The Republic of South Africa is a large republic located at the southern tip of the continent. It borders the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland. Lesotho is an independent enclave, entirely surrounded by South African territory. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... The Republic of Namibia is a country in southwestern Africa, on the Atlantic coast. ... The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana) is a landlocked nation of southern Africa. ... The Republic of Zimbabwe is a country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Victoria Falls, Zambezi river, Kariba Dam and Limpopo river. ... Mozambique is also the name given to a style of music from the 1960s, an advanced rumba by Peyo el AfroCán Mozambique is a country in Southern Africa, bordering South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. ... The Kingdom of Swaziland is a small country in southern Africa, embedded between South Africa in the west and Mozambique in the east. ... The Kingdom of Lesotho (Muso oa Lesotho) is a country in southern Africa. ... In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ...

South Africa has the largest population of people of European descent in Africa, the largest Indian population outside of Asia, as well as the largest Coloured community in Africa, making it one of the most ethnically diverse countries on the continent. Racial and ethnic strife between the white minority and the black majority have played a large part in the country's history and politics. The National Party began introducing the policy of apartheid after winning the general election of 1948; however, it was the same party under the leadership of F.W. de Klerk who started to dismantle it in 1990 after a long struggle by the black majority, as well as many white, coloured and Indian South Africans. World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Asians in South Africa constitute two per cent of South Africas population, and most are of Indian origin, although there is also a small Chinese community. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... In the South African context, the term Coloured refers to various people of mixed Bantu, Khoisan, and European descent (with some Malay or Indian ancestry, especially in the Western Cape) together with some racially pure Khoisans. ... Prehistory Extensive fossil remains at the Sterkfontein, Kromdraai and Makapansgat caves suggest that various ape-men (australopithecines) existed in South Africa from about three million years ago. ... Constitution Following the 1994 elections, South Africa was governed under an interim constitution. ... The National Party (sometimes called the Nationalists or Nats) was the governing party of South Africa from 1948 to 1994. ... Apartheid ( International Phonetic Alphabet in English and in Afrikaans) is the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by White minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990; and by extension any legally sanctioned system of racial segregation. ... President F.W. de Klerk Frederik Willem de Klerk (born March 18, 1936) is a former President of South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994. ...

The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état, and regular free and fair elections are held since 1994, making it a regional power and among the most stable and liberal democracies in Africa. The economy of South Africa is the largest and most well-developed of the entire African continent, with modern infrastructure common throughout the country. A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... 1994 General Election results, National Assembly African National Congress (ANC) 12,237,655 62. ... A regional power is a term used in the field of international relations to describe a state with power and influence that is to some extent limited to its region of the world. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... South Africa has a two-tiered economy; one rivaling other developed countries and the other with only the most basic infrastructure. ... Infrastructure is the set of interconnected structural elements that provide the framework for supporting the entire structure. ...

(In Detail) (In Detail)
National motto: !ke e: ǀxarra ǁke (/Xam: Diverse People Unite)
Official languages	Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda
Capitals	Cape Town (legislative) Pretoria (administrative) Bloemfontein (judicial)
Largest City	Johannesburg
President	Thabo Mbeki
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 24th 1,219,912 km² Negligible
Population  - Total (2002)  - Density	Ranked 26th 43,647,658 36/km²
Independence - Dominion - Republic	From the United Kingdom 31 May 1910 31 May 1961
Currency	Rand (R)
Time zone	UTC+2
National anthem	Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika/Die Stem van Suid-Afrika
Internet TLD	.za
Calling Code	+27
edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:South_Africa_infobox&action=edit)

