SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. It is a huge country covering an area of 1,221,037 sq km (758,717 sq mi). The country shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, the South Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. South Africa has three capital cities that are Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial) and Cape Town (legislative) and its largest city is Johannesburg.
MAIN CITIES
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Durban
Pretoria
RELIGIONS
Christianity 75.5%
Islam & others 3.4%
Non religious & Non stated 21.1%
POPULATION
59,308,690
LANGUAGES
English
Zulu
Venda
Xhosa
Others
ETHNIC GROUPS
Black Africans 79.4%
Coloured 9%
Whites 9.1%
Asians 2.5%
CURRENCY
South African rand
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
BLYDE RIVER CANYON
Blyde River Canyon is one of the largest canyons on Earth, and the second largest canyon in Africa. It has some of the deepest precipitous cliffs of any canyon in the world. It is home to a large diversity of wildlife, including many fish and antelope species as well as hippos and crocodiles, and also primate species. It is a very popular tourist region in South Africa.
ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK
Addo Elephant National Park is a protected national park situated close to Port Elizabeth in South Africa and It is the third largest park of the country. It is currently inhabited by 0ver 600 elephants and a large number of other animals such as Cape buffaloes, black rhinos as well as a variety of antelope species. Lion and spotted hyena have also recently been re-introduced to the area. The largest population of the flightless dung beetle can be found there.
DURBAN BEACH
Durban Beach is a popular beach in South Africa. It is famous for its clean sandy beach and the warm Indian Ocean. The beach lies along a stretch of golden sand, known locally as the Golden Mile. There are also public restroom, protective shark nets, beacons to indicate safe bathing and lifeguards to ensure the safety of people. It is also a great surf spot, specially for beginners.
GARDEN ROUTE
The Garden Route is a 300 km (190 mi) stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa, extending from Witsand in the Western Cape to the border of Tsitsikamma Storms River in the Eastern Cape. The name comes from the diverse vegetation encountered there and the lakes scattered along the coast. On one side of the route lies a range of mountains and on the other side, lies the Indian Ocean.
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
Kruger National Park is a National Park in South Africa and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 km2 (12,113 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. It was established as the South African first national park in 1926 and is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the UNESCO as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve.
CAPE WINELANDS
The Cape Winelands District Municipality, formerly the Boland District Municipality, is located in the Boland region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. The Boland is essentially mountainous, with sandstone peaks rising up to 2000 m (6561 ft) but also has large, fertile valleys that are occupied by some of the country’s finest vineyards. The region has a mediterranean climate.
HERMANUS WHALE WATCHING
Hermanus is a town on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. The town is famous for whale watching, especially from winter to spring. There are several tour operators, offering whale watching excursions in Hermanus. It is the right place to go in South Africa, if you are interested in seeing whales in real life.
KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a vast nature and wildlife reserve in the Kalahari Desert region of Botswana and South Africa, bordering Namibia to the west. The area is characterized by red dunes and dry rivers with a diversity of wildlife. There are lodges and camps that offer game-viewing drives and guided walks with park rangers. A place where you really get close to nature.
DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAIN
Drakensberg mountain is a major mountain range in Southern Africa. It is over 11,400 ft (3,475 m) tall and extends from northeast to southwest on a distance of 700 mi (1,125 km). There are several parks and game reserves in the area. Drakensberg mountain is sandwiched between the high plateaus region of South Africa and the lower lands along the coast.
CAPE TOWN
Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula below the imposing Table Mountain. It is the second most populous and also the legislative capital of South Africa. Cape Town has the oldest urban area in South Africa, and was named the best place in the world to visit by both The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph.