South Africa map in Russian. Capital of South Africa, flag, history of the country

SOUTH AFRICA

(South Africa)

Geographical location. The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is located in the southern part of the African continent, washed by the waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. On the territory of South Africa there are small independent states of Swaziland and Lesotho, in the north the republic borders on Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.

Square. The territory of South Africa occupies 1,223,410 square meters. km.

Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria, the seat of parliament is Cape Town. Largest cities: Cape Town (2,000 thousand people), Johannesburg (1,800 thousand people), Pretoria (1,000 thousand people), Durban (1,000 thousand people),

Port Elizabeth (400 thousand people), Germiston (200 thousand people), Bloemfontein (180 thousand people). Administrative division of the country: 9 provinces.

State system

South Africa Republic. The head of state is the president. Legislature- bicameral parliament (Senate and National Assembly).

Relief. The rather monotonous terrain of South Africa consists of a central plateau and several ranges in the east, in particular the 400 km long Drakensberg Mountains.

The height of the central plateau of Namaqualand above sea level is 1200-1800 m. The coast of the Indian Ocean descends in terraces. A plain stretches along the Atlantic coast. The most high mountains on the territory of South Africa - Cathkin Peak (3,660 m) and Mont aux Sources (3,299 m).

Geological structure and minerals. The country's subsoil contains rich reserves of gold, uranium, diamonds, platinum, chromium, less significant reserves of coal, iron ore, natural gas, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, copper.

Climate. There are twenty climatic zones throughout the country. The province of Natal is characterized by high humidity, characteristic of a hot tropical climate, in which about 1200 mm of precipitation falls annually. The Cape Town area is dominated by a Mediterranean climate - dry, hot summers, not very cold winters, and precipitation of 600 mm per year. The rest of the country has a tropical climate. Due to the sufficient altitude above sea level and the proximity of ocean currents, the climate in South Africa is more moderate than in countries located at the same latitudes.

Inland waters. The main rivers are the Orange and Limpopo.

Soils and vegetation. The Transvaal and Orange provinces contain 52% of all the country's forests; in general, at least 20 thousand plant species grow in South Africa. Many flowers that are now common in Europe were exported back in the 17th century. from South Africa - these include geranium, gladiolus, and narcissus. In the vicinity of Cape Town there are more than 5 thousand species of plants that no longer grow in any country in the world.

Animal world. South Africa is home to elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, lion, giraffe, cheetah, aardvark, antelope, hyena, golden mole, tarsier, and various birds.

Population and language

The population of South Africa is 41 million people. Blacks make up about 76% of the population and belong to many tribes of several linguistic groups. The Zulus are a large group of tribes from the province of Natal, known for their warlike behavior. The Xhosa, or Kaffirs, occupy the Transkei region on the east coast of South Africa. The Swazis are concentrated either in the independent state of Swaziland on the territory of South Africa, or near its borders. The Ndebele are the original inhabitants of the Transvaal. The Suto tribe occupies the territory from Pretoria to the border with Mozambique and is divided into northern and southern Suto, having various languages and customs. Tswana are residents of the state of Botswana, which became part of South Africa in 1994. Representatives of the Venda tribe live in the Northern Transvaal, still leading an isolated life and maintaining bizarre customs. In addition to the Negroid tribes, two aboriginal tribes live in South Africa, called Bushmen and Hottentots by Europeans. They engage in hunting, gathering and herding, and are distinguished by yellowish, wrinkled skin and a Mongoloid type of face. The number of Bushmen and Hottentots is no more than 50 thousand people. Another 9% of the South African population are mestizo, descendants of white colonists and slaves exported from Malaysia and India. Among South African whites (13%), two groups can be distinguished: Afrikaans-speaking Afrikaners and English-speaking whites. Afrikaners make up 60% of the white population of South Africa and are of Dutch, German, French or English origin. English-speaking South Africans are mainly from Britain, Portugal and Greece. In 1860, another group joined the population of South Africa - Indians brought from Madras to grow sugar cane. Most Indians live in the province of Natal. Overall, Indians make up 2.6% of South Africa's population.

Religion

More than 80% of the population of South Africa are adherents of Christianity: independent African churches unite more than 8 million believers, the second place in terms of the number of parishioners is occupied by the Reformed Church, and the third by the Roman Catholic Church. A small percentage of believers are distributed among the Methodist, Anglican, Apostolic, Lutheran and Presbyterian Churches. More than 400 thousand people profess Hinduism, 300 thousand - Islam.

