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Compare South Africa (2008) - Lithuania (2002)

Compare South Africa (2008) z Lithuania (2002)

 South Africa (2008)Lithuania (2002)
 South AfricaLithuania
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape 10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 6,447,623/female 6,370,909)


15-64 years: 65.5% (male 14,040,210/female 14,761,179)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 917,227/female 1,460,680) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 18.2% (male 333,966; female 319,992)


15-64 years: 68% (male 1,184,969; female 1,265,711)


65 years and over: 13.8% (male 167,789; female 328,711) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish
Airports 728 (2007) 72 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 146


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: 13 (2007)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 582


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 300


under 914 m: 248 (2007)
total: 63


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 55 (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: 65,200 sq km


land: NA sq km


water: NA sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Texas slightly larger than West Virginia
Background Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the East, founding the city of Cape Town. 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); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together under the Union of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in black majority rule. Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions.
Birth rate 17.94 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $68.2 billion


expenditures: $66.7 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $1.59 billion


expenditures: $1.77 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital name: Pretoria (administrative capital)


geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Vilnius
Climate mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers
Coastline 2,798 km 99 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 4 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases adopted 25 October 1992
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 Lithuania


conventional short form: Lithuania


local long form: Lietuvos Respublika


local short form: Lietuva


former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency - litas (LTL)
Death rate 22.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.87 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $64.8 billion (30 September 2007) $5.8 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST


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 John F. TEFFT


embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius


mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE 09723


telephone: [370] (2) 665-500


FAX: [370] (2) 665-510
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Welile Augustine NHLAPO


chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS


chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860


FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466


consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Disputes - international South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa the Russian Duma has not ratified 1997 boundary treaty; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights
Economic aid - recipient $700 million (2005) $228.5 million (1995) (1995)
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 is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. Growth has been robust since 2004, as South Africa has reaped the benefits of macroeconomic stability and a global commodities boom. However, unemployment remains high and outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. At the end of 2007, South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis because state power supplier Eskom suffered supply problems with aged plants, necessitating "load-shedding" cuts to residents and businesses in the major cities. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public transportation. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic, focusing on controlling inflation, maintaining a budget surplus, and using state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas as a means to increase job growth and household income. Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has been slowly rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. High unemployment, still 12% in 2002, and weak consumption have held back recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is underway. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. The US government and business aid have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.
Electricity - consumption 241.4 billion kWh (2007) 6.898 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 13.42 billion kWh (2005) 6.3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 11.32 billion kWh (2007) 3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 264 billion kWh (2007) 10.966 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 20%


hydro: 3%


nuclear: 77%


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


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 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 soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census) Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other 2.1%
Exchange rates rand per US dollar - 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003) litai per US dollar - 3.4946 (15 October 2002), 3.4794 (1 July 2002), 4.000 (fixed rate between 1 May 1994 and 1 February 2002); note - litai is the plural of litas; effective 1 February 2002 the litas was pegged to the euro at a rate of 3.4528
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)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)


election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
chief of state: President Rolandas PAKSAS (since 26 February 2003)


head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3 July 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 22 December 2002 and 5 January 2003 (next to be held in late 2007); premier appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament


election results: Rolandas PAKSAS elected president; percent of vote - Rolandas PAKSAS 54.9%, Valdas ADAMKUS 45.1%
Exports 217,700 bbl/day (2004) $5.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001)
Exports - partners Japan 12.1%, US 11.8%, UK 9%, Germany 7.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4% (2006) UK 13.8%, Latvia 12.6%, Germany 12.6%, Russia 11%, Poland 6.3% (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 three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red
GDP - purchasing power parity - $29.2 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 27%


services: 70.9% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 8%


industry: 31%


services: 61% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $8,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2007 est.) 4.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 00 S, 24 00 E 56 00 N, 24 00 E
Geography - note South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Highways - total: 44,000 km


