SOUTH AFRICA

INTRODUCTION TO SOUTH AFRICA

South 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).

The coastal belt in the west and south varies from 3 to 30 miles in width, is between 152m (500ft) to 182m (600ft) above sea level, and is very fertile, producing citrus fruits and grapes, particularly in the Western Cape. North of the coastal belt stretch, the Little and the Great Karoo, which are bounded by mountains, lie higher than the coastal belt, and are semi-arid to arid, merging into sandy wastes that ultimately join the Kalahari Desert.

The high grass prairie, or veld, of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal is famous for its mineral deposits,. From Drakensberg, the land falls towards the Indian Ocean in the rolling hills and valleys of Natal, which are covered with rich vegetation and, near the coast, subtropical plants, including sugarcane.

The protected areas of South Africa contain some of its most beautiful scenery and outstanding natural landscapes. South Africa's national parks were established for the objective of "establishment, preservation and study therein of wild animal, marine and plant life and objects of geological, archaeological, historical, ethnological, oceanological, educational and scientific interest...in such a manner that the area which constitutes the park will, as far as may be and for the benefit and enjoyment of visitors, be retained in its nature state"

Our national parks historic role has been not only to protect the assets it looks after, but also to deliver tourism and recreational services to South African and international visitors.


SOUTH AFRICAN PROVINCES

Click here to view ACTIVITIES in South Africa
Click here to view ATTRACTIONS in South Africa

GENERAL INFORMATION AND STATS

The Republic of South Africa forms the southernmost part of the African continent, stretching latitudinally from 22^o to 35^o S and longitudinally from 17^o to 33^o E. Its surface area is 1 223 201 km2. It has common boundaries with Namibia, the Republics of Botswana and Zimbabwe, while the Republic of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland lie to its north-east. The Kingdom of Lesotho is completely enclosed by South African territory. To the west, south and east, South Africa borders on the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans respectively. Prince Edward Island and Marion Island lie approximately 1 920 km to the south-east of Cape Town in the South Atlantic Ocean. They were taken into possession by South Africa in 1947.

FACTS

• South Africa has the longest wine route in the world, namely Route 62 between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth

• South Africa has the most profitable nature reserve in the world – the Kruger Park

• One South African street produced two Nobel Prize winners – both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived in Bhacela Street in Soweto

• There are more plant species per hectare in the Cape Peninsula than anywhere else in the world

• The first successful heart transplant in the world was done in South Africa by Chris Barnard

• Africa’s first astronaut is a South African, Mark Shuttleworth

• The Kreepy Krauly automatic pool cleaner was invented in South Africa

• According to the Big Mac Index, food is very cheap in South Africa – even 13% less than in the Philippines A Big Mac costs 40% less in South Africa than in the USA

• An average house of 120m² costs less than R300 000, while an average house of 106m² in the UK costs R1,4 million

• South Africa has the cheapest electricity in the world

• Bread is 66% cheaper in South Africa than the average price in Europe

• South Africa has the fifth most productive labour force in the world

• South Africa is the ninth largest Internet user in the world

• 21% of South Africans own a cellular telephone

• The eleventh busiest flight route between two cities in the world, is the route between Cape Town and Johannesburg

• The British investment bank, Lehman Bros, has found that South Africa has the fourth most stable upcoming economy (The first three countries are Hungary, Mexico and Poland)

• The use of electronic video camera policing in Johannesburg and Cape Town resulted in a 60% decrease in crime in these CBDs within a year

• During the past 8 years, 1,2 million new houses were built, 7 million citizens gained access to clean water and 3,5 million points were connected to electricity

• 77% of South Africans own their own home, compared to 66% in 1994 In the country 76% of all households have running water and 80% electricity In urban areas 84% of all households have a TV, and in rural areas 45% of all households

• Common operations (e.g. for appendicitis, tonsillitis and Caesareans) cost between 50 and 75% less in South Africa than in the USA Patients from the UK and USA often travel to South Africa to make use of the professional, but much more affordable plastic surgery, hip and knee replacement operations
  South Africa has an annual average of 7,5 to 9,4 cloud-free hours per day

• The world’s largest number of tortoise species are found in the Western Cape

• Pinotage is South Africa’s very own wine variety

• Two CNN-anchors, Tumi Makgabo and Anant Naidoo, are South Africans, as are Hollywood stars Charlize Theron and Arnold Vosloo

• JR Tolkien (Lord of the Rings) was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa
  South Africa has a 3 000km coast line

• The KWV brandy cellar in Worcester is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere

• The largest shopping mall in the Southern Hemisphere is in Pretoria (Menlyn), as well as the largest zoo and largest correspondence university (Unisa)

• Peppadew fruit is originally a South African product

• South Africa is one of very few countries in the world where it is safe to drink water directly from the tap

• The South African constitution is regarded as the most progressive in the world

• Mercedes Benz C Class, BMW 3 Series and Volkswagen Golf and Jetta models are produced in South Africa for all right-handdrive markets throughout the world

• More than 9 countries’ coins are minted by the South African Mint in Pretoria The blank discs for Euro coins are produced by the same company

Source: South African Immigration Services

CONVERSION TABLES

• 1 kilogram (kg) = 2,2 lbs

• 1 liter (l) = 0,22 gallon

• 1 kilometer = 0,62 mile

• 1 gram (g) = 0,035 ounce

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