In 1652, the Dutch East India Company established a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. the new colony was replenished by immigrants from the Netherlands, Germany and France. The colonists actively imported slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar.
In 1806, this territory came under the control of Great Britain. The British built new forts as they moved east and encouraged the arrival of new settlers. When slavery was banned in 1833, many colonists of Dutch origin - the Boers - moved inland, where they founded the Republic of Natal (1839), the Transvaal Republic (1852) and the Orange Republic (1854). In a new place, the Boers conquered the local tribes and forced them to work on farms.
Until diamonds were discovered in the northern part of the Cape Colony in 1867, and gold in the Witwatersrand mountains in 1886, the Boers subsisted on agriculture. With the discovery of the treasures of the subsoil of South Africa, new settlers poured into these parts, mainly the British, who soon demanded that they be recognized as civil rights, with which the Boers did not agree. First Boer War 1880-1881 ended with the victory of the Boers. But the Second - 1899-1902. has already brought the victory of Great Britain: under its authority was the entire territory of southern Africa. In 1910, the Union of South Africa was created as a dominion of the British Empire from the territories of the former Boer republics. In 1961, South Africa became an independent country of South Africa - the Republic of South Africa.
The policy of apartheid, that is, racial segregation, in South Africa-South Africa was enshrined in law and was carried out from 1948 to 1994, when general democratic elections were held and apartheid was abolished. Until that time, Africans and the so-called colored population of South Africa were deprived of basic civil rights.
The modern mining industry, actively developing the riches of the subsoil of Africa, efficient agriculture, the developed resort and tourism industry, all this was controlled by the white minority. The native population and descendants of imported slaves lived and worked under tight control, with a system of passes and restrictions on free movement.
By the beginning of the 90s. 20th century external pressure on South Africa had a serious impact on the economy - the sanctions imposed by the international community led to large losses in foreign trade, many foreign companies began to curtail their activities in South Africa.
After the abolition of apartheid, economic growth was observed - for example, South African wine became an internationally recognized brand, and high prices for raw materials at the beginning of the 21st century also helped. The new government created many benefits for native Africans, which led to the emergence of a considerable number of rich people among them. Whites from some areas of business began to be actively ousted, for example, from the taxi service or farming. 
After the end of apartheid, border control was lost. Today, according to various sources, up to 5 million illegal migrants from neighboring countries live in South Africa - for example, from Zimbabwe, where the standard of living after the expulsion of whites became the lowest in the world, Angola, Mozambique. This creates enormous difficulties as the growth of crime and unemployment, which covers a third of the working population. In 2008, there were pogroms in migrant neighborhoods in South Africa; black citizens of South Africa killed and beat illegal immigrants. The President of the country had to authorize the participation of the army in the suppression of unrest.
There is no doubt that South Africa is the most economically developed country in Africa today. But its successes are impressive only in comparison with how things are going with its neighbors on the continent. In comparison, for example, with Latin America, South Africa is clearly losing, both in terms of GDP per capita and in other indicators, such as the human development index or , for example, life expectancy (it is only 49 years in South Africa), or infant mortality.
The main wealth of South Africa is minerals. According to the US Geological Survey, South Africa ranks 1st in the list of the richest countries in the world with mineral resources, the value of ore reserves in this country is more than $2.5 trillion. The basis of the South African economy is mining and processing.
The main income comes from gold, 15% of the world's production of this precious metal is carried out here. 40% of the world's diamond production is controlled by De Beers. The level of platinum production in South Africa is estimated at about 85% of the world, palladium at 30%. Many other valuable metals are also mined, as well as coal, from which even gasoline is made. Since there is no oil in South Africa.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the production of manganese, chromium, and the refining of platinum and gold have also long been developed in South Africa. However, all high-tech industries in recent years have experienced a shortage of highly qualified personnel. According to various sources, in 1994-2004. Between one million and one and a half million skilled workers, mostly members of the white minority, left South Africa, and this trend continues. Moreover, many are willingly accepted by such countries as Canada, Australia, the USA and Great Britain.
The policy of supporting the indigenous population, pursued by the South African government, makes it preferable when hiring native Africans, gives them benefits for doing business, etc. This often leads to the fact that incompetent people get into management, because the level of education among Africans is extremely low.
It got to the point that the Chinese community demanded in 2008 that the Chinese be recognized as "black". The Chinese Association of South Africa has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court that the Chinese are being discriminated against because they are perceived as "white" by Africans. And the Supreme Court decided to recognize the Chinese as "black."
If we take into account that there are many contradictions between different nationalities living in South Africa, it becomes clear that modern relative economic well-being is under threat. If white professionals still in South Africa continue to emigrate en masse, the industry may simply not be able to resist.
A special problem that hinders the development of tourism in South Africa, which has excellent natural opportunities, is crime. Even during the World Cup, which was held in the summer of 2010 in South Africa, for the first time on the African continent, the country's government, despite the enormous costs of 100 million euros, failed to ensure the safety of the championship guests.
Players, journalists, and fans suffered from robberies, theft and robbery. Considering that the prices for tourist services in South Africa are very high, then before security issues are resolved, it is unlikely that the South African tourism industry will experience a period of rapid growth. Of particular concern is the fact that almost 30% of the population in South Africa has AIDS, and this is already affecting the country's economy.
general information
Official name: Republic of South Africa.
Form of government: parliamentary republic.
Administrative-territorial division: 3 provinces.
Capitals: (administrative), 2,345,908 people (2007), Cape Town (legislative), 3,497,097 (2007), Bloemfontein (judicial), 463,064 (2009).
Languages: English, Afrikaans, Venda, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swati, Northern Sotho, Sesotho, Tswana, Tsonga.
Religions: adherents of the Zion churches - 10%, Pentecostals - 7.5%, Catholics - 6.5%, Methodists - 6.8%, Dutch Reformed - 6.7%, Anglicans - 3.8%, Christians of other denominations - 36 %, Muslims - 1.3%, adherents of other religions - 2.3%, undecided - 4%, atheists - 15.1%.
Currency unit: South African rand.
Largest cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Soweto.
Main seaports: Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London.
The most important airports: Jan Smuts Airport (Johannesburg), Louis Botha Airport (Durban), D.F. Malana (Cape Town).
Major rivers: Orange, Limpopo.
Largest lake: Saint Lucia.
Neighboring countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe.
Numbers
Area: 1,221,037 km2.Population: 49,991,300 (2010).
Population density: 40.9 people / km 2.
Economically active population: 18 000 000 people
Employment by sector: 65% - service sector 26% - industry, 9% - agriculture (2008).
Agriculture: Africa's leading fishery, 4th in the world in goat wool shearing, 8th in the world in wine production; one of the leading fruit exporters; production of sugar cane, cotton, corn, sunflower; developed animal husbandry.
Service sector: tourism.
Economy features: shortage of qualified labor force, outflow of qualified personnel, high crime and unemployment rates, large number of illegal migrants.
Curious facts
■ History has kept the date of appearance of the first wine in South Africa - in 1659 the Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck made an entry in the ship's log that the vineyards gave the first wine. Today, South Africa is one of the leading wine producers in the world, and the most famous local grape variety is Pinotage.■ The record for gold production was set in South Africa in 1970. At that time, 1,000 tons were mined.
■ White farmers, who have been oppressed in recent years in South Africa (according to various sources, from 1,200 to 3,000 people died), are moving to other African countries. So, they have already turned Mozambique into a solid supplier of bananas, and in Zambia they have established the production of corn, after which the country began to provide itself with this product. In 2009, the Congolese authorities announced a program to invite farmers from South Africa.
Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus
Belarusian State University
Faculty of International Relations
Department of International Tourism
Course work
in the discipline "Socio-economic geography of foreign countries"
"Socio-economic situation of the Republic of South Africa"
1st year student
Department of Customs
Safonenko N. A.