Large flag of South Africa Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... South Africa coat-of-arms; fair use; from http://www. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of the Republic of South Africa was adopted on April 26, 1994. ... The South African coat of arms was designed and first unveiled in 2000 and replaced an earlier design that had served the country since 1910. ... A motto is a phrase or collection of words intended to describe the motivation or intention of a sociological grouping or organization. ... /Xam is an extinct Khoisan language of South Africa, part of the !Kwi language group. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Afrikaans is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Zulu, also known as isiZulu, is a language of the Zulu people with about 9 million speakers, the vast majority (over 95%) of whom live in South Africa. ... Xhosa is a language of South Africa. ... Swati (also known as siSwati and Swazi) is a Bantu language spoken in Swaziland and South Africa. ... There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. ... Sesotho is a language spoken in southern Africa. ... Northern Sotho, or Sesotho sa Leboa, is one of the official languages of South Africa, and is spoken by 4,208,980 people (2001 Census Data), mostly in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga. ... Contents // Categories: Bantu languages | Languages of Mozambique | Languages of South Africa | Languages of Swaziland | Languages of Zimbabwe | Language stubs ... Tswana, also known as Setswana, is a Bantu language. ... Venda, also known as Tshivenda or Chivenda, is a Bantu language. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... The central area of Cape Town as seen from Table Mountain. ... Pretoria is one of South Africas three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) capital; it is situated in the province of Gauteng. ... Bloemfontein ( fountain of flowers), is one of South Africas three capital cities serving as the judicial capital (Pretoria being the executive capital and Cape Town the legislative capital). ... Johannesburgs skyline as seen from the observation deck of the Carlton Centre. ... The President of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africas Constitution. ... President Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born June 18, 1942) is the President of the Republic of South Africa. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... (Redirected from 1 E12 m2) To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas, here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... This is a page about Dominions of the British Empire/Commonwealth. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining, as the last day of May. ... 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining, as the last day of May. ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year - i. ... The old R1 and new R10 bank notes The Rand is the currency of South Africa. ... -1... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The National Anthem is the name of a song by the band Radiohead. ... Since 1997, The South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining verses from the national anthem under the apartheid government Die Stem van Suid-Afrika and the popular hymn of the African National Congress and other black organisations Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika. This makes it perhaps the only national... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of which Internet domain names consist of. ... .za is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for South Africa. ...

Languages

South Africa has 11 official languages (Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, Tswana, and Venda) second only to India in number. As a result, there are many official names for the country. It also recognises eight non-official languages: Fanagalo, Lobedu, Northern Ndebele, Phuthi, South African Sign Language, Khoe, Nama and San. These non-official languages may be used in certain official uses in limited areas where it has been determined that these languages are prevalent, but their populations are not as such that they require nationwide recognition. Afrikaans is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in South Africa and Namibia. ... The word English can mean: The people of England as an ethnic group. ... This article is about the African ethnic group. ... The Xhosa people live in South Africa. ... For other meanings of the term, see Swazi (disambiguation). ... There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. ... Sesotho is a language spoken in southern Africa. ... Northern Sotho, or Sesotho sa Leboa, is one of the official languages of South Africa, and is spoken by 4,208,980 people (2001 Census Data), mostly in the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga. ... Contents // Categories: Bantu languages | Languages of Mozambique | Languages of South Africa | Languages of Swaziland | Languages of Zimbabwe | Language stubs ... Tswana, also known as Setswana, is a Bantu language. ... Categories: Stub | South African Bantustans ... India has a diverse list of spoken languages among different groups of people. ... Fanagalo is a language developed in South African mines. ... There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. ... Kxoe is a Khoisan language of Namibia, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia. ... Nama is a Khoisan language spoken in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. ...

Many of the "unofficial languages" of the San and Khoikhoi people contain regional dialects stretching northward into Namibia and Botswana, and elsewhere. These people, who are a physically distinct population from other Africans, have their own cultural identity based on their hunter-gatherer societies. They have been marginalized to a great extent, and many of these languages risk becoming extinct. The Bushmen or San peoples of South Africa and neighbouring Botswana and Namibia, who live in the Kalahari, are part of the Khoisan group and are related to the Khoikhoi. ... The Khoikhoi (men of men) or Khoi are a division of the Khoisan ethnic group of south-western Africa, closely related to the Bushmen (San). ... An extinct language is a language which is no longer natively spoken: it is estimated that one natural human language dies every two weeks. ...

