Development of the service sector in African countries at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries. Brief description of South Africa Conditions for the formation and development of South Africa

Children's benefits - 09/05/2021

Description

The Republic of South Africa is a state located at the southern tip of the African continent. In the north, it borders with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the northeast with Mozambique and Swaziland. The state of Lesotho is completely surrounded by the territory of South Africa. South Africa is one of the most developed countries on the African continent. The country is rich in mineral resources, is also the most economically developed on the continent and has a relatively strong global position. Thanks to the mining of diamonds and gold, the South African economy is booming, and infrastructure and services are at a fairly high level. Today South Africa is one of the most promising markets among all third world countries. South Africa is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa, and has the largest proportions of white, Indian and mixed populations on the continent. The object of research of the course work is the regional economy of South Africa.

Introduction …………………… .. …………………………… ............................ ....... 3
Chapter 1 General characteristics, characteristics of resources and population of South Africa
1.1 "Business card" ………………………. ……………………………… ..4
1.2 Form of state …………………………………………… ... ………… ..5
1.3 Economic and geographical situation of the country ........................................ 6
1.4 Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources ………………… .6
1.5 Geography of population …………………………………………………… .8
Chapter 2. Economic characteristics of South Africa
2.1 General characteristics of the country's economic complex …… .. …… ..12
2.2 Geography of communication lines and transport …………………………… ... 17
2.3 Foreign economic relations of the country …………………………………… 18
Conclusion ………… .. ……………………………………………. ……… 22
References ………………………………………………………… ... 24
Application……….............................................. ..........................

The work consists of 1 file

Meat and dairy farming is typical for the Transvaal and the Orange province, and a suburban dairy farming has developed here. The number of cattle - 12 million, pigs - about 1.5 million.

Industrial forest plantations provide 16.5 million cubic meters of forest, which fully meets the country's needs for timber and sawn timber.

Fishing is especially active along the western coast (more than 90% of the catch), 80% of the products are exported canned or frozen. The total catch is about 0.5 tons per year. In addition to fish, shrimps, lobsters, lobsters, oysters, octopuses are also caught.

Industry . The manufacturing industry in South Africa has a diversified structure. The leading industries are ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, textiles, brewing and winemaking, as well as a variety of food industries, but only a small part of the production of South African enterprises is sold outside South Africa. South Africa also occupies a prominent place among the exporters of various types of weapons.

The iron and steel industry uses its own resources and fuel and is represented by plants in Pretoria, Newcastle, and others. Various modern technologies have been introduced into production. Here, rods and fittings, reinforced plates and corrugated steel, structural shapes and chain ropes, high-quality special alloys, high-carbon steel and precision casting are made from metal. The largest company in the industry is Iron & Steel Corporation. She supplies her products to all continents. Its production capacity is over 5 million tons of steel per year.

Mechanical engineering specializes in the production of mining equipment, transport (locomotives, wagons), agricultural machines, machine tools, electronics. The automotive industry is rapidly developing, which has established the production of numerous parts and assemblies, generators, brake pads, exhaust pipes, etc. The pioneer in the automotive industry was the Volkswagen company. She produces her Golf car in South Africa. The Italian company Fiat has established the production of Siena and Palio cars here with a view to export deliveries. Ford produces engines of the RYUKIM type and is also export-oriented.

The South African textile industry is the leading sector of the country's economy, fully meeting the needs of South Africa in textile products and allowing to increase exports. The textile industry of the Republic of South Africa is developing dynamically, being a fairly capital-intensive and high-tech industry. Following the requirements of the modern market, the local textile industry is constantly expanding its range and today offers a full range of products, both from natural and synthetic fibers: non-woven and weaving, yarn and quilted products, knitwear, dyed and processed fibers and fabrics.

The economy of South Africa requires a lot of energy for its development. The country possesses such important energy resources as coal and uranium. This enables more than half of Africa's total electricity production to be generated, primarily from coal-fired thermal power plants. The development of water resources of the Orange River, calculated for several decades, is under way. It provides for the solution of energy, irrigation and water supply problems. Electricity in South Africa is used mainly in industry, while its consumption in the domestic sphere is small on a national scale. Suffice it to say that significantly more than half of the dwellings are not electrified, and this is one of the socio-economic paradoxes of South Africa. Electricity production is highly monopolized - more than 90% of it is in the hands of the Eskom company.

Non-production sphere The service sector is the fastest growing industry in South Africa. The tourism industry remains the most promising. Since 1994, the number of tourists in the country has doubled, and in total tourism provides about 7% of jobs in the country. Ecotourism and entertainment complex in Sun City are gaining popularity, and the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Cape Town in 1999 could further revive interest in South Africa as a country - a tourist center. More than 6.5 million tourists visit South Africa annually (not including foreigners who arrived to work).

Education. According to UNESCO, 18.2% of the adult population is illiterate. School education is compulsory for children between the ages of 7 and 16. In 2003, 94% of all children (93% of boys and 95% of girls) attended primary schools, and 51% (46 and 57%) attended secondary schools.

The science. Scientific work is carried out at universities and research institutes in a fairly wide range of areas: astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, social sciences. South Africa is the first country to receive a heart transplant. Bio- and nanotechnologies are developing quite intensively. Since the sources of fresh water in the country are limited, these technologies are of great importance in the field of water purification. Membrane bioreactors, sensor identifiers, energy-efficient nanotechnologies for separation and enrichment of industrial and domestic water are being developed. The development of scientific research and technology in the field of biomedicine is facilitated by the exceptional richness of South African nature. According to ambitious plans for building a knowledge economy, South Africa may by the end of the next decade become one of the world's largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and other science-intensive products. Nanotechnologies are being developed and implemented in the mining, metallurgical and chemical industries, where microorganisms are used to create nanofilters and nanomembranes for the most complete extraction of valuable metals from waste rocks, as well as for water and air purification.

Healthcare.Aggregate expenditures on health care in 2004 amounted to 8.4% of GDP, including government expenditures - 3.2% of GDP. Per capita health spending in 2003 was $ 295, the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are 0.8 doctors per 1000 people in the country. 67% of the population lives in adequate sanitary conditions, which greatly affects life expectancy.

Monetary sphere.Monetary policy is in the introduction of the South African Reserve Bank, which performs the functions of the country's Central Bank and, in fact, regulates the entire range of monetary and financial transactions. The total credit provided by commercial banks is 141.3% in relation to GDP (2004). The inflation rate is 9.9% (2002).

