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Compare Liberia (2003) - South Africa (2004)

Compare Liberia (2003) z South Africa (2004)

 Liberia (2003)South Africa (2004)
 LiberiaSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 724,960; female 716,831)


15-64 years: 53% (male 858,191; female 898,851)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 59,539; female 58,804) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 29.5% (male 6,337,468; female 6,254,925)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 13,898,269; female 14,017,559)


65 years and over: 5.2% (male 886,801; female 1,323,508) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 47 (2002) 728 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 144


over 3,047 m: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 51


914 to 1,523 m: 67


under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 45


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 34 (2002)
total: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 300


under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)
Area total: 111,370 sq km


land: 96,320 sq km


water: 15,050 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 larger than Tennessee slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight of most businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds, along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials, for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone. Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic activity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of 2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges. 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 45.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 18.38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $85.4 million


expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $37.48 billion


expenditures: $41.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (2003)
Capital Monrovia Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 579 km 2,798 km
Constitution 6 January 1986 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: Republic of Liberia


conventional short form: Liberia
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Currency Liberian dollar (LRD) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 17.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 20.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.1 billion (2000 est.) $25.9 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III


embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380


FAX: [231] 226-148
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); Charge D'Affaires Aaron B. KOLLIE


chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011


telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437


FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA


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 rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River
Economic aid - recipient $94 million (1999) $487.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor countries. 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. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. High crime and HIV/AIDS infection rates also deter investment. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income.
Electricity - consumption 435.9 million kWh (2001) 181.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 6.91 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 6.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 468.8 million kWh (2001) 195.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001), 40.95 (2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)


note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market determined
rand per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor stepped down in August 2003


note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and the Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement, President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the National Transitional Government on 14 October 2003
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 to be held 24 April 2004)


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


note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment (1998 est.)
Exports - partners Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002) UK 12.6%, US 12.4%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 4.7%, Italy 4.4% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $456.7 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 74%


industry: 7%


services: 19% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 3.8%


industry: 31%


services: 65.2% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 1.9% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 30 N, 9 30 W 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total: 10,600 km


paved: 657 km


unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)
total: 362,099 km


paved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)


unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 1.1%


highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and 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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)
Imports - partners South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%, Singapore 7.9% (2002) Germany 16.6%, UK 8.5%, US 8.2%, Japan 5.9%, China 5.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%, France 5% (2003)
Independence 26 July 1847 31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5% (2003 est.)
Industries rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate total: 132.18 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 139.03 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 125.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 62.18 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 65.87 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 58.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 15% (2002 est.) 5.9% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2001) -
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1998 est.) 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force - 16.35 million economically active (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,585 km


border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 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: 1.97%


permanent crops: 2.08%


other: 95.95% (1998 est.)
arable land: 12.08%


permanent crops: 0.79%


other: 87.13% (2001)
Languages English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 14 October 2003)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1
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 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%; seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other 21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 48.15 years


male: 47.03 years


female: 49.3 years (2003 est.)
total population: 44.19 years


male: 44.39 years


female: 43.98 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 57.5%


male: 73.3%


female: 41.6%


note: (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 87%


female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851 GRT/75,408,994 DWT


ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker 163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357, liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil 5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11, Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong 69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20, Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore 20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US 113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.)
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT


by type: container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Netherlands 1


registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
Military - note - with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force South African National Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services
Military expenditures - dollar figure $7.8 million (FY02) $2,653.4 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.3% (FY02) 1.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 11,924,500 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 7,247,696 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 471,221 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 July (1847) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Liberian(s)


adjective: Liberian
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) prolonged droughts
Natural resources iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate -10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries though slowly returning (2003 est.)
-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE] African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony LEON]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NNP [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 3,317,176 (July 2003 est.) 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.)
Population below poverty line 80% 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.67% (2003 est.) -0.25% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 490 km


standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge


note: none of the railways are in operation (2002)
total: 22,298 km


narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge


note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2003)
Religions indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% 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: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia


domestic: NA


international: 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: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 6,700 (2000) 4.844 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1998) 16.86 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 31% (includes workers no longer looking for employment) (2003 est.)
Waterways none -
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