federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Independence date
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)
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
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 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
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)
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Exports
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs
External Debt
$47,560,000,000 $
$1,399,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6802 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
2
Location
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Area
1,219,090 km sq
30,528 km sq
Coastline
2,798 km
67 km
Climate
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