2.2 Geography of communication lines and transport.

South Africa is the only country in Africa that is well supplied with transport routes. The length of highways is 362,099 km, of which 73,506 km are paved roads. The total length of railways is 20,047 km, of which half is electrified. The country's railway network is fully owned by the state.

Taking into account the significant geographical distance of South Africa from the countries that are its main trading partners, sea and air transport play the main role in the implementation of foreign economic relations of South Africa.

Durban and Cape Town are not only the most important ports in South Africa, but also the largest shipping bases in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Cargoes from Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Republic of Congo are in transit through Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and East London. The importance of new specialized ports for the export of coal (Richards Bay) and iron ore (Saldanha) is rapidly increasing. The republic has a fairly large merchant fleet of its own.

The state-owned South African Airways carries out cargo and passenger transportation on both domestic and international routes. In addition to the state ones, there are 20 private airlines. The country's main international airport is Jan Smats Airport in Johannesburg.

The pipelines for crude oil are 931 km long, for oil products 1,748 km, and for natural gas 322 km.

2.3 Foreign economic relations of the country

International trade

South Africa's economic ties are primarily carried out through trade with foreign countries. It is the largest exporter of diamonds, gold, platinum, vanadium, manganese, chromium, antimony, copper, chemical products, metal products, machinery, industrial equipment and vehicles.

The geography of South African foreign trade covers the whole world, however, preference is given to Europe. On average, about 40% of South African goods are exported to this continent annually, to Asia - 22%, respectively, to America - 14%, and Africa - 11%, to Oceania and some other countries - 9%.

The structure of South Africa's exports remains focused on raw materials. The main markets for such products are Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, USA and Japan. In the opposite direction, the same countries export their engineering products, chemicals to South Africa. and , electronics, etc.

International financial and monetary relations

South Africa's investment policy gives rise to another area of foreign economic relations. Foreign investors willingly invest in the republic, which has a huge raw material base. In the first place in this regard are Anglo-American Corporation - Opangeimer's De Bries empire, which controls 80% of the world diamond market, Sasol Chemical Industries, which produces liquid fuel from low-grade coal (under the license of the German company Hoechst) and 120 types of chemical products for both local and foreign markets.

The main investors in the country are the EU countries (35%), North and South America - 19%, Asia - 3%. For foreign investors, the new democratic government expanded preferential treatment and provided a more favorable investment climate. As a result, the prospects for investment activity in South Africa are assessed as favorable. In 1999, foreign direct investment in the South African economy exceeded R25 billion. In 2000, direct investments from the United States into the South African economy amounted to R1759 million, Germany - 1.229 million, Great Britain - 300 million. The largest investment in South Africa was an investment (R1.4 billion) by the German corporation Daimler -Chrysler "in the construction of a plant for the production of a new model" Mercedes-Benz ", intended for export.

At the same time, the South African government also encourages national entrepreneurs to invest in overseas manufacturing, commercial and insurance companies. They invest their capital in neighboring African countries, in the economies of the member countries of the South African Free Trade Zone. The Sasol Group has invested in the development of the Mozambique gas field, oil production in the Congo, and the economies of Gabon, Algeria and Equatorial Guinea.

Significant foreign economic ties of South Africa are also generated by banking capital, which is characterized by high concentration. The country is dominated by the so-called. The Big Four: Amalgmated Banks South Africa, Standard Bank, First National Bank, and Nedcor (all multi-profile banks).

South African banks connect the country globally with the whole world. They have a powerful electronic payment system, provide round-the-clock banking services over the Internet and maintain constant communication with all continents of the planet.

Rice. 1. Share of investments of the largest investor countries, 2004/2005

Here, primitiveness and modernity are combined, and instead of one capital, there are three. Below in the article, the EGP of South Africa, the geography and features of this amazing state are discussed in detail.

General information

The state known in the world as the South African Republic, the local population used to call Azania. This name originated during the segregation policy and was used by the indigenous African population as an alternative to the colonial one. In addition to the popular naming, there are 11 official names of the country, which is associated with the variety of state languages.

EGP South Africa is much more profitable than many other states on the continent. This is the only African country that is included in. People come here for diamonds and impressions. Each of the nine provinces of South Africa has its own landscape, natural conditions and ethnic composition, which attracts a huge number of tourists. The country has eleven national parks and many resorts.

The presence of three capitals, perhaps, adds to the uniqueness of South Africa. They divide various government structures among themselves. The government of the country is located in Pretoria, therefore the city is considered the first and main capital. The judiciary, represented by the Supreme Court, is located in Bloemfontein. The Parliament building is located in Cape Town.

EGP South Africa: in brief

The state is located in southern Africa, washed by the Indian and Atlantic oceans. In the north-east, South Africa's neighbors are Swaziland and Mozambique, in the north-west - Namibia, the country shares the northern border with Botswana and Zimbabwe. Not far from the Drakensberg Mountains is the Kingdom of Lesotho enclave.

In terms of area (1,221,912 sq. Km) South Africa is 24th in the world. It is about five times the size of the UK. The description of the EGP of South Africa will not be complete without a description of the coastline, the total length of which is 2798 km. The mountainous coastline of the country is not very dissected. In the eastern part is the bay of St. Helina and there are also bays and bays of St. Francis, Falsbay, Algoa, Walker, Dining room. is the southernmost point of the continent.

Wide access to two oceans plays an important role in the EGP of South Africa. Along the coast of the state there are sea routes from Europe to Southeast Asia and the Far East.

History

The EGP of South Africa has not always been the same. Its changes were influenced by various historical events in the state. Although the first settlements appeared here at the beginning of our era, the most significant changes in the EGP of South Africa in time took place from the 17th to the 20th centuries.

The European population, represented by the Dutch, Germans and French Huguenots, began to settle in South Africa in the 1650s. Before that, these lands were inhabited by the Bantu, Coy-Coin, Bushmen, and other tribes. The arrival of the colonists caused a series of warriors with the local population.

In 1795 Great Britain became the main colonizer. The British government pushes the Boers (Dutch peasants) back to the Orange Republic and the Transvaal province and abolishes slavery. In the 19th century, wars began between the Boers and the British.

In 1910, the Union of South Africa was created with the British colonies. In 1948 the National Party (Boer) wins the elections and establishes the apartheid regime, which divides the population into blacks and whites. Apartheid deprives the black population of virtually all rights, even citizenship. In 1961, the country becomes the independent Republic of South Africa and eventually eliminates the apartheid regime.