Scientific adviser:
Senior Lecturer of the Department of International Tourism
Poleshchuk N.I.
Minsk
2010
Content
Introduction……………………..……………………………. .............................. ....3
Chapter 1. General characteristics, characteristics of the resources and population of South Africa
1.1 “Business card”……………………….………………………………………..4
1.2 Form of the State……………………………………………………………..5
1.3 Economic and geographical position of the country ..........................................................6
1.4 Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources…………………. 6
1.5 Population geography……………………………………………………… . 8
Chapter 2. Economic characteristics of South Africa
2.1 General characteristics of the economic complex of the country……..……..1 2
2.2 Geography of means of communication and transport…… ………………………... 17
2.3 Foreign economic relations of the country…………………………………… 18
Conclusion …………..……………………………………………….………22
References…………………………………………………………...24
Appendix………................. ............................. ..................................................................25
Introduction
The Republic of South Africa is a state located at the southern tip of the African continent. In the north it borders on Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the northeast on Mozambique and Swaziland. The state of Lesotho is completely surrounded by the territory of South Africa. South Africa is one of the most developed countries on the African continent. The country has rich mineral resources, and is also the most economically developed on the continent and has a relatively strong global position. Thanks to the mining of diamonds and gold, the South African economy is flourishing, and infrastructure and services are at a fairly high level. Today, South Africa is one of the most promising markets among all third world countries. South Africa is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa, and has the largest proportion of white, Indian and mixed populations on the continent. The object of study of the course work is the regional economy of South Africa. The relevance of the work lies in the fact that South Africa can become an important partner for many countries in the future. The Republic of South Africa is currently an actively developing country with a high economic potential, since after the abolition of apartheid, the international community removed barriers, and in South Africa, for a long time isolated from the world community, a flow of investments and technologies began to flow. The purpose of the work: to determine the place of South Africa in the global economy. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: - give a natural and economic assessment of natural conditions and resources; - to study the socio-economic situation of the population; - assess the economic complex of the country; - to characterize the non-manufacturing sphere of South Africa; - to analyze the foreign economic relations of South Africa.
- General characteristics, characteristics of resources and population of South Africa
Basic information about South Africa
The Republic of South Africa (SAR) is the most highly developed state in Africa. South Africa belongs to the type of countries of resettlement capitalism, the distinguishing feature of which is the transfer to new, colonized lands of the forms of economic organization that have developed in the metropolis.
Geographic coordinates: 29° 00'S sh., 24 ° 00' in. d.;
area: 1,219,090 km ?. Includes the Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island);
land borders: 4750 km;
the length of borders with neighboring states: with Botswana 1,840 km, with Lesotho 909 km, with Mozambique 491 km, with Namibia 855 km, with Swaziland 430 km, with Zimbabwe 225 km;
coastline: 2798 km (in the west of South Africa it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east by the Indian Ocean);
maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean - 0 m; Mount Njesuthi -3,408 m;
capital: Pretoria. Note: Cape Town is the center of the legislative power, Bloemfontein is the center of the judiciary. The population of Pretoria - 1.8 million people, Cape Town - 3.5 million people, Bloemfontein - 500 thousand people;
population: about 47 million people;
population density: 37 people. per km?;
In terms of HDI, South Africa ranks 110th in the world and is a country with a medium level of human development.
1.2 Shape of the state
According to the Constitution of the country, adopted by the Parliament on May 8, 1996, South Africa is a unitary republic with elements of federalism. The 9 provinces that make up the country (KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Gdateng, Free State, Orange Northern Province and North Western Province) are endowed with extensive powers, including legislative autonomy. Legislative power at the national level is vested in a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the National Council of Provinces (upper house, 90 people elected by 10 from each provincial legislature) and the National Assembly (lower house, 400 people elected on the basis of proportional representation). Joint sessions of both chambers of Parliament form the Constitutional Assembly. The term of office of the National Assembly is 5 years. The head of state and government (executive power), as well as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the President. He is elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a term of 5 years. No one can be President more than 2 times. The current president of South Africa is Jacob Zuma. The highest court is the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court consists of the Court of Appeal, provincial and local courts. Each district and district within the province has a magistrate's court with clear jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters. Each of the nine provinces has its own legislature with between 30 and 100 members, depending on population. They are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation. The provincial legislature has the power to draft a provincial constitution, which must comply with the basic principles of the country's constitution, and to elect a prime minister, the head of government. The African National Congress of South Africa is the country's leading party. Other parties: National Party, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, South African Communist Party, etc. South Africa is a member of the UN (since 1945), OAU (since 1994).
1.3 Economic and geographical position of the country
South Africa occupies a middle position between developing and developed countries, it is rich in resources, has a well-developed legal system, financial, communications, energy and transport sectors, a stock exchange, which is among the ten largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure that ensures efficient exchange of goods between the main centers of the region. However, economic growth was not enough to eliminate unemployment of 28% of the working-age population and the menacing economic problems inherited from the apartheid era, especially poverty and the lack of economic opportunities for the poor. In early 2000, President MBEKI pledged to stimulate economic growth and encourage foreign investment by easing restrictions imposed by labor laws that also prevent government spending from being cut.
Relative to other countries of Black Africa, South Africa occupies a leading position in economic development. It accounts for 40% of GDP, half of the generated electricity and 95% of the exported finished products of the African continent.
The government is pursuing a policy of actively attracting foreign investment. Since 2000, a program of privatization of state property has been implemented, measures are being taken to reduce government spending, since at the moment they exceed revenues. More than half of government revenue comes from income tax and corporate income tax. 34% of government revenue comes from value added tax and excises.
1.4 Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources
Industry Development Resources
The strong position of South Africa in the world market is determined primarily by the richness of its subsoil. The mining industry plays an important role in the industrial structure of South Africa. This most important industry is distinguished by the extraction of uranium, coal, platinum group metals, diamonds, iron ore, manganese, vanadium, chromites, but gold remains the most strategically important product for South Africa. ? all miners are employed precisely in gold mining. South Africa is the world's largest gold producer, accounting for about 30% of the country's exports.
Gold is mainly mined in the Orange province. In many states, and there are about 50 of them, gold is mined along with uranium. In the second half of the 20th century, when the price of gold was high, South Africa mined up to 1,000 tons of precious metal per year, but by the beginning of the 21st century, following the fall in prices, gold mining also seriously decreased.
South Africa is also one of the world's largest producers and exporters of natural diamonds. More than 10% of diamonds in the world market are mined in South Africa. The Republic of South Africa ranks 7th in the world in terms of coal reserves. Low-grade coals are processed into liquid fuel, which compensates for the lack of own oil in South Africa. Coal is exported to 36 countries of the world.
The main forestry zone is the southern part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Natural forests occupy 180,000 hectares, that is, only 0.14% of the country's territory. Most of the commercial wood comes from forest plantations, which cover only 1% of the territory of South Africa. Approximately half of the forest "plantations" are planted with pine, 40% with eucalyptus and 10% with mimosa. Yellow and ebony, Cape laurel, assegai and camassi are also grown. Trees reach marketable condition in an average of 20 years - in contrast to trees growing in the Northern Hemisphere, where this process lasts from 80 to 100 years. The annual volume of wood entering the market is 17 million cubic meters. More than 240 woodworking and timber industry enterprises operate in South Africa.
The inland waters of the country are scarce, and the problem of water resources is very acute. The total flow of all rivers is 52 billion m?, that is, about the same as the Rhine carries in the Rotterdam region. Of great economic importance is the Orange River with its tributary Vaal, which crosses the most important economic regions. Underground sources are widely used, as well as sea water is desalinated.
