Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/216.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 15KB | 348 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\SouthAf.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"South Africa"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of South Africa, click {z,"16.263578,-35.561493,34.230931,-21.893421",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 1,219,912 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 1,219,912 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly less than twice the size of Texas
{3}note:{4} includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 4,750 km
{3}border countries:{4} Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km,
Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 2,798 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4}
{3}continental shelf:{4} 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
{3}territorial sea:{4} 12 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} 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

{2}Climate:{4} mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

{2}Terrain:{4} vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
{3}lowest point:{4} Atlantic Ocean 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Njesuthi 3,408 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin,
uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 10%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 1%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 65%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 3%
{3}other:{4} 21%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} 11,280 sq km (1989 est.)

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} 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

{2}natural hazards:{4} prolonged droughts

{2}international agreements:{4} 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

{2}Geographic note:{4} South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds
Swaziland


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 41,743,459 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 36% (male 7,578,639; female 7,428,123)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 60% (male 12,356,753; female 12,516,467)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 4% (male 744,806; female 1,118,671) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 1.76% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 27.91 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 10.32 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.02 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.99 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.67 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 48.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 59.47 years
{3}male:{4} 57.21 years
{3}female:{4} 61.8 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 3.43 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} South African(s)
{3}adjective:{4} South African

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

{2}Religions:{4} Christian (most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks), Hindu (60% of Indians),
Muslim 2%

{2}Languages:{4} 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi,
Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 81.8%
{3}male:{4} 81.9%
{3}female:{4} 81.7%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Republic of South Africa
{3}conventional short form:{4} South Africa
abbreviation: RSA

{2}Type of government:{4} republic

{2}Capital:{4} Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape

{2}Independence:{4} 31 May 1910 (from UK)

{2}National holiday:{4} Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

{2}Constitution:{4} 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

{2}Legal system:{4} based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

{2}Suffrage:{4} 18 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
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
{3}note:{4} 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)
{3}cabinet:{4} Cabinet was appointed by the president

{2}Legislative branch:{4} bicameral
National Assembly: 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
Senate: 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
{3}note:{4} 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

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Supreme Court

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} 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
{3}note:{4} 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

{2}Other political or pressure groups:{4} NA

{2}International organization participation:{4} 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

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Franklin SONN
{3}chancery:{4} 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone]
{3}consulate(s) general:{4} Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, and New York

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador James A. JOSEPH
{3}embassy:{4} 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083
{3}mailing address:{4} P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
{3}telephone:{4} [27] (12) 342-1048
{3}FAX:{4} [27] (12) 342-2244
{3}consulate(s) general:{4} Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

{2}Flag:{4} 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
{3}note:{4} 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


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $215 billion (1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 3.3% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $4,800 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} NA%
{3}industry:{4} NA%
{3}services:{4} NA%

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 8.7% (1995)

{2}Labor force:{4} 14.2 million economically active (1996)
{3}by occupation:{4} services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} 32.6% (1996 est.); an additional 11% underemployment

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $30.5 billion
{3}expenditures:{4} $38 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (FY94/95 est.)

{2}Industries:{4} mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly,
metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} NA%

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 39,750,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 163 billion kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 3,482 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; cattle, poultry, sheep, wool, milk, beef

{2}Illicit drugs:{4} 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

{2}Exports:{4} $27.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
{3}commodities:{4} gold 27%, other minerals and metals 20%-25%, food 5%, chemicals 3% (1994)
{3}partners:{4} Italy, Japan, US, Germany, UK, other EU countries, Hong Kong

{2}Imports:{4} $27 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
{3}commodities:{4} machinery 32%, transport equipment 15%, chemicals 11%, oil, textiles, scientific
instruments (1994)
{3}partners:{4} Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy

{2}External debt:{4} $22 billion (1995 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA
{3}note:{4} 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

{2}Currency:{4} 1 rand (R) = 100 cents

{2}Exchange rates:{4} rand (R) per US$1 - 3.6417 (January 1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994),
3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991)

{2}Fiscal year:{4} 1 April - 31 March


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 21,431 km
narrow gauge: 20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 182,329 km
{3}paved:{4} 55,428 km (including 2,040 km of expressways)
{3}unpaved:{4} 126,901 km (1991 est.)

{2}Pipelines:{4} crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km

{2}Ports:{4} Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

{2}Merchant marine:{4}
{3}total:{4} 4 container ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 211,276 GRT/198,602 DWT (1995 est.)

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


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 5,206,235 (1993 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} the system is the best developed, most modern, and has the highest capacity
in Africa
{3}domestic:{4} 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
{3}international:{4} 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic
Ocean)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 14, FM 286, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} 12.1 million (1992 est.)

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 67 (1987 est.)

{2}Televisions:{4} 3.45 million (1990 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} South African National Defense Force (SANDF; includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Medical Services), South African Police Service (SAPS)

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 10,686,976
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 6,502,265
{3}males reach military age (18) annually:{4} 424,854 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion - $2.9 billion, 2.2% of GDP (FY95/96)