Population

South Africa is home to approximately 52 million people. EGP South Africa significantly influenced the ethnic composition of the country's population. Due to its favorable location and rich natural resources, the territory of the state attracted Europeans.

Now in South Africa, almost 10% of the population are ethnic white Europeans - Afrikaners and Anglo-Africans, who are descendants of colonial settlers. represent the Zulus, Tsonga, Soto, Tswana, Kosa. There are about 80% of them, the remaining 10% are mulattoes, Indians and Asians. Most Indians are the descendants of workers brought to Africa to grow reeds.

The population professes various religious beliefs. Most of the inhabitants are Christians. They support Zionist churches, Pentecostals, Dutch reformers, Catholics, Methodists. Almost 15% are atheists, only 1% are Muslims.

There are 11 official languages in the republic. The most popular among them are English and Afrikaans. Literacy among men is 87%, among women - 85.5%. In the world, the country ranks 143rd in terms of education.

Natural conditions and resources

All types of landscapes and different climatic zones are represented in South Africa: from subtropics to deserts. The Drakensberg Mountains, located in the eastern part, smoothly turn into a plateau. Monsoon and subtropical forests grow here. In the south are located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is the Namibia Desert, along the northern bank of the Orange River stretches part of the Kalahari Desert.

There are significant reserves of mineral resources on the territory of the country. Gold, zirconium, chromite, and diamonds are mined here. In South Africa there are reserves of iron, platinum and uranium ores, phosphorites, coal. The country has deposits of zinc, tin, copper, as well as rare metals such as titanium, antimony and vanadium.

Economy

The peculiarities of the EGP of South Africa have become the most important factor for the country. 80% of metallurgical products are produced on the continent, 60% are in the mining industry. South Africa is the most developed country on the mainland, despite this, the unemployment rate is 23%.

Most of the population is employed in the service sector. The industrial sector employs about 25% of the population, 10% is agriculture. South Africa has a well-developed financial sector, telecommunications, and electricity. The country has huge reserves of natural resources, the best developed mining and export of coal.

Among the main branches of agriculture are livestock breeding of goats, sheep, birds, cattle), winemaking, forestry, fishing (hake, sea bass, anchovy, mackerel, mackerel, cod, etc.), plant growing. The republic exports more than 140 types of fruits and vegetables.

The main trading partners are China, USA, Germany, UK, Netherlands, India and Switzerland. African economic partners include Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe.

The country has a well-developed transport system, a favorable tax policy, a well-developed banking sector and insurance business.

The world's first successful heart transplant was performed in Cape Town by surgeon Christian Barnard in 1967.
The largest depression on Earth is located on the Vaal River in South Africa. It was formed as a result of the fall of a giant meteorite.
The Cullinan diamond weighing 621 g was found in 1905 in a South African mine. It is the largest gem on the planet.

It is the only country in Africa that does not belong to the Third World.
It was here that gasoline was first obtained from coal.
The country is home to about 18,000 native plants and 900 bird species.
South Africa is the first country to voluntarily renounce its existing nuclear weapons.
The largest number of fossils is found in the South African region of Karoo.

Conclusion

The main features of the South African EGP are the compactness of the territory, wide access to the oceans, location next to the sea route connecting Europe with Asia and the Far East. Most of the residents are employed in the service sector. Due to the large reserves of natural resources in South Africa, the mining industry is well developed. The country's population is only 5% of the total population of Africa, nevertheless, the country is the most developed on the continent. Due to its economic position, South Africa occupies a fairly strong position in the world.

In 1652 the Dutch East India Company established a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. the new colony was replenished by immigrants from the Netherlands, Germany and France. The colonists actively imported slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar.
In 1806 this territory came under the control of Great Britain. The British built new forts as they moved eastward and encouraged the arrival of new settlers. When slavery was banned in 1833, many colonists of Dutch origin - the Boers - moved inland, where they founded the Republic of Natal (1839), the Republic of Transvaal (1852) and the Orange Republic (1854). In the new place, the Boers conquered the local tribes and forced them to work on the farms.
Until diamonds were discovered in the northern Cape Colony in 1867, and gold in the Witwatersrand in 1886, the Boers subsisted on agriculture. With the discovery of the treasures of the bowels of South Africa, new settlers poured into these parts, mainly the British, who soon demanded to recognize their civil rights, with which the Boers did not agree. First Boer War 1880-1881 ended in victory for the Boers. But the Second - 1899-1902. has already brought victory to Great Britain: the entire territory of southern Africa was under her rule. In 1910, the Union of South Africa was created as the dominion of the British Empire from the territories of the former Boer republics. In 1961 South Africa became an independent country of South Africa - the Republic of South Africa.
The policy of apartheid, that is, racial segregation, in South Africa-South Africa was enshrined in law and was carried out from 1948 to 1994, when general democratic elections were held and apartheid was abolished. Until that time, Africans and the so-called colored population of South Africa were deprived of basic civil rights.
The modern mining industry, actively developing the wealth of the bowels of Africa, efficient agriculture, a developed resort and tourism industry, all this was controlled by the white minority. The indigenous population and descendants of the imported slaves lived and worked under tight control with a system of passes and prohibitions on free movement.
By the beginning of the 90s. XX century. external pressure on South Africa had a serious impact on the economy - the sanctions imposed by the international community led to large losses in foreign trade, many foreign companies began to curtail their activities in South Africa.
After the abolition of apartheid, economic growth was observed - for example, South African wine became an internationally recognized brand, helped by high raw material prices at the beginning of the 21st century. The new government created many benefits for native Africans, which led to the emergence of a large number of wealthy people among them. Whites from some spheres of business began to be actively squeezed out, for example, from a taxi service or a farm.

After the abolition of apartheid, border control was lost. Today, according to various sources, up to 5 million illegal migrants from neighboring countries live in South Africa - for example, from Zimbabwe, where the standard of living after the expulsion of whites became the lowest in the world, Angola and Mozambique. This creates enormous difficulties for both the growth of crime and unemployment, which covers a third of the working-age population. In 2008, there were pogroms of migrant quarters in South Africa. Black citizens of South Africa killed and beat illegal immigrants. The President of the country had to authorize the participation of the army in the suppression of the riots.

