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	COUNTRY FACTS: SOUTH AFRICA
Name(official):	Republic of South Africa (former Union of South Africa)
Name(short):	South Africa
Capital City:	Pretoria - Administrative capital, (Capetown is the legislative center and Bloemfotein the judicial center)
Location:	Southern Africa
Coordinate:	29 00 S, 24 00 E
Independence:	31 May 1910 (from Britain) 31 May 1961 (became a republic) 27 April 1994(majority rule and end of apatheid)
President:	Jacob G. Zuma President from 9 May 2009 Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe (Executive Vice President since 11 May 2009). He was President from 25 Sept 2008 to 9 May 2009 replacing Mr Mbeki who was forced by his party, ANC to resign following a bitter internal power struggle with then party Chairman Jacob Zuma) Baleka Mbete (V.P. from 25 September to 9 May 2009) Mr Tabo Mbeki (President: 14 June 1999 - 24 Sept. 2008) Nelson Mandela (President: 1994 - 1999) The first elected president in a fully democratic South Africa
Type of Government:	Republic
Total Area:	1,221,040 sq.km.
Population:	45.4million (2002 est.)
People:	black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census).
Religion:	Christians79.7%(various forms), Islam1.5%, others2.3%, unspecified1.4%, none15.1% (2001census)
Languages:	(11 offical languages) IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Africaans, Sepedi, English, Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, siSwati, isiNdebele.
Literacy:	86.4%total 87%male, 85.7%female (2003 est.)
Currency:	Rand(1rand=100cents)
GDP(per capita):	$12,800(2005est)
Arable Land:	12.1%
Agriculture:	corn, wheat, sugar cane, fruits, vegetables, beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Natural resources:	gold, platinum, uranium, copper, chromium, antimony, coal, natural gas, manganese, tin, iron ore, gem diamonds, nickel, phosphate, salt, vanadium.
Embassy in Japan:	Embassy of the Republic of South Africa, Chancery: Zenkyoren Building, 2-7-9, Hirakawa-cho, Chiyoda-ku. Post Code: 102-0093 Tel. 03-3265-3366/9 Embassy of South Africa, Japan
General Info:	GCIS
International Phone Code:	country code +27

ECONOMY: BUSINESS, TRADE AND INVESTMENT

• Johanesburg Stock Exchange
• Bond Exchange of South Africa
• South African Features Exchange(SAFEX)
• Department of Trade and Industry
• SA Chambers of Commerce
• Zulu Chamber of Commerce
• National Development Agency
• Rand Merchant Bank
• National Economic Development and Labour Council
• South Bureau of Standards
• The South Africa Gateway
• Tourism:
  • South Africa National Park
  • Robben Island Museum
  • Kruger National Park
  • Table Mountain
  • Garden Route
  • V and A Waterfront
  • Greater St Lucia Wetland Park

MAJOR CITIES

Cape Town, Durban, Soweto, Johanesburg,Pretoria, Port Elizabeth.

NEWS

• SABC
• Mail and Guardian
• IOL
• NEWS24
• Official SA Sports Site
• 2010 Fifa World cup Host
• South Africa Online

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

• United Nations
• African Union
• SADC
• NEPAD

GOVERNMENT: ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS

South Africa is divided into 9 provinces as follows:
Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North west, Northern Cape, Western Cape.

GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

• South African Reserve Bank
• National Treasury
• Commission For Conciliation and Arbitration
• Statistics
• National Departments
• South African Navy
• South African Army
• South African Airforce
• South African MilitaryHealth Services