Country Name:
conventional long form:   Republic of South Africa
conventional short form:  South Africa

Capital: Pretoria

Currency: Rand (ZAR)

Geographic Coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E

Area:
- total: 1,219,090 sq km
- land: 1,214,470 sq km
- water: 4,620 sq km
note:  includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Coastline: 2,798 km

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

Land use:
- arable land: 12.1%
- permanent crops: 0.79%
- other: 87.11% (2005)

Population: 49,052,489 (July 2009 est)

Nationality: South African(s)

Ethnic groups:
Black African 79%, White 9.6%, Colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Religions:
Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)

Languages:
English 45%, IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 86.4%
Male: 87%
Female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Government
Government Type: Republic

Independence: 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

National Holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution: 10 December 1996; note - certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; and entered into effect on 4 February 1997

Legal System: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal