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Compare South Africa (2001) - French Guiana (2003)

Compare South Africa (2001) z French Guiana (2003)

 South Africa (2001)French Guiana (2003)
 South AfricaFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)


15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)


65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 741 (2000 est.) 11 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways 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.)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
599

1,524 to 2,437 m:
33

914 to 1,523 m:
304

under 914 m:
262 (2000 est.)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area 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)
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly smaller than Indiana
Background 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. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$31.1 billion

expenditures:
$34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY01/02)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center Cayenne
Climate mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 2,798 km 378 km
Constitution 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 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa

conventional short form:
South Africa

former:
Union of South Africa

abbreviation:
RSA
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency rand (ZAR) euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $25.6 billion (2000 est.) $1.2 billion (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international 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 Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient $676.3 million $NA
Economy - overview 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. The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 172.393 billion kWh (1999) 423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 3.884 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 2.457 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 186.903 billion kWh (1999) 455 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
92.74%

hydro:
0.39%

nuclear:
6.87%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


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

highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues 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 NA
Environment - international 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 black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6% black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates rand per US dollar - 7.60 (March 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996) Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
Executive branch 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
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description 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
the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $369 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
5%

industry:
30%

services:
65% (1999 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2000 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 29 00 S, 24 00 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Highways total:
358,596 km

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

unpaved:
298,843 km (1996)
total: 722 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
1.1%

highest 10%:
45.9% (1994)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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 small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners Germany, US, UK, Japan France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002)
Independence 31 May 1910 (from UK) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 2.4% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate 60.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.3% (2000 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation 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 FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 44 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 12,700 sq km (1993 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 17 million economically active (2000) 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.) services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Land boundaries 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
total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
67%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
15% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.11% NEGL


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)
Languages 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu French
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations French legal system
Legislative branch 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
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.09 years

male:
47.64 years

female:
48.56 years (2001 est.)
total population: 76.69 years


male: 73.36 years


female: 80.18 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
81.8%

male:
81.9%

female:
81.7% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

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

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine 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.)
none (2002 est.)
Military - note the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2 billion (FY00/01) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.5% (FY99/00) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
11,469,812 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
6,977,328 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
466,399 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun:
South African(s)

adjective:
South African
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards prolonged droughts high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Net migration rate -1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km -
Political parties and leaders 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] Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders 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 NA
Population 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.)
186,917 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.26% (2001 est.) 2.4% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Radios 13.75 million (1997) -
Railways total:
21,431 km

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


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 5.075 million (1999) 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular over 2,000,000 (1999) NA
Television broadcast stations 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (2000 est.) 22% (2001)
Waterways NA 3,300 km navigable by native craft


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
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