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)
13 August 1960 (from France)
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)
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
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)
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Exports
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
External Debt
$46,070,000,000 $
$483,900,000 US
Exchange Rate
rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 7.9576 (2008 est.), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 481.8 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Area
1,219,090 km sq
622,984 km sq
Coastline
2,798 km
0 km
Climate
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
