South Africa Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: Pretoria
Official language: English
Currency: Rand 1 ZAR = 0.06 EUR
Continent: South Africa
Travel to South Africa
In the republic on the African Cape, the seasons are opposite to those in Europe – so if you want to go on a beach holiday there, you should choose the months December or January. Dream destinations can be found primarily on the Indian Ocean…
Variety of possibilities
The tourism sector did not develop in this multicultural country until the end of the 20th century, but thanks to the diverse range of offers very quickly.
The area around the port city of Durban is particularly popular as a seaside resort. The climate in the South African spring and autumn, on the other hand, is ideal for hiking. The more adventurous go on safari in one of the numerous wildlife sanctuaries, for which it is best to choose the local winter time. The country is home to such a species-rich fauna that observing is guaranteed to be an unforgettable and exciting experience.
National parks
The most famous protected area is certainly the Kruger National Park. The reserve, founded in 1898, is home to more than 100 species of mammals and several hundred species of birds, as well as a wide variety of reptiles. Other nature parks are the Pilanesberg and Mokala National Park.
The big cities
Popular tourist destinations are the two best-known cities, namely Cape Town together with the Cape Peninsula, the so-called ” Cape of Good Hope “, and Johannesburg.
The ” Carlton Center ” is the tallest building in Africa at around 220 meters and offers a view of downtown Johannesburg and the surrounding area. The ” Cradle of Humankind ” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is only located Less than half an hour’s drive from town, the Sterkfontein Caves are world famous for the fossils of an early human ancestor, including an Australopithecus africanus, and no older full prehuman skeleton has been discovered to date.
The northwest
Many are also familiar with ” Sun City ” – an amusement and leisure complex in the north-west province of the country. The “Las Vegas” of South Africa offers casinos, shows, luxury hotels, golf courses and sports facilities. The “Lost City”, an artificially created “sunken city”, which is supposed to remind of past indigenous cultures, is experiencing a rush of visitors. There is also the “Palace of the Lost City” hotel – unofficially one of the best in the world.
The southern tip of the Cape
The wine country around Franschhoek, which is the most important wine-growing region in South Africa, is also worth a detour. One of the main tourist attractions in South Africa is the Garden Route, a region on the south coast that is known not least for the ostrich farms near Oudtshoorn and the lagoon landscape of Knysna. The coastal town of Jeffreys Bay has made a name for itself as a surfing paradise.
The Drakensberg
Another popular tourist destination is the Drakensberg. Its unmistakable landscape is characterized by numerous gorges, overhangs, caves and waterfalls. It’s not just the clear mountain air that attracts people here. The Blyde River Canyon in the northern part of the Drakensberg is even considered one of the great natural wonders of Africa. The gorge, which consists almost entirely of red sandstone, is 26 km long and 800 m deep.
Infrastructure expansion
According to Countryaah, South Africa is undoubtedly a sports nation. It is a big step for the country with almost 50 million residents that South Africa was chosen to be the first African country to host the soccer World Cup in June 2010. For this purpose, among other things, the railway network was expanded and the main airports enlarged.
Important facts
Capital: Pretoria
Official language: English
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
Rand (100 cents)
ISO 4217 code
ZAR / 710
Geography
Continent: Africa
Region: south
Geo coordinates: S -30 ° -33 ‘-34.1 “E 22 ° 56’ 15”
Highest mountain: Njesuthi (3,408 m)
Total area: 1,219,912 km²
Mainland: 1,219,912 km²
National border: 4,750 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Politics
Dependency: Great Britain until 1910
Formerly dependent states: Namibia until 1990 (mandate)
UN member since: 1945
Other political affiliation: Commonwealth
Form of government: Parliamentary republic
Economy
Export goods: Gold, diamonds, ores
BSP: $ 261,778,000,000
GDP: $ 273,498,000,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 581.6 billion
Economic growth: 5.2%
GDP share of agriculture: 2.9%
GDP share of industry: 30.9%
GDP share of services: 66.2%
Inflation rate: 3.6%
Unemployment: 26.9%
State budget revenue: $ 4294967295
State budget expenditure: $ 4294967295
National debt: 37.2%
Export: $ 56.44 billion
Import: $ 59.430 billion
Foreign debt: $ 32.730 billion
Gold and currency reserves: $ 26,704,000,000
Electricity consumption: 210,600 million KWh
Gas reserves: 28,000 million m³
Gas production: 2,430 million m³
Gas consumption: 2,430 million m³
Oil reserves: 8 million m³
Oil production: 254,000 million m³
Oil consumption: 502,000 million m³
Cultivation area: 12.9%
Bovine: 13,731,000 pieces
Fishing: 830,000 t
Demographic data
Residents: 44,187,700
Residents in cities: 26,045,000
Average age: 24.1 years
0-14 years: 29.7%
15-64 years: 65%
> 65 years: 5.3%
Population growth: -0.4%
Birth rate: 18.2 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 22 / 1,000 residents
Migration: -0.16 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.95
Fertility: 2.2 Children / woman
Infant mortality: 60.66 ‰
Life expectancy men: 43.25 years
Life expectancy women: 42.19 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: ZA
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: ZAF
ISO 3166 numeric: 710
Top Level Domain: za
IOC country code: RSA
UN / LOCODE: ZA
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 4,926,000
Cell Phones: 23,470,000
Radios: 21,900,000
TV: 10,470,000
Computer: 4,360,000
Internet users: 4,270,000
Transportation
Railway lines: 20,137 km
Paved roads: 75,159 km
of which expressways: 2,120 km
Cars: 4,386,000
Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 3
Pipelines: 3,353
Health
Number of doctors: 33,960
Daily food intake: 2.920 kcal / resident
HIV- infected people: 5,730,000
Education
Illiteracy: 12%
History
Foundation: 1910
Last sovereign since: 1910
Religion
Main religious group: Christians
Crime
Prison inmates: 188,500
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 53,000
Main battle tank: 160
Submarines: 2
Warplanes: 90
Defense Spending: $ 3,914,000,000