South Africa : a country study / Federal Research Division, Library of Congress ; edited by Rita M. Byrnes.

Format:

Book

Government document

Contributor:

Byrnes, Rita M., 1943-

Library of Congress. Federal Research Division.

Series:

Area handbook series

DA pam ; 550-93.

DA pam ; 550-93

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

South Africa.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (lxv, 532 pages) : illustrations, maps.

Edition:

Third edition.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : The Division : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., [1997]

System Details:

Mode of Access: World Wide Web.

Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212

text file

Summary:

Understand a particular foreign country through dynamic descriptions and analyses of its historical, social, environmental, economic, governmental, political, and national security systems and institutions.

Particular attention is devoted to the people who make up the society, their origins, beliefs, interests, and their attitudes towards their social system and political order.

Each study is written by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists. This series is a recognized standard in the field.

Contents:

Southern African societies to ca. 1600. The earliest South Africans ; The arrival of Bantu-speaking Africans

Early European settlement. Origins of settlement ; Establishing a slave economy ; Emergence of a settler society

The rise of African states. Background to the Mfecane ; Shaka and the rise of the Zulu state ; Swazi, Sotho, and Ndebele states

The expansion of European settlement. British colonialism ; The great trek ; The Voortrekker republics and British policies

Industrialization and imperialism, 1870-1910. The mineral revolution ; Africans and industrialization ; British imperialism and the Afrikaners ; Formation of the Union of South Africa, 1910

Segregation, 1910-48. Building the legal structure of racial discrimination ; Formation of the African National Congress, 1912 ; World War I and Afrikaner nationalism ; Conflict in the 1920s ; The Great Depression and the 1930s ; The impact of World War II ; The 1948 election

Apartheid, 1948-76. The legislative implementation of apartheid ; Black resistance in the 1950s ; Consolidation apartheid in the 1960s ; The rise of black consciousness

Government in crisis, 1978-89. The contradictions of apartheid ; Divisions in the white community ; Limited reforms

Dismantling apartheid, 1990-94. The quest for peace ; "Irreversible progress" toward democracy ; Preparing for elections

Physical setting. Geographic regions ; Lakes and rivers ; Climate and rainfall ; Environmental trends

Population. Size and growth ; Distribution

Ethnic groups and language. Language groups ; Nguni ; Sotho ; Tsonga and Venda ; Afrikaans speakers ; English speakers ; Khoisan

Religion. Historical background ; Religion and apartheid ; Zion Christian Church ; Islam

Education. Early development ; Education under apartheid ; The school system in the 1990s ; Higher education

Health and welfare. Incidence of disease ; Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) ; Health care services ; Social welfare

Women in society. Women and apartheid ; Women in the 1990s

Historical development ; Postapartheid reconstruction

Structure of the economy. Gross domestic product ; External debt ; Inflation ; Economic distortions and apartheid

Role of the government. Legal restrictions ; Parastatals ; Budgets

Foreign trade and investment. Foreign trade ; Investment ; Balance of payments

Employment and labor. Labor force ; Labor and politics ; Education and employment

Extractive industries. Gold ; Diamonds and platinum ; Ferrous and nonferrous metals ; Energy minerals and petroleum

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Crops ; Livestock ; Forestry ; Fishing

Manufacturing. Electric power ; Heavy industry ; Chemicals industry ; Consumer goods

Transportation and telecommunications. Railroads ; Ports and shipping ; Road system and transport ; Civil aviation ; Pipelines ; Telecommunications and postal service

Environmental protection and tourism. Environmental protection ; Tourism

Banking and currency

Growth trends and potential

System of government. Historical background ; Constitutional change ; The interim constitution ; Executive and legislative authority ; Provincial and local government ; Drafting a final constitution

The legal system. The apartheid-era legal system ; The new legal system

Political participation. The 1994 elections ; Political parties ; Interest groups ; Political elites

Communications media. Radio and television ; Newspapers, magazines, and journals

Foreign relations. Relations with African states ; Relations with non-African states

International organizations

Historical background. Precolonial warfare ; Early development of the South African military ; Rise of the security establishments ; Women in the military

Global and regional issues. Arms trade and the defense industry ; Nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons ; Regional issues

Constitutional and legal framework

Military organizations. Army ; Air force ; Navy ; Medical service ; Uniforms, ranks, and insignia ; Military intelligence and intelligence coordination

Defense budget

Internal security. Police ; Crime and violence ; Prison system ; Penal code

Human rights and national reconciliation.

Notes:

"Research completed May 1996."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 421-483) and index.

Electronic reproduction. [S.l.] : HathiTrust Digital Library, 2010.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: South Africa.

OCLC:

622813058

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.