There are 11 official names for South Africa, one for each of the official national languages. While each language is technically equal to every other, English has emerged recently as the chief-among-peers as it is the most widely spoken language across racial barriers, even though it is not the most widely spoken language by population. The South African passport currently has only French and English on the front cover and lists the other official names of South Africa on an inner page. South Africa has eleven official languages, which is second only to India. ...

History

Main article: History of South Africa

South Africa is one of the oldest nations in Africa. Extensive fossil remains at the Sterkfontein, Kromdraai and Makapansgat caves suggest that various australopithecines existed in South Africa from about three million years ago. These were succeeded by various species of Homo, including Homo habilis, Homo erectus and modern man, Homo sapiens. Bantu iron-using agriculturists and herdsmen moved south of the Limpopo River into modern-day South Africa by the 4th or 5th century (the Bantu expansion). They slowly moved south and the earliest ironworks in modern-day KwaZulu-Natal Province are believed to date from around 1050. The furthest south they reached was the Fish River, in today's Eastern Cape Province. These Iron Age populations displaced earlier hunter-gatherer peoples as they migrated. Prehistory Extensive fossil remains at the Sterkfontein, Kromdraai and Makapansgat caves suggest that various ape-men (australopithecines) existed in South Africa from about three million years ago. ... Sterkfontein (Afrikaans for strong fountain) is a set of limestone caves of special interest to paleo-anthropologists located Northeast of Johannesburg, South Africa near the town of Krugersdorp. ... Kromdraai is a protected conservancy in western Gauteng, South Africa not far from Krugersdorp. ... Species A. afarensis (Lucy) Formerly Australopithecus, now Paranthropus Australopithecines (genus Australopithecus) are a group of extinct Hominids that are closely related to humans. ... Binomial name Homo habilis Leakey et al. ... Binomial name Homo erectus Dubois, 1894 Homo erectus (upright man) is a hominid species that is believed to be an ancestor of modern humans. ... Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... The Bantu refer to over 400 different ethnic groups in Africa, from Cameroon to South Africa, united by a common language family, the Bantu languages, and in many cases common customs. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metal Group, Period, Block 8 (VIIIB), 4 , d Density, Hardness 7874 kg/m3, 4. ... The Limpopo river arises in the interior of Africa, and flows generally eastwards towards the Indian ocean. ... (3rd century - 4th century - 5th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... ( 4th century - 5th century - 6th century - other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. ... The Bantu refer to over 400 different ethnic groups in Africa, from Cameroon to South Africa, united by a common language family, the Bantu languages, and in many cases common customs. ... KwaZulu-Natal (often referred to as KZN) is a province of South Africa. ... Events Leofric becomes Bishop of Exeter Births Margrave Leopold II of Austria (d. ... The Fish River (Visrivier in Afrikaans) is a river in Namibia. ... The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ...

The written history of South Africa began on April 6, 1652, when a victualing station was established at the Cape of Good Hope by Jan van Riebeeck on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. For most of the 17th and 18th centuries, the slowly expanding settlement was a Dutch possession. The Dutch settlers initiated a series of wars called Cape Frontier Wars against the Xhosa people, and imported slaves from Indonesia, Madagascar, and India. Descendants of these slaves, who often married with Dutch settlers, later became known as Cape Coloureds and "Cape Malays", constituting roughly 50 percent of the population in the Western Cape Province. April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... Events April 6 - Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp for the Dutch East India Company at the Cape of Good Hope, and founded Cape Town. ... The Cape of Good Hope headland seen from the north 1888 Map of the Cape of Good Hope Triangular Postage Stamp The Cape of Good Hope is a headland in South Africa, near Cape Town, traditionally — and incorrectly — regarded as marking the turning point between the Atlantic Ocean and the... Categories: Stub | History of the Netherlands | Dutch colonies ... This article is about the trading company. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). ... Cape Frontier Wars also called Kaffir wars or Kafir wars (1779-1879) was 100 years of intermittent warfare and nine different wars between the Cape colonists and the Xhosa agricultural and pastoral peoples of the Eastern Cape, in South Africa. ... The Xhosa people live in South Africa. ... The Republic of Indonesia is located in the Malay Archipelago, the worlds largest archipelago, between Indochina and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. ... Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa. ... The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of more than one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. ... The Cape Coloureds are modern-day descendants of slaves imported into South Africa by Dutch settlers. ... The Cape Malays are an ethnic group who can claim descent from slaves brought to South Africa from Indonesia starting from 1667. ... The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. ...

