REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Country and Population
Area: 1.219.090 sq km
Population: 47,4 milj. (2005)
Predicted population: 48,7 milj. (2050)
Average population growth: 0,5 % (2005)
Life expectancy: 47 years (2004)
Share of literacy among adults: 82 % (2000-2004)
Languages: 11 official: Afrikaans, English, isiNdbele, isiXosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga
Ethnic groups: Black 79,4 %, White 9,3 %, Coloured 8,8 %, Indians and other Asians 2,5 %
Religions: Christians 68 % (majority of White and Couloured are Christians, of Black 60 % and Indians 40 %), Muslims 2 %, Hindus1,5 %, traditional natural religions 28,5 %
Natural resources: rich mineral sources, gold, chrome, platinum, diamonds
Neighbours: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mosambik, Swaziland and Lesotho
Biggest cities: Johannesburg (3,23 m.), Durban (3,09 m.), Cape town (2,89 m.), Ekurhuleni Metro (former East Rand) (2,48 m.), Pretoria (1,99 m.)
Share of population without fresh water: 13 % (2002)
Health: HIV/Aids
Sports: football (World cup hosts in 2010), cricket and rugby.

Politics and Administration
Official name: Republic of South Africa / die Republiek van Suid-Afrika
Head of the state: President Thabo Mbeki (ANC) (June 1999 >)
Head of the Government: President Thabo Mbeki
Ruling party: African National Congress (ANC), President Jacob Zuma (2008 >).
Parliament: the highest legislative party in Sa is used by the parliament, which consists of two chambers: 400 seats in National Assembly and 90 seats in National Council of Provinces
Elections: every fifth year, next presidential and parliamentary elections in 2009
Provincial Government: 9 provinces or states: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo (former Northern Province), Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West and Western Cape
Gained independence: 31.5.1910
National day: 27.4. (Freedom Day,1994)

Economy
Monetary unit: 1 rand (ZAR) = 100 cents
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 6,36 ZAR and 1 EUR = 7,918 ZAR in 2005
Gross national product (GNP):126,0 mrd. USD (2003)
GNP per capita: 2 750 USD (2003)
Purchasing power per capita:10 130 USD (2003)
Yearly growth of GNP per capita: 0,8 % (2002-2003)
National gross investments (% of GNP): 15,6 (1998)
Foreign net investments (% of GNP): 0,5 (2003)
Export (% of GNP): 28 (2003)
foreign debt (% of GNP): 23 (2003)
Official Development Aid (% of GNP): ,4 (2003)
Consumption of Electricity per capita: 4 715 kWh (2002) [x]
Public health service expenses (% of GNP): 3,5 (2002)
Public education expenses (% of GNP): 5,3 (2000-2002)
Defence expenditure (% of GNP): 1,6 (2003)
Most important export products: precious metals, groceries, cars and car parts, textile, clothes
Most important import products: machines and devices, chemicals, consumption commodities
Biggest export countries: USA, Great Britain, Japan (2004)
Biggest import countries: Germany, USA, China (2004)
direct foreign investments to SA: 471 million euros (2004)
Trade with Finland: Export from Finland was 382,30 million euros and import 59,04 million euros in 2005.
Export from Finland: machines, electronics
Import to Finland: metals, ore, raw materials, production materials, unrefined groceries, wines

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