1.5 How big? How much? - South Africa Data
Description
This article is from the South Africa FAQ, by Scott Hazelhurst scott@cs.wits.ac.za with numerous contributions by others.
1.5 How big? How much? - South Africa Data
This information is based on an e-publication of a British Church
Group (reference lost - if anyone recognises it please let me know,
with additional information
Country and the People
Area: 1,221,037 sq. km. (471,320 sq. miles)
Land Use: Agriculture 362,916 77%; Forest 17,428 4%; Other 90,976
19%Population ('90) 35,900,000
* Inhabitants per sq. km. 27
* Urbanisation ('90): Urban (60%) 21,540,000 Rural 14,360,000
* Age Distribution ('90)
1 - 14 years 13,713,800 38.2\%
15 - 64 years 20,750,200 57.8\%
65 and over 1,436,000 4.0\%
* Distribution of Working Population ('90).
+ Agriculture 2,822,027 13.6%
+ Industry 5,063,049 24.4%
+ Services 12,865,124 62.0%
* The population is made up of 70%'African origin'. 'European
decendents' account for 15%, of which about 60%are Afrikaans
speakers and 40%English speakers. The 'Coloured' population is
10%. The 'African' peoples are Zulu (18.8%), Xhosa (18.3%),
Tswana, Sotho, Shangaan, Swazi, Ndebele and Venda.
* See 10.5.
* Religion
+ Catholics* 2,881,800 10%
+ Total Christians 22,598,100 79%
+ Muslims 362,000 1%
+ Buddhists 2,700 0%
+ Hindus 565,000 1%
+ Other Faiths 4,580,600 16%
+ No Religion 267,000 1%
+ Christian Practice ('80). %of total pop.
+ Practising 14,028,800 49%
+ Non practising 3,290,700 12%
+ Nominal 5,278,600 18%
* Health
Expectancy ('90) 62 years
Infant Mortality Rate ('90)
66 per 1,000 in first year
90 per 1,000 in first five years
Access to safe drinking water ('86):
Overall 95\% State Facilities
Hospitals('89) 788
People per Hospital ('89) 48,869
Hospital beds ('89) 142,276
People per bed ('89) 246
Doctors ('89) 20,468
People per doctor ('89) 1,710
Nurses ('89) 80,645
People per nurse ('89) 434
Dentist ('89) 3,704
People per Dentist 10,397
Pharmacists ('89) 7,557
People per Pharmacist ('89) 5,096
* The Economy
Currency: Rand: 4.99 to the pound (July '93).
GNP ('90) $90,827,000,000
($2,530 per capita).
GDP ('90) $90,720,000,000
($2,527 per capita).
Agriculture 5\%
Industry (Manufacturing 26\%) 44\%
Services 51\%
Foreign Debt ('91) $18,100,000,000
Major Imports: Machinery &transport equipment, chemicals, oil, base
metals Major Exports: Gold, base metals, moducts, platinum, food,
drinks and tobacco.
Trade ('90) Import Exports
Food 6\% 1\%*
Fuels 1\% 14\%**
Basic Commodities 5\% 12\%
Machinery/transport 41\% 3\%
Other manufactures 48\% 71\%
* = Textiles and clothing
** = Plus minerals/metals
Household Consumption ('85)
Food 14.1\%
Housing 6.8\%
Energy ?
Transport 9.2\%
Health 2.2\%
Education ?
Other 67.7\%
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