REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Country and Population
Area: 1.219.090 sq km
Population: 49,00 m. (2011)
Predicted population: 48,7 m. (2050)
Average population growth: -0,38 % (2011)
Life expectancy: 49,33 years (2011)
Share of literacy among adults: 86,40 %
Languages: 11 official: Afrikaans, English, isiNdbele, isiXosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga
Ethnic groups: Black 79,00 %, White 9,60 %, Coloured 8,90 %, Indians and other Asians 2,50 %
Religions: Christians 68 % (majority of White and Couloured are Christians, of Black 60 % and Indians 40 %), Muslims 2 %, Hindus 1,5 %, 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 (3,61 m.), Durban (2,84 m.), Cape Town (3,35 m.), Pretoria (1,40 m.), Port Elizabeth (1,05 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 / Republiek van Suid-Afrika
Head of the state: President Jacob Zuma (ANC) (May 2009 >)
Head of the Government: President Jacob Zuma
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 2014
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 = 6,87 ZAR and 1 EUR = 9,57 ZAR in March 2011
Gross domestic product (GDP):354,40 bil. USD (2010)
GDP per capita: 10,700 USD (2010)
Foreign debt of GDP: 33,20 % (2010)
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: China 10.34%, US 9.19%, Japan 7.59%, Germany 7.01%, UK 5.54%, Switzerland 4.72% (2009)
Biggest import countries: China 17.21%, Germany 11.24%, US 7.38%, Saudi Arabia 4.87%, Japan 4.67%, Iran 3.95% (2009)
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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