All countries of southern Africa. Countries of South Africa: list, capitals, interesting facts

If you have a dream to experience the most extraordinary emotions associated with visiting an exotic corner of the Earth, then nothing can compare with a tour to South Africa. Located on the other side of the world, this country has absorbed everything amazing that can be in the world and united the most extraordinary wonders wildlife, the beautiful landscapes of the African continent and the unique culture of the people inhabiting this corner of the world. Only here you can see with your own eyes almost all representatives of African fauna, watch them in their natural habitat. In South Africa you can see the roaring waters of the Atlantic Ocean meet warm currents Indian standing at the Cape of Good Hope. Go down into a mine where gold or diamonds are mined and, if you're lucky, find the most expensive souvenir of your life. You can talk a lot about this amazing place, but as they say, it’s better to see once than to read about it a hundred times. But, before you decide to visit this country and pay a lot of money for the tour you choose, you need to know a few important points, which must be taken into account when visiting this country.

Air gates of South Africa, or how to get to this country...
The easiest way to get to the end of the world is to use air transport. The country's main airports receiving international airlines are located in largest cities of this country are Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Several air carriers organize flights between Europe and this part of the world - LuftHansa (Moscow - Frankfurt - Johannesburg), British Airways (its route passes through London), Russian Aeroflot and of course the South African airline SAA operates daily flights from Moscow to Johannesburg. On average, the flight lasts from 14 to 18 hours. There are several other air carriers, but their routes are inconvenient because they have to make transfers at European airports.

Conditions of entry into South Africa

To enter a country, you need an entry visa, which must be obtained in advance at the embassy of that country in Moscow. Unlike many other countries, getting a visa for this one is quite difficult. Many say that only three countries in the world require such a number of documents and certificates from a person - Britain, the USA and South Africa. Upon entry, it is necessary to go through customs and declare the imported property, including money. Quantity of imported Money not limited. There is a long list of restrictions on the import of various goods; you can find out more about it on the website of the official representative office of South Africa in Russia. When you leave this country, you will have to fully report both on the register of imported property and those purchased in South Africa, confirming the fact of purchase with a receipt from the store and a certificate from the relevant authorities that the transaction was legal.

What to do in South Africa is a must!
If you got to this beautiful country, went through customs and checked into a hotel, then after that you definitely need to plan ten basic things, without which you will not experience the full flavor of this country:

Visit the capital of the republic - Pretoria,

Jacaranda trees

Visit Cape Town - this is where the city begins European history of this country

Feel the energy of the southernmost point of Africa - the Cape of Good Hope and, if you're lucky, see the coast of Antarctica,

Don't miss out on exotic adventures in Sun City - the African equivalent of Las Vegas,

Come to the province of KwaZulu-Natal and see with your own eyes the splendor of the natural parks of these places,

See the “Garden Road” and take an insane amount of photographs of the most beautiful views,

Come to Durban and swim in the warm waters of the Golden Mile beaches,

Visit Tshwana and enjoy the color African culture of this country

Visit the Limpopo River and understand why it has been so close to you since childhood,

Be sure to watch the sunrise in the Kalahari Desert,

Organize a jeep tour through the Kruger Park and see the Big Five of Africa with your own eyes.

To organize a visit to these places, you can take advantage of organized excursions from the hotels where you live or rent a car. By the way, it is the latter that will most fully reveal to you all the beauty of these places. To rent a car you must be 23 years old and your international law were not expired. Traffic in the country is on the left, very busy and with a lot of rules traffic which must be observed, otherwise you may end up in a local police cell instead of your desired route point.
As a holiday in South Africa, you can choose as usual beach holiday, and combine it with active and sometimes extreme. There are all conditions for this, diving in the waters of the Indian Ocean, jeeping natural parks, descent into gold mines, river rafting. Tourists especially love visiting crocodile farms, where you can buy many souvenirs and even clothes made from crocodile skin.
By the way, if your souvenirs and purchases made in the country exceed the limit of 300 South African rand, then you will be refunded 14% of the amount when leaving the country. You just need to provide all receipts, tax invoice, and passport.
The republic also has a very developed railway network. There are both regular electric trains and comfortable luxury trains.

