Official Name
Republic of South Africa
Head of State
President Thabo M Mbeki
Area
1,221,037 sq kms
9 Provinces
Western Cape; Eastern Cape; Northern Cape; Free State; North West; Gauteng; Limpopo; Mpumalanga; KwaZulu-Natal
Capitals
Cape Town, Pretoria and Bloemfontein
Population
44.8 million
Main Languages
11 Official languages, English most commonly spoken
Religion
Mainly Christianity
Currency
The unit of currency in South Africa is the rand (R) and this is divided into 100 cents.
Time
GMT + 2 hrs
International dialling code
+27
Best time to visit
September / October (spring)
or April / May (autumn)
Climate
South Africa is predominantly sunny and dry, such as in the Western Cape, where maximum temperatures reach about 28 degrees celcius and it is often quite windy. Winters are relatively cold with occasional snow on higher peaks.
The weather along the southern coast is moderate and the further you go along the eastern coast, the more tropical it becomes.
The Eastern Cape and KZN can become very hot and humid.
The Gauteng and Free State regions have sunny and dry climates. From October - April showers are sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning and heavy hailstorms.
The Karoo region is a semidesert and becomes very hot, while the Northern Province and Mpumalanga can be very hot in summer and sunny in winter.
Total GDP 2003
R1,209.5bn
GDP per capita
R26,998
Exports
Gold, minerals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foods, automotive components
Imports
Machinery, transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, oil
Main Trading Partners
Germany, USA, UK, China, Japan, France
Tax
There is a value-added tax (VAT) of 14% and foreign visitors can reclaim some of this on departure.
Customs
For any information on customs, please contact the Department of Customs & Excise on
+27 12 284 4308.
Disabled Travellers
For any advice on available facilities, you can contact the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in South Africa:
Tel: +27 11 7268040
Email: ncppdsa@cis.co.za
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