Brief historical essay

The very first inhabitants of this region of Africa were the San tribes (Bushmen) and the related Khoikhoi (Hottentots). Migrating tribes of the Bantu linguistic group settled on the northeastern and eastern coasts in the 11th century, and by the 15th century. settled the eastern half of southern Africa. These tribes were primarily farmers and pastoralists, but carried out intensive trade throughout the region. The first European settlement appeared at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 and served as a trading base for the Dutch East India Company. The resettlement quickly took on the character of colonization, and the Khoi-San tribes were expelled from their lands. The settlers formed their own close community with their own Afrikaans dialect and a Calvinist sect (the Dutch Reformed Church). The slave trade developed, slaves were exported from both coasts of Africa.

Over the next 150 years, the colonists spread further east, brutalizing the local Bantu tribes. In 1779, the expansion of the Boers (farmers of Dutch origin) was temporarily stopped by the Xhosa tribes in the First Bantu War. Boer settlement was further hindered by Britain's annexation of the Cape of Good Hope in 1806 and the abolition of slavery in 1834. The Boers perceived the abolition of slavery as an unacceptable interference in their affairs, which led to their migration across the Orange River two years later. The Zulu wars were interrupted by the appearance of the Boers, who settled further inland in search of new lands, and the Boers were followed by the British, more and more of whom appeared in the Cape Province and Natal. The Zulus were eventually forced to submit, but relations between the Boers and the British remained tense. Armed conflicts often broke out, especially after the formation of the independent Boer republics - the Free Orange State and the Transvaal.

When diamond deposits were discovered in Kimberley in 1867, and gold in the Witwatersrand in 1886, the Boer republic was flooded with an influx of British capital and

immigrants who displeased Boer farmers. One of the conflicts led to the Anglo-Boer War in 1899-1902. The war ended with the defeat of the independent Orange and Transvaal republics and the establishment of British rule throughout the country.

In 1910 the Union of South Africa was created, political power was completely in the hands of the white population. This prompted black resistance in the form of strikes and the establishment of political organizations. In 1948, the Afrikaner National Party won the elections. The new government began to remove blacks from political or economic influence with particular zeal, resorting to the help of troops. One of the most significant black political organizations arose as a result of racist legislation and was called the African National Congress. The only option for the African National Congress was guerrilla warfare.

The apartheid regime further developed in the early 1970s with the creation of so-called reservations in Transkei, Ciskei, Bophuthatswana and Venda, which were theoretically considered “independent”. By creating the reservations, the Pretoria regime declared that every black person in white South Africa had to live on a reservation and therefore, as a foreign worker, had no political rights. It was not until June 1991 that Parliament voted to abolish all forms of apartheid. After this, the massacres of blacks and their political leaders did not stop, but nevertheless, the date of the first general elections was set - 1992. The leader of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela, became the president of the country, who officially announced the abolition of the apartheid policy and amended the constitution of South Africa.

Brief Economic Sketch

South Africa is an industrial-agrarian country with high level economic development, the most economically developed state in Africa. South Africa occupies one of the first places in the world in the production of gold, platinum, chromite, manganese ore, antimony, and diamonds. They mine uranium, iron ore, copper, asbestos, etc. Ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical, oil refining, cement, textile, food industries. In agriculture, marketable products are provided by large farms. The basis of agriculture is animal husbandry; They raise sheep and goats and cattle. Main crops: corn, wheat, sugar cane. Sorghum, peanuts, tobacco, and citrus fruits are also cultivated. Export: mineral and agricultural raw materials, agricultural products, diamonds, mining equipment.

Currency-South African rand.

Brief essay culture

Art and architecture. Cape Town. Castle of Good Hope (the first building built here by European settlers (1666-1679). Inside there are several museums of antiques and paintings); South African Museum (displays finds from archaeological excavations in the surrounding area and samples rock art Bushmen).

Literature. Nadine Gordimer (b. 1923) – writer, laureate Nobel Prize, author of anti-racist works (collections “Surely on Monday”,

The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of the African continent. Borders with , and . The enclave state of Lesotho is located on the territory of South Africa. The area of South Africa is 1,219,912 sq. km, population - more than 55 million people, capitals - Pretoria (administrative) and Cape Town (legislative).