Cash payments in South Africa
South Africa is very strict about the movement of funds within its country. Therefore, it is preferable if you make all payments by bank transfer from an electronic international card of any format. If you plan to spend cash, then there are numerous exchangers at your service that charge 1% for their services. The most unfavorable rates are offered by exchangers located in hotels, airports and large shopping centers.

Climatic features of South Africa
The most favorable time to visit this country - from October to the end of March. This summer months of this country. The morning weather is usually warm and sunny, while the evening is usually accompanied by heavy showers and thunderstorms. By the way, you will no longer see such lightning in any country in the world, they are so majestic. The exception to the rule is the Cape Province, where the summer months are usually the driest of the year. The temperature in the country during the day stays up to +30 degrees, and at night drops to +20, thereby creating a unique temperature regime for relaxation.
If you come to South Africa in winter (from June to August), then you will find a slightly different temperature background and amount of precipitation. During the day, the temperature in some provinces does not rise above +10 degrees (on average 15 degrees), and at night it can drop to +5. Usually the off-season in this country is very short and after the cold days summer comes very quickly. It is considered ideal to come to this country from May to July.

South African cuisine, the flavor of the African continent...
South African cuisine is a unique mix of local dishes mixed with European ones. The main ingredients of the dishes are animal meat, chicken, fish and of course local vegetables. The dishes are rich large quantities seasonings, but not spicy, but very tart and tasty. In South Africa, it is customary to end any meal with fruit, of which there is a great variety, and absolutely unfamiliar to Europeans. Restaurants, cafes and other places where you can have a tasty and, most importantly, inexpensive meal are distinguished by excellent service and quality of prepared food. The only thing you need to take into account is the food in the villages that you can visit as part of ethno-excursions. It is better not to eat it at all or eat it in small portions to avoid food poisoning. In South Africa, it is customary to tip waiters, but not more than 10% of the amount of your order.
South Africa is famous for its wines. Their taste is no worse than the world's most famous brands, and the price is an order of magnitude lower. The same goes for beer. You shouldn’t take beer from well-known brands; you can taste them in Russia, but you should definitely try the local ones, they are tasty and their price is much lower.
Arriving in exotic country do not forget that the local mentality and way of life is completely different and incomprehensible local residents. Therefore, before you go to this amazing and beautiful corner of the world, you will have to leaf through guidebooks and several books about the history of this country.

And then you will get the most unforgettable emotions in your life and you will want to come back here again and again!

The lower part of the continent, washed on three sides by ocean waves, is where the southernmost point of Africa is located - Cape Agulhas in South Africa. In the north it is separated from other regions by the Congo River basin. This is South Africa, on whose territory (according to different qualifications) there are from five to twelve states. The main “backbone” united in the customs union is South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Namibia.

Climate and its impact on the natural world

IN topographically The subcontinent is dominated by numerous plateaus, plateaus and mountains, the entire territory is generously covered with a network of tectonic cracks and faults. Also South Africa dotted with fairly deep “blue arteries”, the Orange River, Limpopo and Zambezi flow here with the world famous tourist attraction - Victoria Falls.

The climate is predominantly tropical; on the east coast it is very humid - trade winds reign here, bringing large amounts of precipitation from the expanses of the Indian Ocean. In the west it is somewhat cooler - this is due to the winds from the Atlantic. From October to March, daytime temperatures rise to +35 °C, although it can become noticeably cold at night. Autumn is short and relatively dry, and winter is mild, but surprisingly variable: it is warm in the valleys, and snowfall is quite possible in the mountains.

Such climatic variability affects the richness of flora and fauna - the country South Africa boast an amazing variety of flora and fauna. There are areas of sultry deserts, mountain ranges and meadows, palm groves and steppes covered with low-growing bushes, savannas and even swamps. Safari lovers can meet lions, rhinoceroses, buffalos, giraffes, hyenas and leopards in these places, as well as a host of other large and small mammals.

