Economy Solomon Islands
Economy - overview:The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, andforestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufacturedgoods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are richin undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, andgold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to theSolomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of keybusinesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economiccollapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economicstability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$800 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$286 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:4.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 249,200 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 5% services: 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):6.6% (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $49.7 millionexpenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA(2003)
Agriculture - products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish
Industries:fish (tuna), mining, timber
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:55 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:51.15 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,280 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports:$171 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners:China 41.6%, South Korea 13.5%, Thailand 7%, Japan 6.4%,Philippines 4.6%, Italy 4.2% (2005)
Imports:$159 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners:Australia 26.2%, Singapore 25.7%, NZ 4.7%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua NewGuinea 4.1% (2005)
Debt - external:$166 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:$122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.)
Currency (code):Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Currency code:SBD
Exchange rates:Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847(2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Solomon Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:7,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:6,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Radios:57,000 (1997)
Televisions:3,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.sb
Internet hosts:2,658 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:8,400 (2005)
Transportation Solomon Islands
Airports:35 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 1914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2006)
Roadways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999)
Ports and terminals:Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Military Solomon Islands
Military branches:no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 114,253 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 92,796 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Solomon Islands
Disputes - international:since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional AssistanceMission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil andpolitical order and reinforce regional security
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Somalia
Introduction Somalia
Background: Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 in order to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GEDI, and a 90-member cabinet. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court militias ? known as the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) ? defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence throughout much of southern Somalia and threatening to overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces ? concerned over suspected links between some SCIC factions and al-Qa?ida ? in late December 2006 drove the SCIC from power, but the joint forces continue to fight remnants of SCIC militia in the southwestern corner of Somalia near the Kenyan border. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but continues to struggle to exert control over the capital and to prevent the reemergence of warlord rule that typified Mogadishu before the rise of the SCIC.
Geography Somalia
Location:Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates:10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 637,657 sq kmland: 627,337 sq kmwater: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline:3,025 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February),moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; southwestmonsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south,irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) betweenmonsoons
Terrain:mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 mhighest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Natural resources:uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.32% (2005)
Irrigated land:2,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains insummer; floods during rainy season
Environment - current issues:famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human healthproblems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protection
Geography - note:strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches toBab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
People Somalia
Population:8,863,338note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia iscomplicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movementsin response to famine and clan warfare (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.4% (male 1,973,294/female 1,961,083)15-64 years: 53% (male 2,355,861/female 2,342,988)65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,307/female 132,805) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 17.6 yearsmale: 17.5 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.85% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:45.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:16.63 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 114.89 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 124.18 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 105.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 48.47 yearsmale: 46.71 yearsfemale: 50.28 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:43,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: schistosomiasisanimal contact disease: rabies (2007)
Nationality:noun: Somali(s)adjective: Somali
Ethnic groups:Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)
Religions:Sunni Muslim
Languages:Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 37.8%male: 49.7%female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
Government Somalia
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Somalialocal long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeedlocal short form: Soomaaliyaformer: Somali Republic; Somali Democratic Republic
Government type:no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentaryfederal government
Capital:name: Mogadishugeographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, ShabeellahaHoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence:1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which becameindependent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,which became independent from the Italian-administered UNtrusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday:Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June(1960) in Somaliland
Constitution:25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known asthe Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing
Legal system:no national system; Shari'a (Islamic) and secular courts based onSomali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities; acceptscompulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi YUSUFAhmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a transitional governingentity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional FederalInstitutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFIrelocated to Somalia in June 2004, but its members remain dividedover clan and regional interests and the government continues tostruggle to establish effective governance in the countryhead of government: Prime Minister Ali Mohamed GEDI (since 24December 2004)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by theTransitional Federal Assemblyelection results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former leader of thesemi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president bythe Transitional Federal Assembly
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assemblynote: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional FederalAssembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to eachof four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans
Judicial branch:following the breakdown of the central government, most regionshave reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular,traditional Somali customary law, or Shari'a (Islamic) law with aprovision for appeal of all sentences
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:numerous clan and sub-clan factions are currently vying for power;Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC)
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM(observer), IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8May 1991); note - the TFG and other factions have representatives inWashington and at the United Nations
Diplomatic representation from the US:the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests arerepresented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United NationsAvenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157
Flag description:light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; bluefield influenced by the flag of the UN
Government - note:although an interim government was created in 2004, other regionaland local governing bodies continue to exist and control variouscities and regions of the country, including the self-declaredRepublic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia, the semi-autonomousState of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, and traditional clan andfaction strongholds
Economy Somalia
Economy - overview:Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep politicaldivisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence asthe "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland isa semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion isriddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic lifecontinues, in part because much activity is local and relativelyeasily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, withlivestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% ofexport earnings, but Saudi Arabia's ban on Somali livestock, due toRift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomadsand semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for theirlivelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock,hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports,while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are theprincipal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on theprocessing of agricultural products, has largely been looted andsold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's servicesector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firmsprovide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowestinternational call rates on the continent. In the absence of aformal banking sector, money exchange services have sproutedthroughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billionin remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety ofgoods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. The SCIC hasopened Mogadishu's main port and airport - closed for 15 years - andnow controls most of the ports and airfields in southern Somalia.Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. Theongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, haveinterfered with any broad-based economic development andinternational aid arrangements. Somalia's arrears to the IMFcontinued to grow in 2006. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, percapita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. In lateDecember 2004, a major tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths andresulted in destruction of property in coastal areas.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$5.023 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$2.483 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:2.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$600 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 3.7 million (very few skilled laborers)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29%
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation ratescannot be easily determined
Budget:revenues: $NAexpenditures: $NA
Agriculture - products:bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesameseeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Industries:a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,wireless communication
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:269 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:250.2 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Exports:$241 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
Exports - partners:UAE 48.5%, Yemen 20.9%, Oman 5.8% (2005)
Imports:$576 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, constructionmaterials, qat
Imports - partners:Djibouti 29.7%, Kenya 14.4%, India 7.9%, Brazil 7.4%, Oman 5.2%,UAE 4.9%, Yemen 4.8% (2005)
Debt - external:$3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$60 million (1999 est.)