paved: 35,500 km


unpaved: 8,500 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.4%


highest 10%: 44.7% (2000)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 26% (1996) (1996)
Illicit drugs transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering
Imports 319,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) $6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5% (2001)
Imports - partners Germany 12.6%, China 10%, US 7.6%, Japan 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%, UK 5% (2006) Russia 25.3%, Germany 17.2%, Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.2%, France 3.8% (2001)
Independence 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule) 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
Industrial production growth rate 6.2% (2007 est.) 6% (2002 est.)
Industries mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber
Infant mortality rate total: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 62.95 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 55.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
14.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.5% (2007 est.) 0.8% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ACCT (observer), BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 32 (2001)
Irrigated land 14,980 sq km (2003) 90 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President
Labor force 20.49 million economically active (2007 est.) 1.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 9%


industry: 26%


services: 65% (2007 est.)
industry 30%, agriculture 20%, services 50% (1997 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: 1,273 km


border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km
Land use arable land: 12.1%


permanent crops: 0.79%


other: 87.11% (2005)
arable land: 45.46%


permanent crops: 0.93%


other: 53.61% (1998 est.)
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) Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court
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 4 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 on 14 April 2004 (next to be held in 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
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Coalition 31.1%, New Union-Social Liberals 19.6%, Liberal Union 17.2%, TS 8.6%, remaining parties all less than 5%; seats by party - Social Democratic Coalition 52, Liberal Union 34, New Union-Social Liberals 29, TS 9, Farmer's Party 4, Center Union 2, Poles' Electoral Action 2, Modern Christian Democratic Union 1, independents 3, others 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 42.45 years


male: 43.21 years


female: 41.66 years (2007 est.)
total population: 69.42 years


male: 63.54 years


female: 75.6 years (2002 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: 98%


male: 99%


female: 98% (1989 est.)
Location Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Map references Africa Europe
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
Merchant marine total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 28,722 GRT/32,226 DWT


by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)


registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Seychelles 1, UK 4, unknown 1) (2007)
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 279,743 GRT/304,156 DWT


ships by type: cargo 25, combination bulk 8, petroleum tanker 2, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 3


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 13 (2002 est.)
Military - note with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete -
Military branches South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2007) Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Force, National Volunteer Defense Forces (SKAT)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $230.8 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) 1.9% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 933,638 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 733,415 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 28,506 (2002 est.)
National holiday Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is the date of independence from German, Austrian, Prussian, and Russian occupation, 11 March 1990 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
noun: Lithuanian(s)


adjective: Lithuanian
Natural hazards prolonged droughts NA
Natural resources gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas peat, arable land
Net migration rate -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.)
0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines condensate 100 km; gas 1,177 km; oil 992 km; refined products 1,379 km (2007) crude oil, 105 km; natural gas 760 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; New National Party or NNP; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA] Christian Democratic Party or LKDP [Kazys BOBELIS, chairman]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Vytautas LANDSBERGIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Center Union or LCS [Kestutis GLAVECKAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Farmer's Party or LUP [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS, chairman]; Lithuanian Green Party [Rimantas BRAZIULIS]; Lithuanian Liberal Union [Eugenijus GENTVILAS, chairman]; Lithuanian Liberal Youth [Neringa MOROZAITE]; Lithuanian National Democratic Party [Vygintas GONTIS]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSPD, and New Democracy; Moderate Conservative Union [Gediminas VAGNORIUS]; Modern Christian Democratic Union [Vytautas BOGUSIS, chairman]; New Democracy and Farmer's Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; New Union-Social Liberals [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Young Lithuania [Arnoldas PLATELIS]
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 43,997,828


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 2007 est.)
3,601,138 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate -0.46% (2007 est.) -0.25% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios - 1.9 million (1997)
Railways total: 20,872 km


narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,931 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2006)
total: 1,998 km


broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)


standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2001)
Religions Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census) Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.012 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.628 male(s)/female


total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female


total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 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: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons; 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; the SAT-3/WASC and SAFE fiber optic cable systems connect in South Africa providing connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capability and better residential access


domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications


international: landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite
Telephones - main lines in use 4.729 million (2005) 1.142 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 39.66 million (2006) 500,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) 27


note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)
Terrain vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil
Total fertility rate 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 24.2% (2007 est.) 12.5% (2001 est.)
Waterways - 600 km (perennially navigable)
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