The fact that South Africa today is the most economically developed country in Africa is undoubtedly. But its successes are impressive only in comparison with how things are going with its neighbors on the continent.In comparison, for example, with Latin America, South Africa clearly loses, both in GDP per capita, and in other indicators, such as the human development index or , for example, life expectancy (it is only 49 years in South Africa), or infant mortality.
The main wealth of South Africa is minerals. According to the US Geological Survey, South Africa ranks 1st in the list of the richest countries in the world in mineral resources, the cost of ore reserves in this country is more than $ 2.5 trillion. The backbone of the South African economy is mining and processing.
The main income comes from gold, 15% of all world production of this precious metal is carried out here. 40% of the world diamond production is controlled by the De Beers company. The level of platinum production in South Africa is estimated at about 85% of the world, palladium at 30%. Many other valuable metals are also mined, as well as coal, from which gasoline is even made. Because there is no oil in South Africa.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy production of manganese, chromium, refining of platinum and gold have also long been developed in South Africa. However, all high-tech industries in recent years have experienced a shortage of highly qualified personnel. According to various sources, in 1994-2004. South Africa has left between a million and one and a half million skilled workers, mostly from the white minority, and this trend continues. Moreover, many are readily accepted by countries such as Canada, Australia, the United States and Great Britain.
The South African government's Aboriginal support policies give preference to the employment of Aboriginal Africans, give them preferential treatment for doing business, and so on. This often results in incompetent people being placed in management, as the education level of Africans is extremely low.
It got to the point that the Chinese community demanded in 2008 that the Chinese be recognized as "black." The Chinese Association of South Africa has filed a complaint with the Supreme Court that the Chinese are being discriminated against because they are perceived as "white" by Africans. And the Supreme Court ruled to recognize the Chinese as "black."
Considering that there are many contradictions between different nationalities living in South Africa, it becomes clear that the modern relative economic well-being is under threat. If the remaining white specialists in South Africa continue to emigrate en masse, the industry may simply not resist.
A particular problem hindering the development of tourism in South Africa, which has excellent natural opportunities, is crime. Even during the World Cup, which was held in South Africa in the summer of 2010, for the first time on the African continent, the government of the country, despite the colossal costs of 100 million euros, failed to ensure the safety of the guests of the championship.
Players, journalists and fans have suffered from robberies, theft and assaults. Given that the prices for tourism services in South Africa are very high, then, before the security issues are resolved, the South African tourism industry is unlikely to experience a period of rapid growth. Of particular concern is the fact that in South Africa almost 30% of the population is sick with AIDS, and this is already affecting the country's economy.

general information

Official name: South African Republic.

Form of government: parliamentary republic.

Administrative divisions: 3 provinces.
Capitals: (administrative), 2,345,908 people (2007), Cape Town (legislative), 3 497 097 people. (2007), Bloemfontein (judicial), 463,064 people. (2009).

Languages: English, Afrikaans, Venda, Zulu, Kosa, Ndebele, Swati, North Soto, Sesotho, Tswana, Tsonga.

Religions: Zionists 10%, Pentecostals 7.5%, Catholics 6.5%, Methodists 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglicans 3.8%, Christians of other faiths 36 %, Muslims - 1.3%, adherents of other religions - 2.3%, undecided - 4%, atheists - 15.1%.

Currency unit: South African rand

Largest cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Soweto.

Main seaports: Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London.

Major airports: Ian Smuts Airport (Johannesburg), Louis Botha Airport (Durban), D.F. Malana (Cape Town).

Largest rivers: Orange, Limpopo.

Largest lake: Saint Lucia.

Neighbouring countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe.

Numbers

Area: 1,221,037 km 2.

Population: 49,991,300 (2010).

Population density: 40.9 people / km 2.

Economically active population: 18,000,000 people
Employment by sector: 65% - service sector 26% - industry, 9% - agriculture (2008).

Agriculture: leading in fishing in Africa, 4th in the world for shearing goat hair, 8th in the world in wine production; one of the leading exporters of fruits; production of sugar cane, cotton, corn, sunflower; developed animal husbandry.

Service sector: tourism.

Features of the economy: lack of qualified labor force, outflow of qualified personnel, high crime and unemployment rate, large number of illegal migrants.

Curious facts

■ History has preserved the date of the appearance of the first wine in South Africa - in 1659 the Dutchman Jan van Riebeck made an entry in the ship's log that the vineyards produced the first wine. Today South Africa is one of the leading wine producers in the world, and the most famous local grape variety is pinotage.
■ The record for gold production was set in South Africa in 1970. At that time, 1000 tons were mined.
■ White farmers who have been oppressed in South Africa in recent years (according to various sources, between 1200 and 3000 people died) are moving to other African countries. So, they have already turned Mozambique into a solid supplier of bananas, and in Zambia they have established the production of corn, after which the country began to provide itself with this product. In 2009, the Congolese government announced a program to invite farmers from South Africa.
Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus
Belarusian State University
Faculty of International Relations
Department of International Tourism

Course work
in the discipline "Socio-economic geography of foreign countries"

"Socio-economic situation of the Republic of South Africa"

1st year student
Department of Customs
Safonenko N.A.

Supervisor:
Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Tourism
Poleshchuk N.I.

Minsk
2010
Content
Introduction …………………… .. ……………………………. .............................. .... 3
Chapter 1 General characteristics, characteristics of resources and population of South Africa
1.1 "Business card" ………………………. …………………………… ... ..4
1.2 Form of state ………………………………… ………… ... ………… ..5
1.3 Economic and geographical situation of the country ........................ ................ 6
1.4 Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources …………………. 6
1.5 Geography of the population ………………………………………………………. 8
Chapter 2. Economic characteristics of South Africa
2.1 General characteristics of the country's economic complex …… .. …… ..1 2
2.2 Geography of communication lines and transport …… ……………………… ... 17
2.3 Foreign economic relations of the country …………………………………… 18
Conclusion ………… .. ……………………………………………. ……… 22
References ………………………………… ……………………… ... 24
Application………................. ............................. . .............................. .............. 25

Introduction
The Republic of South Africa is a state located at the southern tip of the African continent. In the north, it borders with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, in the northeast with Mozambique and Swaziland. The state of Lesotho is completely surrounded by the territory of South Africa. South Africa is one of the most developed countries on the African continent. The country is rich in mineral resources, is also the most economically developed on the continent and has a relatively strong global position. Thanks to the mining of diamonds and gold, the South African economy is booming, and infrastructure and services are at a fairly high level. Today South Africa is one of the most promising markets among all third world countries. South Africa is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa, and has the largest proportions of white, Indian and mixed populations on the continent. The object of research of the course work is the regional economy of South Africa. The relevance of the work lies in the fact that South Africa may become an important partner for many countries in the future. South Africa is currently a rapidly developing country with high economic potential, since after the abolition of apartheid, the international community removed barriers, and a stream of investments and technologies began to flow to South Africa, which had been cut off from the world community for a long time. Purpose of the work: to determine the place of South Africa in the world economy. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: - to give a natural and economic assessment of natural conditions and resources; - to study the socio-economic situation of the population; - to assess the economic complex of the country; - to characterize the non-production sphere of South Africa; - to analyze the foreign economic relations of South Africa.

