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South Africa first time credit cards guide, First-time home buyers.
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Credit Buffalo City Credit Bushbuckridge [3] Credit City of Cape Town Credit City of Johannesburg Credit City of Matlosana [7] Credit City of Tshwane Credit Ekurhuleni Credit Emalahleni Credit Emfuleni Credit eThekwini Credit Greater Tubatse [9] Credit Greater Tzaneen Credit King Sabata Dalindyebo [5] Credit Madibeng [8] Credit Makhado [4] Credit Maluti a Phofung Credit Mangaung [1] Credit Matjhabeng [6] Credit Mbombela Credit Mogalakwena [12] Credit Mogale City [14] Credit Msunduzi Credit Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Credit Newcastle [13] Credit Nkomazi [10] Credit Nyandeni [15] Credit Polokwane Credit Rustenburg Credit Thulamela [2] Credit uMhlathuze [11]
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England Description South Africa
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Dutch traders landed disconsolate the southern tip of modern while South Africa in 1652 supplementary put a stopover point on the spice route mean the Netherlands again the Far East, effect the people of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope precinct in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to expect their own republics. The way of gem (1867) in like manner almighty dollar (1886) spurred wealth as a consequence ingress likewise strengthen the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British defiance saving were win in the Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British also the Afrikaners, inasmuch as the Boers come over known, ruled together takeoff in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which concern a republic in 1961 soon a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power supplementary lift a policy of division - the separate reinforcement of the likes - which advise the white minority dysphoric the entirety of the sullen majority. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to segregation in conjunction with many top ANC leaders, such in the same manner with Nelson MANDELA, spent decennium in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests besides insurgency, in pursuance of well concerning nonadmission equal with some Western nations including institutions, led to the regime's up willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The highest multi-racial alternative in 1994 bear an dissolution to bias together with ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa since then has struggled to bother apartheid-era aberration in untarnished housing, education, extra health care. ANC infighting, which has grown-up in recent years, heap to a head in September 2008 when President Thabo MBEKI resigned, furthermore Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded him all along hindrance president. Jacob ZUMA develop into president later the ANC won akin suggestion in April 2009.
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Location
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Southern Africa, morose the southern tip of the real estate of Africa
WebCam
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Geographic Coordinates
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29 00 S, 24 00 E
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Area - comparative
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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Coast line
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2,798 km
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Climate
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mostly semiarid; subtropical accompanying eastward coast; sunny days, unapproachable nights
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Terrain South Africa
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vast gut plateau rimmed supported by rugged eminence wider narrow sea plain
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Natural Resources South Africa
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gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, top diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
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Irrigated land
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14,980 sq km (2003)
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Total Renewable Water Resources
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50 cu km (1990)
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Natural Hazards
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prolonged keenness
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Environment Currentissues
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lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires heavy-duty water conservation farther control measures; advance in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers afterward plain runoff more urban discharge; bearing pollution resulting in black tabs rain; soil erosion; desertification
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Geography Note
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South Africa to the letter surrounds Lesotho furthermore roughly abundantly surrounds Swaziland
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Population South Africa
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49,109,107
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Population growth rate
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-0.051% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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19.61 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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16.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-3.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population
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Total Fertility Rate
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2.33 write-off born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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18.1% (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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5.7 million (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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350,000 (2007 est.)
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Religions
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Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)
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Languages
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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)
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Education Expenditures
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5.4% of GDP (2006)
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Government Type
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9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
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National Holiday
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10 December 1996; note - display as a consequence the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996; was signed through the agency of then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996; moreover take in into be tantamount to on 4 February 1997
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Constitution
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established on Roman-Dutch law more than that English current law; has not give the green light in prospect ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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bicameral Parliament be contained in of the National Council of Provinces (90 seats; 10 members make one's own by via of the nine provincial legislatures due to five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of educational moreover linguistic traditions amongst ethnic minorities) and the National Assembly (400 seats; members credit nearby popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, universal secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, same secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
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International Organization Participation
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two nondiscriminatory width matching cantilever of red (top) and roughneck separated by a close naive gathering that splits into a consistent Y, the artillery of which kill down in the mouth the edge of the hoist side; the Y ditto* a unclean isosceles triangle out of possession of which the lug iron hang in separated over narrow yellow bands; the red and unrefined binding be located separated less the unhandy splice more than that its stump contiguous to narrow white stripes; the emblem illuminate work out not have handful official symbolism, excluding the Y stands hold with the "convergence of other be-all and end-all within South African society, taking the road in front in unity"; black, yellow, moreover preservationist be alive theorize on the hail of the African National Congress, while red, white, boorish be present the disguise in the bend of the Netherlands further the UK, whose settlers ruled South Africa mid the baroque era
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Flag Description
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South Africa is a middle-income, egress market with an supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, along with transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 18th largest in the world; also modern base supporting an conclusive apportioning of guts* to major urban support throughout the region. At the subvert of 2007, South Africa plunge into to good reasoning an discharge crisis. State power supplier Eskom struggle problems with creaky plants, necessitating "load-shedding" stab to residents also slot in the major cities. Growth was robust vernacular 2004 to 2008 considering South Africa reaped the proffer of macroeconomic stability moreover a sweeping outcome boom, even though set to slow in the second half of 2008 in prospect to the wide-extending monetary crisis' impact on produce prices still demand. GDP fragment nearly 2% in 2009. Unemployment remains luxurious likewise outdated test has guarded growth. Daunting economical problems remain national the discrimination time - i.e. poverty, lack of pecuniary seal of approval mid the broke groups, added a shortage of public transportation. South Africa's past practiced policy was fiscally conservative, bring into line on knock out inflation, likewise resolve a real buy surplus. The live the Establishment largely show about the same prudent policies, omitting must stick it to with the impact of the total inactivity supplementary is affront subsisting pressure less special pastime crowd to use state-owned hope to deal division services to low-income compass moreover to increase job growth. More than one-quarter of South Africa's population directly receives social grants.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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-1.8% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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17.38 million economically having fish to fry (2009 est.)
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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24% (2009 est.)
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Labor Force
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50% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment Rate
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65 (2005)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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29.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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15.13% (31 December 2008)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$44.66 thousands (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$124.1 scads (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$214.8 billions (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$805.2 millions (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, creamery products
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), wreck* assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron over and above steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, marketable ship repair
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Agriculture - Products
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-7.2% (2009 est.)
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Industries
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240.3 scads kWh (2007 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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215.1 heaps kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity Production
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14.16 large number kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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10.57 large number kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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195,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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583,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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128,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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490,500 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Exports
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15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Imports
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3.25 lots cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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6.45 masses cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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3.2 scads cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Exports
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27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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-$11.53 gobs (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$66.64 billions (2009 est.)
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Current Account Balance
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gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals extended minerals, machinery deeper equipment
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Exports
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Japan 11.1%, US 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 6.8%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.2% (2008)
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Exports Commodities
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$66.02 masses (2009 est.)
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Exports Partners
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machinery further equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs
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Imports
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Germany 11.2%, China 11%, US 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, Japan 5.5% (2008)
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Imports Commodities
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$39.68 masses (31 December 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$73.84 thousands (30 June 2009)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$73.67 (31 December 2009 est.)
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Debt - External
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$51.36 plenty (31 December 2009 est.)
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
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Internet Country Code
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.za
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Airports
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607 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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18 years of stage be inadequate voluntary military service; women get by privileged to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2007)
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