Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Korea, North (2001) - South Africa (2002)

Compare Korea, North (2001) z South Africa (2002)

 Korea, North (2001)South Africa (2002)
 Korea, NorthSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province) 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years:
25.52% (male 2,873,390; female 2,733,163)

15-64 years:
67.63% (male 7,301,531; female 7,556,554)

65 years and over:
6.85% (male 486,805; female 1,016,785) (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 rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 87 (2000 est.) 740 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
39

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
26

1,524 to 2,437 m:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (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:
48

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
24

914 to 1,523 m:
13

under 914 m:
8 (2000 est.)
total: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 298


under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Area total:
120,540 sq km

land:
120,410 sq km

water:
130 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 smaller than Mississippi slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background Following World War II, Korea was split into a northern, communist half and a southern, Western-oriented half. KIM Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population, while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear and chemical weapons are of major concern to the international community. 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 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $22.6 billion


expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY02/03 )
Capital P'yongyang Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 2,495 km 2,798 km
Constitution adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998 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:
Democratic People's Republic of Korea

conventional short form:
North Korea

local long form:
Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk

local short form:
none

note:
the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country

abbreviation:
DPRK
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Currency North Korean won (KPW) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $12 billion (1996 est.) $25.5 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none (Swedish Embassy in P'yongyang represents the US as consular protecting power) 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 none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by YI Hyong-chol 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 33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea 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 $NA; note - an estimated $200 million to $300 million in humanitarian aid from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 1997 plus much additional aid from the UN and non-governmental organizations; substantial continuing humanitarian aid, 1998-2000 $539 million (1999)
Economy - overview North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. The nation faces its seventh year of food shortages because of weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000, and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape the major consequence of spreading economic failure, such as mass starvation, but the population remains vulnerable to prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for expanding investment and consumption goods. In 2000, the regime placed emphasis on expanding foreign trade links, embracing modern technology, and attracting foreign investment, but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or undergoing market-oriented reforms. 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 26.598 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 28.6 billion kWh (1999) 194.38 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
34.62%

hydro:
65.38%

nuclear:
0%

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


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 7%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Sea of Japan 0 m

highest point:
Paektu-san 2,744 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation 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:
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, 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 racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates official: North Korean won per US dollar - 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989); market: North Korean won per US dollar - 200 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:
KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note - in September 1998, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials

head of government:
Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998)

cabinet:
Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly

elections:
premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA)

election results:
HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA%
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 $520 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $32.3 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); agricultural and fishery products gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners Japan 28%, South Korea 21%, China 5%, Germany 4%, Russia 1% (1995) EU 33%, US 20%, Japan 6%, Mozambique 2.5% (2001 est.)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star 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 - $22 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $412 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
30%

industry:
42%

services:
28% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 31%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -3% (2000 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 127 00 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total:
31,200 km

paved:
1,997 km

unpaved:
29,203 km (1996)
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 $960 million (c.i.f., 1999 est.) $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; consumer goods, grain machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners China 33%, Japan 17%, Russia 5%, South Korea 4%, Germany 3% (1995) EU 41%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, Japan 7% (2001 est.)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 7% (2001 est.)
Industries military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 23.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 5.8% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO 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 14,600 sq km (1993 est.) 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 9.6 million 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
1,673 km

border countries:
China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 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:
14%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
61%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
Languages Korean 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
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:
71.02 years

male:
68.04 years

female:
74.15 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 Korean

total population:
99%

male:
99%

female:
99% (1990 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 85%


male: 86%


female: 85% (2000 est.)
Location Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Asia Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea:
12 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

note:
military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned
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:
110 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 661,792 GRT/903,367 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 4, cargo 94, combination bulk 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea passenger 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 Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $3.7 billion to $4.9 billion (FY98 est.) $1.79 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 25% to 33% (FY98 est.) 1.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
5,943,735 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 11,557,242 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
3,574,050 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 7,031,337 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
179,136 (2001 est.)
males: 466,399 (2002 est.)
National holiday Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun:
Korean(s)

adjective:
Korean
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall prolonged droughts
Natural resources coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Political parties and leaders Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Korean Social Democratic Party [KIM Pyong-sik, chairman]; major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, General Secretary] 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 NA 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 21,968,228 (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 1.22% (2001 est.) 0.02% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 3.36 million (1997) 17 million (2001)
Railways total:
5,000 km

standard gauge:
4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km double track)

narrow gauge:
665 km 0.762-m gauge

dual gauge:
240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (four rails interlaced) (1996 est.)
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 traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)

note:
autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 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 17 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
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 1.1 million (1997) more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 7.06 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations 38 (1999) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.26 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 37% (2001 est.)
Waterways 2,253 km

note:
mostly navigable by small craft only
NA
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.