General characteristics, characteristics of the resources and population of South Africa

1.1 "Business card"
Basic information about South Africa
South Africa (South Africa) is the most highly developed country in Africa. South Africa belongs to the type of countries of immigration capitalism, a distinctive feature of which is the transfer to new, colonized lands of the forms of economic organization that have developed in the metropolis.
Geographic coordinates: 29° 00'S lat., 24 ° 00 'east etc .;
area: 1 219 090 km ?. Includes the Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island);
land borders: 4,750 km;
the length of borders with neighboring states: with Botswana 1,840 km, with Lesotho 909 km, with Mozambique 491 km, with Namibia 855 km, with Swaziland 430 km, with Zimbabwe 225 km;
coastline: 2798 km (in the west of South Africa it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south and east - by the Indian Ocean);
maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean - 0 m; Mount Njesuthi -3 408 m;
capital: Pretoria. Note: Cape Town is the center of the legislature, Bloemfontein is the center of the judiciary. The population of Pretoria is 1.8 million people, Cape Town is 3.5 million people, Bloemfontein is 500 thousand people;
population: about 47 million people;
population density: 37 people. per km ?;
In terms of HDI, South Africa ranks 110th in the world and is a country with an average level of human development.

1.2 Form of state
According to the country's Constitution, adopted by Parliament on May 8, 1996, South Africa is a unitary republic with elements of federalism. The 9 provinces that make up the country (KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Gdateng, Free State, Orange Northern Province and Northwest Province) are endowed with extensive powers, including legislative autonomy. Legislative power at the national level is vested in a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the National Council of Provinces (upper house, 90 people, elected by 10 from each provincial legislature) and the National Assembly (lower house, 400 people, elected by proportional representation). Joint sittings of both chambers of Parliament form the Constitutional Assembly. The term of office of the National Assembly is 5 years. The head of state and government (executive branch) and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the President. He is elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a term of 5 years. No one can be President more than 2 times. Jacob Zuma is currently the President of South Africa. The highest court is the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court is composed of the Court of Appeal, provincial and local courts. Each county and district within a province has a magistrate's court with clear jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters. Each of the nine provinces has its own legislature with 30 to 100 members, depending on the size of the population. They are elected by universal suffrage on the basis of proportional representation. The provincial legislature is empowered to draft a provincial constitution, which must comply with the basic principles of the country's constitution, and to elect a prime minister, head of government. The African National Congress of South Africa is the leading party in the country. Other parties: National Party, Conservative Party, Democratic Party, South African Communist Party, etc. South Africa is a member of the UN (since 1945), OAU (since 1994).

1.3 Economic and geographical position of the country
South Africa occupies a middle position between developing and developed countries, it is rich in resources, has a well-developed legal system, financial, communications, energy and transport sectors, a stock exchange, which is one of the ten largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure that ensures efficient trade between the main centers of the region. However, economic growth was insufficient to eliminate unemployment of 28% of the working-age population and the threatening economic problems inherited from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack of economic opportunities for the poor. In early 2000, the President of MBEKI pledged to stimulate economic growth and encourage foreign investment, easing restrictions imposed by labor laws that discourage and reduce government spending.
Relative to other countries of Black Africa, South Africa occupies a leading position in economic development. It accounts for 40% of GDP, half of the electricity generated and 95% of the exported finished products of the African continent.
The government is pursuing a course to actively attract foreign investment. Since 2000, a program for the privatization of state property has been implemented, measures are being taken to reduce government spending, since at the moment they exceed revenues. More than half of government revenues come from income tax and corporate income tax. 34% of government revenues come from value added tax and excise taxes.
1.4 Economic assessment of natural conditions and resources
Resources for industrial development
The strong position of South Africa in the world market is determined primarily by the wealth of its subsoil. The mining industry plays an important role in the industrial structure of South Africa. This most important industry is distinguished by the extraction of uranium, coal, platinum group metals, diamonds, iron ore, manganese, vanadium, chromites, but gold remains the most strategically important product for South Africa. ? all miners are engaged in gold mining. South Africa is the world's largest gold producer, accounting for about 30% of the country's exports.
Gold is mainly mined in the Orange province. In many states, and there are about 50 of them, gold is mined along with uranium. In the second half of the twentieth century, when the price of gold was high, South Africa mined up to 1000 tons of the precious metal per year, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century, following the fall in prices, gold mining also seriously decreased.
South Africa is also one of the world's largest producers and exporters of natural diamonds. More than 10% of diamonds on the world market are mined in South Africa. South Africa ranks 7th in the world in terms of coal reserves. Low-grade coals are processed into liquid fuels, which compensates for the lack of its own oil in South Africa. Coal is exported to 36 countries of the world.
The main forestry area is the southern part of the KwaZulu-Natal province. Natural forests occupy 180 thousand hectares, that is, only 0.14% of the country's territory. Most of the commercial timber comes from plantations, which account for only 1% of the territory of South Africa. About half of the forest "plantations" are planted with pine, 40% with eucalyptus and 10% with mimosa. Yellow and ebony trees, Cape laurel, Assegai and Kamassi are also grown. Trees reach a marketable condition on average in 20 years - in contrast to trees growing in the Northern Hemisphere, where this process lasts from 80 to 100 years. The annual volume of timber entering the market is 17 million cubic meters. More than 240 woodworking and timber processing enterprises operate in South Africa.
The country's internal waters are scarce, and the problem of water resources is very acute. The total flow of all rivers is 52 billion m3, that is, about the same as the Rhine carries in the Rotterdam region. The Orange River with the Vaal tributary, which crosses the most important economic regions, is of great economic importance. Underground springs are widely used, as well as sea water is desalinated.
Conditions for agricultural activities
South Africa's agricultural productivity is low by world standards. This is partly due to the primitive methods of land cultivation. Other factors are soil erosion and insufficient rainfall. Only 12-15% of the land is cultivated in the country, only 10% of them are highly fertile, but even fertile lands are subject to sudden floods and washout of the fertile layer. Soil erosion is greatest in the former Bantustans. Droughts are not uncommon in agricultural areas, the main reason for erratic yields in some years. Most of the Central Plateau is a low-grass steppe, or herbaceous veld. However, vast areas of this once fertile steppe have been disrupted by severe overgrazing for more than a century, as well as severe erosion caused by ill-conceived grain cultivation. The subsequent degradation of agriculture in this area was accompanied by the penetration of economically low-value plants into the herbaceous veld.
Recreational resources
The favorable climate of South Africa, its magnificent sea beaches and recreation areas are of great interest to tourists. Attracts to this country and many attractions, including: the National Park, the House-Museum of the first President of the country Paulus Kruger, a beautiful zoo in Pretoria, Fort Fredericks (1799), the oceanarium in Port Elizabeth, a castle built by the Dutch (1665 g.), the Old Town Hall (1755), the Reformed Church in Cape Town (1669), etc. About 7 million tourists visit South Africa annually. Until the early 90s, when the country was ruled by a white minority regime, only the most desperate adventurers dared to visit it. But with the weakening of the apartheid system, the flow of foreign visitors began to grow rapidly. The traditional hospitality of the local population and accommodation that meets international standards, with its relative cheapness, is very attractive for tourists. Foreign capital is actively contributing to the rapid expansion of the tourism industry.
1.5 Geography of population
Formation of the modern population. Its racial, ethnic and national composition.
The most numerous race is black (79%). The indigenous population of South Africa is the Bushmen and Guttentots. They inhabited the territory of South Africa long before other peoples appeared there. The largest South African nation today is the Zulu, or Zulus (10 million people). Also large in terms of numbers are Ksoza (7.2 million people), northern and southern Sotho (6 million people), Tsawana (3 million people), Tsonga (1.8 million people), Swazi (1, 2 million), Ndebele (0.6 million), Venda (0.9 million).
The second largest group of peoples inhabiting South Africa is white (about 4.6 million people - 9.1% of the population). They live mainly in large cities. There are two main groups of the white population of South Africa - Afrikaners and Anglophones. Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch settlers. The Afrikaans language is Afrikaans. Anglophones are African of British descent. The language is South African English. A significant number of descendants of other nationalities live in South Africa: 600 thousand Portuguese, 80 thousand Greeks, 60 thousand Italians, 7 thousand French. The Jewish community is 120 thousand people.
The third largest group of South Africans are mulattos and mestizos - “colored” (4 million people). Most of them are descendants of slaves brought to South Africa for many centuries ..
A special group is made up of Indians (about 1 million people) - the descendants of the Indians who arrived in 1860 to work on sugar cane. Most of them still live in KwaZulu Natal. They are mainly engaged in trade.
In South Africa, 11 languages are recognized as official: Afrikaans, English, Ndebe, Pedi, Soto, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Kshoza, Zulu.
The most widespread religion is Christianity (77% of the population), predominantly Protestant. 19.8% of the population are adherents of traditional cults. 3.2% are adherents of such religions as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism.
Natural movement of the population
The total population of South Africa is 44 million. When estimating the population size, one should take into account the high mortality rate, especially among newborns, and the low life expectancy. The birth rate in 2007 was 17.9 ‰, and the death rate was 22.4 ‰. The average life expectancy is about 48 years. However, for the white population, this figure is much higher. Child mortality: 6 cases per 100 newborns.

Sex and age composition of the population
The age structure of the population: up to 14 years old - 29.1%, from 15 to 64 people - 65.5%, over 65 years old - 5.4% (2007 data).
Sex ratio. The number of males under 1 year old refers to the number of females of the same age as 102 to 100. In other words, the number of births of males and females is approximately equal. At the age of 15 years, the ratio changes slightly: there are 101 girls per 100 boys. In the age period from 15 to 64, the number of men decreases: there are 93 men for every 100 women.
Migrations
South Africa, as the richest country on the continent, has long been a center of attraction for migrants mainly from Mozambique, Angola and other neighboring countries. The majority of migrants were employed in the coal mining industry. Following South Africa's policy of reducing dependence on labor migrants, the share of foreign workers in the total number of workers employed in the coal industry declined from 77% to 40% between 1970 and 1980. In recent years, the inflow of undocumented labor migrants from neighboring states has increased. In the past, immigration led to an increase in the European and Asian populations in South Africa, but since the 1960s. inflow from outside has decreased. In the 1990s. the positive balance of migration was 5-6 thousand people a year. Migrants from poorer countries are valuable to employers because they accept lower wages than local workers. Farmers willingly hire foreigners to harvest crops. Employees are recruited from Zambians who are well trained in the economic profession in their country. At the moment, the number of illegal migrants in South Africa, according to various estimates, ranges from 2 to 8 million people.
The current problem in South Africa is the high unemployment rate among unskilled workers. Hence, it should be obvious that South Africa does not need unskilled personnel. In South Africa there is an acute shortage of workers in such a profile as a radio technician, programmer, automobile mechanic, adjusters and assemblers of various equipment, people who can use a computer in elementary fashion. However, many whites immigrate from the country due to the presence of crime. Official statistics do not provide information on racial composition. emigrants, but various studies suggest that whites leave South Africa only slightly more willingly than blacks. Most African countries will find it difficult to attract specialists from abroad. But South Africa, with its developed economy, undoubtedly has a much better chance in the international labor market.
Urbanization and countryside
The industrialization process brought about a rapid increase in the urban population in the post-war years. Mining centers are growing, both old - the cities of the Witwatersrand, and new ones: Phalaborwa, Sishen, Prisca, etc. Their rapid growth is largely due to the immigration of the African and "colored" population. A significant number of Africans living in cities and industrial centers are temporary residents who return to where they came from when they become disabled or when their contract ends.
South Africa is dominated by small towns with a population of 2 to 10 thousand people. According to the existing legislation, cities here are considered to be all settlements that have some form of local urban self-government. The main disadvantages of the current urban development in South Africa include low building density, the predominance of free-standing buildings and the presence of large land reserves in between. According to statistics, at the moment 51% of the population lives in cities and 49% in rural areas. In agriculture, about 1.4 million black laborers are hired annually to work for white farmers, whose working day lasts 12-17 hours a day, and the wages do not provide a living wage.
Labor resources and employment of the population
According to the 2006 census, the unemployment rate in South Africa was 34%. Most of the unemployed were in the provinces of the North Cape and Northern (over 45%), the least - in the Western Cape (18%). The incidence of unemployment varies greatly across racial groups. The share of unemployed among the black population was 52.4% among women and 34.1% among men, with an average of 42.5%. By comparison, the unemployment rate among other racial groups ranged from 4.2% for white men to 24.1% for women of color. Of the nearly 44 million inhabitants of South Africa, over 15 million are the self-employed population. Its number grows annually by about 2.5%. Since 1973, the number of jobs has been steadily declining. The number of people employed in the mining and retail sectors is declining rapidly. Some growth in the number of jobs is taking place in the manufacturing industry and the vehicle trade.
Output: South Africa occupies a middle position between developing and developed countries. Not the most favorable conditions for farming are compensated by the wealth of land resources. South Africa can be called a multi-ethnic state, since quite a lot of nationalities live on its territory. With regard to the age structure of the population, we can say that the death rate exceeds the birth rate. This is how the population is aging. More than a third of the working-age population is unemployed, which indicates a low standard of living.
2.Economic characteristics of South Africa

