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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $2.9 billion, 2.2% of GDP (FY95/96)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 10,686,976 males fit for military service: 6,502,265 males reach military age (18) annually: 424,854 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

12.1 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

5,206,235 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

67 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

3.45 million (1990 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; cattle, poultry, sheep, wool, milk, beef

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 rand (R) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA note: current aid pledges include US $600 million over three years ending in 1996; 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

Economic 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 and lack of job skills. 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 conditions, 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 between 5% and 6% in real terms annually to absorb all of the new entrants, much less reduce the accumulated total.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 39,750,000 kW production: 163 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,482 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

rand (R) per US$1 - 3.6417 (January 1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991)

Exports [time series]

$27.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995) 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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$22 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $215 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$4,800 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

3.3% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$27 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, oil, textiles, scientific instruments (1994) partners: Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

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]

8.7% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

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

Unemployment rate [time series]

32.6% (1996 est.); an additional 11% underemployment

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1,219,912 sq km land area: 1,219,912 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

2,798 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: prolonged droughts 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 [time series]

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

11,280 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

27 April 1994 (interim constitution, replacing the constitution of 3 September 1984); note - on 8 May 1996, the Constitutional Assembly voted 421 to two to pass a new constitution which, after certification by the Constitutional Court, will gradually go into effect over a three-year period and come into full force with the next national elections in April 1999

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin SONN chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy Executive Presidents Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994) and Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 10 May 1994) were elected by the National Assembly note: any political party that wins 20% or more of the National Assembly votes in a general election is entitled to name a deputy executive president; moreover, any party that wins 20 or more seats in the National Assembly is entitled to become a member of the governing coalition; currently, the ANC, the IFP, and the NP constitute a Government of National Unity (GNU) cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president

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

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

Flag [time series]

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 isoceles 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

Independence [time series]

31 May 1910 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

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

Legislative branch (National Assembly) [time series]

elections last held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held NA April 1999); results - 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 - (400 total) ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7, PAC 5, ACDP 2

National holiday [time series]

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

African National Congress (ANC), Nelson MANDELA, president; National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE KLERK, president; Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president; Freedom Front (FF), Constand VILJOEN, president; Democratic Party (DP), Tony LEON, president; Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), Clarence MAKWETU, president; African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Kenneth MESHOE, 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

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

the Senate is composed of members who are nominated by the nine provincial parliaments (which are elected in parallel with the National Assembly) and has special powers to protect regional interests, including the right to limited self-determination for ethnic minorities; seats - (90 total) ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3 note: when the National Assembly meets in joint session with the Senate to consider the provisions of the constitution, the combined group is referred to as the Constitutional Assembly

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 36% (male 7,578,639; female 7,428,123) 15-64 years: 60% (male 12,356,753; female 12,516,467) 65 years and over: 4% (male 744,806; female 1,118,671) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

27.91 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.32 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

48.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 59.47 years male: 57.21 years female: 61.8 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: South African(s) adjective: South African

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

41,743,459 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.76% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian (most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks), Hindu (60% of Indians), Muslim 2%

Sex ratio [time series]

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 all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.43 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 667 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 10 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 44 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 75 with paved runways under 914 m: 221 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 33 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 280 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 container ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 211,276 GRT/198,602 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

Railways [time series]

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