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)
Religions
Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
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)
Languages
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
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)
Exports
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
External Debt
$14,930,000,000 $
$46,070,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)
rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.500%
1.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Area
760 km sq
1,219,090 km sq
Coastline
161 km
2,798 km
Climate
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
