Destination South Africa

Background

After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Area

• Total: 1,219,912 sq km
• Land: 1,219,912 sq km
• Water: 0 sq km
• Note: Includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Area - comparative

• Slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Coastline

• 2,798 km

Climate

• Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain

• Vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Population

• 44,187,637 (July 2006 est.)

Capital

• Pretoria Note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Nationality

• noun: South African(s)
• adjective: South African

Languages

• IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)

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