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{{dablink|This article is about the country on the southern tip of the African continent. For its predecessors, see ]. For the southern region of Africa, see ].}}
{{Infobox Country
|conventional_long_name = <center>{{Collapsible list |title='''<center>Republic of South Africa</center>''' |<center>Republiek van Suid-Afrika |<center>IRiphabliki yeSewula Afrika | <center>IRiphabliki yaseMzantsi Afrika | <center>IRiphabliki yaseNingizimu Afrika| <center>IRiphabhulikhi yeNingizimu Afrika |<center>Rephaboliki ya Afrika-Borwa|<center>Rephaboliki ya Afrika Borwa |<center>Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa |<center>Riphabliki ra Afrika Dzonga|<center>Riphabu{{Unicode|ḽ}}iki ya Afurika Tshipembe</center>}}
|common_name = South Africa
|image_flag = Flag of South Africa.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of South Africa.svg
|symbol_type = Coat of arms
|image_map = LocationSouthAfrica.svg
|national_motto = ''!ke e: {{IPA|ǀ}}xarra {{IPA|ǁ}}ke''{{spaces|2}}<small>(])<br />“Unity In Diversity” (literally “Diverse People Unite”)</small>
|national_anthem = ]
|official_languages = {{Collapsible list |title=] |
] |] |] |] |] |] |] |] |] |] |]}}
|demonym = South African
|capital = ] (executive)<br />] (judicial)<br />] (legislative)
|largest_city = ] <small>(2006)&nbsp;</small>
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|leader_title3 = ]
|leader_name3 = ]
|leader_title4 = ]
|leader_name4 = ]
|leader_title5 = ]
|leader_name5 = ]
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = from the ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = ] ]
|established_event2 = ]
|established_date2 = ] ]
|established_event3 = ]
|established_date3 = ] ]
|area_rank = 25<sup>th</sup>
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|area_km2 = 1,221,037
|area_sq_mi = 471,443 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|percent_water = Negligible
|population_estimate = 43.7 million
|population_estimate_year = 2008 ]
|population_estimate_rank = 25<sup>th</sup>
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density_km2 = 39
|population_density_sq_mi = 101 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 136<sup>th</sup>
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007
|GDP_PPP = $467,95 billion {{increase}} <!--IMF-->
|GDP_PPP_rank = 25<sup>th</sup>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $10,600 {{decrease}}
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 57<sup>th</sup>
|GDP_nominal_year = 2007 (IMF)
|GDP_nominal = $282.6 billion
|GDP_nominal_rank = 30th
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $5,724
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 70th
|Gini = 57.8
|Gini_year = 2000
|Gini_category = <font color="#e0584e">high</font>
|footnotes =
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI = 0.674 {{increase}}
|HDI_rank = 121<sup>st</sup>
|HDI_category = <font style="color:#fc0">medium</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = ZAR
|country_code = RSA
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +2
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 27
}}

]
], the first European to settle in South Africa, with ] in the background.]]

The '''Republic of South Africa''' (also known by ]) is a country located at the southern tip of ] . It borders the ] and ] ]s and ], ], ], ], ], and ], an independent ] surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is a member of the ]. The South African economy is the largest in Africa and 24th largest in the world. Due to this it is the most socially, economically and infrastructurally developed country on the ].

South Africa has experienced a different history from other nations in Africa because of early ] from ] and the strategic importance of the ]. European immigration began shortly after the ] founded a station at what would become ], in 1652. The closure of the ] during the ] highlighted its significance to East-West trade. The country's relatively developed infrastructure made its mineral wealth available and important to ] interests, particularly throughout the late nineteenth century and, with international competition and rivalry, during the ]. South Africa is ethnically diverse, with the largest ], ], and ] communities in Africa. ] South Africans, who speak nine officially recognised languages, and many more dialects, account for nearly 80% of the population.

Racial strife between the white minority and the black majority has played a large part in South Africa's ] and ], culminating in ], which was instituted in 1948 by the ] (although ] existed before that time). The laws that defined apartheid began to be repealed or abolished by the National Party in 1990, after a long and sometimes violent struggle, including ] from the ].

Several philosophies and ideologies have developed in South Africa, including ] (the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity) and ]'s ].

Regular ]s have been held for almost a century; but the majority of South Africans were not ] until 1994.

South Africa is often called the "]", a term coined by ] ] and later adopted by then ] ]. Mandela used the term "Rainbow Nation" as a metaphor to describe the country's newly developing multicultural diversity after segregationist apartheid ideology. By 2007, the country had joined ], the ], ], and ] in legalizing ].

==History==
{{main|History of South Africa}}

====Pre-history====
]
South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological sites in ]. Extensive ] remains at the ], ] and Makapansgat caves suggest that various ] existed in South Africa from about three million years ago. These were succeeded by various species of ''Homo'', including '']'', '']'' and modern man, '']''. Settlements of ]-speaking peoples, who were ]-using agriculturists and herdsmen, were already present south of the ] by the fourth or fifth century (see ]) displacing and absorbing the original KhoiSan speakers. They slowly moved south and the earliest ironworks in modern-day ] are believed to date from around 1050. The southernmost group was the ] people, whose language incorporates certain linguistic traits from the earlier KhoiSan people, reaching the ], in today's ]. These ] populations displaced earlier people, who often had ] societies, as they migrated.

====European encounter====
The written history of South Africa begins with the arrival of the ]. In 1487, ] became the first European to reach the southernmost tip of Africa. When he returned to Lisbon carrying news of the discovery, which he called ''Cabo das Tormentas'' (Cape of Storms) due to the stormy conditions he had encountered in the region, his royal sponsor, ], chose a different name, ''Cabo da Boa Esperança'' or ], for it promised a sea route to the riches of India then being sought by ]. Later, the great Portuguese poet ] immortalized Dias' voyage in the epic poem ], specifically via the mythological character, ], which symbolizes the forces of nature the Portuguese navigators had to overcome during the circumnavigation of the Cape.

====European colonization====
Along with the accounts of the very early navigators, the accounts of shipwreck survivors provide the earliest written accounts of Southern Africa. In the two centuries following 1488, a number of small fishing settlements were made along the coast by Portuguese sailors, but no written account of these settlements survives. In 1652 a victualling station was established at the ] by ] on behalf of the ]. For most of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the slowly-expanding settlement was a ] possession. The Dutch settlers eventually met the south-westerly expanding ] people in the region of the ]. A series of wars, called ], ensued, mainly caused by conflicting land and livestock interests.

