Country Reports
South Africa
Some Facts South Africa |
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa |
Brief History of South Africa (until 1912) | 
Useful links Some Facts South Africa
|
Country name |
Republic of South Africa |
|
Government type |
Republic |
|
Capitals |
Pretoria (executive capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) |
|
Largest city |
Johannesburg |
|
Administrative divisions |
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape |
|
Independence Day |
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) |
|
National holiday |
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) |
|
Area |
1.22 million sq km (470,693 sq miles) includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) |
|
Location |
Africa |
|
Land Borders |
Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe |
|
Coastline |
2,798 km |
|
Population |
50.1 million (UN, 2009) |
|
Nationality |
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products |
|
Major languages |
11 official languages including English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, Xhosa and Zulu |
|
Ethnicity |
Black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census) |
|
Major religions |
Christianity, Islam, indigenous beliefs |
|
Highest peak |
Njesuthi 3,408 m |
|
Climate |
Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days and cool nights |
|
Time zone |
UTC+2 |
|
Currency |
1 Rand = 100 cents |
|
Telephone |
International dialing code: +27 |
|
Internet domain |
.za |
|
GNI per capita |
US $5,820 (World Bank, 2008) |
|
Natural resources |
Gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
|
Agriculture products |
Corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products |
|
Exports |
Gold, diamonds, metals and minerals, cars, machinery |
|
Industries |
Mining (South Africa is the world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), commercial ship repair. automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs |