| Country Size: |
1,221,037 square kilometers |
| Population: |
47,4 million |
| Currency: |
South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages: |
11 official: Isizulu (23,8%), Isixhosa (17,5%), Afrikaans (13,3%), Sepedi ( 9,3%), English (8,2%), Setswana (6,2%), Sesotho (7,9%), Sitsonga (4,2%), other (7,2%). English is the most widely spoken. |
| Capital City: |
Tshwane (Administrative), Bloemfontein (Judicial) and Cape Town (Legislative) |
| GDP (US$): |
GDP at present market prices is US$ 242 billion (2005). Projected GDP for 2006 is US$ 250 billion. |
| Main Economic Sectors: |
The tertiary sector (financial services, property and business services, ICT and tourism) comprises 65% of the economy; manufacturing 24% and the primary sector (mining and quarrying) 11%. |
| Main Exports: |
Gold, minerals, diamonds, metals, foods, pulp and paper. |
| Main Imports: |
Oil, manufactured goods, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment. |
Industry
(Main Industries):
|
Mining, motor vehicles and parts, machinery, chemicals, information technology, agro processing and tourism. |
| Natural Resources: |
Gold, platinum, coal, managanese, antimony, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, copper, vanadium and chromium. |
Agriculture
(Main Products):
|
Horticultural products (avocados, tangerines, peaches, plums and pears), maize, logging and livestock. |
| International Organization Member: |
ACP, AFDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCT, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WTO, ZC. |
| Infrastructure: |
Sea ports:
Richards Bay, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Saldanha.
Airports:
International airports in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, and national airports in Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Upington.
Roads:
Total: 362,000km of which 73,500km paved - 1,400km of dual carriage highway, 440km of single carriage freeway and approximately 1,900km of toll roads, serviced by 27 toll plazas.
The rail network has 31,700km of single track, 3,500 locomotives and 124,000 wagons.
Telecommunications:
ICASA is the regulator for the South African communications sector, responsible for the regulation of broadcasting and telecommunications services. ICASA was established by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act 13 of 2000. ICASA's jurisdiction covers all nine provinces of South Africa. It is charged with licensing telecommunications and broadcasting service providers, monitoring compliance of licensees against their license conditions, developing policy, managing the frequency spectrum and protecting consumers within the communications environment.
South African television is broadcast in all eleven official languages, as well as in German, Hindi and Portuguese.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), receives funding through both license fees and advertising. The SABC broadcasts on three domestic channels.
South Africa's radio stations:
There are an estimated 10-million radio sets in South Africa. All 11 of South Africa's official languages get airtime, as well as German, Hindi, Portuguese and the San languages of !Xu and Khwe, with stations falling into three broad categories: public service broadcasting, commercial, and community radio stations.
For more information: www.southafrica.info
Telephones:
There are approximately 5 million fixed line telephones, 4, 3 million exchange lines, 34 million cellular telephones and more than 5 million internet users at the end of 2005. More than 90% of all telephones in SA are digital.
Energy:
South Africa is one of the lowest-cost power producers in the world. State company Escom ranks in the top 10 electricity suppliers internationally in terms of size and sales, supplying around 95% of South Africa's energy requirements and two-thirds of Africa's. Escom's network is made up of more than 300 000 kilometres of power lines, 27 000 kilometres of which constitute South Africa's national transmission grid. The main generating stations are located in Mpumalanga, where there are vast coal reserves.
Coal accounts for 75% of primary energy consumption in South Africa.
The energy sector contributes about 15% to SA's gross domestic product (GDP).
SA has a highly developed synthetic fuels industry - SASOL is the world's largest producer of oil from coal, with plants at Secunda and Sasolburg.
A nuclear power station near Cape Town, Koeberg, produces about 3% of SA's energy needs at present. SA serves on the board of the IAEA being the most advanced nation in Africa in the field of nuclear technology. www.gcis.gov.za/docs/publications/yearbook.htm |