To ease Cape labour shortages ] were brought from ], ], and ]. Furthermore, troublesome leaders, often of royal descent, were banished from Dutch colonies to South Africa. This group of slaves eventually gave rise to a population that now identifies themselves as "]". ] have traditionally been accorded a higher social status by the European colonists - many became wealthy landowners, but became increasingly dispossessed as ] developed. Cape Malay mosques in ] were spared, and now serve as monuments for the destruction that occurred around them.

Most of the descendants of these slaves, who often married with Dutch settlers, were later classified together with the remnants of the ] (aka Khoisan) as ]. Further intermingling within the ] population itself, as well as with ] and other South African people, now means that they constitute roughly 50% of the population in the ].

] seized the ] area in 1795 ostensibly to stop it falling into the hands of the French, but also seeking to use ] in particular as a stop on the route to Australia and India. It was later returned to the Dutch in 1803, but soon afterwards the ] declared bankruptcy, and the British annexed the Cape Colony in 1806. The British continued the frontier wars against the Xhosa, pushing the eastern frontier eastward through a line of forts established along the Fish River and consolidating it by encouraging ]. Due to pressure of ] societies in Britain, the ] first stopped its global ] in 1807, then abolished slavery in all its colonies in 1833.

{{SouthAfrica state}}

The discovery of ]s in 1867 and ] in 1884 in the interior encouraged economic growth and immigration, intensifying the subjugation of the natives. The ]s successfully resisted British encroachments during the ] (1880&ndash;1881) using ] tactics, much better suited to local conditions. However, the British returned in greater numbers without their red jackets in the ] (1899&ndash;1902). The Boers' attempt to ally themselves with ] provided the British with yet another excuse to take control of the Boer Republics.

The ] resisted fiercely, but the British eventually overwhelmed the Boer forces, using their superior numbers, improved tactics and external supply chains. Also during this war, the British used controversial ] and ] tactics, forcing whole families into crowded tents and burning their houses. Crops were burnt and all livestock slaughtered to demoralize the resisting ]. The appalling conditions in British ] were brought to light by Welfare Campaigner ] in her report "Report of a Visit to the Camps of Women and Children in the Cape and Orange River Colonies". Maltreatment and undernourishment were common in camps. Food was often poisoned and glass pieces and hooks were found in many rations. The death toll reached 26,370 of which 24,000 were children.

The ] specified full British sovereignty over the South African republics, and the ] agreed to assume the ]3&nbsp;000&nbsp;000 war debt owed by the Afrikaner governments. One of the main conditions of the treaty ending the war was that "Blacks" would not be allowed to vote, except in the Cape Colony.

====Independence====
After four years of negotiating, the ] was created from the ] and ] colonies, as well as the republics of ] and ], on ], ], exactly eight years after the end of the Second Boer War. The newly-created Union of South Africa was a ]. The ] of 1913<ref name="Natives' Land Act">"", ''This day in history'', publish date unknown (accessed 20 December, 2007).</ref> severely restricted the ownership of land by 'blacks', at that stage to a mere 7% of the country, although this amount was eventually increased marginally. In 1934, the ] and ] merged to form the ], seeking reconciliation between Afrikaners and ]-speaking "Whites", but split in 1939 over the Union's entry into ] as an ally of the ], a move which the National Party strongly opposed.

In 1948, the ] was elected to power, and began implementing a series of harsh segregationist laws that would become known collectively as ]. Not surprisingly, this segregation also applied to the wealth acquired during rapid industrialisation of the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. While the White minority enjoyed the highest ] in all of Africa, often comparable to "]" western nations, the Black majority remained disadvantaged by almost every standard, including income, education, housing, and life expectancy. However, the average income and life expectancy of a black, Indian or "Coloured" South African compared favourably to many other African states, such as ] and ] as education and health were provided, though selectively.

On 31 May 1961, following a whites-only ], the country became a ] and left the ]. The office of ] was abolished and replaced with the position of ].

====Nuclear armament and apartheid====
Apartheid became increasingly controversial, leading to widespread ] and ] abroad and growing unrest and oppression within South Africa. (See also the article on the ].) A long period of harsh suppression by the government, and at times violent resistance, ]s, marches, protests, and ] by bombing and other means, by various anti-apartheid movements, most notably the ] (ANC), followed. In the late 1970s, South Africa began a program of ]s, and in the following decade it produced six deliverable nuclear weapons. The rationale for the nuclear arsenal is disputed, but it is believed that ] and ] wanted to be able to catalyse ] intervention in the event of a war between South Africa and the ]n-supported ] government of ].

In 1990 the National Party government took the first step towards negotiating itself out of power when it lifted the ban on the African National Congress and other ] political organisations, and released ] from prison after twenty-seven years' incarceration on a ] sentence. Apartheid legislation was gradually removed from the statute books, and South Africa also destroyed its nuclear arsenal and acceded to the ]. The first ] were held in 1994, which the ANC won by an overwhelming majority. It has been in power ever since.

Despite the end of apartheid, millions of South Africans, mostly black, continued to live in ]. This is partly attributed to the legacy of the apartheid system and, increasingly, as what many see as the failure of the current government to tackle social issues, coupled with the monetary and fiscal discipline of the current government to ensure both redistribution of wealth and economic growth. Since the ANC government took power, South Africa's ] ] has fallen dramatically, while it was steadily rising until the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_ZAF.html|title=South Africa|date=2006|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|work=Human Development Report|accessdate=2007-11-28}}</ref> Much of this could be attributed to the ] ] and the government's failure to take steps to address it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sairr.org.za/wsc/pstory.htx?storyID=428|title=Ridicule succeeds where leadership failed on AIDS|publisher=South African Institute of Race Relations|date=November 10, 2006}}</ref> However, the ANC's social housing policy has produced some improvement in living conditions in many areas by redirecting fiscal spending and improving the efficiency of the tax collection system.

==Government and politics==
{{main|Politics of South Africa}}
], the administrative capital of South Africa]]
<!-- Please, the city's name is Pretoria, not Tshwane. Tshwane refers to the municipality which Pretoria finds itself in. The administrative divisions however is situated in Pretoria. Do not change this. -->
South Africa is the only country in the world with three capital cities: ], the largest of the three, is the ''legislative'' capital; ] is the ''administrative'' capital; and ] is the ''judicial'' capital. South Africa has a ] ]: the ninety members of the ] (the ]); and the four hundred members of the ] (the ]). Members of the lower house are elected on a population basis by ]: half of the members are elected from national lists and half are elected from provincial lists. Ten members are elected to represent each province in the National Council of Provinces, regardless of the population of the province. Elections for both chambers are held every five years. The government is formed in the lower house, and the leader of the majority party in the National Assembly is the ].

Current South African politics are dominated by the ] (ANC), which received 69.7% of the vote during the last ] and 66.3% of the vote in the ]. The current (2004-2009 term) ] is ], who succeeded former President ]. The main challenger to the ANC's rule is the ] party, which received 12.4% of the vote in the 2004 election and 14.8% in the 2006 election. The leader of this party is ] (elected ] ]). The previous leader of the party was ]. The formerly dominant ], which introduced apartheid through its predecessor, the ], chose to merge with the ANC on ] ]. Other major political parties represented in Parliament are the ], which mainly represents ] voters, and the ], who took 6.97% and 1.7% of the vote respectively, in the 2004 election.

However since 2004 the country has suffered many thousands of popular protests, some violent, making it, according to one academic, the "most protest-rich country in the world".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abahlali.org/node/1898|title=Article by Imran Buccus in the Mercury newspaper}}</ref> Many of these protests have been organised from the growing ] that surround South African cities.

==Law==
{{main|Law of South Africa}}
The primary sources of South Africa law were Roman-Dutch mercantile law and personal law with English Common law, as imports of Dutch settlements and ]. The first European based law in South Africa was brought by the ] and is called ]. It was imported before the ] of European law into the ] and is comparable in many ways to ]. This was followed in the 19th century by ], both ] and ]. Starting in 1910 with unification, South Africa had its own ] which passed laws specific for South Africa, building on those previously passed for the individual member colonies.

==Provinces, districts and municipalities==
{{main|Provinces of South Africa|Districts of South Africa|Municipalities of South Africa}}
[[Image:South Africa Districts April 2006.png|thumb|350px|right
|Map showing the provinces and districts (numbered) of South Africa.
{{columns
|width=200px
|col1 =
{{legend|#E0A0C0|]}}
{{legend|#40C0C0|]}}
{{legend|#C1ABD7|]}}
{{legend|#608040|]}}
{{legend|#808040|]}}
|col2 =
{{legend|#E04080|]}}
{{legend|#E0E040|]}}
{{legend|#80C080|]}}
{{legend|#E0E080|]}}
}}]]

When apartheid ended in 1994, the South African government had to integrate the formerly independent and semi-independent ]s into the political structure of South Africa. To this end, it abolished the four former provinces of South Africa (], ], ], and ]) and replaced them with nine fully integrated provinces. The new provinces are usually much smaller than the former provinces, which theoretically gives local governments more resources to distribute over smaller areas.

The nine provinces are further subdivided into ]: ] and ]. The 46 district municipalities are further subdivided into ]. The district municipalities also contain 20 district management areas (mostly game parks) that are directly governed by the district municipalities. The six metropolitan municipalities perform the functions of both district and local municipalities. The new provinces are:
{{SouthAfricaProvinces}}

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of South Africa}}
]
South Africa is located at the southernmost region of Africa, with a long ] that stretches more than 2,500&nbsp;kilometres (1,550 mi) and across two ]s (the ] and the ]). At 470,979&nbsp;] (1,219,912&nbsp;km²),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html|title=World Fact Book|publisher=CIA}}</ref> South Africa is the world's 25th-largest country (after ]). It is comparable in size to ]. ] in the ] at 3,408&nbsp;m (11,424&nbsp;ft) is the highest peak in South Africa.

South Africa has a generally ], due in part to it being surrounded by the ] and ]s on three sides, by its location in the climatically milder ] and due to the average elevation rising steadily towards the north (towards the ]) and further inland. Due to this varied topography and oceanic influence, a great variety of climatic zones exist.

The climatic zones vary, from the extreme ] of the southern ] in the farthest northwest to the lush ] climate in the east along the ] border and the ] ocean. From the east, the land quickly rises over a ] ] towards the interior ] known as the ]. Even though South Africa is classified as ], there is considerable variation in ] as well as ].

<br clear="both"/>
{{Infobox Weather
|metric_first= Yes
|single_line= Yes
|location = Cape Town, South Africa
|Jan_Hi_°C = 27 |Jan_REC_Hi_°C =
|Feb_Hi_°C = 28 |Feb_REC_Hi_°C =
|Mar_Hi_°C = 26 |Mar_REC_Hi_°C =
|Apr_Hi_°C = 24 |Apr_REC_Hi_°C =
|May_Hi_°C = 20 |May_REC_Hi_°C =
|Jun_Hi_°C = 18 |Jun_REC_Hi_°C =
|Jul_Hi_°C = 17 |Jul_REC_Hi_°C =
|Aug_Hi_°C = 18 |Aug_REC_Hi_°C =
|Sep_Hi_°C = 19 |Sep_REC_Hi_°C =
|Oct_Hi_°C = 22 |Oct_REC_Hi_°C =
|Nov_Hi_°C = 24 |Nov_REC_Hi_°C =
|Dec_Hi_°C = 26 |Dec_REC_Hi_°C =
|Year_Hi_°C = 28 |Year_REC_Hi_°C =

|Jan_Lo_°C = 16 |Jan_REC_Lo_°C =
|Feb_Lo_°C = 16 |Feb_REC_Lo_°C =
|Mar_Lo_°C = 15 |Mar_REC_Lo_°C =
|Apr_Lo_°C = 13 |Apr_REC_Lo_°C =
|May_Lo_°C = 10 |May_REC_Lo_°C =
|Jun_Lo_°C = 8 |Jun_REC_Lo_°C =
|Jul_Lo_°C = 8 |Jul_REC_Lo_°C =
|Aug_Lo_°C = 8 |Aug_REC_Lo_°C =
|Sep_Lo_°C = 9 |Sep_REC_Lo_°C =
|Oct_Lo_°C = 11 |Oct_REC_Lo_°C =
|Nov_Lo_°C = 14 |Nov_REC_Lo_°C =
|Dec_Lo_°C = 15 |Dec_REC_Lo_°C =
|Year_Lo_°C = 8 |Year_REC_Lo_°C =

