South Africa![](https://www.partners-popdev.org/wp-content/themes/original-child/vendor/images/flags/ZAF.png)
Geography
Location | Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa. |
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Area | total: 1,219,090 sq km land: 1,214,470 sq km water: 4,620 sq km |
Natural Resources | Gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
Others
Nationality | noun: South African(s) adjective: South African |
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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% (2001 census) |
Languages | 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% (2001 census) |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA |
Government type | Republic |
Capital | name: Pretoria (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) |
Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape |
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) |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity) | $595.7 billion (2013 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate) | $353.9 billion (2013 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2013 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $11,500 (2013 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.6% industry: 29% services: 68.4% (2013 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 9% industry: 26% services: 65% (2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 31.3% (2009 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.8% (2013 est.) |
Agriculture - products | Corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products |
Industries | Mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.9% (2013 est.) |
Exports - commodities | Gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment |
Currency (code) | Rand (ZAR) |
Fiscal year |
Population and Health
Population | 48,375,645 (July 2014 est.) |
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Age structure | 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 6,859,518/female 6,815,185) 15-24 years: 20.2% (male 4,914,394/female 4,866,121) 25-54 years: 38.2% (male 9,543,746/female 8,923,605) 55-64 years: 6.3% (male 1,470,282/female 1,950,499) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,205,657/female 1,826,638) (2014 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.48% (2014 est.) |
Birth rate | 18.94 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) |
Death rate | 17.49 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 41.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 49.56 years male: 50.52 years female: 48.58 years (2014 est.) |
Total fertility rate | 2.23 children born/woman (2014 est.) |
Current contraceptive use among married women 15-49 years old(any method) | 60% (2007-2012) |
Unmet need of contraceptive | 13.8% (2008) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 6,070,800 (2012) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths | 235,100 (2012) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 93.9% female: 92.2% (2011 est.) |