Conditions for agricultural activities
Agricultural productivity in South Africa is low by world standards. This is partly due to primitive methods of cultivating the land. Other factors are soil erosion and insufficient rainfall. Only 12-15% of the land is cultivated in the country, only 10% of them are highly fertile, but even fertile lands are subject to sudden floods and washout of the fertile layer. Soil erosion has reached its greatest extent in the former bantustans. In agricultural areas, droughts are not uncommon, the main reason for unstable harvests in some years. Most of the Central Plateau is short grass steppe, or grassy veld. However, vast areas of this once fertile steppe have been disturbed by severe overgrazing for more than a century, as well as severe erosion caused by ill-conceived crop cultivation. The subsequent degradation of agriculture in this area was accompanied by the penetration of economically low-value plants into the grassy weld.
Recreational resources
The favorable climate of South Africa, its magnificent sea beaches and recreation areas are of great interest to tourists. This country also attracts many attractions, including: the National Park, the House-Museum of the first president of the country, Paulus Kruger, the beautiful zoo - in Pretoria, Fort Fredericks (1799), the aquarium - in Port Elizabeth, the castle built by the Dutch (1665 g.), the Old Town Hall (1755), the Reformed Church in Cape Town (1669), etc. Every year, about 7 million tourists visit South Africa. Until the early 90s, when the country was ruled by a white minority regime, only the most desperate adventurers dared to visit it. But with the weakening of the apartheid system, the flow of foreign visitors began to grow rapidly. The traditional hospitality of the local population and accommodation that meets international standards, with its relative cheapness, are very attractive to tourists. Foreign capital actively contributes to the rapid expansion of the tourism industry.
1.5 Population geography
Formation of the modern population. Its racial, ethnic and national composition.
The most numerous race is blacks (79%). The indigenous people of South Africa are the Bushmen and the Huttentots. They inhabited the territory of South Africa long before the appearance of other peoples there. The largest South African nation today is the Zulu, or Zulus (10 million people). Also large in number are the Xoza (7.2 million people), northern and southern Sothos (6 million people), Tsavana (3 million people), Tsonga (1.8 million people), Swazi (1. 2 million people), Ndebele (0.6 million people), Venda (0.9 million people).
The second largest group of peoples inhabiting South Africa are whites (about 4.6 million people - 9.1% of the population). They live mainly in large cities. There are two main groups of the white population of South Africa - Afrikaners and Anglophones. Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch settlers. The Afrikaner language is Afrikaans. Anglophones are Africans of British origin. The language is South African English. A significant number of descendants of other nationalities live in South Africa: 600 thousand Portuguese, 80 thousand Greeks, 60 thousand Italians, 7 thousand French. The Jewish community is 120 thousand people.
The third largest group of South Africans - mulattos and mestizos - "colored" (4 million people). Most of them are descendants of slaves brought to South Africa over many centuries ..
A special group is made up of Indians (about 1 million people) - the descendants of Indians who arrived in 1860 to work on sugar canes. Most of them still live in KwaZulu Natal. They are mainly engaged in trade.
South Africa has 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebe, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhoza, Zulu.
The most common religion is Christianity (77% of the population), predominantly Protestantism. 19.8% of the population are adherents of traditional cults. 3.2% are adherents of such religions as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism.
Vital movement of the population
The total population of South Africa is 44 million people. Population estimates should take into account the high mortality rate, especially among newborns, and low life expectancy. The birth rate in 2007 was 17.9‰ and the death rate was 22.4‰. The average life expectancy is about 48 years. However, for the white population, this figure is much higher. Child mortality: 6 cases per 100 newborns.
Sex and age composition of the population
Age structure of the population: up to 14 years old - 29.1%, from 15 to 64 people - 65.5%, over 65 years old - 5.4% (2007 data).
Sex ratio. The number of male population under 1 year old is related to the number of female population of the same age as 102 to 100. In other words, the number of male and female births is approximately equal. At the age of up to 15 years, the ratio changes slightly: there are 101 girls for every 100 boys. In the age period from 15 to 64, the number of men decreases: for every 100 women, there are 93 men.
Migrations
The Republic of South Africa, as the richest country on the continent, has long been a center of attraction for migrants, mainly from Mozambique, Angola and other neighboring countries. The main number of migrants was employed in the coal mining industry. After the South African policy of reducing dependence on labor migrants, the share of foreign workers in the total number of all workers employed in the coal industry decreased from 77% to 40% in the period from 1970 to 1980. In recent years, the influx of unregistered labor migrants from neighboring states has increased. In the past, due to immigration, there was an increase in the European and Asian population in South Africa, but since the 1960s. outside inflows have declined. In the 1990s the positive balance of migrations was 5-6 thousand people per year. Migrants from poorer countries are valuable to employers in that they accept lower wages than local workers. Farmers willingly hire foreigners to work on harvesting. Zambians are invited to the position of employees, who are well trained in economic specialties in their country. At the moment, the number of illegal migrants in South Africa, according to various estimates, ranges from 2 to 8 million people.
The current problem in South Africa is high unemployment among unskilled workers. From this it should be obvious that South Africa does not need unskilled personnel. In South Africa, there is an acute shortage of workers in such a profile as a radio technician, programmer, car mechanic, adjusters and assemblers of various equipment, people who can simply use a computer. However, many whites immigrate from the country due to the presence of crime. Official statistics do not provide information on racial composition. emigrants, but various studies suggest that whites leave South Africa only slightly more readily than blacks. Most African countries will find it difficult to attract specialists from abroad. But South Africa, with its developed economy, undoubtedly has a much better chance in the international labor market.
Urbanization and rural areas
The process of industrialization entailed a rapid increase in the urban population in the post-war years. Mining centers are growing, both the old ones - the cities of the Witwatersrand and the new ones: Phalaborwa, Saishen, Priska, etc. They owe their rapid growth to a large extent to the immigration of the African and "colored" population. A significant number of Africans living in cities and industrial centers are temporary residents who, when they lose their ability to work or the end of their contract, return to where they came from.
South Africa is dominated by small towns with a population of 2,000 to 10,000 people. According to existing legislation, cities here are considered to be all settlements that have local city government in one form or another. Among the main shortcomings of the current urban development in South Africa are the low building density, the predominance of free-standing buildings and the presence of large land reserves between them. According to statistics, at the moment 51% of the population lives in cities and 49% in rural areas. In agriculture, about 1.4 million black laborers are hired annually by white farmers, whose working day lasts 12-17 hours a day, and wages do not provide a living wage.
Labor resources and employment of the population
According to the 2006 census, the unemployment rate in South Africa was 34%. Most of the unemployed were in the provinces of the Northern Cape and Northern (over 45%), the least - in the Western Cape (18%). Unemployment rates vary widely across racial groups. The black unemployment rate was 52.4% for women and 34.1% for men, with an average of 42.5%. In comparison, unemployment rates among other racial groups ranged from 4.2% for white men to 24.1% for women of color. Of the almost 44 million inhabitants of South Africa, more than 15 million are self-employed. Its number increases annually by approximately 2.5%. Since 1973, the number of jobs has been steadily declining. The number of people employed in the mining industry and retail trade is rapidly declining. Some growth in the number of jobs occurs in the manufacturing industry and the trade in vehicles.
Conclusion:
The Republic of South Africa occupies a middle position between developing and developed countries. Not the most favorable conditions for agriculture are compensated by the richness of the subsoil. South Africa can be called a multi-ethnic state, since quite a lot of nationalities live on its territory. Regarding the age structure of the population, it can be said that the death rate exceeds the birth rate. Thus, the population is aging. More than a third of the working-age population is unemployed, which indicates a low standard of living.