<!--**** use mm or cm but not both! ****-->
|Jan_Precip_cm = |Jan_Precip_mm = 16
|Feb_Precip_cm = |Feb_Precip_mm = 13
|Mar_Precip_cm = |Mar_Precip_mm = 20
|Apr_Precip_cm = |Apr_Precip_mm = 54
|May_Precip_cm = |May_Precip_mm = 92
|Jun_Precip_cm = |Jun_Precip_mm = 111
|Jul_Precip_cm = |Jul_Precip_mm = 96
|Aug_Precip_cm = |Aug_Precip_mm = 87
|Sep_Precip_cm = |Sep_Precip_mm = 56
|Oct_Precip_cm = |Oct_Precip_mm = 40
|Nov_Precip_cm = |Nov_Precip_mm = 24
|Dec_Precip_cm = |Dec_Precip_mm = 18
|Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm = 627
|source = EuroWEATHER<ref name="EuroWEATHER">{{cite web
| url = http://www.eurometeo.com/english/climate/city_FACT/id_GTx/meteo_cape%20town%20south%20africa | title = EuroWEATHER - Climate averages: Cape Town, South Africa | accessmonthday = February 22| accessyear = 2008
| publisher = | language = English}}</ref>
|accessdate = 2.22.2008
|accessdate2 = -->
}}<!--Infobox ends-->

]
The interior of South Africa is a vast, rather flat, and sparsely populated ], ], which is drier towards the northwest along the Namib desert. In contrast, the eastern coastline is lush and well-watered, which produces a climate similar to the tropics. The extreme southwest has a climate remarkably similar to that of the ] with wet winters and hot, dry summers, hosting the famous ] ]. This area also produces much of South Africa's ]. This region is also particularly known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The severity of this wind made passing around the ] particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many ]s. Further east on the country's south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout the year, producing a green landscape. This area is popularly known as the ].

The ] is particularly flat due to the fact that it lies centrally on the high plateau. North of the ], the Highveld becomes better watered and does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. ], in the centre of the Highveld, is at 1,740&nbsp;metres (5,709&nbsp;ft) and receives an annual rainfall of 760&nbsp;millimetres (30&nbsp;]). Winters in this region are cold, although ] is rare.

To the north of Johannesburg, the altitude drops beyond the Highveld's escarpment, and turns into the lower lying Bushveld, an area of mixed dry forest and an abundance of wildlife. East of the Highveld, beyond the eastern escarpment, the Lowveld stretches towards the ] ocean. It has particularly high temperatures, and is also the location of extended subtropical agriculture. The mountains of the ] ] in the lowveld are the oldest mountains on Earth, dating back 3.5 Billion years. The earliest reliable proof of life (dated 3.2–3.5 Billion years old) has been found in these mountains.

The high ], which form the south-eastern escarpment of the Highveld, offer limited ]ing opportunities in winter.The coldest place in South Africa is ] in the western ], where midwinter temperatures can reach as low as −15 degrees ] (5&nbsp;°]). The deep interior has the hottest temperatures: A temperature of 51.7&nbsp;°C (125&nbsp;°F) was recorded in 1948 in the ] Kalahari near ].<ref> </ref>

South Africa also has one possession, the small sub-Antarctic archipelago of the ], consisting of ] (290&nbsp;km²/112&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) and Prince Edward Island (45&nbsp;km²/17.3&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) (not to be confused with the ]).

hi

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of South Africa}}

] in ] with ] in the background. Cape Town has become an important ] and ] centre for the country, and attracts the largest number of foreign visitors in South Africa]]

By UN classification South Africa is a middle-income country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a ] (the ]), that ranks among the top twenty in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the entire region. South Africa is ranked 20th in the world in terms of ] (PPP) as of 2007.

Advanced development is significantly localised around four areas: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, and Pretoria/Johannesburg. Beyond these four economic centres, development is marginal and poverty is still prevalent despite government efforts. Consequently the vast majority of South Africans are poor. However, key marginal areas have experienced rapid growth recently. Such areas include: Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay; Rustenburg area; Nelspruit area; Bloemfontein; Cape West Coast; KwaZulu-Natal North Coast amongst others.

Even though South Africa has the fourth highest per capita income in Africa, only behind ], ] and the European possessions located in Africa, it suffers from large income gaps and a ] marking it as a ]. South Africa has one of the highest rates of ] in the world. A decade of continual economic growth has helped to lower unemployment, but daunting economic and social problems remain. The average South African household income decreased considerably between 1995 and 2000. As for racial inequality, ] reported that in 1995 the average white household earned four times as much as the average black household. In 2000 the average white household was earning 6 times the average black household.
The implementation of ] policies have seen a rise in black economic wealth and an emerging black middle class.<ref></ref> Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS.

At the start of 2000, President Thabo Mbeki vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment by relaxing restrictive labour laws, stepping up the pace of ], and cutting unneeded governmental spending. His policies face strong opposition from organised ].<!-- It is estimated that South Africa accounts for up to 30% of the ] of the entire African continent.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} commented out until citation is found --> South Africa is also the continent's largest energy producer and consumer.

The South African ] (ZAR), the world's most actively-traded emerging ], has joined an elite club of fifteen currencies, the ] (CLS), where forex transactions are settled immediately, lowering the risks of transacting across ]s. The rand was the best-performing currency against the ] (USD) between 2002 and 2005, according to the ] Currency Scorecard.

The volatility of the rand has affected economic activity, falling sharply during 2001 and hitting a historic low of 13.85 ZAR to the ], raising fears of inflation, and causing the Reserve Bank to increase ]s. The rand has since recovered, trading at 7.13 ZAR to the dollar as of January 2008. However, as exporters are put under considerable pressure from a stronger domestic currency, many call for government intervention to help soften the rand.

