Republic of South Africa
Capital city: Admin Capital Pretoria. Legislative Capital Cape Town
Area: 1220088 square km
National day: 27 April (Freedom day, anniversary of the first non-racial elections, 1994)
Independence: 31 May 1910, union of four British colonies which evolved to full independence. Became the Republic of South Africa in 1961 and withdrew from the Commonwealth.
Population: 44 million as of 2000
Leader: Thabo Mbeki born 1942. President as at the year 1999.
Language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, North Sotho, Sesotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu. (eleven official)
Currency: Rand ZAR (R)