2. Economic characteristics of South Africa
- General characteristics of the economic complex of the country
Recently, one can observe an improvement in the position of South Africa in the field of finance. In 2000, the South African budget deficit was 8.6% of GDP, and in 2004 it was only 3.3%, which is a good achievement even by the standards of the world's leading countries. The economy is also characterized by an extremely low level of public debt - about 6% of GDP, low defense spending - about 3.5% of GDP, and at the same time growing spending on education (6.5% of GDP) and healthcare (3.3% of GDP). If the positive balance of South Africa in foreign trade operations was about 4.2 billion dollars in 2000, then in 2004 it was already 6.7 billion dollars. duty-free access to the US market and other developed countries. The absence of quotas for the import of textile and industrial equipment contributed to the re-equipment of South African enterprises. The flow of foreign investment to South Africa has increased. The United States is the largest foreign investor in the South African economy.
The GDP of South Africa in 2008 amounted to 506.1 billion US dollars. The share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in GDP is 3%, industry - 30% (manufacturing - 20%), services - 67%.
Rice. 1. GDP of South Africa. 2008
The volume of GDP per capita is about 10,000 thousand dollars a year. For comparison, the largest per capita GDP is $81,000 (Liechtenstein) and the smallest is less than $200 (Zimbabwe). In Belarus, GDP per capita is over $12,000 per year.
The structure of the economic complex
When characterizing the sectoral structure of the economy, its division into three sectors is widely used: primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary sector of the economy includes industries related to the use of natural conditions and resources: agriculture and forestry, fishing, and extractive industries. The secondary sector covers all sectors of the manufacturing industry and construction. The tertiary sector includes service industries.
Of the 47 million people in South Africa, only 18 million are able to work. Unemployed - 23% (in 2008). 65% of the working population is employed in the service sector, 26% in industry, 9% in agriculture (in 2008).
Agriculture.Despite the relatively unfavorable conditions for agriculture, South Africa almost completely satisfies its needs for agricultural products. This industry plays a significant role in South Africa's export trade. Agriculture is represented by two sharply different sectors: large high-commodity farms (more than 1000 hectares in size), plantations owned by Europeans, and primitive African farms in bantustans. The African sector accounts for only 1/10 of the harvest of grain and livestock.
Cultivated land makes up about 10% of the territory of South Africa and is located mainly in the coastal regions of the country. Most of these lands need artificial irrigation. In crop production, the main crops grown are corn (9.9 million tons) and wheat (2.5 million tons). Corn, along with sorghum, is the main food crop for Africans. Wheat is grown only on white farms. In terms of wheat harvest, South Africa occupies a leading position in Africa. Peanuts (100 thousand tons), sunflower (600 thousand tons), cotton and tobacco are also grown in significant volumes. South Africa is also a major producer of sugar cane (about 20 million tons per year). Vegetable growing, horticulture and viticulture are quite well developed. Floriculture is important. Using air transport, South Africa delivers flowers to European markets.
In the structure of animal husbandry, the central place belongs to extensive pasture sheep breeding. In terms of the number of sheep, South Africa ranks 1st in Africa and 8th in the world. More than 75% of wool is exported (4th place in the world). The goat population in South Africa is represented mainly by the Angora breed, and the country produces 40 to 45% of the world's wool.
Meat and dairy farming is typical of the Transvaal and the Orange province, and suburban dairy farming has also developed here. The number of cattle - 12 million, pigs - about 1.5 million.
Industrial plantations give 16.5 million m? forests, which fully meets the country's needs for wood and lumber.
Fishing is especially active along the west coast (more than 90% of the catch), 80% of the products are exported in canned or frozen form. The total catch is about 0.5 tons per year. In addition to fish, shrimp, lobsters, lobsters, oysters, and octopuses are also caught.
Industry . The manufacturing industry in South Africa has a diversified structure. The leading industries are ferrous metallurgy, engineering, textile industry, brewing and winemaking, as well as a diverse food industry, but only a small part of the products of South African enterprises is sold outside of South Africa. South Africa also occupies a prominent place among the exporters of various types of weapons.
The branch of ferrous metallurgy uses its own resources and fuel and is represented by plants in Pretoria, Newcastle, etc. Various modern technologies have been introduced into production. It produces metal rods and fittings, reinforced plates and corrugated steel, shaped steel and chain ropes, high-quality special alloys, high-carbon steel and precision casting. The largest company in the industry is the Iron and Steel Corporation. It supplies its products to all continents. Its production capacity is over 5 million tons of steel per year.
etc.................
The Republic of South Africa is an economic giant on the scale of the African continent. The country has a large agricultural sector and exports 142 species of vegetables and fruits to 40 countries. The service sector brings 51% of national income, and industry - 31%. However, South Africa has become a modern prosperous state thanks to the mining sector: 52% of export earnings come from natural resources.
South Africa is a state with an established market economy, a favorable investment climate, and a reasonable tax policy. This is a country with excellently organized transport and communication services; it is renowned for the clarity and reliability of its banking and insurance business. South Africa has a highly skilled workforce and a large market for relatively cheap labor.
South Africa is one of the top 25 exporters in the world. South African exports in 1997 amounted to $31.3 billion. Incomes from foreign trade reach 50% of GDP, while the volume of exports exceeds the volume of imports.
The main trading partners of South Africa are: Germany - 16%, Great Britain - 12%, USA - 11%, as well as Japan, France, Italy and Canada, and the turnover of foreign trade with these countries is increasing.
The transport network of South Africa is saturated with railways, their length is 21,431 km. Many roads - 182,329 km (of which 55,428 km are paved, including 2,040 km of expressways). On bus lines, passengers are provided with services equivalent to railway ones.
The main ports are Cape Town. Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richard Bay, Saldanha. The merchant fleet includes about 300 ships, including 4 container ships. There are 667 airports and airfields, including 2 international ones - near Johannesburg and near Durban. They serve over 200 airlines. The national airline is South African Airways. The largest hydroelectric power stations are Garip and Vanderkloof (both on the Orange River).
South African cuisine
The world of South African cuisine is full of surprises and mysteries. South Africa is a gourmet paradise, its cuisine was born from a mixture of different cuisines. Kebabs and homemade sausages, cornmeal porridge and shebu (vegetable liquid seasoning), binyani (pickled chicken in a pot), bitlong (cured meat) and many other dishes make South African cuisine one of the most exotic and diverse in the world. The variety of Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and Portuguese restaurants is amazing.
In many homes, braaifleis (roast, cooked over an open fire or grill) is traditional. It is a mixture of African, Malay, Indian and Boer culinary traditions. You may be offered biltong (pieces of dried beef, game or ostrich meat) and chillibytes (spicy snack). Also, the country has long been famous for its grape wines.
Square: 1.2 million km2
Population: 49 million people
Capital: Pretoria
Geographical position
The Republic of South Africa (SAR) is located in the extreme south of Africa, south of the Southern Tropic and is washed by the waters of two oceans. The cold Benguela current in the west and the warm current of Cape Agulhas in the east determine the climate and nature of the country. The slightly indented coastline and desert areas of the west coast do not contribute to its intensive development. The southern coast has a more favorable geographical position for development. On the territory of South Africa there are two small independent states - Lesotho and. (Find out on the map which countries South Africa borders on.)
Natural conditions and resources
South Africa has the most powerful economic potential in and is the only African country that is among the developed countries. The Republic of South Africa was proclaimed in 1961.
Most of the country lies above 1000 m above sea level. The geological structure of the territory determined the wealth of South Africa in ore and the absence of deposits. The bowels of the country are extremely rich in manganese ores, chromites, platinum, diamonds, gold, coal, iron and.
The territory of South Africa is located in the subtropical and tropical zones. The climate is arid, but cooler than in the north of the mainland. Average annual temperatures - +20…+23 °С. The difference between the temperatures of the hottest and coldest seasons is only about 10 °C. Annual rainfall ranges from 100mm on the west coast to 2000mm on the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains.