Most of the center and east of South Africa is occupied by savannas. Tropical forests grow along the banks of rivers. In the south there is a lot of subtropical vegetation, among which evergreen shrubs are often found. The soils of South Africa are red-brown, black or brown-gray, fertile. Palm trees and baobabs grow in the rainiest areas. The Karoo and Kalahari are dominated by trees and shrubs characteristic of arid climates (euphorbia, aloe). Depressions (penes) in the Kalahari accumulate rainwater, and excellent, lush grass grows in them, which is used to feed sheep.

Vegetable and animal world South Africa is diverse because it is represented by different natural conditions. There is a long sea coast, mountains, deserts and rivers with fertile valleys. National parks feature unique animals; there are about 200 species of snakes alone. The climate allows crops to be grown all year round.

Most of the country's territory is located at an altitude of more than 1,000 m. The climate is dry and cooler than in the north of the continent. The average temperature is +20–23°C. The temperature difference between the warmest and coldest seasons is no more than 10°C. The amount of precipitation is very uneven: only 100 mm on the west coast and 2,000 mm at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains.

Large rivers flow through South Africa - the Orange, Limpopo, and Tugela. The largest river is the Orange with a length of about 2,000 km, the largest waterfall in Africa - Tugela (933 m) is located on the river of the same name.

South Africa is a country located in the southern part of the African continent. This country borders Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Namibia. Besides the amazing and ancient history, the country has a simply unique geography and incomparable natural conditions. In addition, South Africa is considered one of the most developed countries on the entire African continent. There are many universities, schools, and museums here, which often attract the attention of foreign students and ordinary tourists.

South Africa on the world map

Geography of the country and its features.
If we talk about the area of the country, it is slightly more than 1,200,000 kilometers square. At the same time, the country is in 24th place in terms of area in the world. The highest point in South Africa is Mount Njesuti.
There are many rivers throughout the country. In addition, from the east, the country is washed by the Indian Ocean. Among similar large rivers can be called: Limpopo, Komati, Vaal, Great Fish, Orange, Tugela and many others.
By the way, the climate in the country is truly amazing. Here you can find subtropical zones, deserts, and temperate climates.
Thus, the largest desert in the country is called the Namib.

Administrative division of the country.
At the moment, South Africa has three levels of administrative division that need to be examined to understand the features of the political system.
The first stage is the provinces. At the moment there are 9 of them, and they proportionally divide the entire country into parts.
The second stage is the districts. They can be rural or urban.
The third stage is small areas where not too many people live. Such places are called territories of regional subordination.
There are essentially three capitals in the country.
Cape Town is the legislative center of the country;
Pretoria is the administrative center;
Bloemfontein - judicial.
In addition, among major cities Countries include Johannesburg and Durban.
If we talk about political structure, then at the moment a parliamentary republic reigns in South Africa.
Due to the multinational population, there are many official languages, but the most popular ones are English and Afrikaans.

Map of the Republic of South Africa in Russian

Attractions
When visiting South Africa, every tourist should visit certain attractions that are literally saturated with the spirit of history, culture and politics of this country.
Such attractions include:
1).Reserves
If a person goes to South Africa to enjoy the pristine nature, then such reserves will only help him in this. Among the largest of them, it is worth noting the National Parks of Pilansberg, Eddo and many others.
2) Robben Island
Political landmark. It was here, in a local prison, that Nelson Mandela served 18 years.
3) Stellenbosch
Second oldest city in the country, founded in the 17th century. The main attraction is the wine route, along which you can visit 44 cellars with alcohol.
The country has many interesting sights, historical facts and events about which there is still much to tell.

The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is a country in southern Africa. Area 1219000 km 2. Population 439 million people (2000), including Africans (76%; Zulu, COSATU others), mestizos (9%), people from Europe (13%), mainly Afrikaners (Boers) and the British . Urban population 53% (1998). Official languages- Afrikaans and English. Believers are mostly Christians and adherents of local traditional beliefs. The capital is Pretoria, the seat of parliament is Cape Town. Administrative division: 9 provinces. The head of state is the president. The legislative body is a bicameral parliament (Senate and National Assembly).

