Charlene Leodones

MUN
December 17, 2014
South Africa Research
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html
http://www.our-africa.org/south-africa/people-culture
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/south-africa/gross-national-product
http://www.our-africa.org/south-africa/history-politics
http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/Who-are-SAs-international-friends20120315
http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/Multilateral/inter/un.htm
Overall history with UN:
South Africa was one of the original 51 founding members of the United Nations,
which came into existence on 24 October 1945 (United Nations Day is celebrated
annually on 24 October). Since its inception the membership of the organisation has
grown to 191 States.
The United Nations General Assembly decided on 12 November 1974 to suspend
South Africa from participating in its work, due to international opposition to the
policy of apartheid.
South Africa is a strong supporter of multilateralism and the current system of
governance based on the United Nations and its various bodies. These institutions
serve to combine the international community's strength to maintain international
peace and security and employ multilateral institutions for the promotion of the
economic and social well-being and advancement of all peoples. South Africa is also
of the view that this is the optimal system through which other major global issues
such as food security, disasters, refugees, international crime and disarmament
could be effectively addressed in a collective manner.
South Africa has therefore played an extremely active role within the United Nations
since June 1994. Its global status has increased significantly through participation in
numerous UN bodies, agencies and General Assembly Sessions.
. 1) Geography: size and description, location, natural resources, and neighboring
states and regions
-

Located at the tip of the southern tip of the continent of Africa; Namibia,
Botswana, and Zimbabwe to the north; Mozambique and Swaziland to the
east
Area: 1,219,090 sq km; Land: 1,214,470 sq km; Water: 4,620 sq km
Comparatively, its slightly less than the size of Texas

Climate: semi-arid, subtropical (east coast), sunny days and cool nights
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds,
platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

. 2) Demographics: Statistics of the states population, population density and

growth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy rate
-

Population: 48,375,645
Population growth rate: 0.48%
Life expectancy: Male: 50.52 years; Female: 48.58 years
Infant mortality: 41.61 deaths/1,000 live births
Literacy rate: Total population: 93%; Male: 93.9%; Female: 92.2%
Ethnicity: black African 79.2%, white 8.9%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian
2.5%, other 0.5% (2011 est.)

. 3) Culture: majority and minority components, religions and their influences,

language(s), and customs and traditions
-

Religions: Protestant 36.6% (Zionist Christian 11.1%,

Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%,
Anglican 3.8%), Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other
2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)
Languages: IsiZulu (official) 22.7%, IsiXhosa (official) 16%, Afrikaans
(official) 13.5%, English (official) 9.6%, Sepedi (official) 9.1%, Setswana
(official) 8%, Sesotho (official) 7.6%, Xitsonga (official) 4.5%, siSwati
(official) 2.5%, Tshivenda (official) 2.4%, isiNdebele (official) 2.1%, sign
language 0.5%, other 1.6% (2011 est.)
Because of its colonial past, South Africa has a large number of Afrikaans(descended from Dutch settlers) and English speakers (the British began
colonizing the region in the 1800s)
Black African culture is most obviously known for its art, dance and music
these have been profoundly influenced by more than two centuries of
colonialism and the work of Christian missionaries.
Art is also becoming a fusion of traditional and modern. Artists draw
inspiration from the masks, statues and figurines of tribal culture, but
also employ Western techniques and mediums.
Adornment is important in African culture for both men and women.
Traditional beadwork reflects not only an individuals history and
experiences patterns and colors have meanings; for example, blue is for
loneliness or saying I will wait for you it also distinguishes a persons
ethnic group, such as Xhosa, Zulu or Ndebele
Among native black South Africans, there are many different ethnic
groups and nine officially recognized local languages
The Zulu and Xhosa speakers are the two largest groups accounting for
nearly 40% of the population with Pedi, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga,

Swati/Swazi, Venda and Ndebele speakers making up the rest

. 4) Economy: type of economy, gross national product (GNP) and strength of
economy, debt owed, average per capita income, major imports and exports,
and trading partners
-

Type: Middle-income economy with an emerging market

Debt: 45.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
Imports: machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,
scientific instruments, foodstuffs; $99.55 billion (2013 est.)
Exports: gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery
and equipment; $91.05 billion (2013 est.)
Trading partners: China 14.4%, Germany 10.1%, Saudi Arabia 7.7%, US
7.4%, Japan 4.6%, India 4.5% (2012)

