South Africa An extensive renewable energy programme has been rolled out.
Capital: Pretoria (Tshwane) Other towns/cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein Population: 56.4-million (2020) GDP: $351.4-billion (2019) GDP per capita (PPP): $7 341 (2019) Currency: Rand Regional Economic Community: Souther n Afr ican D evelopment Community (SADC), Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Land mass: 1 214 470km² Coastline: 2 798km Resources: Coal, gold, chromium, antimony, iron ore, manganese, nickel, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, diamonds, platinum, copper, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits. Main economic sectors: Mining, automotive manufacture, agriculture, tourism, financial. Other sectors: Agri-processing, chemicals, fertiliser, iron and steel, machinery, food and beverages, boat and yacht building, ship repair. AFRICAN BUSINESS 2021
New sectors for investment: Renewable energy, water, tourism. Key projects: The National Development Plan (NDP) aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality. Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Chief exports: Iron ore, manganese, gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment, agricultural products. Top export destinations: China, US, Germany, Japan, India, Botswana, Namibia. Top import sources: China, Germany, US, Saudi Arabia, India. Main imports: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments. Infrastructure: Roads 750 000km, of which 158 124km paved (2016); railways 20 986km (2014); 144 paved airports; four crude oil refineries; multi-product pipeline from coast to inland areas; major ports at Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay and Saldanha Bay; LNG import terminal at Mossel Bay. ICT: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2017). Internet percent of population: 54% (2016.) ICT Development Index 2017 (ITU) ranking: 3 in Africa, 92 in world. Climate: Coastal areas range from dry along the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean in the south-west to subtropical on the east coast. Interior is mostly dry and semi-arid. The Drakensberg Mountains separate the east coast from the interior. Religion: Christian, traditional, Muslim. Modern history: After an intense struggle against the racist policy of apartheid, democratic South Africa installed Nelson Mandela as its first president in 1994. Major gains have been made housing and social grants, but there have been poor outcomes in education and the state had to reverse earlier denialist responses to HIV/Aids. President Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated in February 2018 and his party promised to put an end to widespread corruption. A judicial commission of enquiry into state capture is due to report in 2021. Ramaphosa became Chair of the AU in 2020. A large scheme to get private groups to invest in renewable energy has been revived amid hopes that more reliable energy supply can be achieved than is currently provided by the ailing state utility, Eskom.
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