Large geographical objects in the country of South Africa. South Africa (South African Republic) description of the country, last minute tours and attractions
The official name is The Republic of South Africa.
Located in southern Africa. Area 1219.9 thousand km2. Population 43.7 million people. (2002, evaluation). Official languages - 11 languages. The capital is Pretoria (800 thousand people, 2001). Public holiday - Freedom Day on April 27 (since 1994). The monetary unit is the rand.
Member of 52 international organizations, including the UN (since 1946), AU (since 2000), SADC (since 1994).
Sights of the Republic of South Africa
Geography of South Africa
Located between 16°24′ and 31° east longitude and 22° and 34°42′ south latitude; in the south it is washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans. In the west, the cold Benguela Current approaches the shores, and in the east, the warm Mozambique Current. The coastline is unbroken, but there are very convenient bays. It borders Namibia in the northwest, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north, and Mozambique and Swaziland in the northeast. Inside South Africa there is an enclave - the kingdom of Lesotho.
Most of the territory is a hilly plateau, bordered in the east by the Drakensberg Mountains, up to 3000 m high, and in the south by the Cape Mountains, up to 2000 m high. The highest point is Mount Nyesuti (3408 m) in the Drakensberg Mountains. In the northwest, the plateau decreases and becomes the low-lying Kalahari Desert. The Drakensberg Mountains drop steeply to the Indian Ocean (Great Escarpment). Between
The coastal lowland extends between them and the ocean, which in the south passes into the Great Karoo depression, separating the Drakensberg Mountains from the Cape.
The main rivers of South Africa originate in the Drakensberg Mountains. The longest is the Orange River (length - 1860 km, and with the Vaal tributary 2200 km), flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. It is not navigable, its mouth sometimes dries up. The rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean are not very long, but deep. The largest of them are the Tugela, Great Fish, and tributaries of the Limpopo. The Limpopo itself flows along the border with Zimbabwe.
The soils are varied and mostly fertile: red-brown, black, gray-brown, sandy, alluvial, etc.
Vegetation north of 32° south latitude - different types of savannas (shrub, steppe, desert). Along the banks of the rivers, gallery tropical forests have been preserved. In the south of the country there are subtropical forests and evergreen shrubs, and in the northwest there is desert flora. Plant species are varied: baobabs, acacias, ironwood, aromatic wood, boxwood, etc. Eucalyptus and American pine predominate in artificial plantings.
Animal world. Large animals have been almost exterminated; the South African endemics - the black-maned lion and the quagga zebra - have disappeared from the face of the earth. Typically African fauna has been preserved only in nature reserves, the largest of which is the Kruger National Park. The world of insects (termites, tsetse flies) and birds (swallows from Russia winter here) is very diverse.
The subsoil is exceptionally rich in minerals. South Africa ranks 1st in the world in reserves (t, % of world reserves): manganese ore (12.2 billion, 82%), chromites (3.3 billion, 56%), platinum and platinum group metals (31 thousand, 69 %), gold (33.7 thousand, 40%), vanadium ore (14 million, 29%), aluminosilicates (37%), fluorite (47.5 million), corundum (104 million), asbestos (4.3 million), some rare earth elements, as well as 1st place in Africa in reserves of coal (115 billion tons), uranium oxide, iron ore (9.5 billion tons), titanium (40 million tons), antimony (297 thousand tons) ), lead (8.5 million tons), zinc (15.4 million tons), nickel (5.9 million tons), apatite (160 million tons). There are significant deposits of diamonds (125 million carats of jewelry diamonds), copper, tin, magnesite, silver, aluminum and other minerals. A natural gas field has been discovered on the shelf. South Africa has almost everything except oil.
The climate is subtropical and tropical only in the far north. Average temperatures in the summer months are + 18°-27°C, and in the winter months + 7°-15°C. Temperature contrasts are explained by differences in latitude, the influence of warm and cold ocean currents, and differences in altitude above sea level. Precipitation is unevenly distributed. In deserts, no more than 100 mm falls per year, and on the coastal strip of the Indian Ocean up to 2000 mm.
