The Flag of South Africa
South Africa is located at the southern end of Africa.
South Africa
South Africa has three capital cities: Pretoria is the Executive Capital, Cape Town the Legislative Capital and Bloemfontein the Judicial Capital.
The biggest city in South Africa is Johannesburg. Other major cities include Soweto and Durban.
Johannesburg
Blacks (Black Africans) compose 78 percent of the population, with whites at 10 percent, coloreds (mixed race) 8.7 percent, and Asians (Indians) 2.5 percent.
South African Children
South Africa has 11 official languages, including Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa and English.
South Africa is a democracy.
South Africa is often called The Rainbow Nation.
The South African government recognizes 11 official languages including English.
The currency of South Africa is based on the rand: One rand (R) = 100 cents.
South Africa has the largest economy of any African country.
Diamond and gold strikes in the late 19th century began transforming this land of African tribes-people, Boer farmers, and British traders into an industrial colossus.
South Africa has had an unsettled history, with apartheid policies made by the National Party enforcing a system of segregation from 1948 until 1994.
Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994 after South Africa’s first universal elections.
South Africa's coastline stretches over 2500 kilometres (1553 miles) in length.
South Africa is home to a wide variety of animals including giraffes, hippopotamus, leopards and lions.
South African Giraffes
Conservation is an important issue in South Africa. It has lost many natural habitats due to deforestation and overpopulation.
South Africa is a member of the United Nations.
South Africa has high unemployment.
The first human heart transplant was performed in a Cape Town hospital in 1967.
Cave paintings have been found in South Africa that date to around 75000 years ago.
Drivers use the left-hand side of the road in South Africa.
The most popular sports in South Africa are football (soccer), rugby and cricket.
In 2010 South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup.
South Africa is now the only country in the world to have hosted the Soccer, Cricket and Rugby World Cup.
Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world and one of the planet’s 12 main energy centers, radiating magnetic, electric or spiritual energy.
Capetown
South Africa has: deserts, wetlands, grasslands, bush, subtropical forests, mountains and escarpments.
South Africa’s drinking water is rated 3rd best in the world for being “safe and ready to drink”.
South Africa’s Cape Winelands have around 560 wineries and 4,400 primary producers. Included in the Cape Winelands region is Route 62, considered the longest wine route in the world.
South African brewery SABMiller ranks by volume as the largest brewing company in the world. SABMiller also supplies up to 50% of China’s beer.
South Africa is the only country in the entire world that has voluntarily abandoned its nuclear weapons program.
South Africans in Native Costumes
The world’s largest themed resort hotel in the world, The Palace of the Lost City, is found in South Africa. Surrounding the Palace is a 25 hectare manmade botanical jungle with almost 2 million plants, trees and shrubs.
South Africa is extremely rich in mining and minerals and considered the world’s leader with nearly 90% of all the platinum metals on earth and around 41% of all the world’s gold.
South Africa is home to the oldest meteor scar in the world, the Vredefort Dome in a town called Parys. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The South African Rovos Rail is considered the most luxurious train in the world.
South Africa is home to the highest commercial bungi jump in the world at 710 feet.
General Motors South Africa is the only place outside of the USA to build the Hummer H3.
Pretoria
Despite the country’s status as a democratic republic, the Province of KwaZulu-Natal has a monarchy, specially provided for by the Constitution. Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is the King of the Zulu Nation, has 27 children and 6 wives.
There are more than 2000 shipwrecks off the South African coast, most dating back at least 500 years.
The oldest remains of modern humans were found in South Africa and are well over 160,000 years old.
The Karoo region in the Western Cape is home to some of the best fossils of early dinosaurs. In fact, it is estimated that some 80% of the mammalian fossils found to date were found in the Karoo.
Two South African Nobel Peace Prize winners lived on the same street at the same time. Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu had houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
Nelson Mandela
Archbishop Desmond Tutu