Population: 40,600,518 (July 1991), growth rate 2.7% (1991); includes the 10 so-called homelands, which are not recognized by the US; four independent homelands--Bophuthatswana 2,419,515, growth rate 2.83%; Ciskei 1,056,552, growth rate 2.96%; Transkei 4,553,994, growth rate 4.16%; Venda 691,273, growth rate 3.83%; six other homelands--Gazankulu 772,532, growth rate 3.98%; Kangwane 576,573, growth rate 3.62%; KwaNdebele 360,582, growth rate 3.38%; KwaZulu 5,546,082, growth rate 3.60%; Lebowa 2,812,630, growth rate 3.91%; QwaQwa 277,957, growth rate 3.60%

Birth rate: 34 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Infant mortality rate: 51 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 67 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 4.4 children born/woman (1991)

Nationality: noun--South African(s); adjective--South African

Ethnic divisions: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Religion: most whites and Coloreds and about 60% of blacks are Christian; about 60% of Indians are Hindu; Muslim 20%

Language: Afrikaans, English (both official); many vernacular languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana

Literacy: 76% (male 78%, female 75%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Labor force: 11,000,000 economically active (1989); services 34%, agriculture 30%, industry and commerce 29%, mining 7% (1985)

Organized labor: about 17% of total labor force is unionized; African unions represent 15% of black labor force

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 People 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about South Africa People 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.