Economic development and prospects

During colonial times South African countries were actively populated by European settlers who were interested primarily in the development of agricultural land and pastures. The entire region is covered by a dense network of small and large farms. These lands are also rich in minerals, the most important of which are gold and diamonds. However, the level of economic stability on the subcontinent is not uniform; some states are significantly dependent on subsidies.

The most developed and attractive country for investment is South Africa. Despite pronounced racial discrimination and the terrible poverty of the indigenous population, this state is considered the most promising on the entire continent. Botswana and Namibia (one of the largest uranium producers) are developing quite successfully.

List of countries in South Africa

Below is a list of countries in this region and more full information about them:

• Botswana
• Lesotho
• Namibia
• Swaziland
• South Africa

Full name: Republic of South Africa.
Form of government: parliamentary republic.
Administrative division: 9 provinces.
Capitals: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative), Bloemfontein (judicial).
Area: 1,219,912 sq. km.
Population: 49,991,300 people.
Official languages: English, Afrikaans, Venda, Zulu and seven other languages.

Savannahs and subtropical forests, hot deserts and snowy peaks mountains, two ocean coasts and countless natural wonders... This country can surprise anyone, and it is called the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter referred to as South Africa). It is inhabited by friendly and hospitable people of all colors and religions. It is probably no coincidence that the symbol of South Africa is the royal protea - a flower named after the ancient Greek deity Proteus, who could take the form of thousands of living beings. South Africa has no less faces!

Not a short way

South Africa is located somewhere in the middle between the equator and Antarctica - as you might guess from the name, in the very south of the African continent. To get here, for example, from Belarus, you need to endure more than 11 hours of flight - over deserts, steppes and tropical forests. Every day dozens of international airlines land at the airports of Cape Town and Johannesburg. People from all over our planet fly here to admire the amazing nature, sunbathe on the beaches, the sky above which is not clouded by a cloud, watch the wild animals or get acquainted with the traditions of the indigenous people of this land.

Republic of Migrants

The country owes its appearance to Dutch colonists. In the 17th century, they founded a small settlement on the territory of the future South Africa and soon recognized southern shores Africa is my homeland. The Boer community (a word meaning “peasant” in Dutch) grew, and many of them explored new lands in search of suitable conditions for trade and agriculture.

At the same time, colonists from England began to settle here. Relations between the “old” and “new” European settlers did not work out well from the very beginning. In the 30s of the 19th century, the Boers, after armed skirmishes with the newly arrived British, decided to go to big Adventure. The so-called Great Migration brought them to the banks of the Orange River, where they found fertile pastures. But half a century passed, and two Anglo-Boer wars thundered at once, in which many British and Dutch died. It was not until 1910 that the Dutch and British colonies reconciled and founded the Union of South Africa, which 40 years later became the independent Republic of South Africa. Thus began the modern history of this state...

Treasures of the Dark Continent

Today, the Republic of South Africa is the most developed country on the entire continent. Its depths are very rich in various natural resources. Gold and coal are mined here, as well as diamonds, which are then used to make beautiful diamonds. There are vineyards on the fertile plains. Winemaking in South Africa has quite a long history - the first South African wine was born in 1659!

South Africa is called the “rainbow country” because people of different races and nationalities live here, “aviation” - because of the clear skies and flying weather, “sports” - because Great love South Africans to sports and, finally, to the “mint of the world”, because South Africa is the world's largest gold producer. But you can be sure that this land has many other interesting “faces” and we will try to see at least some of them. On the road!

Three capitals of one country

South Africa is the only state in the world that does not have one capital. Its residents could not choose which city was the most important, and made three capitals at once - Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. Moreover, each city is “responsible” for something of its own: Pretoria is the administrative capital, the presidential residence is located here, Cape Town is the legislative capital, where the parliament sits, and Bloemfontein received the title of the judicial capital - the Supreme Court is located here.

Pretoria-Tshwane

This is a very “cunning” city. Officially, it is considered the capital of South Africa, but on some geographical maps it doesn't exist at all! The fact is that in 2005 the authorities renamed it Tshwane (Tswane). The name “Pretoria” (in honor of the commander-in-chief of the Boer troops) reminded the dark-skinned residents of the country of the times of apartheid.

