South Africa

Fact Sheet :

- Area : 1,219,912 sq km

- Population : 43,997,828 (July 2007 est.)

- Capital : Pretoria

- Languages : 11 official languages, including Afrikaans and English

- Currency : rand (ZAR)

- Government type : republic

- Elements of History :

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

- Climate :

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights