South Africa

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.)

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

$30 billion (1996 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

Despite the efforts of South Africa's first majority-run government, income inequality remains among the world's most extreme. Many of the white one-seventh of the South African population enjoy incomes, material comforts, and health and educational standards equal to those of Western Europe. In contrast, most of the remaining population suffers from the poverty patterns of the Third World, including unemployment, lack of job skills, and bleak living conditions. The main strength of the economy lies in its rich mineral resources, which provide two-thirds of exports. Economic developments for the remainder of the 1990s will be driven largely by the new government's attempts to improve black living standards, to set the country on a steady export-led growth path, and to cut back the enormous numbers of unemployed. The economy in recent years has absorbed less than 5% of the more than 300,000 workers entering the labor force annually. Local economists estimate that the economy must grow at least 5% in real terms annually to absorb all of the new entrants, much less reduce the accumulated total.

Electricity - capacity

34.57 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

3,305 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

158.78 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

rand (R) per US$1 - 4.6410 (January 1997), 4.2706 (1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992)

Exports

total value: $29.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: gold 27%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% (1994) partners: Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $227 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value : $26.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, petroleum products, textiles, scientific instruments (1994) partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

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% (1996 est.)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

34% (1996 est.); note - an additional 11% of the workforce is underemployed

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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission : Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive 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); Deputy Executive 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 deputy executive presidents elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 May 1994 (next to be held in April 1999) election results: Nelson MANDELA elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation); Thabo MBEKI and Frederik W. DE KLERK elected deputy executive 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 deputy executive 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

FAX

[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

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts

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 NA April 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)

Political parties and leaders

African National Congress or ANC [Nelson MANDELA, president]; National Party or NP [Frederik W. DE KLERK, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; Democratic Party or DP [Tony LEON, president]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president] note: in addition to these seven parties which received seats in the National Assembly, 11 other parties won votes in the national elections in April 1994

Political pressure groups and leaders

South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [John GOMONO, president]; note - both SANCO and COSATU, as well as the South African Communist Party, are in a formal alliance with the ANC

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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: 10,972,813 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 6,672,760 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 435,972 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 7,470,444; female 7,340,734) 15-64 years: 61% (male 12,729,753; female 12,891,969) 65 years and over : 4% (male 762,041; female 1,132,517) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

26.89 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

11.89 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

53.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 56.29 years male: 54.4 years female: 58.23 years (1997 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

0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

42,327,458 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.51% (1997 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.22 children born/woman (1997 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 SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE Sandwich Islands] (dependent territory of the UK)

Airports

662 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 351 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m : 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 43 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 220 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 311 1,524 to 2,437 m : 33 914 to 1,523 m: 278 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 182,329 km paved : 55,428 km (including 2,040 km of expressways) unpaved: 126,901 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,848 GRT/266,029 DWT ships by type: container 6, oil tanker 1 (1996 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)