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South Africa at a glance

Size
1 219 090 km²

Key economic sectors
Mining and transport, energy, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture

Population
Total: 51 770 560
Male: 23 188 791
Female: 26 581 769
0 – 14 years: 15 100 089
15 – 64 years: 33 904 480
Households: 14,45 million

Official languages

• English
• isiZulu
• isiXhosa
• isiNdebele
• Afrikaans
• siSwati
• Sesotho sa Leboa
• Sesotho
• Setswana
• Tshivenda
• Xitsonga

Government
Constitutional multiparty, three-tier (local, provincial, national) democracy. Read more about South Africa's government.

Capitals

• Pretoria (administrative)
• Cape Town (legislative)
• Bloemfontein (judicial)

The Constitutional Court is located in Johannesburg.

Provinces

• Free State
• Eastern Cape
• Gauteng
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Limpopo
• Mpumalanga
• Northern Cape
• North West
• Western Cape

Currency
Rand (ZAR). 100 cents equals one rand

Time
GMT +2 hours

• Cape Town to Johannesburg 1 400 km (880 miles)
• Johannesburg to Durban 600 km (380 miles)
• Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein 700 km (440 miles)

Transportation
Excellent roads, rail and air facilities (both domestic and international)

Telecommunications
World-class infrastructure. Internet access is widely available. There are five mobile (cellular) networks.

Value-added tax
Levied at 14%. Tourists may apply for tax refunds on purchases over R250 on departure.

Health
Top-quality healthcare is available throughout the country, although basic in rural areas.

Inoculations are only required for those travelling from yellow-fever areas. Malaria precautions are necessary in some areas.

Sources:

• Pocket Guide to South Africa 2011/2012
  Editor: Louise van Niekerk. Government Communication and Information System

• Census 2011
  Statistics South Africa

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