Many experts believe that the name … [116] The President appoints a Deputy President and Ministers, who form the Cabinet which consists of Departments. Most foreign embassies are located in Pretoria. [80] While xenophobia in South Africa is still a problem, recent violence has not been as widespread as initially feared. Winters in this region are cold, although snow is rare. The sailors were able to survive by obtaining fresh water and meat from the natives. South Africa's name in native (official) languages: Afrika Borwa (Pedi, seSotho, Tswana) Afrika Dzonga (Tsonga) Afurika Tshipembe (Venda) Mzantsi Afrika (isiXhosa) Ningizimu Afrika (siSwati, isiZulu) Suid-Afrika (Afrikaans) ISO Country Code: za, zaf Time: Traum, Alexander (2014). Nandipha: Nandipha or simply Nandi means “Gift Of God”. In association with The Department of Health and the NHI Other sites include Swartkrans, Gondolin Cave, Kromdraai, Coopers Cave and Malapa. [151] In 2017, South Africa signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[153]. [227], After the 2009 general elections, former president Jacob Zuma appointed Dr Aaron Motsoaledi as the new health minister and committed his government to increasing funding for and widening the scope of HIV treatment,[228] and by 2015, South Africa had made significant progress, with the widespread availability of antiretroviral drugs resulted in an increase in life expectancy from 52.1 years to 62.5 years.[229]. South Africa has cultivated a burgeoning astronomy community. [178] Illegal immigrants are involved in informal trading. The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the United Kingdom and the Zulu Kingdom. South African popular musicians that have found international success include Johnny Clegg, rap-rave duo Die Antwoord, and rock band Seether. Despite government efforts to encourage entrepreneurship in biotechnology, information technology and other high technology fields, no other notable groundbreaking companies have been founded in South Africa. There are 23 public universities in South Africa: 11 traditional universities, 6 universities of technology and 6 comprehensive universities. Readers Digest Association, Cape Town, Atlas of Southern Africa. [76], In May 2008, riots left over 60 people dead. Since 1994, all ethnic and linguistic groups have held political representation in the country's liberal democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. Muslims accounted for 1.5% of the population, Hindus 1.2%,[205] traditional African religion 0.3% and Judaism 0.2%. [220] The three dominant hospital groups, Mediclinic, Life Healthcare and Netcare, together control 75% of the private hospital market. Linathi: The name is derived from “Linathi igama le Nkosi”, meaning the name of the Lord is with us. [80] These people were mainly from Zimbabwe, though many also come from Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. The largest city is Johannesburg. [224] Most deaths are experienced by economically active individuals, resulting in many AIDS orphans who in many cases depend on the state for care and financial support. The name "South Africa" is derived from the country's geographic location at the southern tip of Africa. [135] Rape occurs most commonly in relationships, but many men and women say that rape cannot occur in relationships; however, one in four women reported having been abused by an intimate partner. [89] This is hotter, drier and less intensely cultivated than the Highveld above the escarpment. [189][190][191] A series of anti-immigrant riots occurred in South Africa beginning on 11 May 2008. South Africa has a mixed economy, the second largest in Africa after Nigeria. A significant extent of the Bushveld exists in the north-east including Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, as well as in the far north in the Waterberg Biosphere. [106] Ecotourism in South Africa has become more prevalent in recent years, as a possible method of maintaining and improving biodiversity. Click on a coloured area to see an article about English in that country or region, Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}30°S 25°E / 30°S 25°E / -30; 25, This article is about the Republic of South Africa. The country is a middle power in international affairs; it maintains significant regional influence and is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and G20. And instead of hiring a team of professionals to name the airline, they’re looking for public input. CBS Biodiversity Series 7", "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity - Supplementary Material", "South African National Biodiversity Institute", "South Africa's Second National Climate Change Report", "Mercury: Rethinking the crisis of local democracy", "Increasing police repression highlighted by recent case", "Political tolerance on the wane in South Africa", "South Africa's recent performance in the Ibrahim Index of African Governance", "Here's how South Africa's crime rate compares to actual warzones", "Global Study on Homicide – Statistics and Data", "Gated communities in