Painting of a fictional account of the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck.

Great Britain seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1797 during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War. The Dutch declared bankruptcy, and the British annexed the Cape Colony in 1805. A painting of the arrival of Jan van Riebeck in South Africa. ... A painting of the arrival of Jan van Riebeck in South Africa. ... Categories: Stub | History of the Netherlands | Dutch colonies ... The united Kingdom of Great Britain was created by the merger of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England in 1707 (see Act of Union 1707). ... The Cape of Good Hope headland seen from the north 1888 Map of the Cape of Good Hope Triangular Postage Stamp The Cape of Good Hope is a headland in South Africa, near Cape Town, traditionally — and incorrectly — regarded as marking the turning point between the Atlantic Ocean and the... 1797 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... At the end of the 18th century, unrest was growing in the Netherlands. ... Events January 11 - Michigan Territory is created. ...

The discovery of diamonds in 1867 and gold in 1886 encouraged economic growth and immigration, intensifying the subjugation of the natives. The Boers successfully resisted British encroachments during the First Boer War (1880–1881) basing their tactics much better on local conditions. For example, the Boers wore khaki clothing, which was the same colour as the earth, whereas the British wore bright red uniforms, making them easy targets for Boer sharpshooters. The British returned in greater numbers without their red jackets in the Second Boer War (1899–1902), which was largely opposed by the Liberal Party in the British Parliament. The Boers' attempt to ally themselves with German South West Africa provided the British with yet another excuse to take control of the Boer Republics. The Boers resisted fiercely, but the British eventually overwhelmed the Boer forces using their superior numbers and external supply chains. The Treaty of Vereeniging specified full British sovereignty over the South African republics, and the British government agreed to assume the £3,000,000 war debt owed by the Afrikaner governments. One of the main provisions of the treaty ending the war was that blacks would not be allowed to vote, except in the Cape Colony. A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets. ... 1867 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6, d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ... 1886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 _ Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... Afrikaners (sometimes known as Boers) are white South Africans, predominantly of Calvinist German, French Huguenot, Friesian and Walloons descent who speak Afrikaans. ... Boer guerrillas during the Second Boer War There were two Boer wars, one in December 16, 1880- March 23, 1881 and the second from October 11, 1899- May 31, 1902 both between the British and the settlers of Dutch origin (called Boere, Afrikaners or Voortrekkers) in South Africa that put... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Events January - April January 16-24 ? Siege of Geok Tepe ? Russian troops under general Skobeleff defeat Turkomans January 25 - Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company February 5 - Phoenix, Arizona is incorporated. ... Khaki, in British or European parlance, is a type of green tinged brown fabric, or the color of such fabric. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Events January-April January 28 - The Carnegie Institution is founded in Washington, DC with a $10 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. ... The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party to form a new party which would become known as... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... South-West Africa is the former name (1884-1990) of Namibia under German (as German South-West Africa, Deutsch Süd-West Afrika) and (from 1915) South African administration when it was conqured from the Germans during World War I. Following the war, the Treaty of Versailles declared the territory... The Treaty of Vereeniging was a treaty that the Boers signed May 31, 1902 to end the war with Britain. ... For details of notes and coins, see British coinage and British banknotes. ...