General characteristics of the country's economic complex

The size of the country's economy
Recently, one can observe an improvement in the position of South Africa in the field of finance. In 2000, the South African budget deficit is 8.6% of GDP, and in 2004 it was already only 3.3%, which is a good achievement even by the standards of the leading countries of the world. The economy is also characterized by an extremely low level of public debt - about 6% of GDP, low defense spending - about 3.5% of GDP, and at the same time growing spending on education (6.5% of GDP) and healthcare (3.3% of GDP). If the positive balance of South Africa in foreign trade operations was about $ 4.2 billion in 2000, then in 2004 it was already $ 6.7 billion. duty-free access to the US market and other developed countries. The lack of import quotas for textile and industrial equipment has facilitated the re-equipment of South African factories. The flow of foreign investment to South Africa has increased. The largest foreign investor in the South African economy is the United States.
South Africa's GDP in 2008 was US $ 506.1 billion. The share of agriculture, forestry and fishing in GDP is 3%, industry - 30% (manufacturing - 20%), services - 67%.

Rice. 1. GDP of South Africa. 2008 year
The volume of GDP per capita is about 10,000 thousand dollars per year. For comparison, the largest GDP per capita is $ 81,000 (Liechtenstein), and the smallest is less than $ 200 (Zimbabwe). In Belarus, GDP per capita is over $ 12,000 per year.
The structure of the economic complex
When characterizing the sectoral structure of the economy, its division into three sectors is widely used: primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary sector of the economy includes industries related to the use of natural conditions and resources: agriculture and forestry, fishing, extractive industries. The secondary sector covers all branches of the manufacturing industry and construction. And the tertiary sector includes service industries.
Of the 47 million people in South Africa, only 18 million are able to work. Unemployed - 23% (in 2008). 65% of the working population is employed in the service sector, 26% in industry, 9% in agriculture (in 2008).
Agriculture.Despite the relatively unfavorable conditions for agriculture, South Africa almost completely satisfies its needs for agricultural products. This industry plays a significant role in South Africa's export trade. Agriculture is represented by two sharply different sectors: large high-value farms (more than 1000 hectares), plantations owned by Europeans, and primitive African farms in Bantustans. The African sector accounts for only 1/10 of the grain harvest and livestock.
Arable land makes up about 10% of South Africa's territory and is located mainly in the coastal regions of the country. Most of these lands require artificial irrigation. In crop production, the main crops grown are corn (9.9 million tons) and wheat (2.5 million tons). Corn, along with sorghum, is the main food crop of Africans. Wheat is grown only on white farms. South Africa takes a leading place in the collection of wheat in Africa. Peanuts (100 thousand tons), sunflower (600 thousand tons), cotton and tobacco are also grown in significant volumes. South Africa is also a large sugar cane producer (about 20 million tons per year). Vegetable growing, horticulture and viticulture are quite well developed. Floriculture is of great importance. Using air transport, South Africa delivers flowers to European markets.
In the structure of animal husbandry, the central place belongs to extensive pasture sheep breeding. In terms of the number of sheep, South Africa ranks 1st in Africa and 8th in the world. More than 75% of wool is exported (4th place in the world). The goat population in South Africa is mainly represented by the Angora breed, and the country produces 40 to 45% of the world's wool.
Meat and dairy farming is typical for the Transvaal and the Orange province, and a suburban dairy farming has developed here. The number of cattle - 12 million, pigs - about 1.5 million.
Industrial forest plantations give 16.5 million m? forests, which fully meets the country's demand for timber and lumber.
Fishing is especially active along the western coast (more than 90% of the catch), 80% of the products are exported canned or frozen. The total catch is about 0.5 tons per year. In addition to fish, shrimps, lobsters, lobsters, oysters, octopuses are also caught.
Industry . The manufacturing industry in South Africa has a diversified structure. The leading industries are ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, textiles, brewing and winemaking, as well as a variety of food industries, but only a small part of the production of South African enterprises is sold outside South Africa. South Africa also occupies a prominent place among the exporters of various types of weapons.
The iron and steel industry uses its own resources and fuel and is represented by plants in Pretoria, Newcastle, and others. Various modern technologies have been introduced into production. Here, rods and fittings, reinforced plates and corrugated steel, structural shapes and chain ropes, high-quality special alloys, high-carbon steel and precision casting are made from metal. The largest company in the industry is Iron & Steel Corporation. She supplies her products to all continents. Its production capacity is over 5 million tons of steel per year.
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Economy and national economy

South Africa is the most developed on the African continent and at the same time the only country that does not belong to the Third World. GDP for 2009 was $ 505 billion (26th in the world). GDP growth was at the level of 5%, in 2008 - 3%. The country is still not among the developed countries of the world, despite the fact that its market is actively expanding. In terms of purchasing power parity, it ranks 78th in the world according to the IMF, according to the World Bank 65th, according to the CIA 85th. Possesses a huge reserve of natural resources. Telecommunications, power engineering, and the financial sector are widely developed.

Currency: South African Rand, equal to 100 cents. The coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents, 1, 2, 5 rands, banknotes - 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 rands.

Main imports: oil, foodstuffs, chemical products; exports: diamonds, gold, platinum, machinery, automobiles, equipment. Imports ($ 91 billion in 2008) exceed exports ($ 86 billion in 2008).

It is a member of the international organization of the ACP countries.

Work force

Of South Africa's 49 million people, only 18 million are able to work. Unemployed - 23% (in 2008).

65% of the working population is employed in the service sector, 26% in industry, 9% in agriculture (in 2008).

