Population 43,997,828: black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)
Capital City Pretoria (1.5 million)
Cape Town (3.2 million) is the legislative center, and Bloemfontein (350,000) is the judicial center.
Languages IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)
Official Currency Rand  

Religions Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)



Land


Land Area 1,221,040 sq km (471,443 sq miles) - slightly less than twice the size of Texas.  Includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Natural Resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas.
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain