This authoritative, comprehensive reference work covers South Africa's history, government and politics, law, society and culture, economy and infrastructure, demography, environment, and more, from the era of human origins to the present. Nearly 300 alphabetically arranged entries provide information in a concise yet thorough way. In addition, a series of appendixes present a wealth of data, including: a chronology of key events, major racial and apartheid legislation since 1856, heads of state (with party affiliation) since 1910, provinces and major cities, government structures, and current political parties and representation in parliament. Photographs enhance the text. Members of the encyclopedia's International Advisory Board are R. Hunt Davis, Jr., Sandra Klopper, Shula Marks, Dominique Malaquais, Barney Pityana, Zine Magubane, and Peter Limb.