SOUTH AFRICA Did you know DID YOU KNOW

SOUTH AFRICA

Did you know? • DID YOU KNOW THAT. . . • South Africa is 5 times the size of Japan and three times the size of Texas. • South Africa's Population is 45 million. • South Africa has three capitals: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). However, Johannesburg is the most important economic, industrial and cultural center in South Africa. It is one of the most industrialized cities in the Third World along with Taipei (Taiwan), Mexico City (Mexico), and Seoul (South Korea). In 2006 Johannesburg had a population of 2. 6 million

• Of the population of South Africa 77% is black, 10% are white , 8%are mixed race, and 2, 5% are Indian or Asian • South Africa has 11 official languages, from A-Z: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. • Christianity is the most widely recognized religion in South Africa, 75% of the population following faith, and 21% has no religious affiliation and among the rest are Muslim, Hindu and Jewish.

7 World Heritage Sites u. Khahlamba / Drakensberg Park (2000) Preserved in the dramatic Drakensberg mountains are beautiful archaeological treasures on cave walls and rock shelters - hundreds of exquisite rock art paintings that tell the story of the San, an ancient hunter-gatherer society that lived there until more recent time. . .

• Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003) The fascinating remains of the ancient city state of Mapungubwe in the Limpopo Province show sophisticated metal working, the earliest known confirmation of social stratification, and also evidence of trade with Arabia and Asia. . .

Robben Island (1999) This famous little windswept island has captured hearts and minds around the globe in recent history. Most well known as the place where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, Robben Island is a symbol of the triumph of love over hate, forgiveness over revenge and of justice over oppression. It was here that Nelson Mandela formulated his notions of forgiveness. . .

Cape Floral Region (2004) The Cape Floral Region is one of the hottest spots for global plant diversity. More than 8 500 plant species thrive in this narrow coastal strip, the smallest and richest of the world’s six floral regions

i. Simangaliso / Greater St Lucia Wetland National Park (1999) The sub-tropical paradise of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park is a mind-blowing range of natural systems, varying from dune, swamp and coastal forests to rocky and sandy shores, coral reefs and submarine canyons, mangroves, savanna grassland, thickets, woodlands, and is the largest protected wetland in southern Africa, it is also a culturally fascinating area and - more importantly - has immense fun potential

Richtersveld Cultural & Botanical Landscape (2007) The sun baked, dramatic, mountainous landscape of the Richtersveld in the Northern Cape has become South Africa's newest World Heritage Site.

Vredefort Dome (2005) The Vredefort Dome is the site of the largest and most ancient visible meteorite impact, the scars of which are still discernable in the spectacular, rather rugged terrain. . .

Cradle of Humankind - Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs (1999, 2005) The Cradle of Humankind is a place of major significance for it was here that we first became human. Apparently it was here that we first stood upright on our own two, rather oddly shaped, feet, explored the uses to which we could put our usefully opposed thumbs, and experimented with more and more sophisticated grunts as we tried to make sense of our environment. . .

My South Africa I live in a town called Jeffreysbay, on the east coast of South Africa. I went to boarding school since I was 12 years old until I was 18. I grew up speaking Afrikaans, english and xhosa. My family on my mother’s side comes from France and Irland about 5 generations ago. My family on my father’s side comes from Germany and Holland about 5 generations ago.

Jeffreysbay