blacks), Hindu
(60% of Indians), Muslim 2%
Languages:
eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele,
Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
76%
male:
78%
female:
75%
Labor force:
13.4 million economically active (1990)
by occupation:
services 35%, agriculture 30%, industry 20%, mining 9%, other 6%

@South Africa, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa
conventional short form:
South Africa
Abbreviation:
RSA
Digraph:
SF
Type:
republic
Capital:
Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein
(judicial)
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Eastern Transvaal, Kwa Zulu/Natal, Northern
Cape, Northern Transvaal, Northwest, Orange Free State,
Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging, Western Cape
note:
previously the administrative divisions consisted of 4 provinces;
Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal; there were 10 homelands not
recognized by the US - 4 independent (Bophuthatswana, Ciskei,
Transkei, Venda) and 6 other (Gazankulu, Kangwane, KwaNdebele,
KwaZulu, Lebowa, QwaQwa)
Independence:
31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 31 May (1910)
Constitution:
27 April 1994 (interim constitution, replacing the constitution of 3
September 1984)
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
Executive President Nelson MANDELA (since 10 May 1994); Deputy
Executive President Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 10 May 1994); Deputy
Executive President Thabo MBEKI (since 10 May 1994)
note:
any political party that wins 20% or more of the National Assembly
votes in a general election is entitled to name a Deputy Executive
President
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the Executive President
Legislative branch:
bicameral
National Assembly:
elections held 26-29 April 1994 (next to be held NA); results - ANC
62.6%, NP 20.4%, IFP 10.5%, FF 2.2%, DP 1.7%, PAC 1.2%, ACDP 0.5%,
other 0.9%; seats - (400 total) ANC 252, NP 82, IFP 43, FF 9, DP 7,
PAC 5, ACDP 2
Senate:
the Senate is composed of members who are nominated by the nine
provincial parliaments (which are elected in parallel with the