QUICK FACTS: South Africa
Country (long form)
Republic of South Africa
Capital
Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center
and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Total Area
1,219,912.00 sq km
(slightly less than twice the size of Texas)
Population
43,421,021 (July 2000 est.)
Estimated Population in 2050
32,538,704
Languages
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy
81.8% total, 81.9% male, 81.7% female (1995 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), indigenous
beliefs and animist 28.5%
Life Expectancy
50.41 male, 51.81 female (2000 est.)
Government Type
republic
Currency
1 rand (R) = 100 cents
GDP (per capita)
$6,900 (1999 est.)
Labor Force (by occupation)
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999
est.)
Industry
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron
and steel, chemicals, fertilizer,
foodstuffs
Agriculture
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,
poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Arable Land
10%
Exports
gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery
and equipment
Imports
machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals,
petroleum products, scientific instruments
Natural Resources
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,
salt, natural gas
Current Environmental 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
Telephones (main lines in use)
5.075 million (1999)
Telephones (mobile cellular)
2,000,000 (1999)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
58 (1999)