South Africa Swaziland Lesotho map (Chinese and foreign comparison)

Author: Zhou Min, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-01
Features:
Country: The Republic of South Africa
Flag: On March 15, 1994, the South African Multi-Party Transitional Administrative Council approved the new national flag. The new flag is rectangular, with a length-to-width ratio of approximately 3:2, composed of geometric patterns in six colors—black, yellow, green, red, white, and blue—symbolizing racial reconciliation and national unity.
National Anthem: On May 1995, South Africa officially adopted a new national anthem. The lyrics of the new anthem are written in five languages—Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, English, and Afrikaans—and include the prayers from the original national anthem, "God Save Africa." The anthem is 1 minute and 35 seconds long and ends with the majestic high-pitched melody of the original national anthem, "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (The Call of South Africa). The original national anthem was named "God Save Africa," approved on March 15, 1994. The song was composed by the Black pastor Nkosi Sontonga in 1918 and was first sung as a Black nationalist anthem at the South African Native National Congress in 1912, gaining widespread popularity among Black Africans in Africa.
Geography: Located in the southern part of the African continent, it borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini to the north. The east, south, and west are surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, making it a crucial shipping hub between the two oceans. The Cape of Good Hope route at its southwestern tip has long been one of the busiest maritime passages in the world, known as the "Western Sea Lifeline." Its area is 1,219,090 square kilometers (according to the 2001/02 South African Yearbook). Most of the territory is highland with an elevation of over 600 meters. The Drakensberg Mountains stretch southeast, with Mount Kaschin reaching 3,660 meters, the highest point in the country. The northwestern part is a desert, part of the Kalahari Basin; the northern, central, and southwestern parts are highlands; and the coast is a narrow plain. The Orange River and Limpopo River are the two major rivers. Most of the region has a tropical grassland climate, with tropical monsoon climate in the eastern coastal areas and Mediterranean climate in the southern coastal areas. The climate is divided into four seasons: summer (December–February), with the highest temperatures reaching 32–38°C; winter (June–August), with the lowest temperatures ranging from –10 to –12°C. Annual rainfall decreases from 1,000 mm in the east to 60 mm in the west, averaging 450 mm. The average annual temperature in Pretoria, the capital, is 17°C.
Population: 46.9 million (mid-year estimate by Statistics South Africa, 2005), divided into four major racial groups: Black, White, Coloured, and Asian. Among them, Black people account for 37.2 million (79% of the total population), White people for 4.4 million, Coloured people for 4.1 million, and Indians and Asians for 1.1 million. The Black population mainly consists of nine ethnic groups: Zulu, Xhosa, Swati, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Venda, and Tswana, primarily speaking Bantu languages. White people are mainly Afrikaners of Dutch descent (57%) and British descendants (39%), speaking Afrikaans and English. Coloured people are descendants of mixed-race individuals from white settlers, indigenous peoples, and slaves, primarily speaking Afrikaans. The Asian population is mainly Indians (99%) and Chinese. There are 11 official languages, with English and Afrikaans (South African Dutch) being the most widely used. White people, most Coloured people, and 60% of Black people adhere to Protestantism or Catholicism; about 60% of Asians follow Hinduism, and 20% follow Islam; some Black people practice traditional religions.
The world's best five-star hotel—The Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa.
Capital: South Africa is the only country in the world with three capitals.
Administrative Capital: Pretoria is the seat of the South African central government, with a population of 1.5 million.
Legislative Capital: Cape Town is the seat of the South African Parliament, the second-largest city and an important port in the country, located at the southwestern tip and serving as a major international maritime hub, with a population of 3 million.
Judicial Capital: Bloemfontein is the seat of the country's judicial institutions, with a population of 460,000.
Administrative Divisions: The country is divided into nine provinces: Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northwest, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. In June 2002, the Northern Cape Province was renamed Limpopo. Each province has legislative and administrative powers over public officials, responsible for the province's economy, finance, and taxation. According to the 2000 Local Government Elections Act, the country has 284 local governments, including six metropolitan municipalities, 47 district municipalities, and 231 local municipalities.
