Compare South Africa (2005) - Northern Mariana Islands (2004)

Compare South Africa (2005) z Northern Mariana Islands (2004)

	South Africa (2005)	Northern Mariana Islands (2004)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape	none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian
Age structure	0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,760,137/female 6,682,013) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,860,727/female 14,750,496) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 893,360/female 1,397,403) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 20.3% (male 8,286; female 7,625) 15-64 years: 78.1% (male 25,579; female 35,534) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 603; female 625) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Airports	728 (2004 est.)	6 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	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.)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 584 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 300 under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Texas	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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.	Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.
Birth rate	18.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	19.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $47.43 billion expenditures: $52.54 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY01/02 est.)
Capital	Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center	Saipan
Climate	mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights	tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Coastline	2,798 km	1,482 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	Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA	conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Currency	-	US dollar (USD)
Death rate	21.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$27.01 billion (2004 est.)	NA
Dependency status	-	commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jendayi E. FRAZER 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 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	South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River	none
Economic aid - recipient	$487.5 million (2000)	extensive funding from US
Economy - overview	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. 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.	The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.
Electricity - consumption	189.4 billion kWh (2002)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	6.95 billion kWh (2002)	0 kWh
Electricity - imports	7.873 billion kWh (2002)	0 kWh
Electricity - production	202.6 billion kWh (2002)	NA kWh
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 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	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Environment - international agreements	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	black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)	Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean
Exchange rates	rand per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005); 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 Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005); 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 24 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009) 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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%
Exports	NA	NA
Exports - commodities	gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment (1998 est.)	garments
Exports - partners	US 10.2%, UK 9.2%, Japan 9%, Germany 7.1%, Netherlands 4% (2004)	US (2000)
Fiscal year	1 April - 31 March	1 October - 30 September
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	blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3.6% industry: 31.2% services: 65.2% (2004 est.)	agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3.5% (2004 est.)	NA
Geographic coordinates	29 00 S, 24 00 E	15 12 N, 145 45 E
Geography - note	South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland	strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
Heliports	-	1 (2003 est.)
Highways	total: 275,971 km paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways) unpaved: 218,403 km (2002)	total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)
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 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
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners	Germany 14.2%, US 8.5%, China 7.5%, Japan 6.9%, UK 6.9%, France 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Iran 5% (2004)	US, Japan (2000)
Independence	31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Industrial production growth rate	5.5% (2004 est.)	NA
Industries	mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	total: 61.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	total: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	4.5% (2004 est.)	1.2% (1997 est.)
International organization participation	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	Interpol (subbureau)
Irrigated land	13,500 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts	Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Labor force	16.63 million economically active (2004 est.)	6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)	NA
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	0 km
Land use	arable land: 12.08% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 87.13% (2001)	arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2001)
Languages	IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)	English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Legal system	based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations	based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
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 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	bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 43.27 years male: 43.47 years female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)	total population: 75.67 years male: 73.11 years female: 78.38 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 87% female: 85.7% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references	Africa	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1) registered in other countries: 7 (2005)	none
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	defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches	South African National Defense Force (SANDF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Operations, Joint Support, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2004)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$3.172 billion (2004)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.5% (2004)	-
National holiday	Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)	Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Nationality	noun: South African(s) adjective: South African	noun: NA adjective: NA
Natural hazards	prolonged droughts	active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Natural resources	gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas	arable land, fish
Net migration rate	-0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	9.61 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	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]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]	Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA]; Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]
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	44,344,136 note: 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 2005 est.)	78,252 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	50% (2000 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	-0.31% (2005 est.)	2.71% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay	Saipan, Tinian
Radio broadcast stations	AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 20,872 km narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge note: includes a 1,210 km commuter rail system (2004)	-
Religions	Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, other Christian 36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
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: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.72 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.79 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	4.844 million (2002)	21,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	16.86 million (2003)	3,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)	1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Terrain	vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Total fertility rate	2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)	1.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	26.2% (2004 est.)	NA

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