Region: South Africa
Population: 49.1 million
Capital: Pretoria
Major languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, Tswana, English, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Swazi, Venda and Southern Ndebele
Major religions: Christianity
Terrain: Vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Climate: Mostly semi-arid and mild; sub-tropical along the eastern coast. Due to varied topography and oceanic influence, a variety of climatic zones exist
Background
South Africa is in many ways an anomaly in modern Africa, and since the end of Apartheid in 1994 has undergone rapid changes. Economic growth was robust from 2004-08 as South Africa reaped the benefits of increasing stability and a global commodities boom. The country is classified by the UN as a middle-income market, with an abundant supply of natural resources and a generally modern infrastructure. As of 2008, 63% of GDP comes from the service economy.
However unemployment remains high and wealth inequality is acute. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era – not least the 50% of the population living below the poverty line. It has the highest number of HIV/AIDS deaths in the world, as well as the twelfth highest death rate (deaths per 1,000 citizens).
With an economy in which mining and coal-fired power stations production figure prominently, South Africa is the only country in sub-Saharan Africa with a carbon footprint to rival that of some OECD countries. This leads to one of the country’s most pressing environmental concerns: the serious problems caused by emissions of nitrous dioxide and sulphur dioxide from coal combustion.
Potential impacts of climate change
Above-average temperature increases have been noted in South Africa in recent years, and further changes to delicately balanced ecosystems could have major impacts on agricultural areas, in particular those still supporting subsistence farming.
Environmental damage caused by land misuse and the limiting of surface water supplies could further destabilise regions dependent on agriculture, especially maize. Throughout southern Africa, significant losses of runoff water are projected: some predictions show surface water supply could decrease by 60% by the 2070 in parts of the Western Cape.
Health problems and environmental degradation related to emissions pollution are likely to continue because of the heavy dependency on coal combustion.
(Sources: World Health Organisation, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, UNDP Human Development Report, CIA World Factbook)
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