3 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
48.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
64.81 years
male:
62.07 years
female:
67.63 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.4 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
South African(s)
adjective:
South African
Ethnic divisions:
black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions:
Christian (most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks), Hindu (60% of
Indians), Muslim 20%
Languages:
Afrikaans (official), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa, North Sotho, South
Sotho, Tswana, and many other vernacular languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
76%
male:
78%
female:
75%
Labor force:
13.4 million economically active (1990)
by occupation:
services 55%, agriculture 10%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%

*South Africa, Government

Names: conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa
conventional short form:
South Africa
Abbreviation:
RSA
Digraph:
SF
Type:
republic
Capital:
Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)
Administrative divisions:
4 provinces; Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal; there are 10
homelands not recognized by the US - 4 independent (Bophuthatswana, Ciskei,
Transkei, Venda) and 6 other (Gazankulu, Kangwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu,
Lebowa, QwaQwa)
Independence:
31 May 1910 (from UK)
Constitution:
3 September 1984
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Republic Day, 31 May (1910)
Political parties and leaders:
white political parties and leaders:
National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE KLERK (majority party); Conservative
Party (CP), leader NA (official opposition party); Democratic Party (DP),
Zach DE BEER; Afrikaner Volksunie (AVU), Andries BEYERS
Colored political parties and leaders (see Note):
Labor Party (LP), Allan HENDRICKSE (majority party); National Party (NP);
Democratic Party (DP); Freedom Party
Indian political parties and leaders:
Solidarity, J. N. REDDY (majority party); National People's Party (NPP),
Amichand RAJBANSI; Merit People's Party
note:
the Democratic Reform Party (DRP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) were
disbanded in May 1991
Other political or pressure groups:
African Nat