After four years of negotiations, the Union of South Africa was created from the colonies of Cape Colony, Natal Colony, and the republics of Orange Free State, and Transvaal on May 31, 1910, exactly eight years after the end of the Second Boer War. In 1934 the South African Party and National Parties merged to form the United Party, seeking reconciliation between Afrikaners and English-speaking whites, but split in 1939 over the Union's entry in World War II as an ally of the United Kingdom. The right-wing rump National Party sympathised with Nazi Germany during the war, and sought greater racial segregation, or apartheid after it. Union of South Africa is also the name of a LNER Class A4 locomotive, preserved on the Severn Valley Railway The Union of South Africa came into being on May 31, 1910 when the old Cape Colony and Natal Colony were combined with the defeated South African Republic and Orange... Map of European presence in 1652 The Cape Colony was a part of South Africa under British occupation during the 19th century. ... KwaZulu-Natal (often referred to as KZN) is a province of South Africa. ... Flag of the Orange Free State The Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje Vrystaat) was the historical precursor to the present day Free State province of the Republic of South Africa. ... Flag of Transvaal The Transvaal was one of the provinces of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining, as the last day of May. ... 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The National Party (sometimes called the Nationalists or Nats) was the governing party of South Africa from 1948 to 1994. ... The United Party was South Africas ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

A formerly common sign through South Africa. While apartheid has officially ended, there is still a wealth imbalance between white and black South Africans; however, there is an expanding black middle class.

After World War II, the whites were able to maintain their rule by implementing the policies that would become known collectively as apartheid, a series of harsh laws segregating the country along racial lines. Apartheid became increasingly controversial in the late 20th century, leading to widespread sanctions and divestment abroad and growing unrest and oppression by the National Party within South Africa. In 1990, after a long period of resistance, strikes, and unrest by various anti-apartheid movements, most notably the African National Congress (ANC), the National Party government took the first step towards negotiating itself out of power when it lifted the ban on the African National Congress and other left-wing political organisations, and released Nelson Mandela from prison after 27 years. Apartheid legislation was gradually removed from the statute books, and the first multi-racial elections were held in 1994. The ANC won by an overwhelming majority, and has been in power ever since. cropped from Image:Aprt-YStar. ... cropped from Image:Aprt-YStar. ... Apartheid ( International Phonetic Alphabet in English and in Afrikaans) is the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by White minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990; and by extension any legally sanctioned system of racial segregation. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... Apartheid ( International Phonetic Alphabet in English and in Afrikaans) is the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by White minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990; and by extension any legally sanctioned system of racial segregation. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Sanction is an interesting word, in that, depending on context, it can have diametrically opposing meanings. ... Divestment (divestiture) is a term in finance and economics. ... Strike has many meanings: A strike is a deliberate absence from work. ... The African National Congress (ANC), originally (until 1923) South African Native National Congress, has been South Africas governing party since the establishment of majority rule in May 1994. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, (born 18 July 1918) a former President of South Africa, was one of its chief anti-apartheid activists, and was also an anti-apartheid saboteur. ... 1994 General Election results, National Assembly African National Congress (ANC) 12,237,655 62. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

Despite the end of apartheid, millions of South Africans, mostly black, continue to live in poverty. A series of voluntary and legislative moves under the controversial Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) programme [1]  (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4006591.stm) have helped to redress decades of racial imbalance in the management and ownership of South African business and industry. Poverty is the state of being without, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of cirstance. ... The Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a program of redress launched by the South African government in order to fast-track upliftment of previously disadvantaged groups of the South African population. ...

Many non-black people have criticised the ANC for its policies concerning the racial imbalances in the South African workforce. Many feel that it is now harder for non-black people to get jobs, and this is creating a sort of reverse apartheid. Apartheid ( International Phonetic Alphabet in English and in Afrikaans) is the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by White minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990; and by extension any legally sanctioned system of racial segregation. ...

Government

The National Assembly building, located in Cape Town.

Main article: Government of South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tiered system of government and an independent judiciary, operating under a Westminster-style parliamentary system. Unlike many other Commonwealth nations, South Africa does not have the British monarch as head of state, which makes the nation a republic rather than a constitutional monarchy. The minimum age for voting in South Africa is 18, and unlike most other nations, permanent residents as well as citizens are allowed to vote. The National Assembly of South Africa. ... The National Assembly of South Africa. ... The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. ... The central area of Cape Town as seen from Table Mountain. ... The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating under a Westminster-styled parliamentary system. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... A government is an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws for a certain territory. ... The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ... The Westminster System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system of government and used in Westminster, the seat of government, hence its name. ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, most of which were once governed by the United Kingdom and are its former colonies. ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen-in-Parliament) legislative power. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... Permanent residency refers to a persons status such that the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within the country despite not having citizenship. ... Citizenship is membership in a political community (originally a city but now a state), and carries with it rights to political participation; a person having such membership is a citizen. ...

