  We consider the (pure) braid groups B_{n}(M) and P_{n}(M), where M is the
2-sphere S^2 or the real projective plane RP^2. We determine the minimal
cardinality of (normal) generating sets X of these groups, first when there is
no restriction on X, and secondly when X consists of elements of finite order.
This improves on results of Berrick and Matthey in the case of S^2, and extends
them in the case of RP^2. We begin by recalling the situation for the Artin
braid groups. As applications of our results, we answer the corresponding
questions for the associated mapping class groups, and we show that for M=S^2
or RP^2, the induced action of B_n(M) on H_3 of the universal covering of the n
th configuration space of M is trivial.
