Long-form name: Republic of South Africa; abbreviated RSA

Type: republic

Capital: administrative, Pretoria; legislative, Cape Town; judicial, Bloemfontein

Administrative divisions: 4 provinces; Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal; there are 10 homelands not recognized by the US--4 independent (Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei, Venda) and 6 other (Gazankulu, Kangwane, KwaNdebele, KwaZulu, Lebowa, QwaQwa)

Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)

Constitution: 3 September 1984

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Republic Day, 31 May (1910)

Executive branch: state president, Executive Council (cabinet), Ministers' Councils (from the three houses of Parliament)

Legislative branch: tricameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of the House of Assembly (Volksraad; whites), House of Representatives (Raad van Verteenwoordigers; Coloreds), and House of Delegates (Raad van Afgevaardigdes; Indians)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--State President Frederik W. DE KLERK (since 13 September 1989)

Political parties and leaders: white political parties and leaders--National Party (NP), Frederik W. DE KLERK (majority party); Conservative Party (CP), Dr. Andries P. TREURNICHT (official opposition party); Herstigte National Party (HNP), Jaap MARAIS; Democratic Party (DP), Zach DE BEER; Colored political parties and leaders--Labor Party (LP), Allan HENDRICKSE (majority party); Democratic Reform Party (DRP), Carter EBRAHIM; United Democratic Party (UDP), Jac RABIE; Freedom Party; Indian political parties and leaders--Solidarity, J. N. REDDY (majority party); National People's Party (NPP), Amichand RAJBANSI; Merit People's Party

Suffrage: universal at age 18, but voting rights are racially based

Elections: House of Assembly (whites)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by March 1995); results--NP 58%, CP 23%, DP 19%; seats--(178 total, 166 elected) NP 103, CP 41, DP 34; House of Representatives (Coloreds)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(85 total, 80 elected) LP 69, DRP 5, UDP 3, Freedom Party 1, independents 2; House of Delegates (Indians)--last held 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(45 total, 40 elected) Solidarity 16, NPP 9, Merit People's Party 3, United Party 2, Democratic Party 2, People's Party 1, National Federal Party 1, independents 6

Communists: small Communist party legalized in 1990 after 30-year ban, Daniel TLOOME, chairman, and Joe SLOVO, general secretary

Other political or pressure groups: African National Congress (ANC), Nelson MANDELA, president; Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), Clarence MAKWETU, president

Member of: BIS, CCC, ECA, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT, ISO, ITU, LORCS, SACU, UN, UNCTAD, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO (suspended)

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Harry SCHWARZ; Chancery at 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-4400; there are South African Consulates General in Beverly Hills (California), Chicago, Houston, and New York; US--Ambassador William L. SWING; Embassy at Thibault House, 225 Pretorius Street, Pretoria; telephone [27] (12) 28-4266; there are US Consulates General in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg

Flag: actually four flags in one--three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands which has three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags are a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side

NOTE: The information regarding South Africa on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of South Africa Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about South Africa Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.