Currency (code):Somali shilling (SOS)
Currency code:SOS
Exchange rates:Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620(January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), note, the Republic of Somaliland, aself-declared independent country not recognized by any foreigngovernment, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
Fiscal year:NA
Communications Somalia
Telephones - main lines in use:100,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:500,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almostcompletely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;private wireless companies offer service in most major cities andcharge the lowest international rates on the continentdomestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established inMogadishu and in several other population centersinternational: country code - 252; international connections areavailable from Mogadishu by satellite
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM inSomaliland (2001)
Radios:470,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4; note - two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)
Televisions:135,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.so
Internet hosts:3 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)
Internet users:90,000 (2005)
Transportation Somalia
Airports: 65 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 58 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Roadways:total: 22,100 kmpaved: 2,608 kmunpaved: 19,492 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWTby type: cargo 1foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Boosaaso, Berbera, Kismaayo, Merca, Mogadishu
Military Somalia
Military branches:a Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and theSomaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their ownsecurity and police forces
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.) (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 1,787,727females age 18-49: 1,714,792 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,022,360females age 18-49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$22.34 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.9% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Somalia
Disputes - international:Ethiopian forces invade southern Somalia and rout Islamist courtsfrom Moghadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provideport facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and haveestablished commercial ties with other regional states; "Puntland"and "Somaliland" "governments" seek international support in theirsecessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; theundemarcated former British administrative line has little meaningas a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogadenand southern Somalia's Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent theclan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across theborder, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 400,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition forresources) (2006)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@South Africa
Introduction South Africa
Background:After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, manyof the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their ownrepublics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurredwealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the nativeinhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but weredefeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of SouthAfrica operated under a policy of apartheid - the separatedevelopment of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheidpolitically and ushered in black majority rule.
Geography South Africa
Location:Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates:29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,219,912 sq kmland: 1,219,912 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and PrinceEdward Island)
Area - comparative:slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:total: 4,862 kmborder countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline:2,798 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Climate:mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, coolnights
Terrain:vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastalplain
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources:gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,salt, natural gas
Land use:arable land: 12.1%permanent crops: 0.79%other: 87.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:14,980 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues:lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive waterconservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacingsupply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urbandischarge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;desertification
Environment - international agreements:party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, ClimateChange, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, MarineLife Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completelysurrounds Swaziland
People South Africa
Population:44,187,637note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 29.7% (male 6,603,220/female 6,525,810)15-64 years: 65% (male 13,955,950/female 14,766,843)65 years and over: 5.3% (male 905,870/female 1,429,944) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 24.1 yearsmale: 23.3 yearsfemale: 25 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.4% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:18.2 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.16 migrant(s)/1,000 populationnote: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africaand Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.02 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.66 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 64.31 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 56.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 42.73 yearsmale: 43.25 yearsfemale: 42.19 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:21.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:5.3 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:370,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: South African(s)adjective: South African
Ethnic groups:black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5%(2001 census)
Religions:Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%,Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, other Christian36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001census)
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)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 86.4%male: 87%female: 85.7% (2003 est.)
Government South Africa
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of South Africaconventional short form: South Africaformer: Union of South Africaabbreviation: RSA
Government type:republic
Capital:name: Pretoria (administrative capital)geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 Etime difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Johannesburg(judicial capital)
Administrative divisions:9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
Independence:31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in1961 following an October 1960 referendum
National holiday:Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution:10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by theConstitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by thenPresident MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system:based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by the National Assembly for afive-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24April 2004 (next to be held April 2009)election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of NationalAssembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system ofproportional representation to serve five-year terms) and theNational Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by eachof the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has specialpowers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding ofcultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the NationalCouncil of Provinces with essentially no change in membership andparty affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilitieshave been changed somewhat by the new constitutionelections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders:African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE,president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,president]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Anthony LEON, president];Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER, president]; InkathaFreedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president];Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO, president]; UnitedDemocratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [BladeNZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National CivicsOrganization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note- COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW,PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELAchancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOSTembassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoriamailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Flag description:two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated bya central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms ofwhich end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a blackisosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrowyellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the greenband and its arms by narrow white stripes
Economy South Africa
Economy - overview:South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundantsupply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange thatranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructuresupporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centersthroughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough tolower South Africa's high unemployment rate, and daunting economicproblems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty and lackof economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. SouthAfrican economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic,focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means toincrease job growth and household income.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$576.4 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$200.5 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$13,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.3% services: 67.1% (2006 est.)
