South Africa is known as a “world in one country” and offers a rich diversity of scenic beauty and urban pleasures – cosmopolitan cities, a pristine coastline, fertile vineyards and outstanding game viewing. In the past three years South Africa has been one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world
The climate, the accessibility (for many visitors – no jet lag and only an overnight flight away!), the rich cultural heritage and the favourable exchange rate all combine to make South Africa a popular destination for more and more international visitors.
Location
South Africa is located south of the Limpopo River, on the tip of the African Continent. To the west is the Atlantic Ocean, while the warm Indian Ocean lies off the east coast. This gives South Africa its spectacular range of bio-diversity – one of the most diverse in the world as it encompasses the independent mountain kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland, and is bordered by Namibia in the northwest, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and Mozambique in the northeast.
Size and Provinces
South Africa covers an area of about one-eighth the size of the United States and nearly five times the size of the United Kingdom. The country is divided into nine provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
Major Cities and Towns
Johannesburg is the largest industrial, financial and cultural centre in South Africa. Cape Town and Durban are two of the most popular holiday playgrounds. Pietermaritzburg, Grahamstown, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley and Stellenbosch are particularly notable from a historical and cultural point of view.
Population and Languages
The population numbers some 42,700,000 inhabitants. There are eleven official languages spoken in South Africa, although English is spoken throughout the country. French, Italian and German are spoken by staff members in many of the larger hotels and shops.
For more information, please visit www.southafrica.net