Some out of habit use the old name, others use the new one, which causes constant confusion. The name “Pretoria” did not disappear completely; it was assigned to one of the city districts.

Today Pretoria-Tshwane is one of the most modern cities in Africa. In the past, it was part of the British colonies, and this is reflected in its current appearance. With its European architecture, double-decker buses roaming the streets and the ubiquity of English, it is often referred to as “Little London”. The city also inherited from the British a rectangular layout of blocks with square areas.

The most important place in the city is the presidential palace with a garden in which... birches grow. And this is in southern Africa! Pretoria is famous for its unique plants, one of which is called jacoranda. Her purple flowers appear between October and November (by the way, this is spring in South Africa). The blossoming of jacoranda can be compared to the blossoming of Japanese cherry blossoms - it is such a beautiful sight. Fountains and swimming pools became another pride of Pretoria. There is even such a curiosity as a water organ!
The main street of Pretoria is Church Street. Walking along it will be quite tiring - you will have to walk 25 km! This is the longest street in the world.

On Church Square there is one of Tshwane's attractions - the monument to Paul Kruger. At the end of the 19th century, this man was for two decades the permanent president of the Transvaal, a republic of Dutch settlers of peasant origin, the Boers. Kruger led a rebellion against English rule. The main street of the city is named in his honor. Kruger also founded the first protected natural area in Africa on the banks of the Limpopo River.

Today the Kruger National Park is world famous. It was here that traces of Homo erectus, who lived half a million years ago, were discovered. The central part of the park is home to many animals - such a concentration different representatives Fauna is rarely seen anywhere! Lions, leopards, hippos, antelopes, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, as well as small animals and birds live here. You can observe the life of wildlife from the windows of a special train.

There is another world-famous place in the vicinity of Pretoria. This is the largest diamond-bearing pipe (quarry) “Premier” with a diameter of 800 m! A hundred years ago, the world’s largest diamond was found here. It weighed more than 3 thousand carats (about 600 grams) and was the size of an adult’s fist. Jewelers spent two years to cut it and cut the stones, resulting in 8 large and 105 small diamonds, which were used to decorate the crown of the English king.

In 2010, the FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa. For this event, the oldest sports facility in South Africa, the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, was reconstructed in Pretoria.

Bloemfontein - the city of roses

The judicial capital of South Africa is the same age as Pretoria. A century and a half ago, a farmer came to the place where Bloemfontein stands today. He liked it good land, on which you can grow a rich harvest. He called this place “The Spring with Flowers”, or, in Afrikaans, Bloemfontein. This is how the “flower” city grew up, famous all over the world for its Royal Rose Park. There are more than 4,000 rose bushes growing here! And in Hamilton Park there is a huge cherry orchard in which about 6,000 trees are planted. Every spring, a cherry festival is held here and a cherry queen is chosen.

Bloemfontein is the cleanest, most well-groomed and safest city in Africa. In addition to famous buildings - the Parliament Buildings, the Appeal and Supreme Courts, there are many museums here: the Afrikaans Music Museum, the Afrikaans Literature Museum, the Theater Museum, and the National Museum. The latter houses unique exhibits - from ancient fossils to a 50-kilogram meteorite found in these places.

The National Women's Memorial stands in the center of the city. The 36.5 meter high sandstone sculpture was erected in honor of the Boer women and children who died during the Boer War. The famous writer, author of the “Lord of the Rings” saga (see crossword puzzle) was also born in Bloemfontein. The house in which he was born still exists. It's called Hobbit House.

Not far from the city there is a favorite place of all travelers - Mount Kva-Kva. Frogs have nothing to do with it. Translated from the local language, the name means “whiter than white.” These mountains are really light because they are made of sandstone. From afar it looks like they are covered in snow!

At the Cape of Good Hope

Cape Town is a special capital, completely different from the other two. If you believe archaeological finds, the first people could have come here about 12 thousand years ago. But the starting point in the history of this city was the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. At this time, the first European travelers landed here. The depths of African lands rich in gold and diamonds attracted conquerors here.

Children of the sky

The Zulus are an African people living primarily in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the Republic of South Africa. Modern Zulus make up about 20% of the South African population. Some of them are carriers of “white culture,” but many aborigines (indigenous people) still shun civilization and do not want to give up their usual way of life.