Refugees from poorer neighbouring countries include many immigrants from the DRC, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and others, representing a large portion of the informal sector. With high unemployment levels amongst poorer South Africans, ] is prevalent and many people born in South Africa feel resentful of immigrants who are seen to be depriving the native population of jobs, a feeling which has been given credibility by the fact that many South African employers have employed migrants from other countries for lower pay than South African citizens, especially in the ], ], ] and ] industries. Illegal immigrants are also heavily involved in informal trading.<ref> </ref> However, many immigrants to South Africa continue to live in poor conditions, and the South African immigration policy has become increasingly restrictive since 1994.<ref> </ref>

===Electricity crisis===
After unsuccessful attempts by the government to encourage private construction of electricity generation capacity, in 2007 the state-owned electricity supplier (]) started experiencing a lack of capacity in the electrical generating and reticulation infrastructure. This led to an inability to meet the routine demands of industry and consumers, resulting in countrywide ]s. Initially the lack of capacity was triggered by a failure at ], but since then a general lack of capacity became evident. The supplier has been widely criticised for failing to adequately plan for and construct sufficient electrical generating capacity,<ref> article by ] and ] in ] January 31, 2008</ref> although ultimately the government has admitted that it's at fault for refusing to approve funding for investment in infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7199814.stm|title=S Africa cuts power to neighbours|publisher=]|date=January 21, 2008|accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref>

==Agriculture==
].]]
]
South Africa has a large agricultural sector and is a net exporter of ] products. There are almost a thousand ]s and ]es throughout the country, and agricultural exports have constituted 8% of South Africa's total exports for the past five years. The agricultural industry contributes around 10% of formal employment, relatively low compared to other parts of Africa, as well as providing work for casual labourers and contributing around 2.6% of ] for the nation.<ref name = "HRW">Human Rights Watch, 2001. : The State Response to Violent Crime on South African Farms, ISBN 1-56432-263-7.</ref> However, due to the ]ity of the land, only 13.5% can be used for crop production, and only 3% is considered high potential land.<ref> Mohamed, Najma. 2000. "Greening Land and Agrarian Reform: A Case for Sustainable Agriculture", in ''At the Crossroads: Land and Agrarian Reform in South Africa into the 21st Century'', ed. Cousins, Ben. Bellville, School of Government, University of the Western Cape. ISBN 1-86808-467-1.</ref>

Although the commercial farming sector is relatively well developed, people in some rural areas still survive on ]. It is the eighth largest wine producer in the world, and the eleventh largest producer of sunflower seed. South Africa is a net exporter of agricultural products and foodstuffs, the largest number of exported items being ], ]s, ], ]s, ] and ] fruit. The largest locally produced crop is ] (corn), and it has been estimated that 9 million tons are produced every year, with 7.4 million tons being consumed. ] are also popular on South African farms, with the country producing 85% of all meat consumed. The dairy industry consists of around 4,300 milk producers providing employment for 60,000 farm workers and contributing to the livelihoods of around 40,000 others.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.southafrica.co.za/agriculture_29.html | work = South Africa Online | title = Agriculture |accessdate= 2006-07-17}}</ref>

In recent years, the agricultural sector has introduced several reforms, some of which are controversial, such as ] and the deregulation of the market for agricultural products. Land reform has been criticised both by farmers' groups and by landless workers, the latter alleging that the pace of change has not been fast enough, and the former alleging racist treatment and expressing concerns that a similar situation to ] may develop,<ref>.</ref> a fear exacerbated by comments made by the country's ].<ref>, BBC News.</ref><ref>, BBC News.</ref> The sector continues to face problems, with increased foreign competition and crime being two of the major challenges for the industry. The government has been accused of not devoting enough time and money to tackle the problem of ] as opposed to other forms of violent crime.<ref name = "Times">, The Sunday Times Magazine.</ref>

Another issue which affects South African agriculture is environmental damage caused by misuse of the land and global climate change. South Africa is unusually vulnerable to climate change and resultant diminution of surface waters. Some predictions shows surface water supply could decrease by 60% by the year 2070 in parts of the Western Cape.<ref>, Reuters Alertnet. Accessed ] ]].</ref> To reverse the damage caused by land mismanagement, the government has supported a scheme which promotes ] and the use of natural resources.<ref>.</ref>'''

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of South Africa}}
{{HistoricalPopulations
|Y1=1900 |P1= 5014000
|Y2=1910 |P2= 5842000
|Y3=1920 |P3= 6953000
|Y4=1930 |P4= 8580000
|Y5=1940 |P5= 10341000
|Y6=1950 |P6= 13310000
|Y7=1960 |P7= 16385000
|Y8=1970 |P8= 21794000
|Y9=1980 |P9= 24261000
|Y10=1990 |P10= 37944000
|Y11=2000 |P11= 43686000
|Y12=2008 |P12= 43786115 |N12=(est)
|footnote=http://populstat.info/Africa/safricag.htm
}}
]
South Africa is a nation of more than 43 million people of diverse origins, ]s, ]s, and ]s. The last ] was held in 2001 and the next will be in 2011. ] provided five ] categories by which people could classify themselves, the last of which, "unspecified/other" drew negligible responses, and these results were omitted.<ref name = "Census2001">, Statistics South Africa.</ref> The 2006 midyear estimated figures for the other categories were ] at 79.5%, ] at 9.2%, ] at 8.9%, and ] at 2.5%.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0302/P03022006.pdf
| title=Midyear population estimates, South Africa
| format=PDF
|date=2006
| publisher=Statistics South Africa
| accessdate = 2007-11-28
}}</ref> Even though South Africa's population has increased in the past decade<ref name = "Census2001"/><ref></ref> (primarily due to immigration), the country had an annual population growth rate of −0.501% in 2008(CIA est.).<ref>{{cite web|
url=http://www.xist.org/earth/pop_growth.aspx|
title=The demographic status of the world's population|
work = Global Statistics |
publisher=GeoHive }}</ref>

By far the major part of the population classified itself as African or black, but it is not culturally or linguistically homogeneous. Major ethnic groups include the ], ], ] (South Sotho), ] (North Sotho), ], ], ], ] and ], all of which speak ] (see '']'').

Some, such as the Zulu, Xhosa, Bapedi and Venda groups, are unique to South Africa. Other groups are distributed across the borders with South Africa's neighbours: The ] group is also the major ethnic group in ]. The ] ethnic group constitute the majority of the population of ]. The ] ethnic group is the major ethnic group in ]. The ] ethnic group is also found in ] in ], where they are known as the ]. These Ndebele people are the descendants of a Zulu faction under the warrior ] that escaped persecution from ] by migrating to their current territory. The ] ethnic group is also found in southern ], where they are known as the Shangaan.

