South Africa
Economic Overview
South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era - especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income.
GDP Growth rate: 5% (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Trade per capita (US$, 2003-2005): 2 496
Trade to GDP ratio (2003-2005): 54.9
Exports: $59.15 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) | Imports: $61.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
Exports - commodities: Gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment | Imports - commodities: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs |
Exports - partners: Japan 12.1%, US 11.8%, UK 9%, Germany 7.6%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4% (2006) | Imports - partners: Germany 12.6%, China 10%, US 7.6%, Japan 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%, UK 5% (2006) |
Share in world total merchandise exports: 0.49
Share in world total merchandise imports: 0.57
Share in world total commercial services exports: 0.44
Share in world total commercial services imports: 0.50
Indicators
HEALTH | EDUCATIONAL | ECONOMIC | POLITICAL
GENERAL INDICATORS | ||
| HDI Rank | 121 | |
| GDP (US $ Bill.) | 2004 | 212.8 |
| GDP (PPP US $ Bill.) | 2004 | 509.3 |
| GDP Per Capita (PPP US $) | 2004 | 11192 |
| GDI Rank | 92 | |
| GDI Value | 0.646 | |
| GEM Rank | .. | |
| GEM Value | .. | |
| Total Population (Mill.) | 1975 | 25.9 |
| 2004 | 47.2 | |
| 2015 | 47.9 | |
| Total Female Population in ('000) | 2006 | 24207 |
| Population living below $ 1 a day in Percentage | 1990-2004 | 10.7 |
| Population living below the national poverty line in Percentage | 1990-2003 | .. |
| Total Fertility Rate (Births per Woman) | 1970-75 | 5.5 |
| 2000-05 | 2.8 | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (Adjusted per 100000 live births) | 2000 | 230 |
| Probability of Female Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 38.1 |
| Probability of Male Survival at birth to 65 yrs | 2000-05 | 28.9 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | 2004 | 47 |
| Female Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 48.2 | |
| Male Life Expectancy at Birth (Yrs) | 45.7 | |
| Population without sustainable access to safe water in Percentage | 2004 | 12 |
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| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* in Percentage | 2004 | 77 |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (F) in Percentage | 77 | |
| Combined Gross Enrolment Ratio* (M) in Percentage | 76 | |
| Female Legislators, Officials & Managers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Female Professionals & Technical Workers (% of Total) | .. | |
| Adult Literacy Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 2004 | 82.4 |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate ( % ages 15 and older) | 80.9 | |
| Female Adult Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | 96 | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (% ages 15-24) | 94.3 | |
| Female Youth Literacy Rate (as % of Male Rate) | 101 | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 89 | |
| Net Primary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.01 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolement Female Ratio (in %) | 65 | |
| Net Secondary Enrolment Ratio of Female to Male | 1.12 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Female Ratio (in %) | 17 | |
| Gross Tertiary Enrolment Ratio Female to Male | 1.17 | |
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| Estimated Female Earned Income( PPP US$) | 7014 | |
| Estimated Male Earned Income (PPP US $) | 15521 | |
| Ratio of Female to Male Estimated Earned Income | 0.45 | |
| Female Economic Activity Rate (% ages 15 and older) | 46.4 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( index, 1990=100, ages 15 and older) | 85 | |
| Female Economic Activity ( as % of male rates, ages 15 and older) | 59 | |
| Female Employment Agriculture (%) | 9 | |
| Male Employment Agriculture (%) | 12 | |
| Female Employment Industry (%) | 14 | |
| Male Employment Industry (%) | 33 | |
| Female Employment Services (%) | 75 | |
| Male Employment in Services (%) | 50 | |
| Women Contributing Family Workers (%) | 62 | |
| Men Contributing Family Workers (%) | 38 | |
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| Seats in Parliament (Women as % of Total) | 32.8 | |
| Female Suffrage Granted (Year) | 1930, 1994 | |
| Elections Contesting Rights (Year) (A=Appointed, E=Elected) | 1930, 1994 | |
| Year of First Woman Elected | 1933 E | |
| Women Ministers (as % of total) | 41.4 | |
| Seats held in Lower/Single House by Women (as % of Total) | 32.8 | |
| Seats held in Upper House/Senate by Women (as % of Total) | 33.3 | |
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Source : UNDP HDR 2006
Notes:
.. Data Not Available
a.Data refer to medium-variant projections.
* For Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Schools
