South Africa from A to Z. Population, countries, cities and resorts of South Africa. Map, photos and videos, descriptions and reviews of tourists.

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South Africa in the context of tourism is national parks plus rock art and other evidence of the spiritual maturation of primitive man, as well as all the interesting things associated with diamond mining - from the low-cost contemplation of mines to the acquisition of precious stones requiring determination and will. An additional highlight in this portrait is the rich heritage of the colonial regime in the form of developed tourist infrastructure, entertainment cities, well-equipped museums and a whole bunch of pleasant vacation activities - from diving and windsurfing to fishing and safari. In a word, exotic and primitive (in the truest sense of the word) with a European sauce.

South Africa is a small region. Geographically, this includes only five countries and one overseas territory of France. It must be said that the tourist destiny of the region was very successful - not least thanks to diamond deposits, to which, like moths to a lantern, businessmen of the Old World flocked. Of course, their difficult life in a foreign land consisted not only in drilling a stubborn rock, but also in all kinds of amusements for "diamond" money - this is how beach resorts, wine valleys and entertainment complexes appeared in the once dense countries.

The most popular destinations for South African tourism today are Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Lesotho and Swaziland so far clearly do not reach the level of neighboring countries, and the Eparse islands have been given over to the rule of the French tourist fraternity.

A distinctive feature of trips to the "lower edge" of Africa is, alas, the invariably high cost, and a large share of the money spent is spent on a flight with at least two, and often three, transfers.

In addition, these directions are more than exotic - after all, only the end of the world is farther - so the situation obliges. Botswana, for example, has traditionally held a high price tag due to its policy of restricting mass tourism (which, given the insanely beautiful - and fragile - nature, is quite reasonable).

Botswana nature

The natural riches of South Africa, it seems, were the first created by the Creator - a generous hand, bright colors, not stingy and with love. Diversity is the hallmark of the local landscape. Here you can canoe across the Okavango Delta, and in just a couple of hours walk along the cracked, lifeless surface of the Kalahari "ghost valley". Special attention should be paid to the numerous caves-sites of primitive people, the remains of which date back 2 million (!) Years, and various evidence of ancient creativity - rock paintings, petroglyphs, etc. And also in South Africa there is its own Grand Canyon - Fish River , the depth of which reaches half a kilometer.

Safari in South Africa

Those who prefer everything at once (and at the same time marked "luxury"), rush to South Africa. Let's face it, saying that there really is everything here - the golden coast of Port Elizabeth and the scenic Garden Route, the Zulu kingdoms and one of the best entertainment complexes in the world, Sun City, wine regions and tropical forests of the Limpopo province ... of course, the city of Kimberley is the diamond capital of the world, in which you certainly need to make some rash purchase. And for those who are ready to exchange all the sights of the world for the open spaces of the sea, the blue expanse of the ocean stretches - from the Cape of Good Hope to the Antarctic itself. In a word, South African pleasures are for every taste, you just need to choose your own!

The South Africa region has five states: 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 the political power here belongs to the indigenous people, the economy and finances are in the hands of the Europeans. The regional leader is the Republic of South Africa (South Africa), the most economically developed state in Africa.

South africa

General information. The official name is 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 in the world). State languages ​​- Afrikaans (based on Old Holland) and English. The monetary unit is 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 shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe in the north. In the northeast, it borders with Mozambique and Swaziland. Within South Africa is the state of Lesotho. Access to two oceans on the main sea routes is quite favorable for socio-economic development.

History of origin and development. It has long been inhabited by tribes of Bushmen and Hottentots. In the XVI century. mass resettlement of the Bantu peoples from the north. Since the 17th century. the first European settlers appeared. First they were the Dutch (Boers), then the French, and even later the British. The Boers created several republics in southern Africa. At the end of the XIX century. the British began annexing the territories, the Boers considered them theirs, and established their own laws there. This led to the Boer Wars. At first the Boers won, but at the beginning of the XX century. the war was won by Great Britain. She united her colonies in South Africa with the Boer states and formed the Union of South Africa. Since 1948 the beginning of the policy of apartheid. In 1949 she annexed Namibia. Since 1961, withdrew from the British Commonwealth of Nations. At this time, South Africa was proclaimed. Increased racial unrest and international isolation resulted in 1991. Before the elimination of apartheid. In 1994, a free general election was held, where the indigenous Africans, led by N. Mandela, won. South Africa entered the UAE and the British Commonwealth of Nations.

