South Africa Country Profile*

Capital: Pretoria (Administrative); Cape Town (Legislative); Bloemfontein (Judicial)
Population: 56.98 Million (2021 est.)
Area: 1,219,090 sq km
Terrain: Plateau, savanna, desert, mountains, coastal plains.
GDP Per Capita: $12,482 (2019 est.)
Unemployment Rate: 27%

*CIA World Factbook: South Africa

Reports on South Africa

As Africa’s second largest economy, many public and private sector groups track economic developments within South Africa. U.S. Government reports on South Africa include the following:

• The Investment Climate Statement provides a thorough description of the overseas environments in which U.S. investors must operate.
• The National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade 2018 Barriers is an inventory of the most important foreign barriers affecting U.S. exports of goods and services, foreign direct investment by U.S. persons, and protection of intellectual property rights.
• The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Report responds to the concerns of U.S. farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and workers who confront SPS trade barriers as they seek to export high-quality American food and agricultural products around the world.
• The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Measures Report responds to the concerns of U.S. companies, farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers, which increasingly encounter non-tariff trade barriers in the form of product standards, testing requirements, and other technical requirements as they seek to sell products and services around the world.
• The Country Commercial Guide presents a comprehensive look at South Africa’s commercial environments, using economic, political and market analysis.
• Other resources include the World Factbook and the U.S. Trade Representatives Profile of South Africa.

Non-U.S. Government Sources of Information

Many other organizations also provide significant reports on South Africa’s economy. Important non-U.S. Government reports include:

• The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) publish extensive research on South Africa’s economy, including the annual “Doing Business” survey.
• Statistics South Africa and South Africa’s Reserve Bank and Statistics Agency compile South African economic data and produce wide-ranging reports.
• The Oxford Business Group provides articles and sectorial analysis of  South Africa’s economy
• The International Institute for Management Development ranks South Africa’s global competiveness in its World Competitiveness Yearbook.
• The United Nations’ Development Program tracks South Africa’s Human Development Rankings.