The government is federalist: the national, provincial, and local levels of government all have legislative and executive authority in their own spheres, and is defined in the South African constitution as "distinctive, interdependent, and interrelated"—a system of separation of powers. Federalism can refer to either: The form of government, or constitutional structure, found in a federation. ... Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ... Executive can mean: Executive (government), a branch of government; A functionary in a commercial or non-commercial organisation. ... The current Constitution of South Africa was adopted on 8 May 1996. ... Separation of powers is the idea that the powers of a sovereign government should be split between two or more strongly independent entities, preventing any one person or group from gaining too much power. ...

Operating at both national and provincial levels are advisory bodies drawn from South Africa's traditional leaders. It is a stated intention in the Constitution that the country be run on a system of cooperative governance.

There are three main branches which comprise the body of the government and performs all its tasks:

• Legislature: The National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces
• Executive: The President, who is both Head of State and Head of Government
• Judiciary: The Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and the High Court

All bodies and branches of the South African government are subject to the rule of the constitution, which is the supreme law in South Africa. The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. ... Categories: South African politics | South Africa stubs ... The President of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africas Constitution. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ... The South African Constitutional Court was established in 1994 by South Africas first democratic constitution: the Interim Constitution of 1993. ... The South African Supreme Court of Appeal is the South African court which has the final say on all matters, except those that involve the constitution. ... The High Court of South Africa is a court of law in South Africa. ...

Politics

The central area of Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.

Main article: Politics of South Africa

South Africa has a bicameral Parliament, comprising the National Council of Provinces (or upper house) with 90 members, and a National Assembly (or lower house) with 400 members. Members of the lower house are elected on a population basis from single-member constituencies, known formally as "divisions". Ten members are elected to represent each province in the National Council of Provinces, regardless of the population of the province. Elections for both chambers are held every five years. The government is formed in the lower house, and the leader of the majority party in the National Assembly is the President. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 165 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 165 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Pretoria is one of South Africas three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) capital; it is situated in the province of Gauteng. ... Constitution Following the 1994 elections, South Africa was governed under an interim constitution. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... Categories: South African politics | South Africa stubs ... The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, located in Cape Town, Western Cape Province. ... A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... The President of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africas Constitution. ...

Current South African politics is dominated by the ANC, who received 69.7 percent of the vote during the 2004 general election. The main challenger to the ANC's rule is the Democratic Alliance party, which received only 12.4 percent of the vote. The formerly dominant New National Party, who introduced apartheid through its predecessor, the National Party, has suffered increasing humiliation at election polls since 1994, and finally voted to disband on 9 April 2005. Legislative elections were held in South Africa on Wednesday, 14 April 2004. ... The Democratic Alliance (DA) is a liberal South African political party, and the official opposition to the ruling African National Congress. ... The New National Party is a South African conservative political party formed when the National Party pulled out of the Government of National Unity with the African National Congress, changing its name in the process. ... The National Party (sometimes called the Nationalists or Nats) was the governing party of South Africa from 1948 to 1994. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ...

Provinces

Map of South Africa with provinces and National Roads indicated.

Main article: Provinces of South Africa

When apartheid ended in 1994, the South African government had to integrate the formerly independent and semi-independent Bantustans into the political structure of South Africa. To this end, it abolished the four former provinces of South Africa (Cape Province, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal) and replaced them with nine fully integrated neutrally named provinces. The new provinces are much smaller than the former provinces, which theoretically is in order to give local governments more resources to distribute over smaller areas. The new provinces are: A map of South Africa including provinces and highway distinctions. ... A map of South Africa including provinces and highway distinctions. ... South Africa is divided into nine provinces. ... ... South Africa is divided into nine provinces. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Bantustan refers to any of the territories designated as tribal homelands for black South Africans during the Apartheid era. ... Under the Union of South Africa and after that under the Republic of South Africa, the old Cape Colony became the Cape of Good Hope Province (though it was commonly known as the Cape Province). ... Natal is a former British colony, and a South African province. ... Flag of the Orange Free State The Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje Vrystaat) was the historical precursor to the present day Free State province of the Republic of South Africa. ... Flag of Transvaal The Transvaal was one of the provinces of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. ...

