South Africa, Republic of, republic and southernmost country of continental Africa, bordered on the north-west by Namibia; on the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe; on the north-east by Mozambique and Swaziland; on the east and south by the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The independent country of Lesotho forms an enclave in the eastern part of the country. South Africa has an area of 1,224,691 sq km (472,731 sq mi). The administrative capital of South Africa is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein.
Population
42,327,458
(1997 estimate)
Population Density
35 people/sq km
(90 people/sq mi) (1997 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
60%Urban
40%Rural
Largest Cities
Cape Town854,616
Durban715,669
Johannesburg712,507
Pretoria525,583
(1991 census)
Largest Metropolitan Areas
Cape Town2,350,157
Johannesburg1,916,063
Durban1,137,378
Pretoria1,080,187
(1991 census)
Ethnic Groups
75.2%Black African
including Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, and Sotho
13.6%White
including Afrikaners and British
8.6%Coloured (mixed race)
2.6%Asian
mostly Indians
Languages
Official Languages
Afrikaans, Tsonga, English, Ndebele, Sesotho, Sesotho sa Lebowa,
Swazi, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Other Languages
Portuguese, German, Dutch and other European languages, Gujarati,
Hindi, Urdu, and other Asian languages
Religions
17%Traditional African religions
16%Dutch Reformed Protestantism
13%African Christianity
11%Methodism
9%Roman Catholicism
7%Anglicanism
27%Other
including other Christian denominations, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism
Time and Date in Pretoria
Countries Currency Unit
ZAR/Unit
Units/ZAR
DZD
Algeria Dinars
0.146716
6.81587
USD
United States Dollars
11.3578
0.0880455
ARS
Argentina Pesos
3.85662
0.259294
AUD
Australia Dollars
6.05953
0.165029
ATS
Austria Schillings **
0.718932
1.39095
BSD
Bahamas Dollars
11.3578
0.0880455
BBD
Barbados Dollars
5.70742
0.175211
BEF
Belgium Francs **
0.245234
4.07774
BMD
Bermuda Dollars
11.3578
0.0880455
BRL
Brazil Reals
4.88506
0.204706
GBP
United Kingdom Pounds
16.1946
0.0617490
BGL
Bulgaria Leva
5.08024
0.196841
CAD
Canada Dollars
7.12012
0.140447
CLP
Chile Pesos
0.0173018
57.7975
CNY
China Yuan Renminbi
1.37214
0.728788
CYP
Cyprus Pounds
17.2873
0.0578459
CZK
Czech Republic Koruny
0.320398
3.12112
DKK
Denmark Kroner
1.33165
0.750946
XCD
East Caribbean Dollars
4.20658
0.237723
EGP
Egypt Pounds
2.45176
0.407871
EUR
Euro
9.89272
0.101084
FJD
Fiji Dollars
5.08177
0.196782
FIM
Finland Markkaa **
1.66384
0.601021
FRF
France Francs **
1.50814
0.663070
DEM
Germany Deutsche Marks **
5.05807
0.197704
XAU
Gold Ounces
3,432.83
0.000291305
GRD
Greece Drachmae **
0.0290322
34.4445
HKD
Hong Kong Dollars
1.45620
0.686720
HUF
Hungary Forint
0.0406832
24.5802
ISK
Iceland Kronur
0.113585
8.80400
INR
India Rupees
0.232722
4.29697
IDR
Indonesia Rupiahs
0.00115607
864.997
IEP
Ireland Pounds **
12.5612
0.0796104
ILS
Israel New Shekels
2.39467
0.417595
ITL
Italy Lire **
0.00510916
195.727
JMD
Jamaica Dollars
0.238558
4.19185
JPY
Japan Yen
0.0856220
11.6792
JOD
Jordan Dinars
16.0194
0.0624243
LBP
Lebanon Pounds
0.00750182
133.301
LUF
Luxembourg Francs **
0.245234
4.07774
MYR
Malaysia Ringgits
2.98967
0.334485
MXN
Mexico Pesos
1.26053
0.793319
NZD
New Zealand Dollars
5.00290
0.199884
NOK
Norway Kroner
1.28283
0.779525
NLG
Netherlands Guilders **
4.48912
0.222761
PKR
Pakistan Rupees
0.189138
5.28713
PHP
Philippines Pesos
0.222614
4.49208
XPT
Platinum Ounces
5,894.43
0.000169652
PLN
Poland Zlotych
2.76226
0.362022
PTE
Portugal Escudos **
0.0493447
20.2656
ROL
Romania Lei
0.000344854
2,899.78
RUR
Russia Rubles
0.364967
2.73998
SAR
Saudi Arabia Riyals
3.02869
0.330176
XAG
Silver Ounces
52.5846
0.0190170
SGD
Singapore Dollars
6.16532
0.162198
SKK
Slovakia Koruny
0.236866
4.22179
ZAR
South Africa Rand
1.00000
1.00000
KRW
South Korea Won
0.00859912
116.291
ESP
Spain Pesetas **
0.0594565
16.8190
XDR
IMF Special Drawing Rights
14.1610
0.0706163
SDD
Sudan Dinars
0.0436837
22.8918
SEK
Sweden Kronor
1.09621
0.912233
CHF
Switzerland Francs
6.75548
0.148028
TWD
Taiwan New Dollars
0.324972
3.07719
THB
Thailand Baht
0.260788
3.83454
TTD
Trinidad and Tobago Dollars
1.85584
0.538839
TRL
Turkey Liras
0.00000845010
118,341.79
VEB
Venezuela Bolivares
0.0123348
81.0714
ZMK
Zambia Kwacha
0.00254089
393.564
South Africa :
Geographic coordinates
29 00 S, 24 00 E
South Africa :
Population growth rate
0.26%
South Africa :
Birth rate
21.12 births/1,000 population
South Africa :
Death rate
16.77 deaths/1,000 population
South Africa :
People living with HIV/AIDS
4.2 million
South Africa :
Independence
31 May 1910
South Africa :
National holiday
Freedom Day, 27 April
South Africa :
Constitution
10 December 1996
South Africa :
GDP
purchasing power parity - $369 billion
South Africa :
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $8,500
South Africa :
Electricity - consumption
172.393 billion kWh
South Africa :
Exports
$30.8 billion gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