Brief History: The earliest indigenous inhabitants were the San, Khoi, and later migrating Bantu peoples. In 1652, the Dutch began to invade, launching multiple colonial wars against the local Black population. In the early 19th century, the British began to invade, seizing the "Cape Colony" in 1806. The Afrikaner-Burghers were forced to migrate inland and established the "Orange Free State" in 1852 and the "Transvaal Republic" in 1854. In 1867 and 1886, the discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa led to a massive influx of European immigrants. Through the "Anglo-Boer War" (1899–1902), the British annexed the "Orange Free State" and the Transvaal Republic. On May 31, 1910, the British merged the Cape Province, Transvaal Province, Natal Province, and Orange Free State to form the "Union of South Africa," making it a British dominion. On May 31, 1961, South Africa left the Commonwealth and established the Republic of South Africa. The white authorities in South Africa long implemented racial discrimination and segregation policies through legislation and executive measures, enacting hundreds of racist laws and decrees. After the National Party came to power in 1948, it fully implemented the apartheid system, suppressing the resistance of the South African people and facing international condemnation and sanctions. In 1989, when de Klerk became the leader of the National Party and president, he promoted political reforms, lifting the ban on Black liberation organizations and releasing figures like Mandela. In 1991, the ANC, the South African government, the National Party, and 19 other parties held multi-party negotiations on a political solution to the South African issue, and in 1993, they reached an agreement on political transition arrangements. In April–May 1994, South Africa held its first multiracial election, with the ANC, the South African Communist Party, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions forming a tripartite alliance and winning a majority of 62.65%. Mandela became the first Black president of South Africa, and the ANC, the National Party, and the Inkatha Freedom Party formed a unity government. This marked the end of the apartheid system and the birth of a democratic, equal South Africa. On June 23, 1994, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution restoring South Africa's seat in the UN. On December 12, 1996, President Mandela of South Africa signed a new constitution, laying the legal foundation for the future establishment of a racially equal state system.
Politics: On April 1994, South Africa promulgated its first interim constitution to reflect racial equality. On May 1996, the Constitutional Assembly passed a new constitution based on the interim constitution. The new constitution came into effect in December of the same year. The new constitution stipulates that the constitution is supreme; all people are equal before the law regardless of race, gender, or religion; it retains major constitutional principles and content from the interim constitution, including the Bill of Rights, the system of separation of powers, the federal government management system, and the existing judicial system; after the 1999 election, South Africa shifted from proportional power-sharing among parties to a system where the majority party governs. According to the new constitution, the president of South Africa is the head of state and government, elected by the National Assembly and serving a maximum of two terms. A party with at least 80 seats in the parliament has the right to nominate a deputy president. The parliament can impeach or dismiss the president through a no-confidence vote. The constitution stipulates that the South African Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. The National Assembly has 400 members, with 200 elected through general elections and the remaining 200 elected by provinces. The National Council of Provinces (formerly the Senate) has 90 seats, elected indirectly by the provincial legislatures, with 10 seats per province. The new constitution establishes a presidential cabinet system. The cabinet is composed of the president, deputy president, and 27 ministers appointed by the president. The president and cabinet members jointly exercise executive power. The new constitution also stipulates that the judiciary consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the High Courts, and the Magistrates' Courts. The Constitutional Court is the highest institution for interpreting the constitution, composed of a chair, a permanent deputy chair, and nine judges, with the power to invalidate legislation passed by the parliament. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body except for constitutional matters, composed of a chief justice, appeal judges, and provincial judges. Cases from the Magistrates' Courts are appealed to the provincial courts of the Supreme Court, and provincial court appeals are heard by the appeal courts of the Supreme Court.
Economy: South Africa is a middle-income developing country. Its GDP accounts for nearly 20% of the total GDP of Africa and is the most developed country in the continent. South Africa has good infrastructure, abundant resources, and is one of the world's top five mining countries, with a high degree of economic openness. Mining, manufacturing, and agriculture are the three pillars of the economy, with deep mining technology ranking among the world's best. However, the development levels and regional distribution of various sectors in the national economy are uneven, and income distribution is highly unequal. South Africa is renowned for its rich mineral resources, with over 70 types of minerals now explored and mined. The reserves of gold, platinum group metals, manganese, vanadium, chromium, titanium, and silicates rank among the world's highest, while the reserves of diamonds, asbestos, copper, vanadium, uranium, coal, iron, titanium, mica, and lead are also extremely abundant. The production of gold, diamonds, vanadium, manganese, chromium, antimony, uranium, asbestos, and other minerals ranks among the world's top. Rich resources, cheap labor, and advanced management have made South Africa one of the most developed economies in Africa. Mining, manufacturing, construction, and energy are the four major sectors of South Africa's industry, with mineral exports accounting for about 50% of export revenue, and approximately 12% of the labor force working in mining. Manufacturing is comprehensive and technologically advanced, with main products including steel, metal products, chemicals, transportation equipment, machinery, food processing, textiles, and clothing. The steel industry is the pillar of South Africa's manufacturing sector, with six steel conglomerates and over 130 steel enterprises. South Africa has become the world's largest gold producer and exporter. The power industry is relatively developed, accounting for 60% of Africa's total electricity generation. Sun City is a tourist destination in South Africa, located 250 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg, known as the "Paradise on Earth." Sun City is not a city but a place of green hills and clear waters, nestled at the foot of mountains and seamlessly integrated with nature. Building on the original natural beauty, it has created a breathtaking resort. It features creatively designed artificial beaches, lifelike artificial earthquake bridges, charming small zoos, and a crocodile lake that is a must-visit. The image shows the most representative building of Sun City, the Palace Hotel.
