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| Climate : |
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Terrain : |
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Natural resources : |
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
| Environment - current issues : |
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification |
| Population : |
approximately 44 Million in 2001 |
| Ethnic groups : |
black 75%, white 14%, Coloured 8%, Indian 3% |
| Languages : |
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Capital : |
Pretoria; note ‑ Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center |
| Economy - overview : |
South Africa is a middle‑income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well‑developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into high unemployment and the problems of poverty. |
| Industries : |
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs |
| Agriculture - products : |
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products |
| Exports - commodities : |
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment |
| Imports - commodities : |
machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments |
| Currency : |
rand (ZAR) |
| Ports and harbors : |
Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha |
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