| President: |
Jacob Zuma |
| Ruling Political Party: |
African National Congress |
| Population: |
49,052,489 |
| Ethinc groups: |
Black African 79%
White 9.6%
Colored 8.9%
Indian/Asian 2.5% |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 7,093,328/female 7,061,579)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 16,275,424/female 15,984,181)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,075,117/female 1,562,860) |
| Literacy: |
(definition: age 15 and over can read and write) total population: 86.4% |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
48.98 years |
| Number of people living with HIV/Aids: |
5.7 million |
| Currency: |
Rand |
| GDP: |
$300.4 billion |
| Unemployment Rate: |
21.7% (2008 est.) |
| GDP: |
$300.4 billion |
| Population below poverty line: |
50% |
| Area: |
1,219,912 sq km (slightly less than twice the size of Texas) |
| Border Countries: |
Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
| Natural Resources: |
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
| Climate: |
Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast, sunny days, cool nights |
| Time: |
2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (no daylight savings) |
| Languages: |
11 official languages including
IsiZulu 23.8%
IsiXhosa 17.6%
Afrikaans 13.3%
Sepedi 9.4%
English 8.2%
Setswana 8.2%
Sesotho 7.9%
Xitsonga 4.4%
Other 7.2% (Ndebele, Venda and Swati) |
| Capital: |
Pretoria |
| Legislative Center: |
Cape Town |
| Judicial Center: |
Bloemfontein |
| Nine Provinces: |
Eastern Cape
Free State
Gauteng
Kwazulu-Natal
Limpopo
Mpumalanga
North West Province
Northern Cape
Western Cape |
| Religions: |
Zion Christian 11.1%
Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%
Catholic 7.1%
Methodist 6.8%
Dutch Reformed 6.7%
Anglican 3.8%
Muslim 1.5%
Other Christian 36%
Other 2.3%
Unspecified 1.4%
None 15.1% |
| Telephone: |
Country Code: 27
Local Enquiries: 1023
International Enquiries: 0903
Collect Calls National: 0020
Collect Calls International: 0900 |
| Value Added Tax: |
14 percent; foreign visitors may claim back VAT on items taken out of the country when value exceeds R250. This can be claimed at the airport of departure. Bring original tax invoice, VAT refund control sheet and foreign passport. Call 011 484 7530 for inquiries. |
| Independence: |
31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule) |
| Constitution: |
10 December 1996; note - certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; and entered into effect on 4 February 1997 |
| Legal system: |
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Executive branch: |
Chief of state: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Executive Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government |
| Cabinet: |
Cabinet appointed by the president |
| Elections: |
President elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014) |
| Judicial branch: |
3Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts |
| Sources: |
CIA Factbook |
