions 5.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other 1.5%, nothing in particular 5.2% (2015 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 69.6% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 60.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 66.4% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 30.4% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 39.5% of population (2015 est.)

total: 33.6% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

13 years (2012)

male

12 years (2012)

total

13 years (2012)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.26 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

58.7% (2017 est.)

male

49.3% (2017 est.)

total

53.5% (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.97% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

66.4% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

25 42 S, 28 13 E

name

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

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of South Africa

dual citizenship recognized

yes, but requires prior permission of the government

residency requirement for naturalization

1 year

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the National Assembly of Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional sections on human rights and freedoms, non-racism and non-sexism, supremacy of the constitution, suffrage, the multi-party system of democratic government, and amendment procedures requires at least 75% majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council of Provinces, and assent by the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting the Bill of Rights, and those related to provincial boundaries, powers, and authorities requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council, and assent by the president; amended many times, last in 2013 (2017)

history

several previous; latest drafted 8 May 1996, approved by Constitutional Court 4 December 1996, effective 4 February 1997 (2017)

Country Name

abbreviation

RSA

conventional long form

Republic of South Africa

conventional short form

South Africa

etymology

self-descriptive name from the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent

former

Union of South Africa

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jessica "Jessye" LAPENN (since 16 December 2016)

consulate(s) general

Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

embassy

877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria

FAX

[27] (12) 342-2299

mailing address

P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone

[27] (12) 431-4000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mninwa Johannes MAHLANGU (since 23 February 2015)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1607

telephone

[1] (202) 232-4400

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 15 February 2018); Deputy President David MABUZA (26 February 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Jacob ZUMA resigned the presidency on 14 February 2018

election results

Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 February 2018 to elect Cyril RAMAPHOSA as acting president to replace ZUMA for the remainder of his term (next to be held in May 2019)

head of government

President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 15 February 2018); deputy president David MABUZA (26 February 2018)

Flag Description

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces 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; the flag colors do not have any official symbolism, but the Y stands for the "convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity"; black, yellow, and green are found on the flag of the African National Congress, while red, white, and blue are the colors in the flags of the Netherlands and the UK, whose settlers ruled South Africa during the colonial era

note

the South African flag is one of only two national flags to display six colors as part of its primary design, the other is South Sudan's

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 22 August 1934 (Status of the Union Act); 31 May 1961 (republic declared); 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court of Appeals (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 21 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court of Appeals president and vice president appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), a 23-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes other judges and judicial executives, members of parliament, practicing lawyers and advocates, a teacher of law, and several members designated by the president of South Africa; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the national president on the advice of the JSC and hold office until discharged from active service by an Act of Parliament; Constitutional Court chief and deputy chief justices appointed by the president of South Africa after consultation with the JSC and with heads of the National Assembly; other Constitutional Court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the chief justice and leaders of the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges serve 12-year nonrenewable terms or until age 70

subordinate courts

High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; labor courts; land claims courts

Legal System

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:National Council of Provinces (90 seats; 10-member delegations appointed by each of the 9 provincial legislatures to serve 5-year terms; note - the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) National Assembly (400 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 60, DA 20, EFF 7, IFP 1, NFP 1, UDM 1 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 62.2%, DA 22.2%, EFF 6.4%, IFP 2.4%, NFP 1.6%, UDM 1%, other 4.2%; seats by party - ANC 249, DA 89, EFF 25, IFP 10, NFP 6, UDM 4, other 17

elections

National Council of Provinces and National Assembly - last held on 7 May 2014 (next to be held in 2019)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Enoch SONTONGA and Cornelius Jacob LANGENHOVEN/Enoch SONTONGA and Marthinus LOURENS de Villiers

name

National Anthem of South Africa

note

adopted 1994; a combination of "N'kosi Sikelel' iAfrica" (God Bless Africa) and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid; official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English (i.e., the five most widely spoken of South Africa's 11 official languages); music incorporates the melody used in the Tanzanian and Zambian anthems

National Holiday

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

National Symbol S

springbok (antelope), king protea flower; national colors: red, green, blue, yellow, black, white

Political Parties And Leaders

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]African Independent Congress or AIC [Mandla GALO]African National Congress or ANC [Cyril RAMAPHOSA]African People's Convention or APC [Themba GODI]Agang SA [Mike TSHISHONGA]Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]Democratic Alliance or DA [Mmusi MAIMANE]Economic Freedom Fighters or EFF [Julius Sello MALEMA]Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter GROENEWALD]Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]National Freedom Party or NFP [Zanele kaMAGWAZA-MSIBI]Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania or PAC [Luthanado MBINDA]United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Isaac Sipho MFUNDISI]United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures

108.3 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

92.86 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-4.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

5.75% (31 December 2014)

7% (31 December 2009)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

10.38% (31 December 2017 est.)

10.46% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$8.584 billion (2017 est.)

-$8.237 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$156.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$144.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

62.5 (2013 est.)

63.4 (2011 est.)

