South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is situated at the southern corner of Africa. It is covered by the Atlantic and Indian Ocean and borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, and Lesotho.


The South African National Defence Force is decomposed by the South African Army, the South African Air Force, the South African Navy, and the South African Military Health Services. It has the largest economy in Africa and 24th largest economy in the world. It has the membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Crime rates are very high in the country. The conflict between Black majority and white minority composes its political structure. South Africa is nicknamed as ‘Rainbow Nation’.


HISTORY:- Portuguese arrived in South Africa in 1487. John II of Portugal named the region as Cape of Good Hope. In 1795 British colonized South Africa. In 1833, British seized slavery in all colonies. Diamonds and gold were discovered in 1867 and 1884. This enriched the region economically. In Boers War I (1880-1881) Boers resisted the British. After the Boers War II (1899-1902) British took control over Boer republic. The Treaty of Vereeniging recognized British sovereignty over the Republic of South Africa under the condition that blacks would be deprived of suffrage. In 1910, the Union of South Africa was created. In 1948, the National Party came into power. But  the rights of blacks were still ignored. On 31st May 1961, South Africa became republic. In 1990 the National party took back the ban on the African National Congress and released Nelson Mandela from 27 years confinement. In first multi-racial elections in 1994, ANC won with significant majority.

 

GEOGRAPHY:- South Africa is situated at 29 00 S, 24 00 E. Along with the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is 2,798 km long. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is Njesuthi (3,408 m). South Africa is the world's 25th-largest country having 1,219,912 sq km, in which water has occupied 0 sq km. The country comprises vast interior plateau surrounded by rugged hills and mountains and narrow coastal plains. Droughts cause natural disasters to the land.

 

CLIMATE:- South African climate is mostly semiarid, with subtropical climate along the east coast. It has sunny days and cold nights.

 

GOVERNMENT:- South Africa is Parliamentary republic. The constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4th December 1996 and was signed by then President MANDELA on 10th December 1996. The constitution came into effect on 4th February 1997. The three branches of the government are:

Executive branch comprises the President (chief of state, head of government), cabinet.

Legislative branch comprises the bicameral Parliament- the National Assembly (400 seats), the National Council of Provinces (90 seats).

Judicial branch comprises Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts.

Prominent political parties include African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Vryheidsfront Plus/Freedom Front Plus, Pan-African Congress, African Christian Democratic Party, United Democratic Movement, and Azanian Peoples Organization. Suffrage is universal above 18 to all Citizens and permanent residents.

President   Thabo Mbeki

Deputy President  Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

NCOP Chairman  M. J. Mahlangu

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete

Chief Justice   Pius Langa



ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- South Africa is composed of 9 provinces (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Limpopo, Western Cape).

 

CULTURE:- South African music is marked with diversity. World-famous South African jazz musicians include Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, Abdullah Ibrahim, Miriam Makeba, Jonathan Butler, Chris McGregor, and Sathima Bea Benjamin. It ranges from folk to contemporary rock. South African cuisine is meat based. Football, rugby union, cricket and boxing are the most popular sports in South Africa.

 

ECONOMY:- South Africa is a middle-income country. The South African stock exchange is the 17th largest in the world. It has one of the highest rates of unequal income in the world.

GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $534.6 billion; per capita $12,100.

Real growth rate: 4.6%.

Inflation: 4.6%.

Unemployment: 25.2%.

Arable land: 12%.

Agriculture: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products.

Labor force: 15.23 million economically active; agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 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.

Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas.

Exports: $50.91 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment.

Imports: $52.97 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs.

Budget:  

Revenues: $68.2 billion

Expenditures: $66.7 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 28% of GDP (2007 est.)

Major trading partners: U.S., UK, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Iran (2004).

Monetary unit: Rand

 

LANGUAGE:- South Africa has 11 official 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%, isiNdebele, siSwati and Tshivenda 7.2% (2001)

 

CITIES:- Pretoria is administrative capital, Bloemfontein is judicial capital, and Cape Town is legislative capital of South Africa.

Largest city is Johannesburg. Other large cities are Durban/Pinetown, East Rand.

 

POPULATION:- The total south African population is 43,997,828.

Growth rate –0.5%.

Density per sq mi: 93

Literacy rate: 86% (2003 est.)

 

RACE:-

Black African 79%

White 9.6%

Colored 8.9%

Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001)

 

RELIGION:-

Zion Christian 11%

Pentecostal/Charismatic 8%

Catholic 7%, Methodist 7%

Dutch Reformed 7%

Anglican 4%

Other Christian 36%

Islam 2%

None 15% (2001)

 

HEALTH:- AIDS and malaria are at the alarming form in South Africa. 1,200,000 children are presumed orphans. 5 million people are estimated to carry the germs of HIV+.

Birth rate: 17.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 22.7 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 58.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.37 years

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 370,000 (2003 est.)

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 811

 

UNICEF:- Poverty and HIV are the key issues in South Africa. With the Association of Child Care Workers, UNICEF provides services to 13000 children. It campaigns against AIDS with International Cricket Commission (ICC) and UNAIDS. UNICEF provides antiretroviral drug therapy for the newborns, who have tested HIV+. The South African Government and UNICEF introduce The Techno Girls project, in which 1,100 girls are placed in IT sector. In addition to these UNICEF is fighting against drug use, gang violence and sexual harassment.

 

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 22,298 km (2002).

Highways: total: 362,099 km (2000).

Ports and harbors: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha.

Airports: 727 (2002).


Posted by subhasis on Friday Jun 06  reply


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