Population of South Africa
In 1984-2002 the population increased by 30%. Population growth rate in the 1980s amounted to 2.9%, but then began to gradually decline, and at the end. 1990s fell sharply; in 2002, experts estimated them from 0.02 to 1.04% due to the AIDS pandemic. Fertility rate 20.63%, mortality 18.86%, infant mortality 61.78 people. per 1000 newborns (2002).
Average life expectancy (2002) 45.43 years (women - 45.68, men - 45.19). Sex and age structure (2002): 0-14 years - 31.6% (6,943,761 men and 6,849,745 women), 15-64 years - 63.4% (respectively 13,377,011 and 14,300,850), 65 years and older - 5% (816,222 and 1,360,069). In 2002, 50% of the population lived in cities and towns. Literacy of the population is 85.5%. Retirement age 65 years.
South Africa is a multiracial state. The four main races are Africans (77%), whites (10.7%), Asians (2.6%), Khoikoin - Bushmen and Hottentots (several thousand). In addition, a special ethnic group is made up of mestizos - “colored” (8.8%). Africans are divided into many ethnic communities, the largest of which are: Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, Swazi, Ndebele, Pedi, Tsonga, Venda. The two main ethnic groups of Europeans are Afrikaners (descendants of settlers from Holland and France) and the English-speaking population. The main population of Asian origin is Indian, but there are also Malays and Chinese. The most common languages are English, Afrikaans (the language of the Afrikaners) and the languages of the above-mentioned African ethnic groups.
More than 80% of the population profess Christianity. Other religions are Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and traditional African religions.
History of the Republic of South Africa
Archeology provides evidence of settlement in southern Africa since Paleolithic times. In the beginning. 1st millennium AD throughout South Africa lived the peoples of the Khoiko race - the Bushmen and Hottentots. In the 1st millennium AD Bantu tribes invaded from the north. Waves of migration flows followed one after another, and by the 17th century. The ancestors of the current Suto and Nguni language families already lived in southern Africa. In 1652, the colonization of the country by Europeans began. The Dutch East India Company founded a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope, which eventually became Cape Town. Gradually expanding the borders of the colony, which became known as the Cape, the Dutch seized the lands of the Hottentots, creating slave farms. Already in the 18th century. The Dutch, who mixed with emigrants from other European countries, began to call themselves Boers, and in the 20th century. - Afrikaners. In the 1770s. The Boers annexed the lands of the Xhosa tribes (“Kaffir Wars”).
During the Napoleonic Wars, the Cape Colony passed into British hands. The British authorities continued colonial expansion. The threat of European invasion stimulated the unification of small tribes in the territories neighboring the Cape Colony. The most powerful of them was the Zulu state, created in 1816 by the leader Chaka.
In the 1830s. Relations between the authorities of the Cape Colony and the Boers became complicated. In 1834, a law was passed abolishing slavery, on which the Boer economy was based. They began to gather in armed groups and leave the colony, seizing the land of African tribes. The Zulu put up especially strong resistance, but in 1838 they were defeated, and the Boer Republic of Natal was founded on part of the Zulu territory. Great Britain feared the Boers would reach the Indian Ocean and annexed Natal in 1843. The Boers who settled north of the Cape Colony found themselves outside British power. In the 1850s they created two republics - the Orange Free State and the Transvaal Republic of South Africa. Having recognized the Boer states, Great Britain directed its efforts towards the conquest of African peoples. K con. 19th century the entire territory of present-day South Africa came under the rule of the British crown, and the Boer republics were surrounded on all sides by English possessions. Their independence was ended during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902.
In 1910, Great Britain united the Cape Colony and Natal with the former Boer republics into the Union of South Africa (SAA), which was granted dominion rights. Social life in the dominion was based on the principles of racism. Africans were deprived of political and social rights. In 1912 they created an organization that soon became known as the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC). He set as his goal the fight against racial discrimination and for equal rights for the indigenous population.
In World War I, South Africa took the side of Great Britain and, after its end, received a League of Nations mandate to govern German South-West Africa (Namibia). The period between the two world wars was characterized by legislation that increased social discrimination against non-white people.