• Eastern Cape (previously part of the Cape Province, as well as the Transkei and Ciskei bantustans)
• Free State (Orange Free State)
• Gauteng (Transvaal)
• KwaZulu-Natal (Natal)
• Mpumalanga (Transvaal)
• Limpopo (Transvaal and the Venda bantustan)
• Northern Cape (Cape Province)
• North West (Transvaal, Cape Province, and the Bophuthatswana bantustan)
• Western Cape (Cape Province)

The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. ... Under the Union of South Africa and after that under the Republic of South Africa, the old Cape Colony became the Cape of Good Hope Province (though it was commonly known as the Cape Province). ... Categories: Stub | South African Bantustans ... Categories: Stub | South African Bantustans ... Bantustan refers to any of the territories designated as tribal homelands for black South Africans during the Apartheid era. ... Free State is a province of South Africa, deriving from the old Orange Free State. ... Flag of the Orange Free State The Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje Vrystaat) was the historical precursor to the present day Free State province of the Republic of South Africa. ... Categories: South Africa stubs | Provinces of South Africa | Gauteng Province ... Flag of Transvaal The Transvaal was one of the provinces of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. ... KwaZulu-Natal (often referred to as KZN) is a province of South Africa. ... Natal is a former British colony, and a South African province. ... Mpumalanga, (name changed from Eastern Transvaal in 24 August 1995, is a province in South Africa. ... Categories: Provinces of South Africa | South Africa stubs | Limpopo Province ... Categories: Stub | South African Bantustans ... Northern Cape is a province of South Africa, created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. ... Categories: South Africa stubs | North West Province | Provinces of South Africa ... Flag of Bophuthatswana Bophuthatswana was a former Bantustan (homeland) in the north of South Africa. ... The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. ...

Geography

The Drakensberg Mountains

Cape Town, with Table Mountain in the background

Main article: Geography of South Africa

South Africa is located at the extreme south of Africa, with a long coastline that stretches more than 2,500 km and across two oceans (the Atlantic and the Indian). South Africa has a great variety of climate zones, from the extreme desert of the Kalahari near Namibia to lush subtropical climate along the border with Mozambique. It quickly rises over a mountainous escarpment towards the interior plateau known as the Highveld. Even though South Africa is classified as semi-arid, there is considerable variation in climate as well as topography. Photograph of the Drakensberg mountains. ... Photograph of the Drakensberg mountains. ... This article or section should include material from Drakensberg hiking The Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains in Afrikaans) mountains are the highest in South Africa, ranging up to 3,482 m (11,422 ft) in height. ... Picture looking over Cape Town. ... Picture looking over Cape Town. ... The central area of Cape Town as seen from Table Mountain. ... A table mountain is a volcano that formed underneath a large glacier, causing a mountain to form with very steep sides and a flat summit. ... Southern Africa seen from Aqua and Terra satellites. ... A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ... Ocean (Okeanos, a Greek god of sea and water; Greek ωκεανός) covers almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth. ... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The Indian Ocean is the third-largest body of water in the world, covering about 20% of the Earths water surface. ... A dune in the Egyptian desert Desert in California In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation. ... The Kalahari Desert is a large, arid to semi-arid sandy area in southern Africa that covers about 500,000 km². It covers 70% of Botswana, and parts of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. ... The Republic of Namibia is a country in southwestern Africa, on the Atlantic coast. ... The subtropics (also known as semitropics) are the geographic regions of the Earth immediately north and south, respectively, of the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn - i. ... Mozambique is also the name given to a style of music from the 1960s, an advanced rumba by Peyo el AfroCán Mozambique is a country in Southern Africa, bordering South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. ... Mount Cook, a mountain in New Zealand A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ... In geology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves an elevation differential, often involving high cliffs. ... For alternate uses of the term, see Plateau (disambiguation). ... The Highveld is a high plateau area of South Africa which includes the largest metropolitan area in the country, Johannesburg. ... The steppe of Western Kazakhstan in early spring In physical geography, steppe (from Slavic step) is a plain without trees (apart from those near rivers and lakes); it is similar to a prairie, although a prairie is generally reckoned as being dominated by tall grasses, while short grasses are said... Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... Topography, a term in geography, has come to refer to the lay of the land, or the physiogeographic characteristics of land in terms of elevation, slope, and orientation. ...

The interior of South Africa is a giant, mountainous, and sparsly populated scrubland Karoo plateau, which is drier towards the north-west along the Kalahari desert. In contrast, the eastern coastline is lush and well-watered which produces a climate similar to the tropics. The southern coast, a part of which is known as the Garden Route has a climate remarkably similar to that of the Mediterranean with wet winters and hot, dry summers. This area also produces much of South Africa's wine. This region is also particularly known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Scrubland is an uncultivated region covered with scrub vegetation. ... The Karoo is a semi-desert in the heart of South Africa. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... This article is about the beverage. ... The Cape of Good Hope headland seen from the north 1888 Map of the Cape of Good Hope Triangular Postage Stamp The Cape of Good Hope is a headland in South Africa, near Cape Town, traditionally — and incorrectly — regarded as marking the turning point between the Atlantic Ocean and the... A shipwreck is the remains of a ship after it has sunk or been beached as a result of a crisis at sea. ...

The Free State is particularly flat due to the fact that the eastern region of the Highveld does not extend as far north as the western region. North the Vaal River, the Highveld becomes better watered and does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. Johannesburg, in the centre of the Highveld, is at 1,740 m and receives an annual rainfall of 760 mm. Winters in this region are cold, although snow is rare. Flag of the Orange Free State The Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje Vrystaat) was the historical precursor to the present day Free State province of the Republic of South Africa. ... The Vaal River is the largest tributary of the Orange River in South Africa. ... Johannesburgs skyline as seen from the observation deck of the Carlton Centre. ... This page is about the form of precipitation. ...

To the north and east of Johannesburg, the altitude drops beyond the Highveld's escarpment, and turns into the Lowveld. The Lowveld has particularly high temperatures, and is also the location of traditional South African Bushveld. The high Drakensberg mountains, which form the eastern escarpment of the Highveld, offer limited skiing opportunities in winter. The coldest place in South Africa is Sutherland in the western Roggeveld Mountains, where midwinter temperatures can reach as low as –15 degrees Celsius. The deep interior has the hottest temperatures: A temperature of 51.7 °C was recorded in 1948 in the Northern Cape Kalahari near Upington. [2] (http://www.safrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/geography/geography.htm) The Bushveld is a geographic region of South Africa that encompasses most of Limpopo Province and part of the North West Province. ... This article or section should include material from Drakensberg hiking The Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains in Afrikaans) mountains are the highest in South Africa, ranging up to 3,482 m (11,422 ft) in height. ... A twin-tip shaped downhill ski. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed it in 1742. ... Northern Cape is a province of South Africa, created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. ... Upington is a town founded in 1871 located in the Northern Cape, South Africa, along the Orange River. ...

Flora and fauna

The fynbos, a floral kingdom unique to South Africa is found near Cape Town.

South Africa has more than 20,000 different plants, or about 10 percent of all the known species of plants on earth, making it particularly verdant. The Fynbos Biome, one of the six floral kingdoms, is located in a small region of the Western Cape and contains more than 9,000 of those species, making it among the most green places on earth. The majority of the plants are evergreen hard-leaf plants with fine, needle-like leaves, such as the sclerophyllous. Another particularly South African plant is the protea, which is a genus of blooming plants. There are 130 different species recorded in South Africa. The Fynbos. ... The Fynbos. ... Fynbos (Afrikaans for fine bush) is the natural vegetation occurring in a small belt of South Africa, mainly in the South-western Cape. ... A floristic province is a geographic area with a relatively uniform composition of plant species. ... The central area of Cape Town as seen from Table Mountain. ... Di