South Africa

The Republic of South Africa (also referred to as South Africa, SA or RSA) is a state in southern Africa. It is a parliamentary democracy comprising nine provinces which is located at the southern tip of Africa, with a 2,798 kilometers (1,739 mi) coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. It is the 25^th-largest country in the world. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique, Swaziland, while Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by South African territory.

South Africa is known for a diversity in cultures and languages. Eleven official languages are recognized in the constitution. Two of these languages are of European origin. Afrikaans, a language which is originated mainly from Dutch that is spoken by the majority of white and Coloured South Africans and South African English. Though English is the commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fifth most-spoken home language.

South Arica is ethnically diverse. About 79,5% of the South African population is of black African ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages, nine of which have official status. South Africa also contains the largest communities of European, Asian and racially mixed ancestry in Africa. About a quarter of the population is unemployed and lives on less than US $1,25 a day.

The interior of South Africa is a vast, flat, and sparsely populated scrubland, the Karoo, which is drier towards the northwest along the Namib desert. In contrast, the eastern coastline is lush and well-watered, which produces a climate similar to the tropics.

South Africa has a mixed economy with high rate of poverty and low GDP per capita. By UN classification South Africa is a middle-income country with an abundant supply of resources, well developed financial, legal, commuications, energy and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the top twenty in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the entire region. South Africa is ranked 25^th in the world terms of GDP as of 2008.