South Africa occupies the southern tip of the South African plateau, slightly elevated at the edges (the Drakensberg Mountains in the east, individual peaks over 3000 m) and limited by the steep slopes of the Great Escarpment. To the south are the Cape Mountains. The climate is tropical and subtropical. The average temperature in January is 18-27 ° C, in July 7-10 ° C. Precipitation ranges from 60 mm on the coast, 650 mm on the plateau, up to 2000 mm per year on the eastern slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains. The main rivers are the Orange and Limpopo. In the east there is savannah, south of 30°S. w. - Subtropical forests and hard-leaved evergreen shrubs, on the mountain slopes - subtropical and monsoon forests; in the interior there is savannah, steppe, shrubby semi-desert and the Karoo Desert. National parks - Kruger, Kalahari-Gemsbok and others, numerous nature reserves and reserves.

South Africa is an industrial-agrarian country with a high level of economic development, the most economically developed state in Africa. Share in GDP (1998%): mining 9, manufacturing 19, agriculture 3.8. South Africa occupies one of the first places in the world in the production of gold, platinum, chromite, manganese ore, antimony, and diamonds. Uranium, iron ore, copper, asbestos, etc. are mined. Electricity production +192010 million kWh (1998). Ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical, oil refining, cement, textile, food industries. In agriculture, marketable products are provided by large farms. The basis of agriculture is animal husbandry; livestock (1997, million): sheep and goats 31.1, cattle 13.6. Main crops: corn, wheat, sugar cane. Sorghum, peanuts, tobacco, tea, and citrus fruits are also grown. Length (1996, thousand km) railways 21.6, paved roads 63. The most important seaports: Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London. Export: mineral and agricultural raw materials, agricultural products, diamonds, mining equipment. Main foreign trade partners: Great Britain, USA, Germany, Japan. The currency is the South African rand.

Form of government and territorial structure. Presidential-Parliamentary Republic, federal state. Consists of nine provinces. The head of state is the president. The legislative body is a bicameral parliament (National Council of Provinces and National Assembly).

Capital: Pretoria (1.5 million).

Before the arrival of Europeans, the Hottentot and Bantu tribes lived in the country. In the 17th century The lands of the Hottentots came into the possession of Dutch settlers - the Boers (Afrikaners). In 1814 the entire territory became British possession. In 1910 the country gained independence.

Geographical location. The extreme south of Africa. Borders with Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland; in the eastern part of the country there is an enclave - the kingdom of Lesotho. It is washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Area: 1221 thousand km 2 (twice more area Ukraine).

Large reserves of diamonds, coal, gold, platinum; There are ores of non-ferrous metals, manganese ore, uranium, antimony.

Population. 45 (40.2) million. Bantu Negroids (Zulu, Swazi, Xhosa) - 75%, ethnic Europeans (Boers and English) - 14%, mestizos, etc. Density 37 people / km 2. Average annual increase 6 people. per 1000 inhabitants. Balance of migration -0.35 people. per 1000 inhabitants. Unemployment 37%. Age composition 33-61-6, middle age 24.5 years, life expectancy 48 years.

Religion: Christianity (77%), traditional beliefs, Hinduism, Islam.

Urban population 59%, largest cities: Cape Town (Kapstad), Johannesburg, Durban.

Official languages: Afrikaans, English, as well as local dialects.

Economy. GDP per capita 2550 (10 000) US dollars. GDP structure 4.4% - 28.9% - 66.7%. Industry: mining, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy (including steel, copper, tin, nickel), chemical, mechanical engineering, transport, heavy), food, light. Agriculture: crop farming (corn, wheat, sugar cane, fruits, grapes), livestock farming (cattle, sheep, goats, poultry). Tourism (about 4 million tourists per year).

Foreign trade. Exports: $31.8 billion (with population $707). Gold, diamonds, platinum and other metals, minerals, machinery and equipment (UK 13%, USA 13%, Germany 9%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%).

Imports: $26.6 billion (per capita $591). Machinery and equipment, chemical products, petroleum products, scientific instruments, food products (Germany, USA, UK, Japan).

Recreational resources, attractions. In the country: Sandton Shopping Centre, botanical garden, « Big Hole"(the world's largest man-made vertical hole for diamond mining), national parks: (including Ch. Kruger, Kalaharism Khama), mountain and sea resorts.

SMP: 103rd place, after Moldova, before El Salvador.