In World War II, South Africa took part on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition. The changes that occurred in the world after the war did not affect the internal politics of the ruling circles of South Africa. In 1948, the National Party came to power, proclaiming racism as the official ideology of the state, which became known as apartheid. The ultimate goal of apartheid was the territorial division of the population of South Africa into racial groups, in which the white minority would receive 87% of the entire territory of the country, and only 13% to the Africans. Coloreds and Indians were given reservations within “white” South Africa. Putting the doctrine of apartheid into practice, the authorities methodically pursued policies aimed at increasing the oppression of the non-white population. A pass system was introduced to control the movement of Africans. The non-white population led an active struggle against apartheid, organizing strikes, demonstrations, civil disobedience campaigns, burning passes, etc. In 1955, the ANC and progressive organizations of the colored Indian and white population convened the Congress of Peoples, which adopted the Freedom Charter - a program for the struggle for a democratic South Africa.
The authorities brutally suppressed the protest movement. In 1950, the Communist Party was banned, and in 1960, the ANC and other organizations objectionable to the regime were banned. ANC leader Nelson Mandela and several of his associates were sentenced to life imprisonment. Deprived of the possibility of legal forms of resistance, the ANC and the revived Communist Party went underground, and in 1961 they began an armed struggle, creating the militant organization Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). In the same year, South Africa left the British Commonwealth and declared itself a Republic (South Africa). The tense situation in the country caused an uprising of Africans in Soweto, a suburb of Johannesburg, in June 1976, which spread to other cities. A state of emergency was declared, but unrest continued for almost a year.
After the events in Soweto, Western countries introduced the first serious sanctions against South Africa. Internal and external pressure caused a government crisis, and the government began cautious reforms - segregation in transport and sports was abolished, and the activities of African trade unions were legalized. At the same time, security forces gained greater power. A new Constitution was adopted, making South Africa a presidential republic and providing for a three-chamber parliament - for whites, coloreds and Indians. Africans, as before, were excluded from parliamentary elections. Demonstrations began, supported by strikes, against the new Constitution. The usual slogans became: “Down with apartheid!” and “Free Nelson Mandela!”
In March 1985, police shot at a peaceful demonstration. This caused a general strike, which grew into a new uprising of Africans, sweeping almost all the cities of South Africa. Despite the repression (about 25 thousand people were imprisoned), the government was unable to cope with the unrest until the end. 1986.
The crisis of the apartheid regime became obvious to many white South African citizens. In July 1987, the first meeting of the most prominent businessmen and liberal politicians of South Africa with representatives of the ANC took place in Dakar, at which the possibility of a political solution to South African problems was discussed. Despite government opposition, such contacts continued. In 1989, F. de Klerk became the President of South Africa, who entered into official negotiations with the ANC on the future state structure of South Africa, to which all political parties were later involved. In 1990, Mandela was released after a 27-year sentence, and in 1992 the ban on the activities of the ANC and other organizations was lifted.
On December 20, 1991, a multi-party constitutional conference opened. The search for a compromise ended with the signing in July 1993 of a draft interim Constitution for a five-year transition period, and the country was to be governed by a government of national unity, formed from representatives of the main parties that entered parliament. A permanent Constitution had to be drafted within five years.
The draft interim Constitution was approved by the South African Parliament. In April 1994, the first general elections were held, in which the ANC received 65% of the vote, the National Party - 20% and the Inkatha Freedom Party - 10%. At a parliamentary meeting, Mandela was elected president of South Africa, who formed the Government of National Unity (GNU) from representatives of the three main parties, but soon the National Party left the government. In 1997, the new Constitution of South Africa came into force, preserving the democratic principles of the interim Constitution.
The PNU developed a socio-economic program that included increasing the rate of economic growth and improving the situation of the poorest strata. It achieved stable economic growth of 2-3% per year (in the last years of apartheid, growth was almost zero), but some of the program's goals turned out to be unrealistic (massive construction of cheap housing, reducing unemployment).