Labor force: 16.09 million economically active (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:25.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:50% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:59.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):5% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):17.1% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $72.15 billionexpenditures: $75.93 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2006 est.)
Public debt:32.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products:corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton,wool, dairy products
Industries:mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron andsteel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
Industrial production growth rate:7.1% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:227.2 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% nuclear: 5.5% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:207 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:12.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:8.026 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:229,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:502,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:398,000 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:28.32 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Current account balance:$-12.69 billion (2006 est.)
Exports:$59.15 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery andequipment
Exports - partners:Japan 9.9%, UK 9.7%, US 9.5%, Germany 6.5%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005)
Imports:$61.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientificinstruments, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:Germany 14.2%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Canada 6.3%, UK5.6%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$23.74 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:$55.47 billion (30 June 2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$487.5 million (2000)
Currency (code):rand (ZAR)
Currency code:ZAR
Exchange rates:rand per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004),7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications South Africa
Telephones - main lines in use:4.729 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:33.96 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: the system is the best developed and mostmodern in Africadomestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxialcables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; keycenters are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, PortElizabeth, and Pretoriainternational: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satelliteearth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:17 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:6 million (2000)
Internet country code:.za
Internet hosts:645,179 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):150 (2001)
Internet users:5.1 million (2005)
Transportation South Africa
Airports: 731 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 146 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 13 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 585 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 302 under 914 m: 249 (2006)
Pipelines:condensate 100 km; gas 1,062 km; oil 966 km; refined products 1,354km (2006)
Railways:total: 20,872 kmnarrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,868 km electrified); 436 km0.610-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 362,099 kmpaved: 73,506 km (including 239 km of expressways)unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)
Merchant marine:total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,815 GRT/39,295 DWTby type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, UK 5) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay,Saldanha Bay
Military South Africa
Military branches:South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army,South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), JointOperations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence,Military Health Service (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles, dating back to World War I (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 10,354,769females age 18-49: 10,626,550 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 4,927,757females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 512,407females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$3.55 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.5% (2005 est.)
Military - note:with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forceswere integrated into the South African National Defense Force(SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Transnational Issues South Africa
Disputes - international:South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend thethousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and politicalpersecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports largenumbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republicof the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500) and otherstates in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over thelocation of the boundary in the Orange River
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 10,609 (Democratic Republic ofCongo), 7,548 (Somalia), 5,764 (Angola) (2006)
Trafficking in persons:current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, anddestination country for men, women, and children trafficked forforced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are traffickedinternally - and occasionally to European and Asian countries - forsexual exploitation; women from other African countries aretrafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europefor sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked fromneighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian andEastern European women are trafficked to South Africa fordebt-bonded sexual exploitationtier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - South Africa is placed on the Tier2 Watch List for its failure to show increasing efforts to addresstrafficking in 2005
Illicit drugs:transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and cocaine;cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicitmethaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through variouseast African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractivevenue for money launderers given the increasing level of organizedcriminal and narcotics activity in the region
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@Southern Ocean
Background:A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that theAntarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flowsfrom west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in globalocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meetand mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinctborder - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with theseasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a uniqueecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, whichpromotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greaterabundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the InternationalHydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within theConvergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - bycombining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast ofAntarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides withthe Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of theAntarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourthlargest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does notimply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primaryoceans by the US Government.
Geography Southern Ocean
Location:body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the uniquedistinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totallyencircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water liesbetween 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica andencompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 20.327 million sq kmnote: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the DrakePassage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, andother tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline:17,968 km
Climate:sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degreesCelsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent andfrequently are intense because of the temperature contrast betweenice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south tothe Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhereon Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees southlatitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in theAtlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degreesCelsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage windsfrom the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain:the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of itsextent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarcticcontinental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edgelying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million squarekilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; theAntarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) movesperpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes:lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South SandwichTrenchhighest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on thecontinental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -none exploited; krill, fishes
Natural hazards:huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smallerbergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meterthick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with largeannual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored byglacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds andlarge waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues:increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarcticozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity(phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,especially the landing of an estimated five to six times morePatagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely toaffect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidentalmortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfishnote: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strongcomeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements:the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreementsregarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to theseagreements specific to the Antarctic region: International WhalingCommission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south[south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degreeswest]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limitssealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine LivingResources (regulates fishing)note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resourceexploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the AntarcticCircumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the verycold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to thenorth
Geography - note:the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America andAntarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the bestnatural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; itis a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic CircumpolarCurrent that separates the very cold polar surface waters to thesouth from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Currentextend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degreessouth near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far SouthAtlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds