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Compare Bahrain (2001) - South Africa (2002)

Compare Bahrain (2001) z South Africa (2002)

 Bahrain (2001)South Africa (2002)
 BahrainSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah

note:
all municipalities administered from Manama
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years:
29.6% (male 96,697; female 94,330)

15-64 years:
67.43% (male 257,360; female 177,839)

65 years and over:
2.97% (male 9,721; female 9,414) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 6,943,761; female 6,849,745)


15-64 years: 63.4% (male 13,377,011; female 14,300,850)


65 years and over: 5% (male 816,222; female 1,360,069) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 3 (2000 est.) 740 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
2

over 3,047 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 143


over 3,047 m: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 50


914 to 1,523 m: 67


under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 298


under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Area total:
620 sq km

land:
620 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 1,219,912 sq km


land: 1,219,912 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In 2001, the International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain. 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. 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.
Birth rate 20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.8 billion

expenditures:
$2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $22.6 billion


expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY02/03 )
Capital Manama Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 161 km 2,798 km
Constitution adopted late December 2000 (new constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Country name conventional long form:
State of Bahrain

conventional short form:
Bahrain

local long form:
Dawlat al Bahrayn

local short form:
Al Bahrayn

former:
Dilmun
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Currency Bahraini dinar (BHD) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $2.7 billion (2000) $25.5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Johnny YOUNG

embassy:
#979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama

mailing address:
American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama

telephone:
[973] 273-300

FAX:
[973] 272-594
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUME


embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria


mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001


telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048


FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244


consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)

chancery:
3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 342-0741

FAX:
[1] (202) 362-2192

consulate(s) general:
New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU


chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and also adjusted Bahrain's maritime boundary with Qatar Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province, that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $48.4 million (1995) $539 million (1999)
Economy - overview In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of 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. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into high unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending. The economy slowed in 2001, largely the result of the slowing of the international economy.
Electricity - consumption 5.752 billion kWh (1999) 181.52 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 4.549 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 5.294 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 6.185 billion kWh (1999) 194.38 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 93%


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 7%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point:
Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) rand per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state:
Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)

head of government:
Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); 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; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004)


election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)


note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Exports $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $32.3 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7% gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners India 14%, Saudi Arabia 5%, US 5%, UAE 5%, Japan 4%, South Korea 4% (1999) EU 33%, US 20%, Japan 6%, Mozambique 2.5% (2001 est.)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes


note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $412 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
1%

industry:
46%

services:
53% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 31%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,900 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 00 N, 50 33 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
3,164 km

paved:
2,433 km

unpaved:
731 km

note:
there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia (1997)
total: 358,596 km


paved: 59,753 km (including 1,927 km of expressways)


unpaved: 298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 46% (1994) (1994)
Illicit drugs - transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region
Imports $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners France 20%, US 14%, UK 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Japan 5% (1999) EU 41%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, Japan 7% (2001 est.)
Independence 15 August 1971 (from UK) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) 7% (2001 est.)
Industries petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 19.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2000 est.) 5.8% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 150 (2001)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1993 est.) 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Civil Appeals Court Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 295,000 (1998 est.)

note:
44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 4,862 km


border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
6%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
92% (1993 est.)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system based on Islamic law and English common law based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992; the National Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum of 14 February 2001 bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution


elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population:
73.2 years

male:
70.81 years

female:
75.67 years (2001 est.)
total population: 45.43 years


male: 45.19 years


female: 45.68 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
85.2%

male:
89.1%

female:
79.4% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 85%


male: 86%


female: 85% (2000 est.)
Location Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
extending to boundaries to be determined

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 175,609 GRT/207,652 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2 (2000 est.)
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650 GRT/268,604 DWT


ships by type: container 6, petroleum tanker 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $318 million (FY99) $1.79 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.2% (FY99) 1.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
222,141 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 11,557,242 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
121,833 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 7,031,337 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 15 years of age 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
5,926 (2001 est.)
males: 466,399 (2002 est.)
National holiday National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from British protection Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun:
Bahraini(s)

adjective:
Bahraini
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards periodic droughts; dust storms prolonged droughts
Natural resources oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Political parties and leaders political parties prohibited African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP; note - NP split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr. Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 645,361

note:
includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)
43,647,658


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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.73% (2001 est.) 0.02% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 338,000 (1997) 17 million (2001)
Railways 0 km total: 20,384 km


narrow gauge: 20,070 km 1.067-m gauge (9,090 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge


note: in addition, South Africa has an electrified 1.065-m gauge commuter rail system, with a total length of 1,254 km, which serves Johannesburg-Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth (2001)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.45 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
1.03 male(s)/female

total population:
1.29 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage none 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
modern system

domestic:
modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones

international:
tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)
general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa


domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria


international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 152,000 (1997) more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 58,543 (1997) 7.06 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1997) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (1998 est.) 37% (2001 est.)
Waterways none NA
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