The white population is not ethnically homogenous and descend from many ethnic groups: ], ], ] ], ], ], ] and ]. Culturally and linguistically, they are divided into the ], who speak ], and ]-speaking groups, many of whom are descended from British and Irish immigrants (see '']''). Many small communities that have immigrated over the last century retain the use of other languages. The white population is on the decrease due to a low birth rate and emigration; as a factor in their decision to emigrate, many cite the high ] rate and the government's ] policies. Since 1994, over one hundred thousand white South Africans have emigrated. <ref name = "Fin24"></ref>
<ref name = "Unisa">.</ref><ref name = "Queen’s U">, Queen’s University.</ref><ref name = "Economist">.</ref>

The term "]" is still largely used for the people of mixed race descended from slaves brought in from East and Central Africa, the indigenous ] who lived in the ] at the time, indigenous African Blacks, Whites (mostly the ]/] and British settlers) as well as an admixture of ], ], ]n, ] and other European (such as ]) and Asian blood (such as ]). The majority speak Afrikaans. Khoisan is a term used to describe two separate groups, physically similar in that they were light-skinned and small in stature. The ], who were called ''Hottentots'' by the Europeans, were pastoralists and were effectively annihilated; the San, called ] by the Europeans, were hunter-gatherers. Within what is known as the Coloured community, more recent immigrants will also be found: Coloureds from the former ] (now ]) and ] and immigrants of mixed descent from India and ] (]/]) who were welcomed to the Cape when India and Burma received their Independence.

The major part of the ] population of the country is Indian in origin (see ]), many of them descended from indentured workers brought in the nineteenth century to work on the ] ]s of the eastern coastal area then known as ]. There is also a significant group of ] South Africans (approximately 100,000 individuals) and ] South Africans (approximately 50,000 individuals).

==Religion==
{{main|Religion in South Africa}}
According to the latest 2001 national census, Christians accounted for 79.7% of the population. This includes ] 11.1%, ] (]) 8.2%, ] 7.1%, ] 6.8%, ] 6.7%, ] 3.8%, and other Christian 36%. ] accounted for 1.5% of the population, ] about 1.3%. 15.1% had no religious affiliation, 2.3% were other and 1.4% were unspecified.<ref>, CIA.</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51496.htm
|title= South Africa - Section I. Religious Demography
|publisher=U.S. Department of State
|accessdate=2006-07-15
}}</ref>

African Indigenous Churches were the largest of the ] groups.
It was believed that many of these persons who claimed no affiliation with any organised religion adhered to ]. Many peoples have ] religious practices combining Christian and indigenous influences.<ref name = "DoS">, USA.</ref>

] probably pre-dates the colonial period, and consisted of isolated contact with ] and ]n traders.{{Fact|date=May 2007}} Many South African Muslims are described as ]s, notably in the ], including those whose ancestors came as slaves from the Indonesian archipelago (the ]). Others are described as ]s, notably in ], including those whose ancestors came as traders from ]; they have been joined by others from other parts of ] as well as white or black South African converts. It is estimated that ] is the fastest growing religion of conversion in the country,<ref></ref> with the number of black ]s growing sixfold, from 12,000 in 1991 to 74,700 in 2004.<ref></ref>

] dates back to British Colonial period primarily but later waves of continuous immigrants from India have contributed to sizeable Hindu population. Most Hindus are predominantly ethnically South Asians but there are many who come from mixed racial stock and many are converts with the efforts of Hindu missionaries such as ISKCON.
Other religions in smaller numbers are ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51496.htm
|title= South Africa - Section I. Religious Demography
|publisher=U.S. Department of State
|accessdate=2006-07-15
}}</ref>

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of South Africa}}
] Buildings on ], the holding place of several ] fighters including ], who was imprisoned there for eighteen years. Robben Island is now a ] ]]]
]]]

It may be argued that there is no "single" culture in South Africa because of its ethnic diversity. Today, the diversity in foods from many cultures is enjoyed by all and especially marketed to tourists who wish to sample the large variety of South African cuisine. In addition to ], ] and ] feature prominently.

] is heavily ] and has spawned the distinctively South African social gathering known as a '']'', or barbecue. South Africa has also developed into a major ] producer, with some of the best ]s lying in valleys around ], ], ] and ].<ref></ref>

There is great diversity in music from South Africa. Many black musicians who sang in Afrikaans or English during apartheid have since begun to sing in traditional African languages, and have developed a unique style called ]. Of note is ], who launched to fame with her song "Weekend Special", which was sung in English. More famous traditional musicians include ], while the ] performs classic music with an African flavour. White and Coloured South African singers are historically influenced by European musical styles including such western metal bands such as ] (formerly Saron Gas). South Africa has produced world-famous jazz musicians, notably ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ] music covers multiple genres, such as the ] ] and the ] band ]. Crossover artists such as ] and his bands ] and ] have enjoyed various success underground, publicly, and abroad.

The country's black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these people, however, that cultural traditions survive most strongly; as blacks have become increasingly ] and ], aspects of traditional culture have declined. Urban blacks usually speak ] or ] in addition to their native tongue. There are smaller but still significant groups of speakers of ] which are not included in the eleven official languages, but are one of the eight other officially recognised languages. There are small groups of speakers of ]s, most of which are from the Khoi-San family, that receive no official status; however, some groups within South Africa are attempting to promote their use and revival.

The ] lifestyle, predominantly of the white minority but with growing numbers of Black, Coloured and Indian people,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&ArticleID=1518-25_2117122|title=Black middle class explodes|date=22 May 2007|publisher=FIN24}}</ref> is similar in many respects to that of people found in ], ] and ]. Members of the middle class often study and work abroad for greater exposure to the world's markets.

], predominantly of ]n origin, preserve their own cultural heritage, languages and religious beliefs, being either ], ] or ] and speaking English, with Indian languages like ], ], ] or ] being spoken less frequently, but the majority of Indians being able to understand their mother tongue. The first Indians arrived on the famous ] as ] in Natal to work the Sugar Cane Fields. There is a much smaller ] community in South Africa, although its numbers have increased due to immigration from ] (Taiwan).