State structure and form of government. South Africa is a unitary state, a presidential republic. The head of state and government is the president. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral parliament. It consists of the National Assembly and the National Provincial Council. The term of office of the 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 at the border with Mozambique. The interior regions are elevated plateaus with raised edges. In the east, the bizarre folded Drakensberg Mountains rise. Here is the highest peak in the country - Mount Katkin Peak (3660 m). The southern part of South Africa ends with the Cape Mountains.

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

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

The flora and fauna, where they have been preserved, and these are national parks, mountains and deserts, where people do not live, are quite rich and diverse. In the east, there is a typical savanna and woodlands with animals typical for it in Africa. In the dry subtropics, short-leaved evergreen bushes predominate. In the east, humid monsoon forests. In the inner and southwestern part of South Africa, the vegetation of deserts and semi-deserts dominates.

Like other African countries, and this is determined by the peculiarities of the geological structure of the mainland, South Africa has such mineral resources: oil, natural gas, coal and uranium (energy sources), ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores (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 not high - more than 37 people per 1 km2. Natural conditions determine the uneven settlement of the territory. People predominantly settle on the coast and in the elevated inland regions with a climate favorable for life. Natural population growth compared to other African states is small. The share of the urban population is about 50%. As in other African countries, the ethnic composition of the population is very variegated. Almost 18% of the country's inhabitants are descendants of European settlers, mainly from the Netherlands and Great Britain.

Household. South Africa has a high level of economic development in Africa. The most developed diversified mining industry. The country occupies a leading place in the world in the extraction of diamonds and uranium. It also produces up to 20% of the world's gold every year. Other industries include ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical, light, food, and construction. The country has a powerful military-industrial complex that manufactures products from pistols to tanks.

The basis of agriculture is high-quality livestock raising, in particular, the largest is the livestock of sheep. According to this indicator, South Africa ranks tenth in the world; cattle and pigs, as well as goats (up to 7 million heads) are bred. In crop production, the main agricultural crops are corn, wheat, barley, cotton, and sugar cane. A lot of grapes, citrus fruits, peanuts, tobacco are grown. Fishing produces up to 600 thousand tons of seafood per year.

South Africa has better transport facilities in Africa. The length of railways exceeds 30 thousand km, motorways - 60 thousand km. External transportation is dominated by sea (cargo) 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. Living standards for Europeans and Africans in South Africa differ significantly. The averages show little evidence. 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 old (50%), the number of doctors, and the like. It should be noted that these differences, although very slowly, are 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 have been signed regulating bilateral relations.

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 distribution of the population in South Africa?

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

conclusions

African countries are still the poorest and least stable in the world. This is a region of political contradictions, wars, genocides, 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 utilized natural and human resources. If the "green revolution" for the first time made it possible for most of humanity to provide itself with food, then the African continent did not belong to this majority. The lack of food began to be felt here already in the 80s of the XX century. War, droughts and high population growth rates are believed to be the main reasons.

African countries are getting to know Ukraine more and more. Foreign trade ties are expanding. The trade balance of Ukraine with African countries is generally positive. Most of the states of the continent (31) maintain constant trade, economic, scientific and technical ties with our state.

Test control

1. Egypt directly borders on the following countries:

a) Algeria;

b) Israel;

c) Sudan;

d) Nigeria;

d) Libya;

e) Saudi Arabia.

2. The capital of Egypt is:

a) Tripoli;

3. The main industries in Egypt are:

a) mechanical engineering;

b) chemical industry;

c) mining industry.

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

a) the second;

b) the first;

c) third.

5. Which statements are true:

a) the currency of Nigeria is the pound;

b) Nigeria is a federal republic;

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

6. The countries of Central Africa include:

b) Morocco;

d) Cameroon; d) Zimbabwe;

e) Namibia.

7. In 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was a colony:

a) France;

b) Germany;

c) Belgium;

d) Spain.

8. In Kenya, all supporters of this religion:

a) Muslim;

b) Hindu;

c) Christian.

9. The following climate prevails throughout Kenya:

a) equatorial;

b) subtropical;

c) subequatorial.

10.Which countries does South Africa directly border on:

a) Namibia;

b) Egypt;

c) Somalia;

d) Mozambique; d) Libya;

e) Zimbabwe.

