About SOUTH AFRICA
FLIGHTS
There are daily flight
connections from major European cities. Flights are either direct or
via Johannesburg. Approximately 11hrs flying time.
CLIMATE
Cape: Mediterranean; mild,
rainy winters; hot, dry summers (Dry in summer, wet in winter)
Johannesburg/Durban:
Tropical; summer rain and dry winters (dry in winter, wet in summer)
Click here for comprehensive weather statistics
CAPITAL
Cape
Town (Legislative); Pretoria (Administrative); Bloemfontein (Judicial);
GOVERNMENT
South Africa
achieved independence in 27 April 1994 (1st Democratic Elections).
The government type is a Republic and a Parliamentary
Democracy. The legal system is Roman Dutch.
Outpost and Stopover for the Dutch East
India Company for most of the 17th and 18th Centuries. In 1797, Cape
Colony was siezed from the bankrupt Dutch by Britain and Annexed in
1805. In 1910 the Cape joined the Union of South Africa with the other
provinces (Natal, Orange Freestate and Transvaal). After centuries of
colonial rule and the apartheid years, the first democratic elections
took place in 1994.
LOCATION
South Atlantic/Indian Ocean 33°55′S
18°25′E
GEOGRAPHY
South Africa is located at the extreme south of Africa, with a long
that stretches more than 2,500 kilometres
(1,550 miles)
and across two oceans
(the Atlantic
and the Indian).
South Africa has a great variety of climate zones, from the extreme
desert
of the Kalahari
near Namibia
to lush subtropical
climate along the border with Mozambique.
It quickly rises over a mountainous escarpment
towards the interior plateau
known as the Highvield.
Even though South Africa is classified as semi-arid,
there is considerable variation in climate
as well as topography.
The interior of South Africa is a giant, mountainous, and sparsely
populated scrubland Karoo plateau, which is drier towards the northwest
along the Kalahari desert. In contrast, the eastern coastline is lush
and well-watered, which produces a climate similar to the tropics. The
extreme southwest has a climate remarkably similar to that of the
Mediterranean with wet winters and hot, dry summers. This area also
produces much of South Africa's wine. This region is also particularly
known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The
severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope
particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Further
east on the country's south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly
throughout the year, producing a green landscape. This area is popularly
known as the Garden Route.
The Free State is particularly flat due to the fact that the eastern
region of the Highveld does not extend as far north as the western
region. North of the Vaal River, the Highveld becomes better watered and
does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. Johannesburg, in the
centre of the Highveld, is at 1,740 metres (5,709 ft) and receives an
annual rainfall of 760 millimetres (30 in). Winters in this region are
cold, although snow is rare.
To the north and east of Johannesburg, the altitude drops beyond the
Highveld's escarpment, and turns into the Lowveld. The Lowveld has
particularly high temperatures, and is also the location of traditional
South African Bushveld. The high Drakensberg mountains, which form the
eastern escarpment of the Highveld, offer limited skiing opportunities
in winter. Many people think that the coldest place in South Africa is
Sutherland in the western Roggeveld Mountains, where midwinter
temperatures can reach as low as –15 degrees Celsius (5 °F). In fact,
the coldest place is actually Buffelsfontein, which is in the Molteno
district of the Eastern Cape. Buffelsfontein recorded a low of –18.6
degrees Celsius. The deep interior has the hottest temperatures: A
temperature of 51.7 °C (125 °F) was recorded in 1948 in the Northern
Cape Kalahari near Upington.[1]
TERRAIN:
South Africa
is truly a world in one country. The sand Desert of the Kalahari, the
rocks of the Richtersveld, snow capped mountains of the Drakensberg, the
blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Jungles in the Eastern Cape, European
standard cities and suburbs, Ndbele houses of the Lowveld. African
Savannah of the North, green rolling hills of natal, vineyards of
Stellenbosch, Grain fields of the Freestate.
POPULATION
47 432 000 in South Africa
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
South Africa is known as the economic
powerhouse of the African continent, yielding 30% of the continent's
GDP. And Generates over 50%of the continent's Electricity. South Africa
has a Stock and Securities Exchange that ranks 10 in the world. Mining
of Gold and precious stones is the backbone of the South African
economy. Auto manufacturing is also a strategic industry. Tourism is the
biggest growth sector, set to expand greatly in the next few years with
South Africa being awarded the 2010 FIFA world cup.
EXCHANGE RATES
As of April 2010, the South African Rand (ZAR) is
as follows :
ZAR10.00 =
1 Euro & ZAR7.00 = 1 USD
Click here for updated
rates
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