South Africa Demography is a very interesting yet controversial study which looks at the human beings ability to look at people different from oneself with tolerance and respect. South Africa Demography is fascinating not only because it was the cause, which gave birth to Apartheid but also to Mahatma Gandhi's Passive Resistance and philosophies like Ubuntu, which belive in universality of the human feelings and human spirit. South Africa Demography has also influenced the cultural life of the republic, because both the pain of the oppression and the ecstacy regarding its end have left an indelible mark on the mind of the people.
Demography of South Africa has been influenced by its history as well as its geography and politics. The South Africans are demographically divided into three major groups the absolute majority Blacks, the mixed blood Coloureds, and the minority community of Whites. Black Africans constituted a most significant 79.5%, while Coloureds excluding Indians were at 8.9%, Whites were slightly higher at 9.2%, and Asian or Indian at 2.5% according to the
demographic distribution of South Africa.
The
population of South Africa grows annually at a rate of -0.4%. Important ethnic groups among the Black community are:
- Xhosa,
- Tswana,
- Basotho (South Sotho),
- Zulu,
- Bapedi (North Sotho),
- Tsonga,
- Venda,
- Ndebele and
- Swazi
South Africa Demography thus offers an unique insight into the whys and whats regarding this racially segregated society.
