Economic aid - recipient:
$487.5 million (2000)
Currency (code):
rand (ZAR)
Currency code:
ZAR
Exchange rates:
rand per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),
10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications South Africa
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.729 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33.96 million (2005)
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: country code - 27; 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)