Statistical information South Africa 1989

South Africa in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries:
4,973 km total
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 1,078 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,881 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone:200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along coast; sunny days, cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
ElevationNatural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: 10% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 65% meadows and pastures; 3% forest and woodland; 21% other; includes 1% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: Walvis Bay is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia; completely surrounds Lesotho; almost completely surrounds Swaziland
top of pagePopulation: 38,509,312 (July 1989), growth rate 0%; includes the 10 so-called homelands, which are not recognized by the US four independent homelands - Bophuthatswana 2,287,701, growth rate 2.77%; Ciskei 996,457, growth rate 2.89%; Transkei 4,187,559, growth rate 4.23%; Venda 639,947, growth rate 3.88% six other homelands - Gazankulu 713,244, growth rate 4.01%; Kangwane 536,093, growth rate 3.65%; KwaNdebele 337,227, growth rate 3.32%; KwaZulu 5,158,425, growth rate 3.64%; Lebowa 2,600,481, growth rate 3.93%; Qwagwa 768,641, growth rate 2.50%
Nationality: noun - South African(s; adjective - South African
Ethnic groups: 73.8% black, 14.3% white, 9.1% Colored, 2.8% Indian
Languages: Afrikaans, English (official; many vernacular languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana
Religions: most whites and Coloreds and roughly 60% of blacks are Christian; roughly 60% of Indians are Hindu, 20% Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 35 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 53 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 66 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 4.5 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: almost all white population literate; government estimates 50% of blacks literate
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa; abbreviated RSA
Government type: republic
Capital: administrative, Pretoria; legislative, Cape Town; judicial, Bloemfontein
Administrative divisions: 4 provinces; Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal; there are 10 homelands not recognized by the US - 4 independent (Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, Venda) and 6 other (Gazankulu, Kangwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, Lebowa, Qwaqwa)
Dependent areasIndependence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 31 May (1910)
Constitution: 3 September 1984
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: general suffrage limited to whites over 18 (17 in Natal Province) and to Coloreds and Indians over 18
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government State President Frederick W. DE KLERK (since 6 September 1989, previously Acting State President since 15 August 1989)
Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, Medical Services
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: CCC, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IHO, ILZSG, IMF, INTELSAT, ISO, ITU, IWC - International Whaling Commission, IWC - International Wheat Council, Southern African Customs Union, UN, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG (membership rights in IAEA, ICAO, ITU, WHO, WIPO, and WMO suspended or restricted)
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Piet G. J. KOORNHOF; Chancery at 3,051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 232-4,400; there are South African Consulates General in Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, Houston, and New York; US - Ambassador Edward J. PERKINS; Embassy at Thibault House, 225 Pretorius Street, Pretoria; telephone Õ27å (12) 28-4,266; there are US Consulates General in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg
Flag description
: actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The relatively large and developed economy, based on mining and manufacturing, is more comparable to Western developed countries than other African countries. Manufacturing is the most important sector, contributing 22% to GDP in 1986. Mining, finance, insurance, real estate, business services, and domestic trade sectors are next in importance. The mining and agricultural sectors are more significant to the economy than suggested by GDP data, with both sectors being major employers. Almost 65% of exports come from mining, with gold contributing about 40%. In 1987 real GDP rose an estimated 2.6%, and early indications of a good agricultural year and higher mineral prices suggest continued modest growth in 1988. The high unemployment rate of 15-20%, particularly among black workers, is expected to continue as long as the economy grows less than the annual 5% needed to absorb new entrants into the labor force.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, citrus, fruits, cattle and dairy products, sheep and wool; self-sufficient in foodstuffs
Industries: mining (world's largest producer of diamonds, gold, chrome), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemical, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (FY87)
Labor force:
11,000,000 economically active; 34%
services, 30% agriculture, 29%
industry and commerce, 7% mining (1985)
Unemployment rate: 19% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $18.9 billion; expenditures $23.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.8 billion (FY89)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $18.5 billion (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: gold 40%, minerals and metals 23%, food 6%, chemicals 3%
Partners: US, UK, FRG, Japan, other EC, Hong Kong
Imports: $15.3 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: machinery 27%, chemicals 11%, vehicles and aircraft 11%, textiles, scientific instruments, base metals
Partners: US, FRG, Japan, UK, France, Italy, Switzerland
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.1 billion (March 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: rand (R) per US$1 - 2.3866 (January 1989), 2.2609 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2686 (1986), 2.1911 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 34,232,000 kW capacity; 155,000 million kWh produced, 4,025 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $4.1 billion, 15.2% of central government budget (FY89)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 947 total, 814 usable; 115 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways over 3,659 m; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 209 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: 931 km crude oil; 1,748 km refined products; 322 km natural gas
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 275,684 GRT/273,973 DWT; includes 7 container, 1 vehicle carrier, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: administers Namibia until implementation of UN Resolution 435 on 1 April 1989
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs