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Compare South Africa (2002) - Angola (2006)

Compare South Africa (2002) z Angola (2006)

 South Africa (2002)Angola (2006)
 South AfricaAngola
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,678,185/female 2,625,933)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 3,291,954/female 3,195,688)


65 years and over: 2.8% (male 148,944/female 186,367) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish
Airports 740 (2001) 244 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways 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)
total: 31


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 298


under 914 m: 252 (2002)
total: 213


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 30


914 to 1,523 m: 95


under 914 m: 81 (2006)
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: 1,246,700 sq km


land: 1,246,700 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. Angola is slowly rebuilding its country after the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold legislative elections in 2006.
Birth rate 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 45.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $22.6 billion


expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY02/03 )
revenues: $8.5 billion


expenditures: $10 billion; including capital expenditures of $963 million (2005 est.)
Capital Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center name: Luanda


geographic coordinates: 8 48 S, 13 14 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Coastline 2,798 km 1,600 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 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - a new constitution will likely be passed following the next legislative election
Country name conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
conventional long form: Republic of Angola


conventional short form: Angola


local long form: Republica de Angola


local short form: Angola


former: People's Republic of Angola
Currency rand (ZAR) -
Death rate 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 24.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $25.5 billion (2001 est.) $9.401 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFIRD


embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda


mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda,US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550


telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000


FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITI


chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156


FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258


consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
Disputes - international 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 many Cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in neighboring states
Economic aid - recipient $539 million (1999) $383.5 million (1999)
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 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. Angola's high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record oil prices and rising petroleum production. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90% of exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004 and 19% growth in 2005. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as widespread land mines still mar the countryside even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for half of the population, but half of the country's food must still be imported. In 2005, the government started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild Angola's public infrastructure, and several large-scale projects are scheduled for completion by 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation, a policy that was more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings, and has significantly reduced inflation. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to about 18% in 2005, but the stabilization policy places pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption. The government has made sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as promoting greater transparency in government spending but continues to be without a formal monitoring agreement with the institution.
Electricity - consumption 181.52 billion kWh (2000) 1.9 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports 4.549 billion kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 5.294 billion kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 194.38 billion kWh (2000) 2.24 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 93%


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 7%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m
Environment - current issues 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 overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6% Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Exchange rates rand per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997) kwanza per US dollar - 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002), 22.058 (2001)
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 is the governing coalition
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September 2006 or 2007)


election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president
Exports $32.3 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton
Exports - partners EU 33%, US 20%, Japan 6%, Mozambique 2.5% (2001 est.) US 39.8%, China 29.6%, France 7.8%, Chile 5.4%, Taiwan 4.4% (2005)
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
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
GDP purchasing power parity - $412 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 31%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 9.6%


industry: 65.8%


services: 24.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $9,400 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 19.9% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 00 S, 24 00 E 12 30 S, 18 30 E
Geography - note South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Highways 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%: 1%


highest 10%: 46% (1994) (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; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states
Imports $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods
Imports - partners EU 41%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, Japan 7% (2001 est.) South Korea 20.8%, Portugal 13.6%, US 12.7%, South Africa 7.5%, Brazil 5.6%, France 5.3%, China 5.1% (2005)
Independence 31 May 1910 (from UK) 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (2001 est.) 13.5% (2004)
Industries mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair
Infant mortality rate 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 185.36 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 197.56 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 172.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.8% (2001 est.) 23% (2005 est.)
International organization participation 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 ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 150 (2001) -
Irrigated land 13,500 sq km (1998 est.) 800 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 17 million economically active (2000) 5.58 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.) agriculture: 85%


industry and services: 15% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 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
total: 5,198 km


border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km
Land use arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
arable land: 2.65%


permanent crops: 0.23%


other: 97.12% (2005)
Languages 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets
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 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
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, other 7
Life expectancy at birth total population: 45.43 years


male: 45.19 years


female: 45.68 years (2002 est.)
total population: 38.62 years


male: 37.47 years


female: 39.83 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 85%


male: 86%


female: 85% (2000 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 66.8%


male: 82.1%


female: 53.8% (2001 est.)
Location Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


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


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 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


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)
total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT


by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1


registered in other countries: 5 (Bahamas 5) (2006)
Military - note the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces -
Military branches South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.79 billion (FY01) $2 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY01) 8.8% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 11,557,242 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 7,031,337 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 466,399 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Nationality noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
noun: Angolan(s)


adjective: Angolan
Natural hazards prolonged droughts locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Natural resources gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Net migration rate -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 3.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2006)
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; 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] Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party); Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] (ruling party in power since 1975); Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]


note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties have little influence in the National Assembly
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 Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]


note: FLEC's small-scale, highly factionalized armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province has largely ended
Population 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.)
12,127,071 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2000 est.) 70% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 0.02% (2002 est.) 2.45% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha -
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)
Radios 17 million (2001) -
Railways 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)
total: 2,761 km


narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)
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% indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)
Sex ratio 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.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 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: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links


domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter


international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia (2005)
Telephones - main lines in use more than 5 million (2001) 94,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 7.06 million (2001) 1,094,100 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) 6 (2000)
Terrain vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Total fertility rate 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.) 6.35 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 37% (2001 est.) extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.)
Waterways NA 1,300 km (2005)
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