Languages:
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 South Africa

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
former: Union of South Africa
abbreviation: RSA

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Pretoria (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Johannesburg(judicial capital)

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape

Independence:
31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in
1961 following an October 1960 referendum

National holiday:
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the
Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24
April 2004 (next to be held April 2009)
election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
proportional representation to serve five-year terms)