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

South Africa

South Africa

natural region of Africa, lying south of the Congo - Zambezi watershed plateau (south of 12-13 ° S lat.). To Yuzh. Africa also includes about. Madagascar, Mascarene and Comoros. Most of the surface is occupied by the high plains of the Kalahari, along the outskirts - high plateaus. up to 1500–2000 m (in the Drakensberg mountains up to 3482 m), breaking off to the coastal lowlands. The Atlantic and Indian oceans are steep. In the extreme south, the Cape Mountains. The climate is predominantly tropical trade winds, mostly arid, in the extreme south it is subtropical. Precipitation from 250-300 mm per year in the west. plateaus up to 1000–2000 mm on the slopes of the Big Ledge. Large rivers: Zambezi, Limpopo, Orange. Various types of deserts and savannas, dry deciduous tropical light forests, in the extreme south - subtropical evergreen forests. On ter. South Africa, in whole or in part, are: Angola, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa; on the islands - the states of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, the possession of France Reunion.

South Africa . Mozambique. National park

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M .: Rosman. Edited by prof. A.P. Gorkina. 2006 .

SOUTH AFRICA

State in southern Africa. In the north, it borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland, in the eastern part of the country is the Kingdom of Lesotho. In the east and south it is washed by the Indian Ocean, in the west - by the Atlantic Ocean. The area of ​​the country is 1223201 km2. About two-thirds of the territory is occupied by a plateau, which reaches its highest height in the southeast in the Drakensberg Mountains, which are part of the Greater Escarp, which separates the plateau from the coastal regions. Here is the highest point in the country - Champaign Castle Mountain (3375 m). On the plateau itself, three regions stand out: Highveld, Bushveld and Middle Veld. The Highveld, which occupies most of the plateau, has an altitude of 1200 to 1800 m above sea level, in the north of the region lies the Witwatersrand mountainous region, behind which lies the Bushveld or Transvaal Basin. The average height of this region above sea level is less than 1200 m, the height decreases westward towards the Limpopo River. The western part of the plateau, or the Middle Veld, also declines in a westerly direction. Between the edge of the plateau and the coastal plains, the territory goes to the sea in peculiar steps, the most significant of these steps are the Big Karu and the Small Karu, between which the Svartberg mountain range is located. South Africa also contains part of the Kalahari Desert in the northwest and the Namib Desert in the west. The main rivers of the country are Orange, Vaal and Limpopo. Orange, being the longest river in the country, partly forms the border with Namibia. The Vaal River is a tributary of the Orange. Most of the rivers in South Africa are small and dry up during the dry season.
The population of the country (as of 1998) is about 42,834,500 people, with an average population density of about 35 people per km2. Ethnic groups: Africans (Zulu, Pedi, Soto, Tswana, Tsonga, Swazi, Ndebele, Venda, Kosa) - 75.2%, Whites (descendants of the British, Dutch, Germans and French) - 13.6%, mestizos - 8, 6%, Indians 2.6%. Language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sesotosa Leboa, Sesotho, Siswati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Kosa, Zulu (all state); Afrikaans is spoken by all Afrikaans (descendants of the Dutch) and most mestizos, English is spoken by almost all whites and Asians, as well as some Africans, although most Africans speak their own languages. Religion: Christians, mostly Protestants (Anglicans, Dutch Reformers, Methodists) - about 90%, Muslims, Hindus, Jews. The capital is Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial). Largest cities: Cape Town (2,671,000), Johannesburg (1,849,000), Durban (1,149,000), Pretoria (1,073,000), Port Elizabeth (300,000), Jermiston (134,000), Bloemfontein (127,000). The state structure is a republic. The head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is President Nelson Mandela (in office since May 9, 1994). The monetary unit is the South African rand. Average life expectancy (for 1998): 60 years - men, 66 years - women. The birth rate (per 1000 people) is 26.4. The mortality rate (per 1000 people) is 12.3.
