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Area:
1,219,090
sq km (470,693 sq miles).
Population:
44,560,644
(2001).
Population
Density: 36.6
per sq km.
Capital:
Pretoria
(administrative). Population: 1,080,187
(1991). Cape Town (legislative). Population:
2,350,157 (1991). Bloemfontein
(judicial). Population: 300,150
(1991).
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Location:
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Southern
Africa, at the southern tip of the
continent of Africa |
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Geographic
coordinates:
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29
00 S, 24 00 E |
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Map
references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward
Islands (Marion Island and Prince
Edward Island)
water: 0 sq km |
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Area
- comparative:
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slightly
less than twice the size of Texas |
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Land
boundaries:
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total:
4,862 km
border countries: Botswana
1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique
491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland
430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km |
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Coastline:
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2,798
km |
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Maritime
claims:
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contiguous
zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or
to edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM |
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Climate:
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mostly
semiarid; subtropical along east
coast; sunny days, cool nights |
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Terrain:
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vast
interior plateau rimmed by rugged
hills and narrow coastal plain |
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Elevation
extremes:
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lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408
m |
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Natural
resources:
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gold,
chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore,
manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin,
uranium, gem diamonds, platinum,
copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
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Land
use:
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arable
land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 87% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated
land:
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13,500
sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural
hazards:
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prolonged
droughts |
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Environment
- current issues:
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lack
of important arterial rivers or
lakes requires extensive water
conservation and control measures;
growth in water usage outpacing
supply; pollution of rivers from
agricultural runoff and urban
discharge; air pollution resulting
in acid rain; soil erosion;
desertification |
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Environment
- international agreements:
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party
to: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements |
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Geography
- note:
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South
Africa completely surrounds Lesotho
and almost completely surrounds
Swaziland |
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