South+Africa


 * =====Country Name =====

South Africa
|| =====Information and Data ===== || =====Interpretation ===== ||
 * =====Location, Territory and Neighbours =====

|| =====Include Continent, size, and all neighbours including the largest nation of influence even if not a direct neighbour =====

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South Africa has a total landmass of 1.2 billion square km located at the southern tip of Africa. The bordering countries of South Africa include Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. ===== || =====What does this all mean? =====

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South Africa is a peninsula with the oceans acting as its coastlines. The 1.2 billion square km of land also makes it the 25th largest country by landmass. There are also many people that come from neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe and Botswana coming into South Africa looking for a better economical opportunity. ===== ||
 * =====Political environment Format of government =====

|| =====Describe how government is formed, not just what it is called. Also state whether things are stable or unruly, and what problems the government has recently been dealing with. News sites may help you here. =====

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South Africa or the Republic of South Africa has many parts to its government body. It even has distributed capitals that specialize in certain areas. Pretoria is South Africa’s administrative capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa. The National Assembly elects the head of state or President and he/she is usually already a part of the assembly. Currently, the president of South Africa is Jacob Zuma. As of right now, the South African government is a little weak after recent labor unrests but Jacob Zuma reassures the public that everything is okay and since it has been a while since something major has occurred, it is safe to assume that things are quite stable currently. ===== || =====What does this mean for the people? For the countries neighbors? =====

Currently, other people from different African countries are moving into South Africa to find a better
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 * =====Economic situation ===== || =====Please avoid saying 1st, 2nd, 3rd world. Are they developing? Developed? What drives the economy? Employment rates? Main trading partner? Any trade issues or disputes? What percentage of your income goes to taxes? What percentage of this goes to spending on health, military, education…? =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market making its GDP of $555 billion, which is ranked, 6th in the world. Unfortunately, its GDP per capita is only $11,000 being a low 106th in the world. It has a labor force of 17.66 million with a staggering 24.9% unemployment rate. 25.6% of the GDP is used in taxes. =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">What does this mean for the people, for the government, for its position in the world how this would affect its status, grievances, alliances or voting patterns in the UN ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Natural resources, main trading partners, economic interests =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">In case you ran out of room in the previous row, carry on here. =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Industries: mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">So how do your resources, or lack thereof, affect who your friends are? ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Social composition ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">What are the age demographics? Is there public health care? Public education? Be careful is this free K-12? What percentage votes? Are people free to travel? What is the GDP/person? What religion are practiced? There is an endless array of date you could place here. =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">The number you decide to mention should be explained. So what does it mean if Iran’s median age is 24? Or, that half its population is under 30? What does it mean that between 60-80% of Chinese people live in rural communities. Interpreting data will need discussion between you and your partner. ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Recent history or history that defines current opinion and culture ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">What history should be mentioned that will help us understand the mindset of the people and the present government. Many things in the past affect the way people think today. Mention some here in point form. Be sure it the summation makes sense when you read it over. =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">The Apartheid was a major part of South African history and is probably one of the things that defines South Africa. Although it ended in the 90’s, some of the people that lived at this time still have it fresh in their minds and the way things work are still very different. ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Explain how key events affected the way people might see an issue. How might events or traditions affect the way a country will vote on an issue? What policies will they support or not support? ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Recent conflicts or unresolved border disputes. Any other disputes? =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">If you haven’t mentioned these yet, they are important. =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000) =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">How do they affect relations elsewhere? Is there domestic or external pressure to resolve this? Does anyone even care? Why or why not? ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Membership of various organizations =====

|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">These organizations might have a common policy with neighbouring countries of certain (perhaps regional) organizations may be potential allies for resolutions. ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Are you obligated by treaty to do something. For example, what does it mean if you signed the Genocide convention? Should you not help immediately in these scenarios? ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Treaties and Agreements ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Which treaties/agreements is the country in question a signatory of? =====

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<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling =====

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">None have been ratified but signed.
|| =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">You need not list all, but which ones might be important in defining relationships to others in the neighborhood or in the world? Would signing some make you look better in other’s eyes? Worse? ===== ||
 * =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Any interesting or fun facts about the country or culture ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Did you know…? ===== || =====<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: left;">Does this give us any insight into the people? ===== ||