South Africa: Comparison of four case studies in Gauteng", "South Africa has world's largest private security industry; needs regulation – Mthethwa", "Bigger than the army: South Africa's private security forces", "Two more S. African farmers killed: death toll now at 3,037", "Police in South Africa arrest 560 'undocumented' foreigners in raid", "GUIDE: Rape statistics in South Africa – Africa Check", "Sexual Violence Against Women in South Africa", "After a Week of Xenophobic Attacks, South Africa Grapples for Answers", "Gauteng xenophobia attacks akin to 2008 crisis – Institute of Race Relations", "Virginia Gildersleeve: Opening the Gates (Living Legacies)", "China, South Africa upgrade relations to "comprehensive strategic partnership, "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 200 of 1993 (Section 224)", "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge", "Address by the Minister of Defence at a media breakfast at Defence Headquarters, Pretoria", "Out of (South) Africa: Pretoria's Nuclear Weapons Experience", "South Atlantic Nuclear Event (National Security Council, Memorandum)", "Chapter XXVI: Disarmament – No. The executive, legislature and judiciary are all subject to the supremacy of the Constitution, and the superior courts have the power to strike down executive actions and acts of Parliament if they are unconstitutional. [88], The south and south-western parts of the plateau (at approximately 1,100–1,800 m above sea level), and the adjoining plain below (at approximately 700–800 m above sea level – see map on the right) is known as the Great Karoo, which consists of sparsely populated scrubland. In the following decade, it produced six deliverable nuclear weapons.[69][70]. Black musicians have developed a unique style called Kwaito, that is said to have taken over radio, television, and magazines. [201] These unofficial languages may be used in certain official uses in limited areas where it has been determined that these languages are prevalent. [136] Rapes are also perpetrated by children (some as young as ten). pop_jop/Getty Images. [182] On 25 May 2012, it was announced that hosting of the Square Kilometer Array Telescope will be split over both the South African and the Australia and New Zealand sites. Table Mountain, one of the iconic landmarks of South Africa, is one of the oldest mountains in the … South African cuisine is diverse; foods from many cultures are enjoyed by all and especially marketed to tourists who wish to sample the large variety available. [219], About 20% of the population uses private healthcare. [45] Vrijburgers who became independent farmers on the frontier were known as Boers, with some adopting semi-nomadic lifestyles being denoted as trekboers. They have been marginalised to a great extent, and the remainder of their languages are in danger of becoming extinct. The capital is N’Djamena. After each parliamentary election, the National Assembly elects one of its members as president; hence the President serves a term of office the same as that of the Assembly, normally five years. The district municipalities are further subdivided into 205 local municipalities. As the Union of South Africa, the country was a founding member of the UN. There are eleven official names of South Africa,[1] one in each of its eleven official languages. South Africa is a nation of about 55 million (2016) people of diverse origins, cultures, languages, and religions. By the early 17th century, Portugal's maritime power was starting to decline, and English and Dutch merchants competed to oust Lisbon from its lucrative monopoly on the spice trade. In 1990, the National Party government took the first step towards dismantling discrimination when it lifted the ban on the ANC and other political organisations. [209] South African Muslims describe their faith as the fastest-growing religion of conversion in the country, with the number of black Muslims growing sixfold, from 12,000 in 1991 to 74,700 in 2004. Nelson Mandela. [91] The climate at the foot of this part of the Drakensberg is temperate. When awarding the prize, the Swedish Academy stated that Coetzee "in innumerable guises portrays the surprising involvement of the outsider."[232]. The sites include Sterkfontein, one of the richest sites for hominin fossils in the world. From green areas during the whole year, to the Savannah of South Africa and more dessert areas, great beaches and nice places near the ocean and many more… Next we will tell you all about the South African most famous places. The number is surpassed only by India. [22][23] Moreover, climate change is an important issue for South Africa: it is a major contributor to climate change as the 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases as of 2018 (in large part due to its coal industry),[24] and is vulnerable to many of its impacts, because of its water-insecure environment and vulnerable communities. South Africa's country code, ZA, is an abbreviation of this former official name, Zuid-Afrika. South Africa also has one possession, the small sub-Antarctic