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Customs Information
South Africa
- CUSTOMER MUST BE IN THE COUNTRY AT LEAST 10 DAYS BEFORE VESSEL ARRIVES TO ATTEND TO FORMALITIES PERTAINING TO CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
- 100% inspection by Customs for all personal effects
- Temporary residents will be allowed to import used household goods and personal effects duty-free if they are in possession of a valid temporary Work Permit and goods have been in their possession for at least one year prior to import and work permit is valid for more than 6 months.
- Returning residents must have been out of South Africa for a continuous period of at least six months to qualify for duty-free import and work permit is valid for more than six months
- Duty-free importation of household goods and personal effects for foreign diplomats allowed upon receiving detailed inventory and a diplomatic clearance certificate completed and signed by Embassy/Consulate in South Africa and countersigned by the Department of Foreign Affairs
- "Ad Valorem" wharfage, terminal, examination fee, etc. are payable by owner on all shipments at destination and are additional to door-to-door charges.
| Transportation |
South Africa |
| Railways: |
total: 20,872 km
narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge
note: includes a 1,210 km commuter rail system (2004) |
| Highways: |
total: 275,971 km
paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
unpaved: 218,403 km (2002) |
| Waterways: |
condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354 km (2004) |
| Pipelines: |
condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354 km (2004) |
| Ports and Harbors: |
Cape Town , Durban , East London, Port Elizabeth , Richards Bay , Saldanha Bay |
| Merchant Marine: |
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) |
| Airports: |
728 (2004 est.) |
Airports -
with paved runways: |
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.) |
Airports -
with unpaved runways: |
total: 584
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 300
under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: |
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| Geography |
South Africa |
| Location: |
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa |
| Geographic Coordinates: |
29 00 S, 24 00 E |
| Map References: |
Africa |
| Area: |
total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands ( Marion Island and Prince Edward Island ) |
| Area Comparative: |
slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
| Land Boundaries: |
total: 4,862 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km |
| Coastline: |
2,798 km |
| Maritime Claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin |
| Climate: |
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Terrain: |
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Elevation Extremes: |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m |
| Natural Resources: |
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
| Land Use: |
arable land: 12.08%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 87.13% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land: |
13,500 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards: |
prolonged droughts |
| Environment - current issues: |
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification |
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - Note: |
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland |
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