South AfricaSouth Africa lies at the southernmost part of the African continent. It is bordered to the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the northeast by Mozambique and Swaziland and to the northwest by Namibia. On the east coastline lies the Indian Ocean, the Southern coastline the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and Atlantic Ocean on the western side. South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho. Most of South Africa has elevations of over 914m (3,000 ft) and at least 40% of the surface is at an elevation of over 1,220m (4,000 ft). Parts of Johannesburg are 1,829m (6,000 ft) above sea level. Resembling an inverted saucer, the land rises steadily from west to east to the Drakensberg Mountains, the tallest of which is Mont-aux-Sources at 3,300m (10,823 ft)...More Information on South Africa. Full country name: The Republic of South Africa Also Read: A Short Background of South Africa History of South AfricaPeople have inhabited southern Africa for thousands of years. Members of the Khoisan language groups are the oldest surviving inhabitants of the land, but only a few are left in South Africa today–and they are located in the western sections. Most of today’s black South Africans belong to the Bantu language group, which migrated south from central Africa, settling in the Transvaal region sometime before AD 100. The Nguni, ancestors of the Zulu and Xhosa, occupied most of the eastern coast by 1500. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Cape of Good Hope, arriving in 1488. However, permanent white settlement did not begin until 1652 when the Dutch East India Company established a provisioning station on the Cape...More on South Africa's History. Overview of South Africa's EconomyGDP: US$213 billion Also Read: A short note on Economy of South Africa Political System of South Africa- Government of South Africa Climate, Vegetation and FaunaSouth Africa lies almost wholly within the southern temperate zone, and its climate is more equable than that of corresponding northern latitudes because of its surrounding waters. Cape Town and the southernmost part of Western Cape has a Mediterranean-type climate and is warmer than some areas further north that are affected by the cold Benguela Current on the west coast of Southern Africa. The winter months are mild and changeable, this is also the time when most the rainfall occurs. The Durban and Kwa-Zulu-Natal coastline is affected by the warm Mozambique current and enjoys a sub-tropical climate, with plenty of sunshine throughout the year, but the summer months can become very hot and humid.Throughout the country, however, the mean annual temperature is just below 15.6°C (60°F). On the high veld there are sharp differences of temperature between day and night; but there is less daily fluctuation nearer the coast. Rainfall is unpredictable in large parts of the country, and prolonged droughts are a serious restriction on farming in such areas. While the mean annual rainfall is 18.6 inches, nearly 30% of the country receives less than 10 inches and 65% receives less than 20 inches. Much of South Africa gets its rain in the summer months, but the western coastal belt is a winter rain area. Along the Cape south coast, rain falls during both seasons. Generally the winter months are between April and August with summer being from September to March Envoirnment: South Africa is a big wallop of a country, extending nearly 2000km from the Limpopo...more. Languages:There are 11 official languages in South Africa. English is the language of administration...more. Education:Schools in South Africa, as elsewhere, reflect society’s political philosophy and goals...more. Culture:South Africa is a multiracial society and defining distinct subgroups by skin colour only will potentially...more. People of South Africa: The population of South Africa is 75% black (African) and 13% white (European), with about..more. Facts for the TravelerVisas: Entry permits are issued free
on arrival to visitors on holiday from many Commonwealth and most Western
European countries, as well as Japan and the USA. If you aren’t
entitled to an entry permit, you’ll need to get a visa (also free)
before you arrive.
Health risks: Malaria is mainly confined to the eastern half of South Africa, especially on the lowveld (coastal plain). Bilharzia is also found mainly in the east but outbreaks do occur in other places, so you should always check with knowledgeable local people before drinking water or swimming in it. Time: GMT/UTC plus two hours Electricity: 220/230V (250V in Pretoria), 50Hz Weights & measures: Metric Also Read: Money & Costs | Transportation in South Africa | Public holidays in South Africa | Events Of South Africa When to GoSouth Africa is an all year round destination. However there are certain
regions that are more popular at different times: Also Read: Getting Around in South Africa | Getting There & Away What to See in South AfricaOther Tourist Attractions in South Africa more...South Africa National Parks South Africa Game Reserves What to do in South AfricaActive bods will have no trouble wearing out their sneakers in South Africa: the country offers everything from ostrich riding to the world’s highest bungee jump! There are excellent hiking trails, usually with accommodation, although the intrepid might find them a bit overpopulated. Mountain biking is getting more popular and it’s even possible to cycle through some of the wildlife parks. If that sounds a bit hairy, it’s easy to plan safaris in South Africa’s national parks and reserves. Airborne pursuits are popular: hang-gliding is a buzz off Table Mountain and there are ballooning and parachuting operators at the beach resorts. South Africa isn’t known for its rafting and canoeing - it’s more floating through landscape than testing out your life jacket - but there is some beautiful desert wilderness to glide through on the Orange River in the far north. Bird-watchers and flower sniffers love it here: for diversity, colour and sheer quantity, it’s hard to beat. South Africa also has some of the best, least-crowded surfing in the world. Most surfers will have heard of Jeffrey’s Bay, but the east and south coasts tube right the way along. The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
Countries in Africa
Algeria
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Cote d’Ivoire
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Republic of the Congo
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Religion in Africa
Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa
Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa
Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa
Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations.
It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa
Colonial Africa
Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa
Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa
Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands.
Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa
The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia.
The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]
Travel Mantra: Africa Destination Guide
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