archipelago of the Prince Edward Islands, consisting of Marion Island (290 km2 or 110 sq mi) and Prince Edward Island (45 km2 or 17 sq mi) (not to be confused with the Canadian province of the same name). Many nations in Africa used this word, including the Ethiopians, Nubians, Moors, and Numidians. It became the first country (followed by Ukraine) with nuclear capability to voluntarily renounce and dismantle its programme and in the process signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1991. The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising previous racial segregation. [37] Dias' feat of navigation was later immortalised in Luís de Camões' Portuguese epic poem, The Lusiads (1572). The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. This area also produces much of the wine in South Africa. When asking yourself What is South Africa famous for ? South Africa - South Africa - Languages: The Black African population is heterogeneous, falling mainly into four linguistic categories. [77] The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions estimated that over 100,000 people were driven from their homes. This region is also particularly known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. [214] High school education spans a further five years. South Africa has played a key role as a mediator in African conflicts over the last decade, such as in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Comoros, and Zimbabwe. South Africa also destroyed its nuclear arsenal and acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. A negotiation process followed. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons", "Inequality in income or expenditure / Gini index, Human Development Report 2007/08", "Distribution of family income – Gini index", "South Africa has highest gap between rich and poor", "South Africa's economy: How it could do even better", "Economic Assessment of South Africa 2008: Achieving Accelerated and Shared Growth for South Africa", "African Countries of the Future 2013/14", "Financial Secrecy Index 2020: Narrative Report on South Africa", "Inequality on scale found in SA bites like acid", "Black middle class boosts car sales in South Africa – Business – Mail & Guardian Online", "Economic Assessment of South Africa 2008", "Health Personnel in Southern Africa: Confronting maldistribution and brain drain", "Skilled Labour Migration from Developing Countries: Study on South and Southern Africa", "South Africa's brain-drain generation returning home", "Strategic Perspectives on Illegal Immigration into South Africa", "The Brain Gain: Skilled Migrants and Immigration Policy in Post-Apartheid South Africa", "South Africa: Deadly Attacks on Foreign Truck Drivers", "SKA announces Founding Board and selects Jodrell Bank Observatory to host Project Office", "Africa and Australasia to share Square Kilometre Array", Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, "Professor Says Cape Town Crisis Should Serve as a 'Wakeup Call to All Major U.S. Cities, "Why Cape Town's drought was so hard to forecast", "The 11 cities most likely to run out of drinking water – like Cape Town", "Anti-immigrant violence spreads in South Africa, with attacks reported in Cape Town – The New York Times", "Immigrants Fleeing Fury of South African Mobs", "Debate over race and censuses not peculiar to SA", "Constitution of South Africa, Chapter 1, Section 6", "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 – Chapter 1: Founding Provisions | South African Government", "These are the most-spoken languages in South Africa in 2019", "Community Survey 2016: Provinces at a Glance", "World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision, Online Edition", "South Africa – Section I. South Africa's national blind cricket team also went on to win the inaugural edition of the Blind Cricket World Cup in 1998. Raymond Dart identified the first hominin fossil discovered in Africa, the Taung Child (found near Taung) in 1924. The last census was held in 2011, with a more recent intercensal national survey conducted in 2016. 15.1% had no religious affiliation, 0.6% were "other" and 1.4% were "unspecified. The area, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been branded "the Cradle of Humankind". They were superseded by Bantu/Nguni peoples with their own vocabularies of art forms. [92][93] (These parallel ranges of fold mountains are shown on the map, above left. Numerous mammals are found in the Bushveld including lions, African leopards, South African cheetahs, southern white rhinos, blue wildebeest, kudus, impalas, hyenas, hippopotamuses and South African giraffes. The discovery of diamonds in 1867 and gold in 1884 in the interior started the Mineral Revolution and increased economic growth and immigration. Gauteng comprises the largest share of the South African popula… [162] During the presidency of Jacob Zuma, the government increased the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). [125] In the year ended March 2017, there were 20,336 murders and the murder rate was 35.9 per 100,000 – over five times higher than the global average of 6.2 per 100,000. Readers Digest Association, Cape Town, Atlas of Southern Africa. About fifty-seven million people live there. [79] The UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2008 reported over 200,000 refugees applied for asylum in South Africa, almost four times as many as the year before. There are smaller but still significant groups of speakers of Khoi-San languages which are not official languages, but are one of the eight unofficially recognised languages. It has been in power ever since. With approval from the white electorate in a 1992 referendum, the government continued negotiations to end apartheid. In 2015, 71 percent of net wealth are held by 10 percent richest of the population, whereas 60 percent of the poorest held only 7 percent of the net wealth and the Gini coefficient was 0.63, whereas in 1996 was 0.61. Note the course of the Great Escarpment to the north of these mountain ranges.) The powers of provincial governments are limited to topics listed in the Constitution; these topics include such fields as health, education, public housing and transport. Following Lord Carnarvon's successful introduction of federation in Canada, it was thought that similar political effort, coupled with military campaigns, might succeed with the African kingdoms, tribal areas and Boer republics in South Africa. Sydney Brenner won most recently, in 2002, for his pioneering work in molecular biology. [9] Estimates based on the 1991 census suggest just under half of South Africans can speak English. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. [121], In 2008, South Africa placed fifth out of 48 sub-Saharan African countries on the Ibrahim Index of African Governance. [137] The incidence of child and infant rape is among the highest in the world, largely as a result of the virgin cleansing myth, and a number of high-profile cases (sometimes as young as eight months)[137] have outraged the nation. South African literature emerged from a unique social and political history. The South African Football Association was incorporated on 23 March 1991 following a long unity process that was to rid the sport in South Africa of all its past racial division. [86] This plateau is surrounded by the Great Escarpment[87] whose eastern, and highest, stretch is known as the Drakensberg. [9] The two next ones are of European origin: Afrikaans (13.5%) developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most Coloured and White South Africans; English (9.6%) reflects the legacy of British colonialism, and is commonly used in public and commercial life. The ANC has been the governing political party in South Africa since the end of apartheid. There are significant numbers of baobab trees in this area, near the northern end of Kruger National Park.[111]. While many blacks have risen to middle or upper classes, the overall unemployment rate of black people worsened between 1994 and 2003 by official metrics, but declined significantly using expanded definitions. South Africa houses many endemic species, among them the critically endangered riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticullaris) in the Karoo. Afrikaans music covers multiple genres, such as the contemporary Steve Hofmeyr, the punk rock band Fokofpolisiekar, and the singer-songwriter Jeremy Loops. Nelson Mandela was an international icon and a role model to many. The white minority (less than 20%)[62] controlled the vastly larger black majority. [45], Great Britain occupied Cape Town between 1795 and 1803 to prevent it from falling under the control of the French First Republic, which had invaded the Low Countries. There are even smaller reserves of forests that are out of the reach of fire, known as montane forests. This was south of the furthest point reached in 1485 by his predecessor, the Portuguese navigator Diogo Cão (Cape Cross, north of the bay). [66] Apartheid became increasingly controversial, and several countries began to boycott business with the South African government because of its racial policies. The metropolitan municipalities, which govern the largest urban agglomerations, perform the functions of both district and local municipalities. [42] Dutch traders also brought thousands of enslaved people to the fledgling colony from Indonesia, Madagascar, and parts of eastern Africa. Atlas of Southern Africa. Vegetation becomes even more sparse towards the northwest due to low rainfall. "[151] South Africa is alleged to have conducted a nuclear test over the Atlantic in 1979,[152] although this is officially denied. The country rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations and became a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). [188] South Africa is home to an estimated five million illegal immigrants, including some three million Zimbabweans. Approximately 51,2% (approximately 30 million) of the population is female. This varied topography and oceanic influence result in a great variety of climatic zones. Encyclopædia Britannica (1975); Micropaedia Vol.