South Africa GDP

Last

Previous

Highest

GDP

350.63

382.34

403.89

GDP Growth Rate

1.40

0.50

7.60

GDP Annual Growth Rate

1.40

1.30

7.10

GDP Constant Prices

3004322.00

2993536.00

3004322.00

Gross National Product

2898560.00

2879007.00

2898560.00

GDP per capita

5916.46

5885.22

5916.46

Gross Fixed Capital Formation

619196.00

616037.00

619196.00

GDP per capita PPP

12105.55

12041.63

12105.55

. 5) Government: type of government, leaders, political parties and opposing

political faction, allies and enemies, membership of political and economic
organizations, role in international politics
-

Government type: Republican

Leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU
[Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or
SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
Organization or SANCO [Richard MDAKANE, national president]
Legal system: mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English
common law, and customary law
International history: South Africa is not involved in international
military action.

Closest Allies:
- Russia
- China
- Zimbabwe
- Namibia
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Swaziland
- Lesotho
Friendly with:
- USA
- UK
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Malaysia
- France
- Sweden
- Most other African countries, not mentioned above
- Australia
- New Zealand
. 6) History of state: general history and reasons and philosophy behind presentday foreign policies.
South Africa was settled by the Dutch in 1652 as a stopping point for ships on
their way to the East Indies. Fruit and vegetables were grown here to battle
the problem of scurvy aboard passing ships. The Dutch first settled the area
that was to become Cape Town and with time expanded across the entire tip
of southern Africa.
After the Napoleonic wars in 1815, South Africa changed hands and became a
British colony. Many of the Dutch went north to get away from the English.
Here they encountered tribes that, over time, had moved south from central
Africa. There ensued a period of war between the Dutch Boers and the Zulus,
a powerful tribe led by Shaka. The Boers eventually won and created an
Afrikaner state in the north. In 1899 there were the Boer Wars as a result of
the English trying to annex this Afrikaner state. In 1910 South Africa became
a union, a coalition between the English and Afrikaner states. In 1960 South
Africa gained independence from British rule and became a republic. This
period was to be very difficult time for many people since Apartheid was
fully enforced. During the 90s, with the release of Nelson Mandela (who
eventually became president) and the abolition of the Apartheid laws, South
Africa went through an amazing transformation. South Africa has journeyed
through great obstacles to become a nation whose dream of unity and
common purpose is now capable of realization for all its people.

Political history: Here are some key dates in South Africa's history:
c. 3 million BC: Evidence of early ancestors (Australopithecus/southern
ape)
c.120,000BC: Evidence of modern humans (Homo sapiens/ wise man) at
several sites
c.AD100: Nomadic herders move southwest into Cape territory
cAD1,000: Mpangubwe developed as South Africas first urban centre
1497: Vasco da Gama sails round the Cape of Good Hope on route to India
1652: Dutch East India Company sets up small settlement at Table
Mountain
1806: After a number of battles with the Dutch, British seize the Cape
Colony
1838: Dutch settlers (the Boers) clash with Zulus at Battle of Blood River
after beginning to migrate north in numbers (known as the Great Trek)
1860s90s: Gold and diamonds are discovered; African states come
under colonial control as British defeat Xhosa and other African peoples
18991902: British defeat Boers in the South African War
1910: The Union of South Africa is formed under the British
Commonwealth
1912: The South African Native National Congress is formed; it is
renamed in 1923 as the African National Congress (ANC)
1948: The National Party comes to power with its policy of apartheid
(apartness)
1960: Police shoot black demonstrators at Sharpeville, near
Johannesburg
1961: Denied legal or political avenues for change, the ANC forms a
military wing; the country withdraws from the Commonwealth and
becomes a republic
1964: Nelson Mandela is tried and sentenced to life imprisonment

1990: The new president, F.W. de Klerk releases Nelson Mandela and
legalises the ANC and other opposition parties
1992: South Africa takes part in the Olympic Games, the first time since
1960
1993: Nelson Mandela and F.W.de Klerk are awarded Nobel Prize for
Peace
1994: South Africas first universal elections result in a victory for the
ANC; Nelson Mandela is sworn in as president of the countrys first multiethnic government
1995: South Africa hosts and wins the Rugby World Cup
1999: As the new head of the ANC, Thabo Mbeki becomes president
2008: Jacob Zuma becomes president as the ANC wins the general
election
2010: South Africa hosts the World Cup football tournament, the first
time the competition has been held on the African continent