In the former, whites and non-whites were segregated, with many black residents forced

在此之前，白人與非白人遭到隔離，造成許多黑人被迫

out of their homes and denied citizenship. Since then, South Africa has flourished economically,

離開家園，並且失去國籍。在此之後，南非的經濟起飛

but still struggles from extreme xenophobia, high income inequality, and rising crime.

卻仍背負著排外情緒、高度貧富不均，以及攀升的犯罪率

So how powerful is South Africa today?

所以，今日的南非有多強大？

Well, in terms of sheer size, South Africa is both the 25th largest and most populous

嗯，單就大小而言，南非的國土面積與人口數都是世界上第25大的

country in the world, with about 53 million residents spread across nearly half a million

大約有5300萬個居民，分布在50萬平方英里的土地上

square miles. That’s about as big and populous as two Texases, back to back. South Africa’s

這樣的面積與人口數，大約等於兩個德州、背對背放在一起。南非的

large population is also one of the most diverse in the world, with no fewer than 11 official

廣大人口也是世界上數一數二多元的，有著11個以上

languages recognized by the constitution. In fact, famed political activist, and ex-President

憲法認定的官方語言。事實上，有名的政治家，同時也是南非前任總統的

of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, called it the “Rainbow Nation”, to describe the

納爾遜曼德拉，稱南非為「彩虹國」，以形容種族隔離政策解除之後

post-apartheid diversity. Despite it’s dark, and sometimes violent past, South Africa is

的多元社會。儘管它有著一段黑暗、甚至暴力的歷史，南非仍是

one of the only African countries to have avoided a violent government takeover. Since

少數避免強人政府掌權的非洲國家

the country’s formation in 1910, they’ve held regular elections, although for much

自1910年建國以來，他們舉辦定期的選舉，儘管在南非的歷史當中

of their history, voting was limited to the white minority population.

大都只有少數白人擁有投票權

Economically, South Africa is considered an upper-middle income economy. It is rapidly

就經濟而言，南非算是中上收入的國家。它正在快速的

industrializing, with the second largest GDP in Africa at $366 billion dollars a year.

工業化，並且有非洲第二高的GDP，平均年收3.66億元

It is also one of the world’s top mining countries, producing more than three quarter’s

它也是世界上的礦業大國，生產全世界四分之三以上

of the world’s platinum, along with massive coal, gold, and diamond mines. However, Africa

的白金，還有大量的煤礦、黃金，以及鑽石。然而，非洲

also suffers from one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world. One in

也遭遇著收入的嚴重不平等。每四個南非人當中，就有一個

four South Africans are unemployed and nearly half live in poverty.

處於失業，並且約有半數的人口過著貧困生活

In spite of these factors, South Africa’s military is rather robust. Ranked 32nd in

儘管如此，南非仍有著堅強的軍火。排名世界第32，南非

the world, they host nearly 90,000 active troops, with a defense budget of about four

有將近9萬支活躍的軍隊，還有大約45億元的國防預算

and a half billion. But the most interesting aspect of South Africa’s military is their

但南非最有趣的軍事樣貌，是它

relationship with nuclear weapons.

與核子武器的關係

In the 1980s, South Africa developed half a dozen nuclear weapons. But in 1989, two

1980年代，南非發展了6種核武。然而在1989年，也就是

years before the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the South African government voluntarily

聯合國《防止核武器藩衍條約》簽訂的前兩年，南非政府主動

dismantled all of its nuclear weapons in an attempt to bring stability to the Southern

撤除了所有核子武器，以穩定非洲南部地區的局勢

African region. It was the first nation to ever do so. They also lead the rest of Africa

它是第一個這麼做的國家。南非更帶領著其他的非洲國家

in the creation of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, an agreement throughout the continent

創造了《非洲無核武器區》，這個涵蓋非洲大陸的條約

to prohibit research, development, and possession of nuclear weapons. These efforts helped establish

禁止了核武的研究、發展與製造。這樣的努力將南非確立為

South Africa as a major player in the international community.

世界社群當中的一大要角

South Africa has made significant strides since the abolition of apartheid, but inequality

南非在解除種族隔離政策後，有著顯著的進步，但不平等的情況依舊

is still rampant. With attacks on foreigners on the rise, job scarcity, an HIV/AIDS epidemic,

猖獗。在攻擊外國人數量上升、工作稀少、愛滋傳染

and high crime, the country may need to modernize even more rapidly than they already have been.

與高犯罪率之下，南非或許需要比現在更快速的現代化

So how powerful is South Africa? Well… they’re working on it.

所以，南非有多強大？嗯...他們正在努力變強

South Africa has seen a recent rise in violence against immigrants and minorities in recent

近年來，南非經歷了越來越多，傷害移民與少數族群的暴力行為

years. To learn more about the issue, check out our video here.

若想對這個議題有更多了解，請去看看我們的影片

In the country with 25% unemployment rate along with extreme high crime rate,

在這樣25%失業率，以及高犯罪率的國家

immigrants are an easy target for local frustration

移民成了當地居民直接宣洩挫折的目標

One study found that among police officers, 87% believe that

有研究顯示，當地87%的警察認為

many of the country undocumented immigrants were criminal despite no statistic supporting that accusation.

沒有正式文件的移民當中，有許多都是罪犯，儘管完全沒有數據可以佐證這項指控

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感謝您觀看TestTube，別忘了訂閱我們的頻道