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)
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
Over 59 million 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. However currently the national grid cannot cope with the economy's growth and there are frequent power cuts each day. 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.
EXCHANGE RATES
As of January 2023, the South African Rand (ZAR) is as follows:
ZAR 19 = 1 Euro
ZAR 18 = 1 USD
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)
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
Over 59 million 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. However currently the national grid cannot cope with the economy's growth and there are frequent power cuts each day. 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.
EXCHANGE RATES
As of January 2023, the South African Rand (ZAR) is as follows:
ZAR 19 = 1 Euro
ZAR 18 = 1 USD