South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 miles) of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. With over 62 million people, the country is the world's 23rd-most populous nation and covers an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres (471,445 square miles). Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital. Bloemfontein has traditionally been regarded as the judicial capital. The most-populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and the largest port city in Africa, Durban. Archaeological findings suggest that various hominid species existed in South Africa about 2.5 million years ago and modern humans inhabited the region over 100,000 years ago. The first known people were the indigenous Khoisan, and Bantu-speaking peoples from West and Central Africa later settled in the region in the early centuries CE. In 1652, the Dutch established the first European settlement at Table Bay, and in 1795 and 1806, the British occupied it. Diamonds and gold were discovered in the 19th century, bringing a shift towards industrialisation and urbanisation. The Union of South Africa was created in 1910 out of the former Cape, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange River colonies. Though a system of non-racial franchise had existed in the Cape, it was gradually eroded, and the vast majority of Black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994. During the 20th century, the black majority sought to claim more rights from the dominant white minority, which played a large role in the country's recent history and politics. The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation. After a largely non-violent struggle by the African National Congress and other anti-apartheid activists both inside and outside the country, the repeal of discriminatory laws began in the mid-1980s. Universal elections took place in 1994, following which, all racial groups have held political representation in the country's liberal democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. According to the V-Dem Democracy Indices, it is ranked the 53rd electoral democracy worldwide and the third in Africa. Today, about 80% of the population are Black South Africans. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of multiracial, European, and Asian ancestry (Coloured, White, Indian, and Chinese South Africans, respectively). South Africa is a multi-ethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the Constitution's recognition of 12 official languages, the fourth-highest number in the world. According to the 2022 census, the two most-spoken first languages are Zulu (24.4%) and Xhosa (16.3%), which are both of the Nguni branch. The third and fifth are of European origin: Afrikaans (10.6%), developed from Dutch, serves as the first language of most Coloured and White South Africans, while English (8.7%) reflects the legacy of British colonialism and is commonly used in public and commercial life. South Africa is often referred to as the "rainbow nation" to describe the country's multicultural diversity, especially in the wake of apartheid. South Africa is a middle power in international affairs; it maintains significant regional influence and is a member of BRICS, the African Union, SADC, SACU, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the G20. A developing, newly industrialised country, South Africa has the largest economy in Africa and the 38th largest in the world by nominal GDP; it ranks 110th on the Human Development Index, the 7th highest on the continent. South Africa is the only African nation to legislate same-sex marriage. It is tied with Ethiopia for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa, and is a biodiversity hotspot, with unique biomes, plant and animal life. Since the end of apartheid, government accountability and quality of life have substantially improved. However, crime, poverty, and inequality remain widespread, with about 40% of the total population being unemployed as of 2021, while some 60% of the population lived below the poverty line and a quarter lived below $2.15 a day. Having the highest Gini coefficient of 63.0, South Africa is considered to be one of, if not the most, unequal countries in the world.