| Area |
1,219,090 sq km (470,693 sq miles). |
| Population |
45,454,211 (2002). |
| Capital |
Pretoria (administrative). Population: 1,985,983 (2001). Cape Town (legislative). Population: 2,893,247 (2001). Bloemfontein (judicial). Population: 119,698 (2001). |
| Climate |
South Africa's climate is generally sunny and pleasant. Winters are usually mild, although snow falls on the mountain ranges of the Cape and Natal and occasionally in lower-lying areas, when a brief cold spell can be expected throughout the country. |
| Language |
The official languages are Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. |
| Religion |
Most inhabitants profess Christianity of some form and belong to either Catholic, Anglican and other protestant denominations, Afrikaner Calvinist churches or African independent churches. There are also significant Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities, and traditional beliefs are still practised widely, sometimes in conjunction with Christianity. |
| Time |
GMT + 2.
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| Highlights |
South Africa can be described as the 'Rainbow country' with an abundance of flora & fauna and a fascinating, if troubled history. Cape Town, a stunning capital located at the foot of Table Mountain with magnificent views over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans - this city has a reputation of youthful energy! Karoo in the Western Cape is unquestionably a region to visit - where unique nature speaks for itself and tranquillity is a daily norm. The Garden Route follows the south coast with an outstanding combination of mountains, lush green forests, golden sand beaches, healthy rivers, tall cliffs, fruit bearing valleys and national parks. The eastern part of the country offers the dramatic Drakensberg mountains and further north, the famous Battlefields. The world famous Kruger National Park offers some of the best game-viewing opportunities in Africa in an area the size of Wales. In addition, a taste of biltong (delicious cured dried meat) or listening to the famous harmonic rhythms of local gospel singers should not be missed! This is a country of contrasts - where else do elephants and penguins live in the same country?
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| Country Facts |
The Republic of South Africa lies at the southern end of the African continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and is bordered at the north by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland and totally encloses Lesotho. South Africa has three major geographical regions, namely plateau, mountains and the coastal belt. The high plateau has sharp escarpments, which rise above the plains or veld. The vegetation is open grassland, changing to bush in the Northern Transvaal, and the Thornveld in the arid Southwest. Despite two major river systems, the Limpopo and the Orange, most of the plateau lacks surface water. Along the coastline are beaches and coves, and the vegetation is shrub-like. The mountainous regions which run along the coastline from the Cape of Good Hope to the Limpopo Valley in the Northeast are split into the Drakensberg, Nuweveldberg and Stormberg ranges. |