Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: Swaziland has asked South Africa to open
negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories
that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the
Swazi Kingdom;
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days,
cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 65% forest and woodland: 3% other: 21%
Irrigated land: 11,280 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires
extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water
usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from
agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in
acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
natural hazards: prolonged droughts
international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
Note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely
surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa:People