total: 362,099 km
country comparison to the world: 18
paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways)
unpaved: 288,593 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 4
country comparison to the world: 133
by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 3
foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
registered in other countries: 11 (Mexico 1, NZ 1, Seychelles 1,
Singapore 3, UK 5) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay
Military ::South Africa
Military branches:
South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army,
South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint
Operations Command, Military Intelligence, South African Military
Health Services (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; women are eligible
to serve in noncombat roles; 2-year service obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,508,255
females age 16-49: 12,541,371 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,676,331
females age 16-49: 6,521,338 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 492,743
female: 496,374 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 92
Military - note:
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,
former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
were integrated into the South African National Defense Force
(SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete
Transnational Issues ::South Africa
Disputes - international:
South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the
thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political
persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large
numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other
states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the
location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king
advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and
KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic Republic of Congo);
7,818 (Somalia); 5,759 (Angola) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a
major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin
consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit
methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various
east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic
drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money
launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and
narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African
economy
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Southern Ocean (Oceans)
Introduction ::Southern Ocean
Background:
A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), an ocean current that flows
from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global
ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet
and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct
border - the Antarctic Convergence - which fluctuates with the
seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique
ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which
promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greater
abundance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the International
Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within the
Convergence as a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - by
combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,
and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of
Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with
the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of the
Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth
largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not
imply recognition of this feature as one of the world's primary
oceans by the US Government.
Geography ::Southern Ocean
Location:
body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique
distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally
encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies
between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and
encompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Map references:
Antarctic Region
Area:
total: 20.327 million sq km
note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of the US
Coastline:
17,968 km
Climate:
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees
Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and
frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between
ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to
the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere
on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south
latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the
Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees
Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds
from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Terrain:
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m over most of its extent
with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental
shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at
depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m); the Antarctic
icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million sq km in March
to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold
increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in
length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean
current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second -
100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich
Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m
Natural resources:
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the
continental margin; manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,
sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -
none exploited; krill, fish
Natural hazards:
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller
bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick)
with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual
and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by
glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and
large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;
most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Environment - current issues:
increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic
ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity
(phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,
especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements:
the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements
regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these
agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling
Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south
[south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (regulates fishing)
note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
(Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic
Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold
polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north
Geography - note:
the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and
Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best
natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it
is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar
Current that separates the cold polar surface waters to the south
from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current
extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees
south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South
Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds
Economy ::Southern Ocean
Economy - overview:
Fisheries in 2006-07 landed 126,976 metric tons, of which 82%
(104,586 tons) was krill (Euphausia superba) and 9.5% (12,027 tons)
Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides - also known as
Chilean sea bass), compared to 127,910 tons in 2005-06 of which 83%
(106,591 tons) was krill and 9.7% (12,396 tons) Patagonian toothfish
(estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which
extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International
agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported,
and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one
estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish.
In the 2007-08 Antarctic summer, 45,213 tourists visited the
Southern Ocean, compared to 35,552 in 2006-2007, and 29,799 in
2005-2006 (estimates provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the
International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and
does not include passengers on overflights and those flying directly
in and out of Antarctica).
Transportation ::Southern Ocean
Ports and terminals:
McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in
midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker
escort; most Antarctic ports are operated by government research
stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or
private vessels
Transportation - note:
Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Transnational Issues ::Southern Ocean
Disputes - international:
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert
claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the
Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and
150 degrees west
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (South America)
Introduction ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Background:
The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie
approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been
under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period
in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,
was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer
Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated
attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months
later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of
preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993,
extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each
island.
Geography ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of
the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates:
54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
total: 3,903 sq km
country comparison to the world: 176
land: 3,903 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
of 11 islands
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
NA
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year
interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as
snow
Terrain:
most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and
mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,
glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of
volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that
generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also
subject to active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which
provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th
century, live on South Georgia
People ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
2001 replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British
Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird
Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited
Government ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
abbreviation: SGSSI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;
administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is
concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen
ELIZABETH II
Legal system:
the laws of the UK where applicable apply; the senior magistrate
from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered
on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield
with a golden lion rampant, holding a torch; the shield is supported
by a fur seal on the left and a Macaroni penguin on the right; a
reindeer appears above the crest, and below the shield on a scroll
is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its
Own Land)); the lion with the torch represents the UK and discovery;
the background of the shield, blue and white estoiles, are found in
the coat of arms of James Cook, discoverer of the islands; all the
outer supporting animals represented are native to the islands
Economy ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Economy - overview:
Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential
source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands
receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of
fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.
Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.
Communications ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Internet country code:
.gs
Internet hosts:
320 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 183
Transportation ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Ports and terminals:
Grytviken
Military ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues ::South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly
occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek
settlement by force
page last updated on November 17, 2010
======================================================================
@Spain (Europe)
Introduction ::Spain
Background:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II
but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful
transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco
FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the
EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and
made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The
government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty
(ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate
future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession
that started in mid-2008.
Geography ::Spain
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea,
North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France
Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 4 00 W
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 505,370 sq km
country comparison to the world: 51
land: 498,980 sq km
water: 6,390 sq km
note: there are two autonomous cities - Ceuta and Melilla - and 17
autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary
Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of
Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez
de la Gomera
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Coastline:
4,964 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)
Climate:
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy
along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and
cool along coast
Terrain:
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Natural resources:
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten,
mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin,
potash, hydropower, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 27.18%
permanent crops: 9.85%
other: 62.97% (2005)
Irrigated land:
37,800 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
111.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 37.22 cu km/yr (13%/19%/68%)
per capita: 864 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts, occasional flooding
volcanism: Spain experiences volcanic activity in the Canary
Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (elev. 3,715 m,
12,188 ft) has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International
Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior,
worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to
human populations; La Palma (elev. 2,426 m, 7,959 ft), which last
erupted in 1971, is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes;
Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano
Environment - current issues:
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents
from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and
quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note:
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar; Spain
controls a number of territories in northern Morocco including the
enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de
la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas
People ::Spain
Population:
46,505,963 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 3,021,822/female 2,842,597)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 13,705,107/female 13,601,399)
65 years and over: 18.1% (male 3,071,394/female 4,282,683) (2010
est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years
male: 38.9 years
female: 41.5 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.493% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Birth rate:
10.91 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Death rate:
8.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Net migration rate:
2.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Urbanization:
urban population: 77% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.065 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.42 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 214
male: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: