South Africa Facts
Background:
After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
- Natural Resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
- Area: 1,219,912 sq km
- Population: 44,187,637
- Capital: Pretoria
- Major 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)
- Major 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)
- Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
- Currency: rand (ZAR)
- Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
- Exports: Japan 9.9%, UK 9.7%, US 9.5%, Germany 6.5%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005)
- Imports: Germany 14.2%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Canada 6.3%, UK 5.6%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)
- Airports: 731 (2006) 146 with paved runways
