Facts and Statistics About South Africa As A Country
Introduction South Africa
Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics (see how population spread over the years on the maps). The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
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South Africa Geography and Climate ... Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km
South Africa ... Military ... Military branches: South African National Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services
South Africa ... People ... Population: 42,718,530 note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
South Africa ... Communications ...Telephones - main lines in use: 4.844 million (2002), Telephones - mobile cellular: 16.86 million (2003)
South Africa ... Government ... Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa, conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA Government type: republic
South Africa ... Economics ... Economy - overview: South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region.