Country Information on South Africa

Terrain An interior plateau called Veld surrounded by the Great Escarpment mountain chain dominates Two thirds of South Africa's entire area. Part of this mountain chain, the Drakenberg mountains, separate the coastal areas from the highlands and include the country's highest elevation, Champagne Castle (3,375 m). The country can be divided into four major parts: the mountain area (Hochveld), the forested areas (Bushveld), the subtropical valleys (Middleveld), and a flat subtropical region (Lowveld) subject to frequent draughts. The mountain area occupies a major part of the highland area above 1,525 m of altitude. South Africa also includes a part of the Kalahari Desert in the northwest and a section of the Namib Desert in the west. The chief rivers are the Orange, Vaal, and Limpopo. Climate South Africa has a subtropical climate, which is made more moderate by ocean currents. Almost all of the country is influenced by south-easterly trade winds, which are responsible for about 80% of the annual precipitation of the eastern lowveld and the eastern highveld. The influence of a warm ocean current on the east coast is noticeable e.g. in Durban, where in January temperatures average 24°C. In Johannesburg, further inland, temperatures average at around 19°C. Summer temperatures are also lower than in Durban owing to the fact that Johannesburg, although closer to the equator than Durban, is located at a much higher altitude (1,753 m). In Cape Town, on the south coast, temperatures average at around 21°C, the Cape Town area being under the influence of a cool ocean current. Snowfall does exist in the mountainous areas; frost is not unknown at higher altitudes. Fauna/Flora When it comes to land mammals, South Africa is the country of superlatives: it has got the biggest (the African elephant), the smallest (the pygmy shrew), the tallest (the giraffe) and the fastest (the cheetah). The country is also home to the last substantial populations of black and white rhinos. All these animals live primarily in the national parks, but may be encountered in other areas, as well. Thus one may find crocodiles in lowveld streams and rhinoceroses in the northern coastal regions. South Africa possesses a great diversity of bird species; it is home to the ostrich (the world's largest bird), the Kori bustard (the largest flying bird), as well as sunbirds, flamingos, and the sociable weaverbirds. The diversity of South Africa's flora is spectacular, with countless wild plants and extraordinary succulents blooming after spring rains. Large areas in the north are covered with a savannah-type vegetation, characterized by acacias and thorn bushes, and there are forest remnants along the southern coast and in the north-east. History/Politics In 1652 the first Dutch settlers landed near the Cape of Good Hope in an area, which had been inhabited by the Khoikhoi for more than thousand years. Cape Town soon gained major importance as a seaport owing to its role as an intermediate stop for trade with East India. The fight for land led to wars between the Bantu groups at the beginning of the 19th century, leaving hundreds of thousands of dead and eradicating entire cultures. After 1820 thousands of British settlers arrived. In 1822 English became the official language, and in 1833 slavery was abolished. These steps led to thousands of Boers moving north ("the Great Trek") and settling in the region of Transvaal. They drove off the Ndebele tribe, defeated the Zulu, and founded a few settlements in the area recognized by the British. Peaceful co-existence between the Boers and the British ended in 1867 when deposits of gold and diamonds were found in Transvaal, leading to a war (known as the Boer War) that lasted until 1902 and was won by the British. In 1902 Transvaal and the Orange Free State became British crown colonies, and in 1910 British parliament decided upon the foundation of the Union of South Africa. Soon, legislation on racial segregation was implemented. The South African Party won the first elections and the former commander of the Boer army, Louis Botha, became prime minister. The policy of the Botha government and particularly the annexation of black African territory provoked the reaction of black African leaders. In 1912 they united in an organization from which finally the African National Congress (ANC) emerged. Opposition to discrimination on the grounds of racial segregation lead to armed clashes and imprisonment of black African leaders in 1960. In 1948 the right-wing National Party won and remained in power until 1994, operating under a policy of apartheid. In the face of worldwide political pressure and domestic opposition, the South African government was forced to abolish the apartheid system and to release political prisoners. 1994 elections saw a successful ANC leader Nelson Mandela (who had been a political prisoner for 28 years). From 1994 Nelson Mandela and the ANC governed the country. In 1997 Thabo Mbeki succeeded Mandela as leader of the ANC, and in 1999 he was elected president. Economy South Africa possesses an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, communications, energy, and transport sectors, and a stock exchange which ranks among the 10 most important in the world. The country's modern infrastructure allows for an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and particularly those segments of the population that were disadvantaged during the apartheid era still largely live in poverty and complain about lack of economic support. Major branches of industry are the iron and steel industries, finance, insurance, and food processing. Culture The art of South Africa's indigenous populations can be one of the ways to connect with lost cultures. Rock and cave paintings by the San (Bushmen), some of which date back 26,000 years, fall into this category. In other cases, such as the elaborate "coded" beadwork of the Zulus, traditional art has been adapted to survive in different circumstances. Zulu is one of the strongest surviving African cultures and massed Zulu singing at Inkatha Freedom Party demonstrations is a powerful expression of this ancient culture. The Xhosa also have a strong presence; they are known as the red people because of the red-dyed clothing worn by most adults.