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SOUTH AFRICA FACT SHEET
South Africa is a large, scenically splendid and humanly diverse country at the foot of the African continent, and home to approximately 38 million people. It's size (1,219,090 sq.km) makes it bigger than Germany, France, Italy, Belgium and Holland put together, or Texas and California combined.
Washed by the cold Benguela current on the west coast and the warm Mozambique-Aghulhas current on the east, the country has a long coastline of 2,954 kilometres, a temperate climate and a topography ranging from highveld grasslands to bleak semi-desert to subtropical swamps. Within these contrasting zones, some of the world's most diverse animal and plant kingdoms are found. South Africa is the only country in the world with an entire floral kingdom, the Cape 'fynbos', within it's boundaries.
It is flanked by the Indian Ocean on the east and the Atlantic on the west. it is bordered by Namibia to the north-west, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and by Mocambique to the north-east.
Jacob Zuma, the current President of South Africa, was sworn in in May
2009.
GEOGRAPHY
South Africa has 9 provinces, i.e. Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, North West Province, Eastern Transvaal/Mpumalanga, Northern Province and Gauteng.
The country may be divided, broadly, into two main regions: a huge inland plateau fringed by a narrow coastal plain on three sides. Dividing the two is an escarpment of mountains and hills, dominated by the mighty Drakensberg range.
ECONOMY
Since 1886, South Africa has been one of the world's leading producers of gold and diamonds and utilises the most sophisticated mining and extradion techniques available. Rich deposits of many other valuable ores are also exported, inctuding platinum, chromium, manganese and fluorine. Blessed with a benevolent climate and fertile soils, the country grows - both for domestic use and export - a large range of fresh produce and tropical fruits. Cattle ranching, wine production and fishing also form an important part of South Africa's economy.
CLIMATE
Mid-winter occurs in June and July, mid-summer in December and January. The climate ranges from "mediterranean" in the Cape Peninsula to sub-tropical on the KwaZulu Natal coast and the north-eastern Transvaal; temperate conditions prevail on the highveld. In general, a perennially sunny climate means that it's a pleasure to visit South Africa at any time of the year.
December to February is the best time to enjoy a Mediterranean summer in Cape Town, while June to September is the ideal time to visit the game reserves. Climatically, South Africa may be divided into two regions:
Cape Coastal Belt: the coastal strip surrounding Cape Town and extending along the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth, and northwards from Cape Town to the mouth of the Orange River. In Cape Town, and its hinterland, summer days are dry and sunny with most of the rain falling in winter. Further east along the Garden Route, the rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year. Frost is rare, and snow, when it falls, Is. generally seen on the high mountain ranges.
Other Regions of the Country: these encompass the high plateau as well as the hill country of KwaZulu Natal rolling down to the coast, and the Lowveld of the Eastern Transvaal. Over most of these areas rain falls in summer, when temperatures are usually high. In the Transvaal, rain falls mainly in the form of late afternoon showers. Some humidity will be found along the KwaZulu Natal coast. Winters are dry. On the high inland areas, winter days are sunny and warm, and nights are cold and crisp.
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