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Compare South Africa (2005) - West Bank (2004)

Compare South Africa (2005) z West Bank (2004)

 South Africa (2005)West Bank (2004)
 South AfricaWest Bank
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape -
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: 43.8% (male 518,470; female 493,531)


15-64 years: 52.8% (male 623,785; female 595,376)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 34,226; female 45,816) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Airports 728 (2004 est.) 3 (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: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 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.)
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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: 5,860 sq km


land: 5,640 sq km


water: 220 sq km


note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly smaller than Delaware
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. The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external and internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.
Birth rate 18.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 33.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $47.43 billion


expenditures: $52.54 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $676.6 million


expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (includes Gaza Strip) (2003 est.)
Capital Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center -
Climate mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Coastline 2,798 km 0 km (landlocked)
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 -
Country name conventional long form: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: West Bank
Currency - new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Death rate 21.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $27.01 billion (2004 est.) $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)
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
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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 West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation
Economic aid - recipient $487.5 million (2000) $2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2001-02 est.)
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. Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment, which in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures during the next three years decreased and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant and administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Including Gaza Strip, the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel, in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside the Territories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the complete collapse of the economy. In 2004, on-going border issues and the death of Yasser ARAFAT continued to complicate the economic situation.
Electricity - consumption 189.4 billion kWh (2002) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 6.95 billion kWh (2002) -
Electricity - imports 7.873 billion kWh (2002) NA kWh
Electricity - production 202.6 billion kWh (2002) NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 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 adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
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) Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
Exchange rates rand per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000) new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999); Jordanian dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)
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
-
Exports NA $603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip
Exports - commodities gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment (1998 est.) olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Exports - partners US 10.2%, UK 9.2%, Japan 9%, Germany 7.1%, Netherlands 4% (2004) Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year (since 1 January 1992)
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 -
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.6%


industry: 31.2%


services: 65.2% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 9%


industry: 28%


services: 63%


note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2004 est.) -22% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 00 S, 24 00 E 32 00 N, 35 15 E
Geography - note South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts(August 2003 est.)
Highways total: 275,971 km


paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)


unpaved: 218,403 km (2002)
total: 4,500 km


paved: 2,700 km


unpaved: 1,800 km


note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements (1997 est.)
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 $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.) food, consumer goods, construction materials
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) Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)
Independence 31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum -
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 generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
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: 20.16 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.28 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.5% (2004 est.) 2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 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 -
Irrigated land 13,500 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts -
Labor force 16.63 million economically active (2004 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.) agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)
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: 404 km


border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Land use arable land: 12.08%


permanent crops: 0.79%


other: 87.13% (2001)
arable land: 16.9%


permanent crops: 18.97%


other: 64.13% (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) Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations -
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
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 43.27 years


male: 43.47 years


female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)
total population: 72.88 years


male: 71.14 years


female: 74.72 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: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Middle East, west of Jordan
Map references Africa Middle East
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
none (landlocked)
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)
-
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 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) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.5% (2004) NA
National holiday Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) -
Nationality noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
noun: NA


adjective: NA
Natural hazards prolonged droughts droughts
Natural resources gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas arable land
Net migration rate -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.98 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] -
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 -
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.)
2,311,204


note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2000 est.) 60% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate -0.31% (2005 est.) 3.21% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay none
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0


note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are reported to be in operation (2000)
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) Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 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: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: NA


note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank
Telephones - main lines in use 4.844 million (2002) 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 16.86 million (2003) 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003)
Television broadcast stations 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) NA
Terrain vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Total fertility rate 2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.52 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 26.2% (2004 est.) 50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)
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