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Communications

Airports [time series]

917 total, 765 usable; 130 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 224 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

81 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

188,309 km total; 54,013 km paved, 134,296 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth

Merchant marine [time series]

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 229,245 GRT/218,929 DWT; includes 6 container, 1 vehicle carrier

Pipelines [time series]

931 km crude oil; 1,748 km refined products; 322 km natural gas

Ports [time series]

Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Richard's Bay, Saldanha, Mosselbaai, Walvis Bay

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

20,638 km route distance total; 35,079 km of 1.067-meter gauge trackage (counts double and multiple tracking as single track); 314 km of 610 mm gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity in Africa; it consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay links, fiber optic cable, and radiocommunication stations; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria; 4,500,000 telephones; stations--14 AM, 286 FM, 67 TV; 1 submarine cable; earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Medical Services

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$3.67 billion, 11% of GDP (FY92)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 9,797,349; 5,980,786 fit for military service; 426,615 reach military age (18) annually; obligation for service in Citizen Force or Commandos begins at 18; volunteers for service in permanent force must be 17; national service obligation is one year; figures include the so-called homelands not recognized by the US

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about 5% of GDP and 30% of labor force; diversified agriculture, with emphasis on livestock; products--cattle, poultry, sheep, wool, milk, beef, corn, wheat; sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; self-sufficient in food

Budget [time series]

revenues $28.9 billion; expenditures $32.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (FY92 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

rand (plural--rand); 1 rand (R) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

Electricity [time series]

34,941,000 kW capacity; 158,000 million kWh produced, 4,100 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

rand (R) per US$1--2.5625 (January 1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$23.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--gold 39%, minerals and metals 33%, food 5%, chemicals 3%; partners--Italy, Japan, US, FRG, UK, other EC, Hong Kong

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$19.5 billion (July 1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$101.7 billion, per capita $2,600; real growth rate - 0.9% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$17 billion (c.i.f., 1990); commodities--machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, oil, textiles, scientific instruments, base metals; partners--FRG, Japan, UK, US, Italy

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%; accounts for about 45% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

14.4% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 barriers to movement into higher-paying fields. Inputs and outputs thus do not move smoothly into the most productive employments, and the effectiveness of the market is further lowered by international constraints on dealings with South Africa. The main strength of the economy lies in its rich mineral resources, which provide two-thirds of exports. Average growth of less than 2% in output in recent years falls far short of the 5-6% level needed to cut into the high unemployment rate.

Unemployment rate [time series]

22% (1989); blacks 25-30%, up to 50% in homelands (1988 est.)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

2,881 km Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation; Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

claim by Namibia to Walvis Bay exclave and 12 offshore islands administered by South Africa

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures

Land boundaries [time series]

4,973 km total; Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 1,078 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 10%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 65%; forest and woodland 3%; other 21%; includes irrigated 1%

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

Walvis Bay is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia; South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

Terrain [time series]

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,221,040 km2; land area: 1,221,040 km2; includes Walvis Bay, Marion Island, and Prince Edward Island

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 provinces; Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal; there are 10 homelands not recognized by the US--4 independent (Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, Venda) and 6 other (Gazankulu, Kangwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, Lebowa, QwaQwa)

Capital [time series]

administrative, Pretoria; legislative, Cape Town; judicial, Bloemfontein

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

small Communist party legalized in 1990 after 30-year ban, Daniel TLOOME, chairman, and Joe SLOVO, general secretary African National Congress (ANC), Nelson MANDELA, president; Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), Clarence MAKWETU, president

Constitution [time series]

3 September 1984

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Harry SCHWARZ; Chancery at 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-4400; there are South African Consulates General in Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, Houston, and New York; US--Ambassador William L. SWING; Embassy at Thibault House, 225 Pretorius Street, Pretoria; telephone [27] (12) 28-4266; there are US Consulates General in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg

Executive branch [time series]

state president, Executive Council (cabinet), Ministers' Councils (from the three houses of Parliament)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

31 May 1910 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--State President Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 13 September 1989) white political parties and leaders--National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE KLERK (majority party); Conservative Party (CP), Dr. Andries P. TREURNICHT (official opposition party); Herstigte National Party (HNP), Jaap MARAIS; Democratic Party (DP), Zach DE BEER; Colored political parties and leaders--Labor Party (LP), Allan HENDRICKSE (majority party); Democratic Reform Party (DRP), Carter EBRAHIM; United Democratic Party (UDP), Jac RABIE; Freedom Party; Indian political parties and leaders--Solidarity, J. N. REDDY (majority party); National People's Party (NPP), Amichand RAJBANSI; Merit People's Party

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

tricameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of the House of Assembly (Volksraad; whites), House of Representatives (Raad van Verteenwoordigers; Coloreds), and House of Delegates (Raad van Afgevaardigdes; Indians)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of South Africa; abbreviated RSA

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BIS, CCC, ECA, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT, ISO, ITU, LORCS, SACU, UN, UNCTAD, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO (suspended)

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 31 May (1910)

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18, but voting rights are racially based House of Assembly (whites)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by March 1995); results--NP 58%, CP 23%, DP 19%; seats--(178 total, 166 elected) NP 103, CP 41, DP 34; House of Representatives (Coloreds)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(85 total, 80 elected) LP 69, DRP 5, UDP 3, Freedom Party 1, independents 2; House of Delegates (Indians)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(45 total, 40 elected) Solidarity 16, NPP 9, Merit People's Party 3, United Party 2, Democratic Party 2, People's Party 1, National Federal Party 1, independents 6

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

34 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

51 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

11,000,000 economically active (1989); services 34%, agriculture 30%, industry and commerce 29%, mining 7% (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Afrikaans, English (both official); many vernacular languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

61 years male, 67 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

76% (male 78%, female 75%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Nationality [time series]

noun--South African(s); adjective--South African

Net migration rate [time series]

NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

about 17% of total labor force is unionized; African unions represent 15% of black labor force

Population [time series]

40,600,518 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991); includes the 10 so-called homelands, which are not recognized by the US; four independent homelands--Bophuthatswana 2,419,515, growth rate 2.83%; Ciskei 1,056,552, growth rate 2.96%; Transkei 4,553,994, growth rate 4.16%; Venda 691,273, growth rate 3.83%; six other homelands--Gazankulu 772,532, growth rate 3.98%; Kangwane 576,573, growth rate 3.62%; KwaNdebele 360,582, growth rate 3.38%; KwaZulu 5,546,082, growth rate 3.60%; Lebowa 2,812,630, growth rate 3.91%; QwaQwa 277,957, growth rate 3.60%

Religions (Religion) [time series]

most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks are Christian; about 60% of Indians are Hindu; Muslim 20%

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.4 children born/woman (1991)