The territory of South Africa is crossed by several large rivers: Orange, Tugela. The largest river in South Africa is the Orange River, which is almost 2,000 km long. The most important industrial and agricultural regions of the country are located in its basin. Large hydraulic structures have been built on the river, including reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations. The Dragon Mountains are crossed by the Tugela River, on which the highest waterfall in Africa - Tugela (933 m) is located.
The soils are varied and mostly fertile: red-brown, black, gray-brown. A significant part of the territory in the center and in the east is occupied by savannahs. Tropical forests have been preserved along the banks of the rivers. In the south, subtropical forests and evergreen shrubs are common. The flora of the country has about 16 thousand species, savanna formations predominate. In the most humid areas - savannahs with palm trees and baobabs, in and Karoo - deserted savannah (dry-loving trees, shrubs and succulents (aloe, spurge, etc.). juicy grass is a good fodder for sheep.
In the Cape floristic region (district) there are more than 6 thousand plant species, most of which are endemic. The flower of the silver tree (protea) has become the national symbol of South Africa. Deserts and mountains, river valleys, a significant length of the ocean coast determine the diversity of the flora and fauna of South Africa. The most diverse fauna is in national parks, the most famous of them are Kruger, Kalahari-Gemsbock, in which all representatives of the animal world, including endemics, are concentrated. About 200 species of snakes are known in the country, more than 40 thousand species of insects, pockets of malarial mosquitoes and tsetse flies have been preserved.
South Africa is the richest country in Africa in terms of mineral resources. Climatic conditions allow growing cultivated plants all year round.
Population
The ethnic composition of the population of South Africa is very complex. About 80% of the country's citizens are black Africans who belong to various ethnic groups (Zulu, Xhosa, Suto, etc.). The population of European origin is less than 10%. The third largest population group in South Africa is mulattoes and mestizos. There is a significant population of Asian origin.
Population density 37 people/sq. km. The most densely populated areas are Cape Town and Durban. More than 35% of the population lives in cities. Since the end of the 90s. natural population growth due to morbidity has sharply decreased and since 2005 has a negative indicator.
According to the structure of employment of the population, South Africa is a post-industrial country (65% of the working population is employed in the service sector, more than 25% in industry).
The high level of economic development made it possible to solve many social issues and ethnic relations. Previously, most of the local population was subjected to oppression. The policy of apartheid existed in South Africa for 45 years. She preached racial oppression of the colored population, the creation of reservations for blacks, the prohibition of mixed marriages, etc. In 1994, the apartheid political regime was overthrown as a result of general elections and the whites' refusal from the monopoly on power. South Africa has been restored to the world community.
Cities
The capital is the city of Pretoria (more than 800 thousand people). The urban population is 64%. South Africa is dominated by small towns with a population of up to 10,000 people. In addition to Johannesburg (3.2 million people) and, the largest cities are port cities - Cape Town,.
Industry
The country's economy produces 2/3 of the continent's GDP. The country's economy is determined by its mining industry. About 52% of the country's exports come from mining products. The country ranks second in the world in diamond mining, and third in uranium ore mining. Almost all types of minerals have been found in South Africa, excluding oil. Coal mining is developed - in terms of the use of coal for South Africa, it ranks 3rd in the world.
The mining industry is closely related to the production of gold bars (25% of world production) and platinum. The main center of gold mining is Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, the “economic capital” of the country. Several dozen gold mines operate here, and an urban agglomeration has formed (about 5 million people). The branch of specialization of the country is ferrous metallurgy. South African steel is the cheapest in the world. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by the production of most non-ferrous metals: from copper, antimony and chromium to rare earth metals.
The service sector is developing rapidly. The banking sector and trade received the greatest development. The service sector provides up to 62% of GDP.
Agriculture
In agriculture, the leading role is played by animal husbandry, primarily wool sheep breeding. Sheep wool and leather make up a significant part of the export. Cattle and goats are also bred. South Africa is the world's largest producer of angora goat mohair (South African mohair is considered the best in the world). They also breed ostriches.
Droughts affect the development of agriculture, 1/3 of all land is affected. Cultivated land makes up about 12% of the territory. The main crops are corn, wheat, sorghum. South Africa provides itself with all basic food products, exports sugar, vegetables, fruits and berries, citrus fruits. Many lands are marginal and need constant fertilization.
Transport
The main inter-district mode of transport in South Africa is rail. Railways connect port cities with. The role of road transport is growing, which accounts for 80% of all transportation in the country. The most important seaports are Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, etc.
South Africa is the only highly developed country in Africa. South Africa is known in the world as the leader in gold mining - 25% of world production. The South African economy accounts for 2/3 of the continent's GDP.
The content of the article
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, South Africa. State in southern Africa. Capital- Pretoria (1.9 million people - 2004). Territory- 1.219 million sq. km. Administrative-territorial division- 9 provinces. Population– 46.3 million people (2005). official languages- Afrikaans, English, Isizulu, Isikosa, Isindebele, Sesotho Saleboa, Sesotho, Setswana, Sivati, Tshivenda and Hitsong. Religions- Christianity, etc. Currency unit- rand. National holiday- April 27 - Freedom Day (1994). South Africa is a member of more than 50 international organizations, incl. UN since 1946, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) since 1994, and since 2002 its successor - the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) since 1994, a member of the Commonwealth (an association of countries that were part of the British Empire) and others
The urban population is 64% (2004). Approx. 80% of the "white" population. Major cities are Cape Town (approx. 4 million people - 2005), Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Pietermaritzburg and Bloemfontein.
Among those who came to the country for permanent residence in con. 1990s - early. In the 2000s, there were many citizens of Zimbabwe, which in turn accepted refugees from South Africa during the years of the apartheid regime (in 2004, there were 2 million Zimbabweans in South Africa), Nigeria, China and the UK. According to the established tradition, labor migrants from Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana come to South Africa to work in mines and farms (12 thousand people officially immigrate from Botswana annually to work in the mines, and about 30 thousand people work illegally in the manufacturing industry and farms).
There is a Russian diaspora, which includes both the descendants of Russian gold and diamond miners who came to South Africa in the 1870s and emigrants who left Russia after the 1917 revolution. There are also Russian entrepreneurs who immigrated to the country in 1990–2000.
Emigrants from South Africa live in Namibia and other African countries. There is a problem of the so-called. "brain drain". In 2003, more than 10,000 people emigrated from South Africa to the United States, European countries, Australia, and New Zealand, including many medical workers (including about 200 experienced doctors), accountants, and teachers (about 700 people). ), as well as specialists in the field of information technology.
Since the 2000s, the gap between the number of emigrants and immigrants has been slowly narrowing.
Religions.
Complete freedom of religion is legally enshrined. More than 80% of the population are Christians (the majority are Protestants). The spread of Christianity began in mid. 17th century and is associated with the activities of European missionaries. In the city of Midrand, located not far from the capital, there is a church of St. Sergius of Radonezh (the first Russian church in South Africa). There are a number of Christian-African churches that arose in the 1880s on the basis of schismatic movements. Some Africans adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, the cult of ancestors, the keepers of the hearth, the forces of nature, etc.). The Muslim community (the majority profess Sunni Islam) includes Cape Malays, Indians, people from northern Mozambique, and others. Among the Indian population there are also Ismaili Shiites. There is a Hindu community. Judaism is widespread, there are approx. 200 Jewish societies.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
State device.
Parliamentary republic. The constitution adopted in 1996 is in force. The head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the president, who is elected during the first meeting of the National Assembly after the elections from among its deputies. The term of office of the president is 5 years, he can be elected to this post no more than two times. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral parliament, which consists of the National Assembly (400 seats) and the National Council of Provinces (NCP, 90 seats). Deputies to the National Assembly are elected on the basis of proportional representation from the provinces for a 5-year term. The NSP performs the functions of the Senate and coordinates the activities of all regions. Composition of the NSP: 54 permanent representatives from the provinces (6 from each of the 9 provinces) and 36 alternate representatives (4 from each province).