South Africa has also had a large influence in the ] movement, with many Scouting traditions and ceremonies coming from the experiences of ] (the founder of Scouting) during his time in South Africa as a military officer in the 1890s. The ] was one of the first youth organisations to open its doors to youth and adults of all races in South Africa. This happened on ] ] at a conference known as ''Quo Vadis''.<ref name="scouthistorypage">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2006| url = http://www.scouting.org.za/visitors/history.html | title = History of Scouting in South Africa | format = | work = History of Scouting in South Africa| publisher = South African Scout Association | accessdate = 2006-11-30}}</ref>

The South African music scene consists of ], a new music genre that had developed in the mid 80's and has since developed to become the most popular social economical form of representation among the populous. Though some may argue that the political aspects of Kwaito has since diminished after ], and the relative interest in politics has become a minor aspect of daily life. Some argue that in a sense, ] is in fact a political force that shows activism in its apolitical actions. Today, major corporations like ], ], and ] have been in the South African scene to produce and distribute ] music. The overwhelming popularity of ], and the general influence of Dj's, who are among the top 5 most influential people within the country, the music has taken over the radio, television and magazines.
<ref></ref>

], much like most hip hop has its own local flavor and originality. However, unlike when hip hop first bursted on the scene as a politically-driven and rebellious underground movement, South Africans wanted to create a happier vibe. As the post-apartheid fog cleared, South African youth found its "own voice in a style of music known as kwaito and spawning a new (and profitable) industry". <ref></ref> According to Timeeurope magazine, "The kwaito sound now regularly incorporates traditional African music, jazz, gospel and even rock guitar, most notably on Mandoza's 2000 hit Nkalakatha, one of the few kwaito records to cross over onto traditionally white radio" <ref></ref>. In the kwaito, the samples from old school ], European house etc... ] are changed, beats are added and the urban street slang is also incorporated. This local flavor of music, more recently has been attacked for its lack of ingenuity, and its betrayal of its roots. The melodies, incorporation of sex and dance have since become very similar to the American standard. In addition, Kwaito has been criticized for its absence of influential lyrical content as well. As Kwaito is still a developing, and the South African population is only around 40 million, albums only require 25,000 cd's to go gold in South Africa. <ref></ref>


===Languages===
{{main|Languages of South Africa}}
[[Image:South Africa municipalities by language 2001.png|thumb|300px|right
|Map showing principal South African languages by municipality. Lighter shades indicate a non-majority ].
{{columns
|col1 =
{{legend|#0080C0|]}} <!--blue-->
{{legend|#FF00FF|]}} <!--pink-->
{{legend|#7F7F7F|]}} <!--grey-->
{{legend|#FFFF00|]}} <!--yellow-->
{{legend|#00C0C0|]}} <!--cyan-->
|col2 =
{{legend|#FF0000|]}} <!--red-->
{{legend|#87870E|]}} <!--olive-->
{{legend|#800080|]}} <!--purple-->
{{legend|#7FE000|]}} <!--green-->
}}]]

South Africa has eleven ]s:<ref>Constitution of South Africa, Chapter 1, Section 6 </ref>
], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. In this regard it is ] in number. While each language is technically equal to every other, some languages are spoken more than others. According to the 2001 National Census, the three most spoken first home languages are Zulu (23.8%), Xhosa (17.6%) and Afrikaans (13.3%).<ref name = "Census2001"/> Despite the fact that English is recognised as the language of
commerce and science, it was spoken by only 8,2% of South
Africans at home in 2001, an even lower percentage than in 1996
(8,6%).<ref name = "Census2001"/>

There are ] for South Africa, one in each of the official national languages.

The country also recognizes eight non-official languages: ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]{{Fact|date=July 2007}}. These non-official languages may be used in certain official uses in limited areas where it has been determined that these languages are prevalent. Nevertheless, their populations are not such that they require nationwide recognition.

Many of the "unofficial languages" of the ] and ] people contain regional ]s stretching northward into Namibia and Botswana, and elsewhere. These people, who are a physically distinct population from other Africans, have their own cultural identity based on their ] societies. They have been marginalised to a great extent, and many of their languages are in danger of becoming ].

Many white South Africans also speak other ]an languages, such as ] (also spoken by Angolan and Mozambican blacks), ], and ], while some ] and ] in South Africa speak ]n languages, such as ], ], ] and ].

===Sports===
The main sports in South Africa are ], ], ] and ]. Other sports with significant support are ], ] and ]. ], ] and ] are popular among the youth.

Famous boxing personalities include Baby Jake ], ], ], "the rose of Soweto" ], ] and ]. Football players who have excelled in international clubs include ] of ] and ], formerly of ], ] of ] and ] of ]. South Africa produced ] motor racing's 1979 world champion ]. ] won many national titles during the 1970s, '80s, and '90s.

South Africa hosted and won the ] at their first attempt and again won the ] in ], beating reigning champions ] in the final. South Africa was only allowed to participate from 1995 since the end of Apartheid. It followed the 1995 Rugby World Cup final by hosting and winning the ] football tournament. It also hosted the ] and the ] Cricket World Cup in 2007. South Africa will be the host nation for the ], which will be the first time the tournament is held on the African continent.

In 2004, the team of ], ], ] and ] won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, simultaneously breaking the world record in the 4x100 freestyle relay. Schoeman, Ferns, and Neethling trained at the University of Arizona. Previously Penny Heyns won Olympic Gold in the 1996 ]. Several other swimmers have participated and won in international swimming events.

In 2008 Trevor Immelman won The Masters in Augusta, Georgia with a winning score of -8 under par. Tiger Woods and Brandt Snedeker trailed behind him.

== Health ==
===HIV/AIDS===
{{Main|HIV/AIDS in South Africa}}
The spread of ] (acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome) is an alarming problem in South Africa with up to 31% of pregnant women found to be HIV infected in 2005 and the infection rate among adults estimated at 20%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avert.org/aidssouthafrica.htm |title=HIV & Aids in South Africa |publisher=Avert |accessdate=2006-10-08}}</ref> The link between HIV, a virus spread primarily by sexual contact, and AIDS has long been denied by the president and the health minister, who have insisted that the many deaths in the country are due to malnutrition, and hence poverty, and not HIV.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/21094 |title="Sack SA Health Minister" – world's AIDS experts |publisher=afrol News |accessdate=2006-10-08}}</ref> Recently, in 2007, the government made efforts to fight AIDS.<ref></ref>.

AIDS affects mainly those who are sexually active and is far more prevalent in the black population. Most deaths are people who are also economically active, resulting in many families losing their primary wage earners. This has resulted in many 'AIDS orphans' who in many cases depend on the state for care and financial support.<ref name="avertaids">{{cite web |url=http://www.avert.org/aidsorphans.htm |title=AIDS orphans |publisher=Avert |accessdate=2006-10-08}}</ref> It is estimated that there are 1,200,000 orphans in South Africa.<ref name="avertaids"/> Many elderly people also lose the support from lost younger members of their family.