Economy Overview

South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world.Economic growth has decelerated in recent years, slowing to an estimated 0.7% in 2017. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality - among the highest in the world - remain a challenge. Official unemployment is roughly 27% of the workforce, and runs significantly higher among black youth. Even though the country's modern infrastructure supports a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, unstable electricity supplies retard growth. Eskom, the state-run power company, is building three new power stations and is installing new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability but has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement and corruption and faces an increasingly high debt burden.South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation while empowering a broader economic base; however, the country faces structural constraints that also limit economic growth, such as skills shortages, declining global competitiveness, and frequent work stoppages due to strike action. The government faces growing pressure from urban constituencies to improve the delivery of basic services to low-income areas, to increase job growth, and to provide university level-education at affordable prices. Political infighting among South Africa’s ruling party and the volatility of the rand risks economic growth. International investors are concerned about the country’s long-term economic stability; in late 2016, most major international credit ratings agencies downgraded South Africa’s international debt to junk bond status.

Exchange Rates

rand (ZAR) per US dollar -

13.67 (2017 est.)

14.6924 (2016 est.)

14.6924 (2015 est.)

12.7581 (2014 est.)

10.8469 (2013 est.)

Exports

$94.93 billion (2017 est.)

$75.16 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment

Exports Partners

China 9.5%, US 7.7%, Germany 7.1%, Japan 4.7%, India 4.6%, Botswana 4.3%, Namibia 4.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

29.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

20.9% (2017 est.)

household consumption

59.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

18.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

2.8% (2017 est.)

industry

29.7% (2017 est.)

services

67.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$349.3 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$13,600 (2017 est.)

$13,600 (2016 est.)

$13,800 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$767.2 billion (2017 est.)

$757.2 billion (2016 est.)

$752.9 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

1.3% (2017 est.)

0.6% (2016 est.)

1.3% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

16.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

16.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

16.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

51.3% (2011 est.)

lowest 10%

51.3% (2011 est.)

Imports

$89.36 billion (2017 est.)

$79.57 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Imports Partners

China 18.3%, Germany 11.9%, US 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, India 4.7% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

5.3% (2017 est.)

6.3% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

22.19 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

4.6%

industry

23.5%

services

71.9% (2014 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$735.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$933.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$942.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

16.6% (2016 est.)

Public Debt

53% of GDP (2017 est.)

51.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$50.72 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$47.23 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$137.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$270.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$172.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$156.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$136.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$295.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$244.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$137.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

27.5% (2017 est.)

26.7% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

572.3 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

404,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

2,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

77% (2013)

electrification - total population

85% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

90% (2013)

population without electricity

7.7 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

207.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

16.55 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

85% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

10% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

10.56 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

50.02 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

234.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

5.069 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

4.162 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

906.1 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

621,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

105,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

195,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

487,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

total

1,698,360 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates 4 TV stations, 3 are free-to-air and 1 is pay TV; e.tv, a private station, is accessible to more than half the population; multiple subscription TV services provide a mix of local and international channels; well-developed mix of public and private radio stations at the national, regional, and local levels; the SABC radio network, state-owned and controlled but nominally independent, operates 18 stations, one for each of the 11 official languages, 4 community stations, and 3 commercial stations; more than 100 community-based stations extend coverage to rural areas (2007)

Internet Country Code

.za

Internet Users

percent of population

54% (July 2016 est.)

total

29,322,380 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 145 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria (2016)

general assessment

the system is the best-developed and most modern in Africa (2016)

international

country code - 27; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber-optic submarine cable systems connect South Africa to Europe and Asia; the EASSy fiber-optic cable system connects with Europe and North America; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

3,629,141 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

168 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

91,878,275 (2017 est.)

Airports

566 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

52 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

7 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

65 (2013)

over 3,047 m

11 (2013)

total

144 (2013)

under 914 m

9 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

31 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

258 (2013)

total

422 (2013)

under 914 m

132 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

ZS (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 2, general cargo 1, oil tanker 5, other 74 (2017)

total

82 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

885,277,991 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

17,188,887 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

216 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

23 (2015)

Pipelines

94 km condensate, 1293 km gas, 992 km oil, 1460 km refined products (2013)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Durban (2,620,000) (2016)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Mossel Bay

major seaport(s)

Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

Railways

narrow gauge

19,756 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified) (2014)

other

1,150 km (passenger rail, gauge unspecified, 1,115.5 km electrified) (2014)

standard gauge

80 km 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified) (2014)

total

20,986 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

158,952 km (2014)

total

747,014 km (2014)

unpaved

588,062 km (2014)

Military Branches

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), South African Military Health Services (2013)

Military Expenditures

1.07% of GDP (2016)

1.09% of GDP (2015)

1.11% of GDP (2014)

1.12% of GDP (2013)

1.13% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2012)

Disputes International

South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migrationthe governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River

Illicit Drugs

transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

refugees (country of origin)

26,977 (Somalia), 17,562 (Ethiopia), 5,261 (Republic of the Congo) (2017), 59,480 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2018)