King Chuck

For a long time, the Zulus were one of the many clans living in South Africa. Everything changed in 1816, when a new leader named Chaka came to power. He was able to create a strong army, unite many clans and significantly expand the Zulu possessions.

When Chaka became chief, all men between the ages of 20 and 40 were conscripted into the Zulu army. The exception was shamans. For any violation of discipline, a recruit or even a veteran could be killed! Zulu warriors were armed with large shields (up to 1.3 meters high), which consisted of a wooden frame on which bovine leather, processed in a special way, was stretched. Since it was difficult to introduce uniforms in the hot conditions of South Africa, units in the Zulu army were distinguished by the color of their shields. But the traditional clothing of the Zulus has not changed at all since then - these are leather loincloths and aprons.

The main offensive weapon was the spear. By the way, when Chaka’s army captured European guns, its combat power did not increase: there were few good shooters among the Zulus. But there are plenty of excellent combat dart throwers. At a distance of 25-30 m, any enemy could be hit in the blink of an eye!

Fortress village

The Zulus live in small round huts, shaped like beehives. The buildings are arranged in a circle, around which there is a wooden rampart with watchtowers, and in the center is a fire pit made from cow dung. Such a settlement is called a kraal.

By the way, the Zulus treat cows with great respect. The pen for these animals occupies a place of honor in the village. They even bury the dead here. It is believed that ancestral spirits protect livestock. The number of heads in the herd determines how high a position the Zulu occupies. It is no coincidence that milking cows among these people is an extremely important activity and only men can do it.

Zulu melodies

Like other African peoples, music occupies an important place in the life of the Zulus. With its help, they express emotions that are inaccessible to ordinary human speech. In Zulu music, not only rhythm and melody play a significant role, but also harmony - it is called isigubudu.

Zulu music is well known outside of South Africa. It was also spread by white musicians who played together with the Zulus or performed songs by Zulu composers. Among them are American Paul Simon and South African Johnny Clegg.

Caring God

The Zulus worship the god Unkulunkul - the progenitor of people and the creator of everything that is on earth. They believe that he taught people how to make fire, use tools, cultivate the land and raise livestock.

The cult of ancestors is widespread among the Zulus. It is believed that deceased relatives are full members of the community. Ancestral spirits act as intermediaries between people and supreme gods such as Unkulunkulu.

City by two oceans

Cape Town is often called the most beautiful and... colorful city in the world. In any case, he could compete for this title. Ocean, mountains, inhabitants of different races and nationalities, many religions and beliefs - you won’t get bored here!

The city is located at the Cape of Good Hope - in the very south of Africa. It was here that the Portuguese Bartolomeu Dias first sailed in the 15th century, looking for a sea route from Europe to rich India. He reached, as it seemed to him, the southernmost point of the continent, but was unable to go around it and continue his journey to the east due to strong storms. Rocky coast, to which he swam, was called “Cape of Storms”. However, the Portuguese king renamed it, hoping that thanks to this the sea route to India would still open.

“Good hope” came true: the brave Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, ten years after Dias’s journey, circumnavigated Africa from the south and was the first European to find himself in the waters of the Indian Ocean. And the cape was forever assigned to it unusual name. With the development of geographical science, it became clear that the Cape of Good Hope is the most southwestern point of Africa. To the south of it there is another cape, narrow and rocky. Many ships have crashed on its stones.

The Cape of Good Hope is located at an altitude of 300 m above sea level. From the steep shore you can see how two oceans merge: the Indian, greenish-turquoise, and the Atlantic, dark blue. The waves are splashing below, and beyond the horizon is only Antarctica! In this windswept place I was born famous legend about the Flying Dutchman, or the ghost ship.

Cape Town began to be built only one and a half hundred years after the voyage of Portuguese sailors. One Dutch sailor founded his settlement here, which became a transit point between the west and the east, and called it Cape Town - “a city on a cape”. A fort, vegetable gardens and a few settlers - that's all that was here at that time. In the vicinity of the village, lions and bushmen roamed - dark-skinned people of small stature with heads that Europeans thought looked like dried apricots. On the site of this settlement a city grew - the second largest in population in South Africa.