Branches of the national economy

Extractive industry

South Africa owes its rapid development to the richness of natural resources. The mining industry accounts for about 52% of exports. Manganese, platinum group metals, gold, chromites, aluminoglucates, vanadium and zirconium are widely mined. Coal mining is very developed - in the use of coal for the production of electricity, South Africa ranks third in the world (due to the lack of oil, about 80% of South Africa's energy resources are based on the use of coal). In addition, reserves of diamonds, asbestos, nickel, lead, uranium and other important minerals are concentrated in the country.

Agriculture

Since most of the country has an arid climate, only 15% of its area is suitable for agriculture. However, it can be said that unlike most other countries in Africa, where soil erosion occurs, this 15% is used wisely - for the purpose of soil protection and effective agriculture, the advanced agronomic achievements of South Africa and the leading countries of the world are used. This led to surprising results: South Africa fully meets domestic food needs, and is also one of the leading (and in some respects the leading) suppliers of agricultural products - the country exports about 140 types of fruits.

Winemaking

In South Africa, there are three zones for winemaking. The Northwest (North Cape) and East Coast (KwaZulu-Natal) are not considered sources of the best wines, as they have a very hot and arid climate. But the Southwest of South Africa (Western Cape) has a wonderful climate for winemaking.

Livestock

Meat and dairy production is concentrated in the north and east of the Free State province, in the interior of Hoteng province and in the southern part of Mpumalanga province. Meat breeds are widespread in the Northern and Eastern Cape. The drylands of the Northern and Eastern Cape, the Free State and Mpumalanga contain sheep breeding areas. The skins of astrakhan sheep are supplied to the world market.

Goats are bred in large numbers, mostly - 75% - Angora, whose wool is highly valued in the West (up to 50% of the world's mohair production is in South Africa). The other most common breed is the Boer goat, which is bred for meat. In terms of sheared goat hair (92 thousand tons per year), South Africa ranks 4th in the world.

Compared to such predominantly extensive subsectors as cattle and sheep breeding, poultry and pig breeding are more intensive and are common on farms near large cities - Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

In recent years - mainly in the province of the Free State - ostrich breeding has been actively developing. Export from South Africa of meat, skin and feathers of this bird is gradually increasing.

Fishing

In terms of fish catch (about 1 million tons per year), South Africa takes the leading place in Africa. The main objects of the fishery are sardines, herring, hake, anchovy, sea bass, mackerel, cod, cape salmon, mackerel, monkfish. In addition, shrimp, lobster, tuna fish, lobster, oysters, octopus, sharks, whose fins are in demand in countries of Southeast Asia, as well as the Cape seal. Fishing occurs primarily off the western coast of South Africa, washed by the Benguela Ocean Current, in a fishing area 200 nautical miles wide. About 40% of the catch comes from freshwater fish caught in the rivers Elands, Limpopo and others, as well as by breeding in artificial reservoirs.

Forestry

The main zone is the southern part of the KwaZulu-Natal province. Natural forests occupy 180 thousand hectares, that is, only 0.14% of the country's territory. Most of the commercial timber comes from plantations, which account for only 1% of the territory of South Africa. About half of the forest “plantations” are planted with pine, 40% with eucalyptus and 10% with mimosa. Yellow and ebony trees, Cape laurel, Assegai and Kamassi are also grown. Trees reach a marketable condition on average in 20 years - in contrast to trees growing in the Northern Hemisphere, where this process lasts from 80 to 100 years. The annual volume of timber supplied to the market is 17 million cubic meters. m. More than 240 woodworking and timber processing enterprises operate in South Africa.

Agriculture accounts for 35-40% of all exports and accounts for 5% of South Africa's GDP.

State economic policy

The economic policy of the state is aimed at stabilizing the economy.

According to TheHeritageFoundation statistics, the republic is in 57th position in the world in terms of economic freedom. South Africa has a relatively high income tax (up to 40% depending on the level of income).

The average per capita income of South Africa is 7016 euros.

There is no doubt that South Africa is the most economically developed country in Africa today. But its successes are impressive only in comparison with how things are going with its neighbors on the continent.In comparison, for example, with Latin America, South Africa clearly loses, both in GDP per capita, and in other indicators, such as the human development index or , for example, life expectancy (it is only 49 years in South Africa), or infant mortality.

The main wealth of South Africa is minerals. According to the US Geological Survey, South Africa ranks 1st in the list of the richest countries in the world in mineral resources, the cost of ore reserves in this country is more than $ 2.5 trillion. The backbone of the South African economy is mining and processing.

The main income comes from gold, 15% of all world production of this precious metal is carried out here. 40% of the world diamond production is controlled by the De Beers company. The level of platinum production in South Africa is estimated at about 85% of the world, palladium at 30%. Many other valuable metals are also mined, as well as coal, from which gasoline is even made. Because there is no oil in South Africa.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy production of manganese, chromium, refining of platinum and gold have also long been developed in South Africa. However, all high-tech industries in recent years have experienced a shortage of highly qualified personnel. According to various sources, in 1994-2004. South Africa has left between a million and one and a half million skilled workers, mostly from the white minority, and this trend continues. Moreover, many are readily accepted by countries such as Canada, Australia, the United States and Great Britain.

The South African government's Aboriginal support policies give preference to the employment of Aboriginal Africans, give them preferential treatment for doing business, and so on. This often results in incompetent people being placed in management, as the education level of Africans is extremely low.

It got to the point that the Chinese community demanded in 2008 that the Chinese be recognized as "black." The Chinese Association of South Africa has filed a complaint with the Supreme Court that the Chinese are being discriminated against because they are perceived as "white" by Africans. And the Supreme Court ruled to recognize the Chinese as "black."

Considering that there are many contradictions between different nationalities living in South Africa, it becomes clear that the modern relative economic well-being is under threat. If the remaining white specialists in South Africa continue to emigrate en masse, the industry may simply not resist.

A particular problem hindering the development of tourism in South Africa, which has excellent natural opportunities, is crime. Even during the World Cup, which was held in South Africa in the summer of 2010, for the first time on the African continent, the government of the country, despite the colossal costs of 100 million euros, failed to ensure the safety of the guests of the championship. economy african republic economy

Players, journalists and fans have suffered from robberies, theft and assaults. Given that the prices for tourism services in South Africa are very high, then, before the security issues are resolved, the South African tourism industry is unlikely to experience a period of rapid growth. Of particular concern is the fact that in South Africa almost 30% of the population is sick with AIDS, and this is already affecting the country's economy.

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