Before the arrival of Europeans, the Hoykhoi (Hottentot) tribes and numerous Bantu representatives lived in the country. The first Europeans on the Cape of Good Hope were the Dutch in 1652. By the 18th century, almost all the lands of the Hottentots were in the possession of white settlers, who acquired distinctive features in both language and culture and began to be called Boers or Afrikaners. At the end of the 18th century, part of the territory was occupied by British troops, and in 1814 the entire territory of the colony was bought from Holland. In 1822, English became the state language of the colony, English laws were introduced, and in 1833 slavery was prohibited. The Boers, dissatisfied with these changes, migrated to the north and founded two states there: the Orange Republic and the Transvaal Republic. By the end of the 1850s, the territories in the region of the Waal River united to form the Republic of South Africa, recognized by Great Britain, but after a huge diamond deposit was discovered there, Britain renewed its claims to the territory of South Africa. However, after the uprising of 1881, Britain granted partial autonomy to the South African Republic. In 1899, a war broke out between the Boer states and Great Britain, which lasted until 1902 and brought complete victory to Britain. The Transvaal and the Orange Republic became colonies of Great Britain, and the South African Republic became the British dominion. In 1910, these colonies and dominion gained independence in fact. Since 1948, apartheid has become the official policy of South Africa, which provides for separate education, living, recreation, etc. for white and black populations. In 1959, several so-called bantustans (pseudo-independent African states on the territory of South Africa) were organized:
Bophutatswana, Siskey, Transkei, Venda. The apartheid system actually ceased to exist in 1990 after Frederic de Klerk came to power, who began to carry out democratic reforms in the country, which ended with the first free elections, which brought the leader of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, to the presidency. After the elections, the name of the state and its flag were changed, African languages ​​were recognized as official. The Republic of South Africa is a member of the UN, GATT, and the British Commonwealth of Nations.
The country's climate is mild and temperate. The rainy season in most of the country lasts from October to April, and on the Atlantic coast from June to September. The average January temperature in Durban, located on the northeastern coast, is about 23 ° C, and in Johannesburg in the center of the country - about 20 ° C. Winter temperature (July) is, respectively, about 16 ° C in Durban and about 10 ° C in Johannesburg. The density and variety of vegetation depends on the region and the amount of precipitation. In the east, where the rainfall is greatest, the jungle grows. In the south, forests are composed mainly of ironwood, cedar, nectandra and cladrastis. Most of the plateau is covered with herbs. In the north of the country, where the amount of precipitation is minimal, there is almost no vegetation. The fauna of the country is very rich: lions, elephants, zebras, leopards, baboons, cheetahs (including the rarest royal cheetahs), hyenas. Most of the animals are found in national parks and reserves. The most famous of these is Kruger Park in the northeast of the country, located along the border with Mozambique. It occupies about 19,490 km2 and practically all species of wild animals of the country live in it. Other national parks include: the Kalahari-Gemsbok National Park in the northwest of the country; Hell National Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth; Mount Zebra National Park near the town of Kradock; Transvaal snake park; a farm for breeding wild animals, including royal cheetahs and rare South African hyenas near Pretoria.
Among the country's museums, the following stand out: the National Museum in Bloemfontein, which houses an excellent collection of archaeological, paleontological and anthropological exhibits, the African Museum, the South African Rock Art Museum, the Geological Museum, the Transport Museum - all in Johannesburg. The National Gallery of South Africa, which houses a rich collection of 17th century Dutch and Flemish artists, and the Museum of South African Cultural History in Cape Town. The King George VI Art Gallery with a collection of British and South African art in Port Elizabeth. Museum of the Transvaal (natural history exhibits). The Municipal Art Gallery (South African art), the Museum of Art (a collection of 17th century Dutch artists), the War Museum are all in Pretoria. Other attractions in Pretoria include the zoo and several beautiful parks. House-Museum of the first President of South Africa Paul Kruger. In Johannesburg: the huge cultural center of Gold Reef City. In Port Elizabeth: Aquarium, Reptile Collection, Fort Frederick (1799). In Cape Town, which is one of the main resorts in the country with beautiful beaches: the Castle (an old building erected by the Dutch in 1665), the Reformed Church (1699), the Old Town Hall (1755), the Parliament building. In East London: a zoo, an aquarium, a museum, which houses the first caught cross-finned fish (coelacanth), which was considered extinct about 65 million years ago.

Encyclopedia: cities and countries. 2008 .

See what "South Africa" ​​is in other dictionaries:

Natural area in Africa, south of the Congo Zambezi watershed. To Yuzh. Africa also includes the islands of Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarens. The plateau, relatively low in the center and raised along the outskirts up to 1,500-2,000 m (in ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

South Africa- - EN Southern Africa A geographic region of the African continent astride the Tropic of Capricorn, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, ... ... Technical translator's guide

For the state often called "South Africa" ​​see South Africa. South Africa according to UN macrozoning Other countries ... Wikipedia

Map of Africa with highlighted countries of South Africa For the state often called South Africa, see Republic of South Africa; about the state that occupied the territory of the Transvaal in the 19th century, see South African Republic South Africa region, ... ... Wikipedia

Natural area in Africa, south of the Congo Zambezi watershed. The islands of Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles and Mascarene also belong to South Africa. Part of South Africa is a plateau, relatively low in the center and uplifted along the outskirts ... encyclopedic Dictionary

South Africa- a region located on the mainland Africa south of the Congo-Zambezi. The area of ​​this region is 6,605,628.1 km2.

The countries of South Africa include: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros. The UN includes in South Africa the countries that are members of the South African Customs Union, and these are Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland.

There was a period of colonization in the history of the South African region, but this did not greatly affect the culture and customs of the inhabitants of the region, but rather strongly reflected on the economic growth of individual countries, in particular, South Africa is considered to be the largest and most developed country in this region. It is a large multinational and multicultural country that enjoys good standing in the economic sphere. South Africa is a country that developed nuclear weapons and subsequently voluntarily renounced them. Most of the population of the entire region lives on the territory of this country, the country has 11 official languages, including English, Zulu, Afrikaans and others.

South Africa has a population of approximately 50 million, which is diverse in origin, language, culture and religion. The main religions of South Africa are Protestantism, Christianity, Sectarianism, Islam, Hinduism, and tribal beliefs. Most of the population identify themselves as African and black. The vast majority of South Africa's population is immigrant, roughly 5 million of whom are illegal. In 2008, a series of anti-immigrant riots took place because of this.

It is worth noting that South Africa is a region attractive for world tourism, attracting with its extravagance, extreme and romance. African reserves are attracted by their extraordinary colors and variety of fauna. Elephants, rhinos, lions, buffaloes, leopards live on the territory of the countries of South Africa. South Africa ranks sixth in the world in terms of the diversity of countries, more than 20,000 different plants grow on its territory, which is about 10% of all known plants on the planet. National reserves are considered the heritage of the world cultural foundation.

On the climatic map of South America, high positive temperatures can be observed year-round, but more countries have a temperate climate, due to their proximity to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

In the center of South Africa lies a flat high plateau. These are plains and bush - savannah pastures. Some of them have been turned into reserves for the sake of preserving wildlife. This is the region of the tropics, but the highlands give it a mild climate.

In the west, most of Angola and Namibia, are sandy empty. The Namib Desert is one of the driest places in the world. The Kalahari Desert sweeps east of Botswana. In the south of the continent lies the Republic of South Africa with its striking natural beauty and the majestic Dragon Mountains. In the east of the region, it is hot and humid, the coastal lowlands are covered with tropical rainforests. Large rivers in South Africa, including the Orange and Zambezi, have dams that provide electricity and water to fields

South Africa, a list of countries and capitals according to the all-Russian classifier of countries of the world.

List of largest cities in South Africa:

• Pretoria,
• Johannesburg,
• Durban,
• Cape Town.

The total area of ​​South Africa is 2,692 thousand square kilometers. The western and southern parts of Africa are washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern part by the Indian.

In the 19th century, diamonds and gold were discovered in this area, and treasure seekers from all over Europe flocked to South Africa. The countries of this region were invaded by Portugal, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and France. Thirsty for wealth Europeans conquered African people or deceived them to buy the rights to develop mineral resources. And thus the tremendous values ​​of this land brought wealth only to the white minority. In 1950, the white government of the Union of South Africa (since 1964 - South Africa (South Africa), the richest state on the continent, introduced a policy of apartheid. Blacks were denied equal rights with whites. The brutal regime condemned millions of people to a beggarly existence In 1994, the first democratic elections led the country to a predominantly black government with Nelson Mandela as president.

Economy of South Africa

Diamonds have been found in the volcanic mountains of South Africa; this country in the world exports the largest amount of these precious stones in the world. South Africa also has the world's largest gold mines and significant coal reserves.

Zambia's main export is copper found near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uranium, a highly radioactive metal used in nuclear power plants, is mined in the Namib Desert. In the grassy plains of South Africa, cattle are raised and grapes and grains are grown in large quantities.