The symbol of Cape Town is Table Mountain. However, it doesn’t quite look like a mountain - it’s as if someone cut off the top of it with a huge cleaver, and the mountain rather resembles a dining table. Hence the name. Table Mountain protects Cape Town from the wind. At the foot is the largest garden on the planet, Kirstenbosch, with emerald lawns where people walk bright peacocks, huts where you can get acquainted with the life of African tribes, quaint bridges, rainbow waterfalls and a whole ocean of flowers. Kirstenbosch - the first in the world Botanical Garden, included in the List World Heritage UNESCO.

Nature in Cape Town has not suffered much from civilization. Animals walk calmly along the roads, and in some places special road signs are installed that read: “Eating ice cream is prohibited.” The fact is that monkeys running past can easily start a fight with a gaping passerby over a treat. The most dangerous of all are baboons. They are engaged in real robbery - they take backpacks from tourists, shake out the contents and take away everything they like. But Cape Townians won’t even think of offending the furry pranksters. And if someone decides to throw a stone at a monkey or kill a snake, then big trouble awaits the offender.

The opinion that penguins live only where it is cold is wrong. They are also found in South Africa, on the territory of the Table Mountain National Park. Penguins live in natural conditions, but they are not at all afraid of people - with seabirds you can even take a swim!

Another attraction of Cape Town is the multi-level oceanarium “Aquarium of Two Oceans”, with aquariums as tall as a 4-5-story building. Thousands of inhabitants of the Indian and Atlantic oceans live here.

The city's architecture is very similar to European architecture, but is closely connected to Cape Town's colonial past. In the center, for example, is the famous colorful district of Bo Cap. The houses, built by people from former Dutch colonies, are painted in bright colors. Now Muslims live here. The city itself is still divided into “special” neighborhoods: poor and rich, black and white.

Cape Town - major port, so its center is the sea harbor. The unusual Victoria and Alfred Embankment is also considered the world's largest shopping street.

Based on materials from the magazine "Backpack. WORLD OF TRAVEL"

The Southern Africa region includes five countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. This is a rather specific part of Africa with a very strong influence on all aspects of life, primarily on the economy, of European settlers. Although political power here belongs to the indigenous people, the economy and finances are in the hands of Europeans. The regional leader is the Republic of South Africa (RSA), the most economically developed state Africa.

South Africa

General information. The official name is the Republic of South Africa (in some sources South Africa). The capital is Pretoria (administrative) (700 thousand people) and Cape Town (legislative) (900 thousand people). Population - 46 million people (27th place in the world). Area - 1,200,000 km 2 (24th place in the world). Official languages- Afrikaans (based on Old Dutch) and English. The monetary unit is the rand.

Geographical position. South Africa is located in the extreme south of Africa. From the south, east and west it is washed by the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. It borders with Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe in the north. In the northeast it borders with Mozambique and Swaziland. The state of Lesotho is located within South Africa. Access to two oceans on highways sea ​​routes quite favorable for socio-economic development.

History of origin and development. It has long been inhabited by tribes of Bushmen and Hottentots. In the 16th century mass migration of Bantu peoples from the north. Since the 17th century the first European settlers arrived. First it was the Dutch (Boers), then the French, and even later the British. The Boers created several republics in southern Africa. At the end of the 19th century. The British began annexing territories that the Boers considered their own, and established their own laws there. This led to the Boer Wars. At first the Boers won, but at the beginning of the 20th century. Great Britain won the war. It united its colonies in South Africa with the Boer states to form the Union of South Africa. Since 1948. The beginning of the apartheid policy. In 1949, annexed Namibia. Since 1961. Left British Commonwealth Nations. At this time, South Africa was proclaimed. Increased race riots and international isolation resulted in 1991. Before the end of apartheid. In 1994, free general elections were held, where indigenous Africans led by N. Mandela won. South Africa joined the UAE and the British Commonwealth of Nations.