Increasing racial discrimination.
Apartheid became the cornerstone of National Party politics. A law passed in 1949 forbade the marriage of whites to coloreds or Africans. The Population Registration Act of 1950 provided for the classification and registration of South Africans on a racial basis; "ethnic" zones - racial ghettos for Africans, coloreds and Indians, where they had the right to own property. The government secured constitutional amendments that changed the voting rights of the colored population of the Cape Province: now it could elect four white deputies to parliament. Declaring that, in accordance with the Statute of Westminster, it was no longer necessary to obtain the necessary two-thirds majority in Parliament, as provided for by the South Africa Act of 1910, which formed the basis of the South African constitution, in 1951 the government passed the Separate Vote Act by a simple majority. ". The ensuing constitutional crisis was overcome in 1955 by increasing the number of members of the Senate in such a way that the government could always count on the two-thirds of the votes it needed. The law "On Bantu Self-Government" adopted in 1959 provided for the creation of new political institutions on the territory of South Africa - bantustans (the first of them, the Transkei, was created in 1963). The law provided that in 1960 the representation of the African population in the lower house of parliament by three white deputies would be abolished. In the 1960s, the process of separating the population along racial lines and Africans along linguistic lines continued. Legislative acts passed in 1963-1964 regulated living and working in "white" areas. In accordance with the new legislation of 1968, the colored population of the Cape Province was deprived of the right to elect four white deputies to parliament.
In order to further strengthen the apartheid system, the Public Safety Act, better known as the "sabotage" law, was passed in 1962. Under this law, anyone who committed a criminal act, from a common offense to murder, or who attempted to "implement or encourage social or economic change" in the country, could be sentenced without trial to imprisonment and even the death penalty. The Law on Subversive Activities, passed in 1967, provided for the detention of people without a warrant for arrest, solitary confinement, detention indefinitely, a general trial of people who committed various types of crimes, and the sentencing of a group of people for illegal actions of one person in certain situations. Under a law of 1969, a State Security Administration was created in South Africa, whose activities could be controlled only by a minister specially appointed by the president. A law was also passed prohibiting the dissemination of information harmful to national security.
The position of the Asian population.
The government of the National Party abolished the existing system of immigration, according to which in 1948-1950 more than 40 thousand British subjects entered the country. In 1949, from 18 months to five years, the period was extended until the expiration of which emigrants from the countries of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain, did not receive voting rights. Since many Afrikaners did not want to bother with learning English, the bilingual system was abolished in educational institutions. In 1961 South Africa withdrew from the Commonwealth and proclaimed itself the Republic of South Africa, thereby avoiding sharp criticism from the Asian and African members of the Commonwealth.
For a long time it was believed that the Indian population, concentrated mainly in the province of Natal and to a much lesser extent in the Transvaal, could not be assimilated. The South African government has developed a whole system of incentives to encourage Indians to leave the country. But many Indians prospered in their new homeland and began to acquire property, which caused growing concern among the white population of Natal. In 1940 and 1943, commissions of inquiry into the "penetration" of Indians into the country worked, and in 1943 the rights of Indians to own property in South Africa were curtailed. Under the law of 1946, areas of the country were established where immigrants from India had the right to own property. After 1950, under the Group Settlement Act, many Indians were forcibly relocated to areas designated for them.
Non-White Organizations.
Before the nationalists came to power in 1948 and in subsequent years, the activities of organizations of the non-white population that professed non-violent methods of struggle did not have much influence on the political life of the country. The African National Congress (ANC), established in 1912, became the leading organization of the African population. Until 1960, it adhered to nonviolent methods of opposing the regime of the white minority.
Efforts were made to create trade unions for African workers. However, the Union of Industrial and Trade Workers, created in 1917, and the South African Federation of Trade Unions, which arose in 1928, lost their influence by the early 1930s.
For many years, the main spokesman for the interests of the colored population was the African Political Organization, founded in 1902 (later it renamed itself the African People's Organization). In 1909-1910, she unsuccessfully tried to extend the voting rights enjoyed by the colored population of the Cape Province to the colored northern provinces. In 1944, the National Union of Colored People was formed, which called for cooperation with the white authorities rather than with the African majority of the South African population.
In 1884, Gandhi, who lived in South Africa, created the Indian Congress of Natal, which in 1920 merged into the South African Indian Congress (SIC). It was the Indians who introduced the methods of non-violent resistance into the political struggle. During the Second World War, the YIC moved to more decisive action and began to advocate for the unity of non-white forces, which ultimately led to the unification of the efforts of the YIC and the ANC.
In 1952, a campaign of non-violent action began against discriminatory laws, during which 10,000 Africans were arrested. The government brutally suppressed non-white protests. In March 1960, the radical Pan-African Congress (PAC), created in 1959, organized a mass demonstration in Sharpeville, which was dispersed by the police, and 67 demonstrators were killed. After that, the government banned the activities of the ANC and PAK, which abandoned non-violent methods of struggle and went underground.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, South Africa experienced a period of economic prosperity. The government ensured the internal security of the country by strengthening the police forces and modernizing and increasing the size of the army.
African performances. After the fall of the Portuguese colonial empire in Africa in the mid-1970s, the ruling regime of South Africa faced a serious threat. In 1974-1975, the national liberation struggle in Mozambique ended with the coming to power of left-wing Africans, who provided political asylum to partisans who fought against the white minority regime in Southern Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe). The South African Police provided assistance to the Southern Rhodesian government. In Angola, after the departure of the Portuguese, a civil war began between rival factions that waged an armed anti-colonial struggle. South Africa provided assistance to the one supported by the United States. However, the victory in 1976 was won by a group that enjoyed the support of the USSR and Cuba. Thus, a regime hostile to South Africa became a neighbor of South West Africa (modern Namibia). The national liberation movement also covered a significant part of the territory of Namibia itself. South Africa unsuccessfully tried to create a multiracial independent government in this country, which should not include figures of the national liberation movement, and in 1990 South African troops were withdrawn from Namibia.
On June 16, 1976, race riots swept South Africa itself. On this day, students in the black Johannesburg suburb of Soweto, where approx. 2 million people demanded the abolition of Afrikaans as a compulsory language in schools. The police opened fire on the students, after which the riots spread throughout Soweto. Although the government made concessions to students, protests against the apartheid regime continued among the urban African population until the end of 1976. More than 600 Africans were killed in the suppression of the riots.
In the 1970s - early 1980s, ca. 3.5 million Africans were forcibly evicted to the territory of bantustans created on an ethnic basis. On October 26, 1976, the South African government announced the granting of "independence" to the Transkei bantustan, December 6, 1977 - Bophutthatswana, September 13, 1979 - Wende and December 4, 1981 - Ciskei. Millions of Africans who lived in the Bantustans and were assigned to them were deprived of their South African citizenship.
In 1977, one of the leaders of the African movement, Stephen Biko, was killed in police dungeons. In the same year, the South African authorities banned almost all organizations that opposed the policy of apartheid. Against this background, the number of acts of sabotage by the ANC against state-owned enterprises and institutions has increased. In June 1980 there were riots in Cape Town, during which more than 40 people were killed.
New constitution.
In 1983, Prime Minister P.V. Botha made a proposal to amend the constitution, which provided for some participation of the colored and Asian population in government. Despite stubborn resistance from the most conservative elements of the white population and opposition from Africans, the proposed constitutional changes received the support of the majority of the white population in a referendum held in November 1983. On September 3, 1984, a new constitution came into force, according to which President Botha also became the head of the executive branch and a tricameral parliament was created (representatives of whites, coloreds and Indians). The majority of the colored and Indian population considered the reforms insufficient and refused to participate in the elections.