South Africa's agriculture is also relatively developed, with main crops including corn, wheat, sugar cane, barley, etc. Sugar exports rank among the world's top. South Africa is the world's largest gold producer and exporter, with gold exports accounting for 11% of the country's total export revenue in 2001. However, in recent years, due to the decline in international gold prices, platinum group metals have gradually replaced gold as the main export mineral product. South Africa is also one of the world's major diamond producers, accounting for about 8.7% of global production. The De Beers company in South Africa is the world's largest diamond producer and seller, with total assets of $20 billion, once holding a 90% share of the global diamond supply market, and still controlling 60% of the rough diamond trade. The company was acquired by in May 2001. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for 5% of GDP and play an increasingly smaller role in the national economy. Agriculture is relatively developed, contributing about 4.1% of GDP and providing 13% of formal employment opportunities. A third of non-gold export revenue comes from agricultural products or processed agricultural products. In normal years, food production is sufficient for domestic consumption and can also be exported. Arable land accounts for about 13% of the land area, but fertile land accounts for only 22% of arable land. The main crop is corn. Canned food, tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and beverages meet international standards, and South African wine is renowned internationally. Forest coverage accounts for 6% of the total land area. Livestock farming is relatively developed. Aquaculture production accounts for 5% of Africa's total and 0.03% of the world's total. South Africa's commercial fishing fleet has over 500 vessels of various types, with nearly 30,000 people engaged in marine fishing, mainly catching mussels, trout, oysters, and Cape hakes. Tourism is a well-developed and well-equipped industry, ranking as the third-largest source of foreign exchange revenue and employment in South Africa, accounting for 2% of GDP. Tourist attractions are concentrated in the northeastern part and along the eastern and southern coasts. Ecotourism and cultural tourism are the two major growth areas of South Africa's tourism industry. Export products include gold, metals and metal products, diamonds, food, beverages, and tobacco, as well as manufactured goods such as machinery and transportation equipment. Main imports include machinery, transportation equipment, chemical products, and petroleum.
People's Livelihood: South Africa is a middle-income country, but the gap between the rich and the poor is extremely wide, with significant income disparities between racial groups. Two-thirds of national income is concentrated in the hands of the top 20% of the population. In 2002, the per capita national income was $2,600; the average life expectancy was 52.1 years; the infant mortality rate was 5.6%; there were 443 doctors per 100,000 people; and healthcare spending accounted for 3.7% of the budget. AIDS is one of the serious social problems South Africa faces today. In 2002, the number of adult HIV carriers and AIDS patients in South Africa reached 4.74 million, the highest in the world.
Military: The president is the supreme commander of the armed forces. The highest defense decision-making body is the National Security Council, which is under the National Defense Advisory Council and the Ministry of Defense. The Minister of Defense represents the president in handling daily military affairs. The Chief of the Defence Force oversees operations, command, and military training for the entire armed forces, appointed by the president and responsible to the Minister of Defense in peacetime but directly to the president in wartime. The South African National Security Forces include the Defence Force and the police. The land, sea, and air forces of the Defence Force were established in 1912, 1922, and 1920, respectively. The new South Africa has merged and reorganized the former apartheid-era Defence Force with parts of the armed forces of the ANC, Pan Africanist Congress, and the former Inkatha Freedom Party, determining its tasks as safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, fulfilling international obligations, and assisting in maintaining domestic security. In 1997, compulsory military service was replaced by voluntary service.
Press and Publication: The number of regularly published newspapers ranks first in Africa. There are 22 daily newspapers, 13 weekly newspapers, and over 100 provincial and local newspapers. The largest circulation includes: Sunday Times (English), The Dispatch (Afrikaans), The City Press (English), Soweto Times (English), The Star (English), and The Citizen (English). Among them, Sunday Times, The Dispatch, and Sunday Independent are national newspapers. The South African Press Association (SAPA) is the national news agency. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates radio stations and television stations. Radio stations broadcast 22 programs in 11 languages domestically and broadcast under the name "Africa Channel" in four languages abroad. The television stations have six channels, with three official channels broadcasting in 11 languages. M-NET is Africa's most influential pay television channel.
Foreign Relations: South Africa pursues an independent and all-round foreign policy, advocating the maintenance and development of bilateral friendly relations with all countries on the basis of respect for sovereignty, equality, mutual benefit, and non-interference in internal affairs. The six pillars of its foreign policy are: ensuring human rights; promoting freedom and democracy worldwide; respecting fair principles and international law; maintaining world peace and participating in international mechanisms to resolve conflicts; and upholding African interests and promoting a mutually dependent world on the international stage. The new South Africa has quickly returned to the international community, with increasingly active foreign exchanges and continuously improving international status.
Relations with China: On January 1, 1998, South Africa and China established ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations. On December 6, 1998, Beijing, China, and the Gauteng Province of South Africa established sister cities. In April 2000, Chinese President Jiang Zemin was invited to visit South Africa for an official state visit, and the two countries signed the Pretoria Declaration on the China-South Africa Partnership. In December 2001, South African President Mbeki was invited to visit China for an official state visit.