State structure and form of government. South Africa is a unitary state, presidential republic. The head of state and government is the president. Legislative power belongs to a bicameral parliament. It consists of a national assembly and a national council of provinces. The term of office of deputies is five years. their total number is 400. The country has 9 provinces.

Natural conditions and resources. The relief of South Africa is quite diverse. Low-lying areas are found only near the border with Mozambique. The hinterlands are elevated plateaus with raised edges. In the east rise the bizarre folded Drakensberg Mountains. Here is the most high peak countries - Mount Katkin Peak (3660 m). South part South Africa ends with the Cape Mountains.

The extreme location of the country in the south of the continent and the altitude of the territory determine the climatic diversity. South Africa is located in tropical and subtropical climatic zones. In January (summer of the Southern Hemisphere) average temperatures range from 18 ° C to +27 ° C. In winter (July) they vary from + 7 ° C to + 10 ° C. There is a very large difference in the amount of precipitation, in general the amount of precipitation varies from 30 mm per year in the Kalahari Desert to 2000 mm on the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains, which return to the ocean. In the central part of the country, 600-700 mm falls.

There are many rivers in South Africa, but the only big one can be called the Orange River. It and its deep tributaries originate from the Drakensberg Mountains and flow to the west.

Vegetable and animal world, where they are preserved, and this National parks, mountains and deserts, where no people live, are quite rich and diverse. In the east there is a typical savannah and woodlands with animals characteristic of it in Africa. In the dry subtropics, short-leaved evergreen bushes predominate. It's humid in the east monsoon forests. Inland and southwestern South Africa is dominated by desert and semi-desert vegetation.

Like others African countries, and this is determined by the features geological structure mainland, South Africa has such mineral resources: oil, natural gas, coal and uranium (energy carriers), ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals (iron and manganese, copper, zinc, titanium, lead, nickel, zirconium, tungsten, gold, silver, platinum, etc.), chemical and construction raw materials, diamonds and corundum.

Population. The population density in the country is low - more than 37 people per 1 km2. Natural conditions determine the uneven settlement of the territory. People predominantly settle on the coast and in elevated inland areas with a climate favorable to life. Natural population growth compared to other African countries is small. The share of the urban population is about 50%. As in other African countries, the national composition of the population is very diverse. Almost 18% of the country's inhabitants are descendants of European settlers, mainly from the Netherlands and Great Britain.

Farming. South Africa has high level economic development in Africa. The most developed diversified mining industry. The country occupies a leading place in the world in the production of diamonds and uranium. Up to 20% of the world's gold is also mined here annually. Among other industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical, light, food, and construction are developed. The country has a powerful military-industrial complex, producing products from pistols to tanks.

basis Agriculture is a highly commercial livestock industry, in particular the largest number of sheep. According to this indicator, South Africa ranks tenth in the world, raising cattle and pigs, as well as goats (up to 7 million heads). In crop production, the main crops are corn, wheat, barley, cotton, and sugar cane. They grow a lot of grapes, citrus fruits, peanuts, and tobacco. Fisheries produce up to 600 thousand tons of seafood per year.

South Africa has the best transport provision in Africa. Length railways exceeds 30 thousand km, highways - 60 thousand km. External transport is dominated by sea (freight) and air (passenger) transport. The largest seaports are Durban, Cape Town, East London, Port Elizabeth. International airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Culture and social development. The living standards of Europeans and Africans in South Africa are significantly different. Averages don't tell you much. Thus, only 70% are literate, but among European settlers this figure is close to 100%. The same can be said about the rather high average mortality rate of children under one year of age (50% o), the number of doctors, and the like. It should be noted that these differences, although very slowly, are being leveled out.

The Republic of South Africa recognized the independence of Ukraine on February 14, 1992. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on March 16, 1992 through an exchange of notes. Several declarations, memorandums, and protocols regulating bilateral relations were signed.

Questions and tasks

1. In what year did the apartheid policy begin in South Africa?

2. Describe the natural resource potential of South Africa.

3. What factors determine the population distribution in South Africa?

4. Name and show on the map the largest seaports of South Africa.

conclusions

African countries are still the poorest and least stable in the world. This is a region of political contradictions, wars, genocides, and socio-economic crises. From the era of colonialism, Africa inherited artificial borders without taking into account the boundaries of ethnic territories. Thus, a huge “time bomb” was laid, which could explode in the 21st century.