Roughly 5 million people are infected with the disease.<ref></ref>

===Malaria===
The overall death rate attributed to malaria in South Africa increased between 1997 and 1999 and decreased between 1999 and 2004. That said, deaths from malaria among males increased 45% between 1997 and 2004 and 93% among females during that same period.<ref></ref>

==Crime==
{{main|Crime in South Africa}}
According to a survey for the period 1998–2000 compiled by the ], South Africa was ranked second for ] and murder (by all means) per capita, in addition to being ranked second for ] and first for rapes per capita.<ref> </ref> Total crime per capita is tenth (10th) out of the sixty (60) countries in the data set.

Crime has had a pronounced effect on society: many middle-class South Africans moved into ], abandoning the central business districts of some cities for the relative security of suburbs. This effect is most pronounced in ], although the trend is noticeable in other cities as well. {{Fact|date=January 2008}} Many emigrants from South Africa also state that crime was a big motivator for them to leave. ] has continued to be a major problem.<ref>{{cite news|
url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article694534.ece|
title=Farms of fear|
publisher=The Times Online|date=April 2, 2006}}</ref>

==Military==
{{main|South African National Defence Force}}
South Africa's ]s, known as the ] (SANDF), was created in 1994. Previously known as the ] (SADF), the new force is an all volunteer army and consists of the forces of the old SADF, as well as the forces of the African nationalist groups, namely ] (MK), ] (APLA), and the former ] defence forces. The SANDF is subdivided into four branches, the ], the ], the ], and the ].

In recent years, the SANDF has become a major ] force in Africa, and has been involved in operations in ], the ], and ], amongst others. It has also participated as a part of multi-national ] peacekeeping forces.

South Africa undertook a nuclear weapons program in the 1970s and ] a nuclear test over the ] in 1979. It is the only African country to have successfully ]. It has since become the only country with nuclear capability to voluntarily renounce and dismantle its program and in the process signed the ] in 1991.

==Media==
{{main|Media in South Africa}}
South Africa has a large, free, and active press that regularly challenges the government, a habit formed during the apartheid era when the press was the medium least controlled by the government. Major ]s have erupted when the press reported charges of ] that were proven to be true in cases such as that of ], in which (then) deputy president ] was implicated, and the corruption allegations that led to the dismissal of ] from parliament. Even though South Africa now has the most sophisticated media network in Africa, it was one of the last countries in the world to allow ], with colour TV broadcasts only commencing in 1975. By the end of ] in 1994, television networks covered all ] and some less populated areas, while radio networks covered almost all of the country.

During the Apartheid era the majority of commercial and all public-service radio stations and all of the television channels were operated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (]), and were subject to strict control and censorship by the government, with a few independent regional stations allowed. The creation of the independent black homelands (or ]s) in the 1970s allowed for the establishment of TV and radio stations outside of the control of the apartheid Government. Following the demise of apartheid, the broadcasting industry was deregulated with many of the commercial regional SABC radio stations and former Bantustan stations privatised and sold to companies and consortia that were majority-owned by black people. Three SABC television channels are in place at present.

An African language channel was introduced to the SABC in 1981 (during ]) with a second African language channel added later in the decade. The SABC's television monopoly was eventually challenged in 1986 when a new privately owned subscription television network, ], was launched. However M-Net was not licenced to operate a news service.

South Africa currently has two terrestrial free-to-air television networks ] and ], one subscription based terrestrial network, ], as well as two satellite television services, ], operated by M-Net's owners, ] and ], operated by the state-owned signal distributor ]. e.tv is licenced to operate an independent television news service. DStv broadcasts local and international news and entertainment channels Africa-wide via satellite. More recently DStv and e.tv announced a joint venture to provide a 24 hour news channel from 2008 that will be distributed through the DStv platform.

==Tourism==
{{main|Tourism in South Africa}}
South Africa is a popular tourist destination, and a substantial amount of revenue comes from tourism{{Fact|date=June 2007}}. Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines. In recent years, tourism in South Africa has seen high growth with the first five months of 2007 showing the highest levels of tourism in South Africa since 1998. Figures released by ], Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism show a decided increase in foreign visitors.

==International rankings==
{{SouthAfricaRankings}}

==See also==
*]
*]
*]

<br />{{South African topics}}

==Bibliography==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
*''Twentieth-Century South Africa''. William Beinart ] 2001, 414 pages, ISBN 0-19-289318-1
* ''A History of South Africa, Third Edition''. Leonard Thompson. ]. ] ]. 384 pages. ISBN 0-300-08776-4.
* ''South Africa: A Narrative History''. ]. Kodansha America. ] ]. 606 pages. ISBN 1-56836-258-7.
* ''The Atlas of Changing South Africa''. A. J. Christopher. ] ]. 216 pages. ISBN 0-415-21178-6.
* ''The Politics of the New South Africa''. Heather Deegan. ] ]. 256 pages. ISBN 0-582-38227-0.
* ''Making of Modern South Africa: Conquest, Segregation and Apartheid''. Nigel Worden. ] ]. 194 pages. ISBN 0-631-21661-8.
*''South Africa in Contemporary Times''. ]. New Africa Press. February 2008. 260 pages. ISBN 978-0-9802587-3-8.
* ''Emerging Johannesburg: Perspectives on the Postapartheid City''. Richard Tomlinson, et al. ] ]. 336 pages. ISBN 0-415-93559-8.
* "Religion and Politics in South Africa." David Hein. ''Modern Age'' 31 (1987): 21–30.
* {{cite web |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=homepage |work=South Africa Government Online |publisher=South African Government |date= |url=http://www.gov.za |format= |doi= | accessmonthday = February 20 | accessyear = 2005 }}
* . Accessed ] ].
*
* ] ].
</div>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{portal|South Africa|Flag of South Africa.svg}}
{{sisterlinks|South Africa}}
*
* {{wikiatlas|South Africa}}
* {{wikitravel}}
* {{wikia|world:South Africa|South Africa}}
* {{CIA World Factbook link|sf|South Africa}}
* {{dmoz|Regional/Africa/South_Africa}}

{{Template group
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|list =

{{Countries of Africa}}
{{Countries and territories bordering the Indian Ocean}}
}}
{{Template group
|title = International membership
|list =
{{UN Security Council|state=collapsed}}
{{South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone}}
{{Southern African Development Community (SADC)}}
{{African Union (AU)}}
{{Peri-Antarctic countries and overseas territories}}
{{Commonwealth of Nations}}
}}

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Revision as of 19:00, 24 April 2008

as