The armed struggle of the ANC against the apartheid regime continued. A new generation of African and colored youth rioted in the streets, clashed with the police and attacked those Africans who collaborated with the white minority regime. Demonstrations were banned, but the funeral of the Africans killed by the bullets of the police turned into thousands of rallies. Forces opposed to the regime demanded the release of ANC leader Nelson Mandela from prison.
Strengthening the struggle against the apartheid regime.
In the context of ongoing unrest, local authorities in African settlements practically ceased to function, and young ANC activists began to create new self-government bodies. In July 1985, the government introduced a state of emergency in a large part of the country. By the end of November of that year, over 16,000 Africans had been arrested. Many of those who were subsequently released spoke about the use of torture in the dungeons.
In the summer of 1985, South Africa faced serious financial difficulties. The country's external debt reached $24 billion, of which $14 billion were short-term trade credits that had to be renewed periodically. As the fight against the racist regime in South Africa intensified, foreign banks refused to provide short-term loans. In September, the South African government announced a freeze on foreign debt repayments.
By intensifying the struggle against the opposition, the South African government tried to create the appearance of reforming the apartheid system. In April 1986, the pass laws for Africans were repealed, but the replacement of passes with identity cards made little difference. In March, the state of emergency was lifted, but already in June, law enforcement measures were tightened throughout the country. Many thousands of Africans were thrown into prison.
Real power in South Africa increasingly passed into the hands of the command of the country's armed forces. In May 1986, South African commandos attacked ANC bases in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Between September 1984 and August 1986, more than 2.1 thousand people were killed in South Africa itself, almost all of them were Africans.
On the way to reforms.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, South Africa embarked on a path of gradual abandonment of the apartheid policy. This course of the government was largely forced: the country's economic situation has deteriorated significantly, not least because of the economic sanctions undertaken by the EU, the US and other countries in order to put pressure on the South African authorities. In addition, private foreign companies and creditors began to wind down their activities in South Africa, fearing further destabilization. Despite state repression and strict media censorship, the resistance of the African population to the racist regime has steadily increased.
In early 1989, P.V. Botha suffered a stroke, and instead of him, the leader of the party's branch in the Transvaal, Frederick W. de Klerk, became the leader of the National Party and the president of the country. During his election campaign on the eve of the 1989 parliamentary elections, de Klerk put forward a five-year plan to dismantle the apartheid system, which, however, did not provide for the transfer of power to the African majority. The National Party won the parliamentary elections, but the far-right Conservative Party received a large number of votes.
Changes in public policy began almost immediately after the elections. In September, one of the leaders of the ANC, Walter Sisulu, was released from prison, and racial segregation on the beaches and in some places where the white population lived was eliminated in November. In February 1990, the government lifted the ban on the activities of the ANC, and Nelson Mandela was released from prison. In May, at meetings of President F.V. de Klerk with the delegation of the ANC, headed by N. Mandela, an agreement was reached on the terms of negotiations on a new constitution. As a gesture of goodwill, the government lifted the state of emergency throughout the country, except for Natal, and the ANC suspended hostilities.
In 1991, the government allowed the ANC fighters who were in Zambia to return to their homeland and released all political prisoners. Two main racist laws were repealed - "On the registration of the population" and "On resettlement in groups." Some states, including the US, Japan, Canada and India, have responded to these moves by easing economic sanctions against South Africa. After a 21-year excommunication from the international Olympic movement, South Africa was allowed to participate in the 1992 Olympic Games.
In the second half of 1991, the facts of secret government financing of the Inkata movement, a predominantly Zulu organization led by chief Mangosutu Buthelezi, became public. Part of the funds was directed to organizing rallies of this organization, which the white authorities intended to turn into a reliable counterbalance to the more radical ANC and PAK. The government also financed the covert training by South African troops of Inkata militants, many of whom subsequently participated in attacks on the population of African townships that supported the ANC. It was believed that the supporters of Inkatha, who lived in workers' dormitories in the 1980s and early 1990s, were responsible for the many bloody clashes that swept through the black townships.
Transition to multiracial democracy.
In December 1991, the first meeting of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), a forum created by de Klerk and N. Mandela to discuss a new constitution and the country's transition to a multiracial democratic society, took place. The Convention was criticized by white pro-apartheid groups, as well as by militant African organizations such as the PAC, which refused to participate in the negotiations. Nevertheless, in a white referendum held on March 18, 1992, de Klerk's efforts to restructure the country's political system were supported 2:1.
Negotiations within the framework of CODESA were almost disrupted in June 1992, when representatives of the ANC and some other African organizations declared that it was impossible to continue work. This demarche was prompted by the fact that the supporters of Inkatha, with the approval or even with the active participation of the police, killed at least 45 residents of one of the black townships near Johannesburg. Three months later, during a demonstration in the bantustan of Ciskei against the local military ruler, 35 ANC supporters fell at the hands of soldiers. The escalation of political violence forced F.V. de Klerk and N. Mandela meet at the end of September; during this meeting, the leader of the ANC agreed to continue negotiations within the framework of CODESA. A protocol was signed providing that a new constitution would be drafted by an elected constitutional assembly and that a multi-racial transitional government should be formed following the elections. The Inkata Movement, now known as the Inkata Freedom Party (FSI), opposed this agreement, and in December 1992 Chief Buthelezi published a draft constitution for the future state of the ethnic Bantustan of KwaZulu and the province of Natal. The conservative wing of the Afrikaners reacted to the agreement by creating a secret committee to mobilize the discontented white population to fight the reforms. The ultimate goal of the conspirators was to create, if necessary, a separate Afrikaner state.
Negotiations between the ANC and the de Klerk government continued into 1993 against the backdrop of an ongoing bloody terror against the ANC by the Inkata militants, who enjoyed the support and protection of the South African security forces, who continued their habitual practice of carrying out terrorist acts at the hands of their African agents. Supporters of the ANC and PAK responded to killings with killings. On April 10, 1993, the Secretary General of the South African Communist Party, Chris Hani, died at the hands of a white extremist. Several members of the Conservative Party took part in the conspiracy, and three of them were later convicted and imprisoned.
In November 1993, 19 CODESA members approved a draft provisional constitution, which was ratified in December by the South African Parliament, thereby voting for self-dissolution.
Now, no terrorist actions and provocations on the part of Afrikaner extremists and PSI militants could prevent changes in the life of the country. In March 1994, the population of the Bantustans of Ciskei and Bophutthatswana overthrew their rulers, and the provisional government of South Africa took over the administration of these territories. In the same month, a state of emergency was declared in Natal, where the PSI called for a boycott of the elections and again turned to violent tactics. However, at the last minute, the PSI leadership nevertheless decided to participate in the elections, which took place on 26-29 April. On April 27, 1994, an interim constitution came into force, and South Africa became a multiracial democracy.
The ANC came to power with the support of an absolute majority of voters - 63%, while 20% voted for the National Party, and 10% for the Inkatha Freedom Party. The remaining political parties failed to overcome the 5% threshold required to include their representatives in the government. As a result, a coalition government of national unity, which was to lead the country for the next five years, was formed from representatives of the ANC, the National Party and the Inkata Freedom Party.
On May 9, 1994, the National Assembly elected Nelson Mandela President of South Africa. The outstanding personal qualities of the new president played a decisive role in maintaining stability in the country during the transition period.
In November 1995, local elections were held throughout the country, with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town, again ending in a landslide victory for the ANC, which received the support of 64% of the voters, while the National Party - 16% and the Inkata Freedom Party - 0.4%.
