Economic aid - recipient:
$487.5 million (2000)
Currency:
rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
ZAR
Exchange rates:
rand per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11
(1999), 5.53 (1998)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications South Africa
Telephones - main lines in use:
more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.06 million (2001)
Telephone system:
general assessment: the system is the best developed and most
modern in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)