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
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)
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%
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)
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Exports
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
External Debt
$46,070,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
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
1.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Area
1,219,090 km sq
36,125 km sq
Coastline
2,798 km
350 km
Climate
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