Having repeatedly expressed disagreement with the policy of the ANC, the National Party in July 1996 withdrew from the government of national unity, becoming the largest opposition force. One of the reasons for the conflict between the parties was the fact that the draft of the new constitution did not provide for the preservation of a coalition government after 1999. The Inkatha Freedom Party made claims to the ANC about certain provisions of the constitution. This party wanted the main document of the country to more firmly enshrine the principles of federalism and, in protest, boycotted the meetings of the Constitutional Assembly. The Freedom Front also expressed its dissatisfaction, which insisted on mentioning the Volkstaat (People's State of the Boers) in the text of the constitution. Nevertheless, the Constitutional Assembly in October 1996 approved a new constitution for South Africa, which came into force on February 4, 1997.
In late 1998, the Truth Restoration and Reconciliation Commission published a final report on the results of its activities, which contained accusations against the National Party, as well as the ANC and other political organizations, of massive violations of human rights during the apartheid period. Although accusations were made against some members of his own party, Nelson Mandela supported this document.
During 1998, South Africa was preparing for the second democratic elections scheduled for May 1999. In 1997, the leader of the African National Congress, and in 1998, the probable successor to Mandela and Vice President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, became the de facto leader of the country. The National and Democratic parties gradually lost their political positions, and the Inkatha Freedom Party continued to cooperate with the ANC in the coalition government of national unity. Trade unions became increasingly disillusioned with the government's policy of creating a market economy in the country and with Mbeki's approach to social and economic problems. Throughout 1998, South Africa continued to move extremely slowly towards achieving its goals - economic growth and a fair reorganization of society. GDP growth was less than 2% per year, while the population increased, access to education became more difficult, and medical care for the population deteriorated.
In the parliamentary elections held on June 2, 1999, the ANC won a landslide victory with 66% of the vote. The second place was taken by the Democratic Party (10% of the vote), the third place was taken by the Inkata Freedom Party.
On June 16, 57-year-old Thabo Mbeki, a friend and colleague of N. Mandela, officially took office as President of South Africa.
The new President Mbeki continued the course of his predecessor's government. The government's political and social base was expanded to include members of opposition parties representing all racial and ethnic groups in the country.
At the turn of the 21st century the key element of the foreign and domestic policy of South Africa has become the concept of "African renaissance". It was put forward by President Mbeki in May 1996 at a meeting of parliament dedicated to the adoption of the constitution, as a new "national idea" that determined the role and place of South Africa in Africa. The concept of "African renaissance" was officially announced by him at a conference on attracting capital to Africa (Virginia, 1997). Mbeki, together with Algerian President A. Bouteflika and Nigerian President O. Obasanjo, became one of the authors of The Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Program (MAP), put forward at the OAU summit in 1999. In October 2001 in Abuja (Nigeria) at the first meeting of the Program Implementation Committee (by that time the so-called “Omega Plan” of the President of Senegal A. Wada had been integrated into it), the document was amended, and it was approved called the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The secretariat of the committee was located in Midrand (a suburb of Pretoria). At the first summit of the African Union (AU), held in Durban on July 9-10, 2002, NEPAD was declared its operational economic program. Mbeki was elected Chairman of the AC.
South Africa in the 21st century
In the beginning. The 2000s saw the growth of the South African economy, which was driven by high prices for minerals, an active influx of capital investments and an increase in consumer demand, which in turn led to an increase in imports and a strengthening of the national currency. In 2004, government revenue from privatization was $2 million.
In the general elections held on April 14, 2004, the ruling ANC party won a landslide victory with 69.68 votes. She won 279 seats in the National Assembly. In addition, the Democratic Alliance, DA (50), Inkata Freedom Party (28) and the United Democratic Movement, UDM (9) received seats in parliament. 131 MPs are women. Women have also been appointed to the positions of chairperson and speaker of parliament.
In May 2005, celebrations were held in Pretoria, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban to mark the 60th anniversary of victory in World War II. (334 thousand volunteers from South Africa fought in parts of the British army in Italy, in North and East Africa). On June 26, 2005, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter, which became the basis of the 1996 constitution, was widely celebrated. In October 2005, Mbeki participated in the regular AU summit (Abuja, Nigeria), dedicated to the problem of forming a unified government for the African continent.
In 2005, GDP amounted to 527.4 billion US dollars, its growth is 5%. In the same year, investments amounted to 17.9% of GDP, while inflation was 4.6%. The strengthening of the rand in 2003-2005 led to a decrease in exports (in 2005, the foreign trade deficit reached its highest level in the last 22 years - 4.7% of GDP) and job cuts. Unemployment in 2005 was 27.8%. The appreciation of the national currency also led to a decrease in income in the mining industry. The income gap between different segments of the population has widened. The share of the middle class in 2004 was 7.8% (in 1994 - 3.3%). More than 50% of the 7.5 thousand dollar millionaires in Africa are South Africans.
The government's economic policy is aimed at further liberalizing the economy, attracting foreign investment, and fighting poverty. In 2005, a special fund of 42 billion rand was created to provide loans to low-income South Africans for housing construction.
The Africanization policy is being actively pursued not only in relation to changing the racial composition of the legislative and executive authorities, but also in the economic sphere - black businessmen are increasingly heading private companies and banks, white citizens are being squeezed out of some areas of business (for example, taxi services). According to the official statement of the authorities, in March 2006, in order to accelerate the progress of land reform, a large-scale confiscation of the lands of white farmers, with whom the authorities could not agree on compensation in a timely manner, will begin. The first such confiscation took place in October 2005.
The government is trying to develop a set of measures to eliminate unemployment and fight crime. In April 2005, a law on combating terrorism was adopted.
On June 14, 2005, ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who was considered the main candidate to succeed the head of state, was fired after a case was filed against him for involvement in corruption. According to the decision of the General Council of the ANC, he nevertheless remained in the post of deputy president of the party. In the apparatus of the ruling party, the struggle intensified over the election of a new leader of the ANC at the congress, which is scheduled for 2007. In early February 2006, President Mbeki announced that he did not intend to amend the constitution in order to be able to run for president again at elections in 2009. The question of a successor, in his opinion, will be decided at the party congress in 2007. Around the same time, Zuma was brought to trial on charges of raping a woman who was a close friend of his family. Zuma's supporters say the campaign against him is political.
In November 2005, a new Anti-Corruption Commission was established. As part of the campaign against corruption in 2004-2005, 66 officials of the Ministry of the Interior of South Africa were fired. In early February 2006, a new political scandal began, in the center of which was the new deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. She was accused of embezzlement of public funds (approx. 100 thousand US dollars), which she used to travel with family and friends to the UAE (December 2005) on a government aircraft. President Mbeki spoke in defense of the accused.
Lyubov Prokopenko
Literature:
Davidson Basil. New discovery of ancient Africa. M., "Publishing House of Oriental Literature", 1962
Recent history of Africa. M., "Science", 1968
Davidson A.B. South Africa. The Rise of the Protest Forces, 1870–1924. M., "The main edition of Eastern literature", 1972
Zukowski A. W kraju zlota i diamentow. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo naukowe PWN, 1994
Historia Afryki do początku XIX wieku. Wrocław, 1996
Good, K. Realizing Democracy in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Pretoria, Africa Institute, 1997
Davidson A.B., Cecil Rhodes - Empire Builder. M., "Olympus", Smolensk: "Rusich", 1998
Shubin V.G. African National Congress during the years of underground and armed struggle. M., Publishing House of the Institute for African Studies RAS, 1999
South Africa. Essays on socio-economic and political development. M., Publishing company "Eastern Literature" RAS, 1999
Shubin G.V. Russian Volunteers in the Anglo-Boer War 1899–1902 M., ed. house "XXI century-Consent", 2000
South Africa on the threshold of the third millennium. M., Publishing House of the Institute for African Studies RAS, 2002
The World of Learning 2003, 53rd Edition. L.-N.Y.: Europa Publications, 2002
Terreblanche, S.A. History of Inequality in South Africa 1652–2002. Scottsville, University of Natal Press, 2003
