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Telecom and Transportation in South Africa
When it comes Transport and Telecom
facilities in South Africa, the whole African continent remains silent.
Nigeria ( who by the way call themselves "giant of Africa"), comes no where
close. One may wonder if all citizens of South Africa enjoy these
telecom facilities. The Telecom Companies (like most companies in
South Africa) are owned by White folks. Once in a while a black person is
appointed as President of a company. Example: the World's Biggest Gold
Company (Anglogold Ashanti) had a Ghanaian as it's president. The "Ghanaian
Kid" has already announced his plans to step down in less than a year.
Why? That's a puzzle that still hangs.
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Communications |
South Africa |
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Telephones in South Africa
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4.844 million (2002)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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16.86 million (2003)
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 14, FM 347 (plus
243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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17 million (2001)
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Television broadcast stations:
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556 (plus 144 network
repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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6 million (2000)
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Internet country code:
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.za |
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Internet hosts:
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288,633 (2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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150 (2001) |
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Internet users:
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3.1 million (2002)
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Transportation |
Department
of Transport South Africa |
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Railways:
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total: 22,298
km
narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km
electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge
note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2003) |
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Highways:
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total: 275,971
km
paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
unpaved: 218,403 km (2002) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 100 km;
gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cape Town, Durban,
East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT
by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
registered in other countries: 7 (2005) |
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Airports:
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728 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 144
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
914 to 1,523 m: 67
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 584
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 300
under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.) |
Test your knowledge on
African Countries
- How many countries are in the map of
South Africa?
- Is Cape Town the Capital of South
Africa?
Source:
CIA Fact Book
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