South Africa

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region – Southernmost tip of the African continent.
• Currency symbol of South Africa-South African Rand(R)
  
• Capital City –Cape Town, Bloemfontein, and Pretoria
• Official languages – Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans.
• Population – 57.78 million (2018)
• Country dialling code  –  (+27 )
• Official website – South Africa
• Top 3 biggest industries  –Mining (world’s largest producer of platinum group metals, gold, chromium), automobile manufacturing, metalworking, and technology.
• Google Maps link –South Africa
• Where is it? –South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems.

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South Africa In Pictures

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South Africa History

• How did the country get its first name? – The name “South Africa” is derived from the country’s geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. Upon formation, the country was named the Union of South Africa in English and Unie van Zuid-Afrika in Dutch, reflecting its origin from the unification of four formerly separate British colonies.
• How did the country get its current name? – The name “South Africa” is derived from the country’s geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. Upon formation, the country was named the Union of South Africa in English and Unie van Zuid-Afrika in Dutch, reflecting its origin from the unification of four formerly separate British colonies.
• When and by whom the country was first discovered? –  Bantu settlements  were well established by the 5th century CE, but the area is home to some of the oldest human fossils in the world, dating back millions of years. Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Dias was the first European to travel round the southern tip of Africa.
• Who were the first Inhabitants? – The first inhabitants of South Africa are collectively referred to as the Khoisan, the Khoi Khoi and the San separately. These groups were displaced or sometimes absorbed by migrating Africans (Bantus) during the Bantu expansion from Western and Central Africa.
• When it was first recognized as a country? – The Union of South Africa was granted independence in 1910, with the UK retaining certain powers until 1931. 
• Who was the first leader of the country? – Louis Botha was the first Prime Minister.

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Five Significant Events 

1. 1652: Dutch East India Company representative arrives in present-day Cape Town. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/south-africa-key-events-in-history-1504991.html)
2. 1960: Police kill 69 people during anti-apartheid protests at Sharpeville. ANC and Pan Africanist Congress banned. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/south-africa-key-events-in-history-1504991.html)
3. 1961: Nelson Mandela proposes armed struggle. Following year he is jailed for life. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/south-africa-key-events-in-history-1504991.html)
4. 1990: President F W de Klerk acknowledges apartheid has failed, frees political prisoners including Mr Mandela and legalises ANC and other banned groups. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/south-africa-key-events-in-history-1504991.html)
5. Oct 1993: UN lifts all but arms sanctions. President De Klerk and Mr Mandela awarded Nobel Peace Prize. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/south-africa-key-events-in-history-1504991.html)

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Five Places to Visit in South Africa

1. Cape Town: The Mother City, with its gorgeous beaches, majestic mountain views, and friendly people, is a highlight on any South African bucket list. (https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/)
2. Kruger National Park: One of South Africa’s most famous and accessible game reserves, the Kruger National Park is a wildlife lover’s dream. Located in the north-east of the country, Kruger covers an enormous stretch of ecosystems that support all kinds of wildlife – from grasslands and dense forests to thickets and dry riverbeds. (https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/)
3. Drakensberg: The Drakensberg is a mountain range in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. Often shortened to just ‘The Berg’ by locals, the Drakensberg means ‘Mountains of the Dragon.’ The meaning of such a dramatic name isn’t lost on you when you see the might and majesty of these mountains. Forming part of the Great Escarpment, the area is home to a mix of waterfalls and hiking trails split into the northern and southern reaches. (https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/)
4. Garden Route: One of the most beautiful drives in the world, the Garden Route meanders past seaside villages, game reserves, forests, lagoons, and white sandy beaches, with the brilliant blues of the Indian Ocean right alongside you. Stretching from Mossel Bay to St. Francis, this tourist route is what lures most international visitors to South Africa. (https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/)
5. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Reaching out into both South Africa and neighboring Botswana, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (meaning ‘Great Thirst’) is a desert wilderness with terrain that’s totally unique. Amidst the salt pans, bushveld, and rust-red dunes of the Kalahari are hordes of plains game, such as wildebeest, springbok (South Africa’s national animal), and gemsbok (its original namesake) that are hunted in turn by predators like lions, cheetah, and leopards. Surrounded by nothing but barren wilderness, the game viewing here is simply astounding. (https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/) 

References: 

• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094918#:~:text=1480s%20%2D%20Portuguese%20navigator%20Bartholomeu%20Dias,Cape%20Colony%20at%20Table%20Bay.
• https://history.state.gov/countries/south-africa
• https://www.touropia.com/best-places-to-visit-in-south-africa/