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Compare Dominican Republic (2001) - South Africa (2001)

Compare Dominican Republic (2001) z South Africa (2001)

 Dominican Republic (2001)South Africa (2001)
 Dominican RepublicSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years:
34.11% (male 1,495,477; female 1,431,406)

15-64 years:
60.99% (male 2,664,679; female 2,569,398)

65 years and over:
4.9% (male 199,240; female 221,277) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
32.01% (male 7,023,639; female 6,928,559)

15-64 years:
63.11% (male 13,264,654; female 14,244,484)

65 years and over:
4.88% (male 798,914; female 1,325,847) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 741 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
13

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total:
142

over 3,047 m:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
47

914 to 1,523 m:
71

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
16

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
total:
599

1,524 to 2,437 m:
33

914 to 1,523 m:
304

under 914 m:
262 (2000 est.)
Area total:
48,730 sq km

land:
48,380 sq km

water:
350 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 slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of the 20th century was brought to an end in 1996 when free and open elections ushered in a new government. 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 24.77 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$2.3 billion

expenditures:
$2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $867 million (1999 est.)
revenues:
$31.1 billion

expenditures:
$34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY01/02)
Capital Santo Domingo Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 1,288 km 2,798 km
Constitution 28 November 1966 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:
Dominican Republic

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republica Dominicana

local short form:
none
conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa

conventional short form:
South Africa

former:
Union of South Africa

abbreviation:
RSA
Currency Dominican peso (DOP) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $4.7 billion (2000 est.) $25.6 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles T. MANATT

embassy:
corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo

mailing address:
Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500

telephone:
[1] (809) 221-2171

FAX:
[1] (809) 686-7437
chief of mission:
Ambassador Delano E. LEWIS, Sr.

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 Roberto Bienvenido SALADIN-SELIN

chancery:
1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-6280

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-8057

consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s):
Houston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
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 none Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $239.6 million (1995) $676.3 million
Economy - overview The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest ten percent enjoy 40% of national income. In December 2000, the new MEJIA administration passed broad new tax legislation which it hopes will provide enough revenue to offset rising oil prices and to service foreign debt. 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 the 30% 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.
Electricity - consumption 6.78 billion kWh (1999) 172.393 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 3.884 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 2.457 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 7.29 billion kWh (1999) 186.903 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
87.19%

hydro:
12.4%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.41% (1999)
fossil fuel:
92.74%

hydro:
0.39%

nuclear:
6.87%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Lago Enriquillo -46 m

highest point:
Pico Duarte 3,175 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
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 white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates Dominican pesos per US dollar - 16.888 (January 2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997), 13.775 (1996) rand per US dollar - 7.60 (March 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet nominated by the president

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004)

election results:
Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%
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 governing coalition
Exports $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners US 66.1%, Netherlands 7.8%, Canada 7.6%, Russia 7.4%, UK 4.5% (1999 est.) UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross 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 - $48.3 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $369 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
11.3%

industry:
32.2%

services:
56.5% (1999 est.)
agriculture:
5%

industry:
30%

services:
65% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 8% (2000 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 19 00 N, 70 40 W 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti) South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total:
12,600 km

paved:
6,224 km

unpaved:
6,376 km (1996)
total:
358,596 km

paved:
59,753 km (including 1927 km of expressways)

unpaved:
298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
1.6%

highest 10%:
39.6% (1989)
lowest 10%:
1.1%

highest 10%:
45.9% (1994)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada 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
Imports $9.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners US 25.7%, Venezuela 9.2%, Mexico 4%, Japan 3%, Panama 2.6% (1999 est.) Germany, US, UK, Japan
Independence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2000 est.) 2.4% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 34.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 60.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.9% (2000 est.) 5.3% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, 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) 24 (2000) 44 (2000)
Irrigated land 2,300 sq km (1993 est.) 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding) Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 2.3 million - 2.6 million 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation services and government 58.7%, industry 24.3%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
275 km

border countries:
Haiti 275 km
total:
4,750 km

border countries:
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land:
21%

permanent crops:
9%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
12%

other:
15% (1993 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
67%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
15% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system based on French civil codes based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2002)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
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 NA 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:
73.44 years

male:
71.34 years

female:
75.64 years (2001 est.)
total population:
48.09 years

male:
47.64 years

female:
48.56 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
82.1%

male:
82%

female:
82.2% (1995 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
81.8%

male:
81.9%

female:
81.7% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

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

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
6 NM
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (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 (2000 est.)
Military - note - the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military expenditures - dollar figure $180 million (FY98) $2 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.1% (FY98) 1.5% (FY99/00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
2,281,035 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
11,469,812 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
1,430,776 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
6,977,328 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
87,404 (2001 est.)
males:
466,399 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 27 February (1844) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun:
Dominican(s)

adjective:
Dominican
noun:
South African(s)

adjective:
South African
Natural hazards lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts prolonged droughts
Natural resources nickel, bauxite, gold, silver gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate -3.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Political parties and leaders Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo] 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) [Anthony LEON, leader]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Collective of Popular Organizations or COP 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 8,581,477 (July 2001 est.) 43,586,097

note:
South Africa took a census October 1996 which 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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 25% (1999 est.) 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.63% (2001 est.) 0.26% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 1.44 million (1997) 13.75 million (1997)
Railways total:
757 km

standard gauge:
375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)

narrow gauge:
142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)

note:
240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000)
total:
21,431 km

narrow gauge:
20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Religions Roman Catholic 95% 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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

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

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age

note:
members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network

international:
1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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 709,000 (1997) 5.075 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 130,149 (1997) over 2,000,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 25 (1997) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.97 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 13.8% (1999 est.) 30% (2000 est.)
Waterways none NA
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