In general, African countries have large and not yet fully exploited natural and human resources. If the “green revolution” for the first time made it possible for the majority of humanity to provide themselves with food, then the African continent did not belong to this majority. Food shortages began to be felt here already in the 80s of the 20th century. Its main causes are considered to be wars, droughts and high population growth rates.

African countries are increasingly recognizing Ukraine. Foreign trade relations are expanding. Ukraine's trade balance with African countries is generally positive. Most of the countries of the continent (31) maintain constant trade, economic, scientific and technical ties with our state.

Test control

1. Egypt directly borders the following countries:

a) Algeria;

b) Israel;

c) Sudan;

d) Nigeria;

d) Libya;

d) Saudi Arabia.

2. The capital of Egypt is:

a) Tripoli;

3. The main industries of Egypt are:

a) mechanical engineering;

b) chemical industry;

c) mining industry.

4. In terms of population, Nigeria occupies the following place in Africa:

a) second;

b) first;

c) third.

5. Which statements are true:

a) the currency of Nigeria is the pound;

b) Nigeria is a federal republic;

c) Nigeria's birth rate is one of the highest in the world?

6. To countries Central Africa relate:

b) Morocco;

d) Cameroon; d) Zimbabwe;

d) Namibia.

7. In 1960 Democratic Republic Congo was a colony:

a) France;

b) Germany;

c) Belgium;

d) Spain.

8. In Kenya, the total number of supporters of this religion is:

a) Muslim;

b) Hindu;

c) Christian.

9. The following climate reigns throughout Kenya:

a) equatorial;

b) subtropical;

c) subequatorial.

10. Which countries does South Africa directly border with:

a) Namibia;

b) Egypt;

c) Somalia;

d) Mozambique; d) Libya;

d) Zimbabwe.

11. Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Ukraine are established:

South Africa - how many are there in total? And what interesting facts can you tell about them? This will be discussed in the article.

Countries of South Africa: list, approaches to zoning

It’s easy to guess from the name that this region is located in the southern part of the “black continent”. All countries have approximately the same natural and climatic conditions, as well as similar features of historical development.

Geographically, South Africa begins south of the watershed plateau of the Zambezi and Congo rivers. According to the UN regionalization of our planet, the countries of Southern Africa are only five states (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland). According to another classification, this historical and geographical region also includes Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, as well as the exotic island state of Madagascar.

Listed below are all the countries in South Africa and their capitals (according to the UN). The list of states is presented in order of decreasing territory area:

1. South Africa (Pretoria).
2. Namibia (Windhoek).
3. Botswana (Gaborone).
4. Lesotho (Maseru).
5. Swaziland (Mbabane).

Largest state in the region

Multicultural and multinational state, one of the most economically developed on the mainland. This republic is often called the “rainbow country”.

The most Interesting Facts about South Africa:

• every third diamond mined on Earth is extracted from the depths of this particular country;
• the world's first human heart transplant operation took place in South Africa (in 1967);
• citizens of the republic are endowed with broad rights in the field of using weapons for the purpose of protection, up to and including a flamethrower;
• South Africa ranks third on the planet in terms of drinking water quality;
• one of the traditional South African dishes is monkey steaks;
• the wife (of the eighth president of South Africa) was “first lady” twice (she was previously the wife of the president of Mozambique).

Swaziland - South Africa

Swaziland is a small state in the south of the continent, which borders only two countries - South Africa and Mozambique.

The most interesting facts about Swaziland:

• the head of this state is a real king, who is very loved and revered in Swaziland (his portraits can be seen here even on the clothes of local residents);
• Swaziland is a very poor country, but the roads here are of excellent quality;
• the oldest mathematical work was discovered in this country;
• the state leads the world in the rate of spread of HIV; every fourth adult resident here is a carrier of the virus;
• In Swaziland, husband and wife (or wives) live in separate houses.

The countries of South Africa are extremely interesting and colorful. There really is something to be surprised and amazed here!