Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Mauritius (2005) - South Africa (2003)

Compare Mauritius (2005) z South Africa (2003)

 Mauritius (2005)South Africa (2003)
 MauritiusSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.4% (male 151,043/female 148,847)


15-64 years: 69.1% (male 424,472/female 425,974)


65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,506/female 48,760) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 30% (male 6,460,273; female 6,377,090)


15-64 years: 65% (male 13,807,922; female 13,970,088)


65 years and over: 5% (male 864,441; female 1,288,864) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 6 (2004 est.) 727 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 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: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 298


under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Area total: 2,040 sq km


land: 2,030 sq km


water: 10 sq km


note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
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 almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole 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 15.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 18.87 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.231 billion


expenditures: $1.582 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $22.6 billion


expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY 02/03)
Capital Port Louis Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 177 km 2,798 km
Constitution 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 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 Mauritius


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


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Currency - rand (ZAR)
Death rate 6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 18.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.78 billion (2004 est.) $24.7 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE


embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis


mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450


telephone: [230] 202-4400


FAX: [230] 208-9534
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 Usha JEETAH


chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492


FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
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 Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship but no right to patriation in the UK; claims French-administered Tromelin Island managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River
Economic aid - recipient $42 million (1997) $487.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). 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 1.707 billion kWh (2002) 181.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 6.91 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 6.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.836 billion kWh (2002) 195.6 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 93.5%


hydro: 1.1%


nuclear: 5.5%


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


highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues water pollution, degradation of coral reefs 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, 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 Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.25 (2000) rand per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly


election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 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 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 NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment (1998 est.)
Exports - partners UK 33.1%, France 20.4%, US 14.8%, Madagascar 5.1%, Italy 4.1% (2004) UK 12.8%, US 12.7%, Germany 9%, Japan 8.8%, Italy 5.8% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 April - 31 March
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green 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 - $427.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 7.6%


industry: 30%


services: 62.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 4.4%


industry: 28.9%


services: 66.7% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.7% (2004 est.) 3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 17 S, 57 33 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total: 2,000 km


paved: 1,960 km (including 60 km of expressways)


unpaved: 40 km (2002)
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 minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry 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 NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)
Imports - partners South Africa 11.3%, China 9.4%, India 9.3%, France 9.2%, Bahrain 5.3%, Japan 4.1% (2004) Germany 15.4%, US 9.4%, UK 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan 5.8%, France 5%, China 4.9%, Iran 4.1% (2002)
Independence 12 March 1968 (from UK) 31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2000 est.) 3% (2002 est.)
Industries food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate total: 15.03 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 17.74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 60.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 64.73 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.5% (2004 est.) 9.9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, ECA, 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, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 150 (2001)
Irrigated land 200 sq km (2000 est.) 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 560,000 (2004 est.) 17 million economically active
Labor force - by occupation agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995) 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: 49.26%


permanent crops: 2.96%


other: 47.78% (2001)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
Languages Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4% (official), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census) 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held September 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
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%, NNP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NNP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NNP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.38 years


male: 68.4 years


female: 76.41 years (2005 est.)
total population: 46.56 years


male: 46.57 years


female: 46.54 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 85.6%


male: 88.6%


female: 82.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 87%


female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Political Map of the World Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2


foreign-owned: 6 (India 4, Switzerland 2) (2005)
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,235 GRT/35,904 DWT


ships by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 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 National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard) South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $12.5 million (2004) $1.746 billion (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.2% (2004) 1.7% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 11,865,280 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 471,578 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 12 March (1968) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Mauritian(s)


adjective: Mauritian
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards prolonged droughts
Natural resources arable land, fish gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 100 km; gas 741 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR] 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 NNP; note - NNP 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 NNP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders various labor unions 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 1,230,602 (July 2005 est.) 42,768,678


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 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (2001 est.) 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 0.84% (2005 est.) 0.01% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Port Louis Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - 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 (2002)
Religions Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census) 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: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 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 (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: small system with good service


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system


international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
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 348,200 (2003) more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 462,400 (2003) 7.06 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.8% (2004 est.) 37% (includes workers no longer looking for employment) (2001 est.)
Waterways - 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.