Global Network South Africa

GN Code: GNZAF

Website: www.astd.co.za

President: Robin Probart, probartr@worldonline.co.za

Steering Committee Members:

Marius Meyer, mmeyer@unisa.ac.za

Nobby Mancini, nobby@abcweb.co.za

Chris Vermeulen, chris@businessresolve.co.za

About South Africa

National name: Republic of South Africa

Language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu (all official)

Capital: Cape Town

Government type: Republic

National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April ( 1994)

Currency: Rand

Area: 471,008 sq. mile (1,219,912 sq. km)

Population: (2005 est.): 44,344,136

Population density: per sq. mile: 94

 Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.3%
15-64 years: 64.5%
65 years and over: 5.2%

Median age:
total: 23.98 years
male: 23.12 years
female: 24.86 years

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $491.4 billion; per capita $11,100

Labor force: 16.63 million economically active; agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem, diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chronium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Exports: $41.97 billion f.o.b.(2004 est.)

Exports commodities: gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment (1998 est.)

Imports: $39.42 billion f.o.b.(2004 est.)

Imports commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instrument, foodstuffs (2000 est.)