The Rebublic of South Africa
President:				Mr. Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki
Capital:				Pretoria
Population:				45 million
Area:				1,227,200 sq. km
Timezone:				GMT +2 hours
Temperature/Climate:				South Africa has a perennially sunny climate, but the sun can be extremely fierce. Midsummer occurs in December & January, midwinter in June & July. For up-to-date weather in South Africa - click here.
Currency:				The currency is the South African Rand (R) and the international symbol is ZAR. R1 = 100 cents. For current exchange rates - click here.
Languages:				South Africa has 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Setswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. However, English is understood and used by most people.
Religion:				The majority of South Africans adhere to the Christian faith. Other major religious groups are Muslims, Jews and Hindus. Freedom of worship is guaranteed by the Constitution.
National holiday:				Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Visas:				All visitors require a valid passport for entry into South Africa. Entry is regulated by the Department of Home Affairs. The need to acquire a visa depends on nationality and the purpose and duration of visit. For more information on visas – click here.
Custom regulations:				Duty-free gifts and souvenirs to the value of R1 250 plus 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams of tobacco, 2 litres of wine, 1 litre of other alcoholic beverages, 50ml of perfume, and 250ml of toilet water are allowed into South Africa without incurring duties. Thereafter duty is levied at 20%. The alcohol and tobacco allowance applies only to people over 18. For more information on custom regulations – click here.
Hours for business:				While most government offices are open from 08:00 to 16:30 from Monday to Friday, businesses are mostly open from 09:00 through approximately 17:30 from Monday to Friday, as well as for varying times on Saturday. Generally speaking shopping malls and large businesses are open from 08:00 to around 20:00 from Monday to Saturday, with a smaller selection of shops inside such malls adopting different business hours. A variety of businesses (mainly in the supermarket category) are also open on Sundays.
Banks -				08:30 to 15:30 - Monday to Friday 08:30 to 11:00 - Saturday ATMS are available everywhere.
Rules of the Road:				The basic rule of the road is: drive on the left-hand side of the road and give way to vehicles approaching from the right. The general speed limit on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 120km/h. On secondary roads it is 100km/h, and in residential areas 60km/h, unless otherwise indicated. Drivers must be in possession of a valid international driver's licence. The use of seatbelts is mandatory.
Main Cities:				Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth.
Provinces:				South Africa has nine provinces. They are Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape.
International Airports:				Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George.
Ports:				Richards Bay, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay, Cape Town and Saldanha.
Electricity:				220/230 volts AC, 50Hz. Appliances of lesser voltage require a transformer. Adapters are obtainable locally.
Weights & measures:				Metric

• Click here for more information about Qatar.

	Back to TOP

•	Question: What items are prohibited imports into Qatar?
	Answer: Qatar customs will not allow you to bring the following items: - Weapons and ammunition - Fireworks - Obscene pictures or magazines - Narcotics and dangerous drugs - Counterfeit coins and/or bank notes - Alcohol or pork products.
•	Click here for more answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
	Back to TOP