Despite this, the ANC again won the 1999 parliamentary elections, receiving 266 seats out of 400. The new leader of the ANC, Thabo Mbeki, became the President of South Africa (Mandela refused to run for a second presidential term). He continues the course of the previous government, although reality forces him to make some adjustments. He expanded the social and political base of his government to include representatives of all racial and ethnic groups, as well as those political parties that had previously been rivals of the ANC. Particular attention is paid to the fight against poverty and reforms towards economic liberalization.
Government structure and political system of the Republic of South Africa
South Africa is a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of 1997 is in force. Administratively, South Africa is divided into 9 provinces (Eastern Cape, Central Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West). Major cities: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban.
The head of state is the president, elected by the National Assembly for a term of 5 years. The highest legislative body is parliament, which includes
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces. The National Assembly consists of 400 deputies elected according to the principle of proportional representation. Each provincial legislature appoints 6 deputies and nominates the National Assembly to elect 4 more deputies to the National Council of Provinces (NCP). Thus, the NSP includes 90 deputies (10 from each province). Parliament is elected for 5 years.
Provincial legislatures are elected by the people. The legislature elects the provincial prime minister, who forms the government.
The highest executive body is the government, headed by the president. The head of state and government is President T. Mbeki. Speaker of the National Assembly - T. Makwetla.
An outstanding statesman - Nelson Mandela, who devoted his life to the fight against racism in South Africa, the 1st president of democratic South Africa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Available approx. 20 parties, 13 represented in parliament. The most influential: African National Congress, Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party, New National Party, United Democratic Movement.
Leading business organizations: Johannesburg Stock Exchange, South African Business Chamber, Independent Development Trust, South African Foundation.
Public organizations: Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Newspaper Association of South Africa; media independent from the government.
Domestic policy is aimed at maintaining social and political stability. Particular attention is paid to the fight against crime, which has reached dangerous proportions. Recent statistics indicate a decrease in criminal tension in the country. Another problem for the government is growing corruption. Regarding some aspects of domestic policy (for example, privatization), tensions arose between the government and the ANC's main political allies - the Communist Party and trade unions. The most difficult problem for South Africa remains the elimination of the gap, fraught with social explosion, between the living standards of whites and Africans. The government has not yet achieved a significant change in the situation, although some shifts in this direction are evident, for example, the growth of the African “middle class”.
Foreign policy is aimed at developing friendly relations with all countries, but above all with neighboring states and Africa as a whole. Good relations have been established between South Africa and the Russian Federation, rooted in the long-standing ties of the USSR with the liberation movement. Mandela and Mbeki paid official visits to Moscow. South Africa has achieved improved relations with Western countries, primarily with the United States and Great Britain, although South Africa's friendly ties with countries such as Cuba and Libya cause some irritation among the US ruling circles. Thanks to Mandela, South Africa's international prestige increased. In recent years, Mandela and Mbeki have been elected chairmen of such organizations as the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and the African Union. South Africa has become the venue for major international conferences, including at the level of heads of state.
In Africa, South Africa supported the process of democratization and respect for human rights. In 1995, Mandela condemned the execution of nine oppositionists in Nigeria, and in 1998, South African troops entered Lesotho to restore constitutional order after a military coup. South Africa acted as a peacemaker in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. President Mbeki was one of the few African leaders to criticize, albeit in rather mild terms, the seizure of white farms in Zimbabwe; he voted to exclude Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth for a year, but opposed international sanctions.
The armed forces include the Army (42,500), Navy (5,200), Air Force (9,600), and Medical Service (5,300). In total, 63,400 people served in 2000. Defense spending (2001) - $1.79 billion (1.6% of GDP).
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Russian Federation were established in 1992.
Economy of South Africa
South Africa is the most developed country in Africa, but by world standards it is a middle-income country, with a GDP of $412 billion, i.e. $9,400 per capita (2001). GDP growth in 2001 was 2.8%, and in 2002 - 3%. Economically active population 17 million people. (2000, assessment). According to official data, unemployment is 26% (2001), and according to unofficial data - 37%. Inflation 5.8% (2001). Distribution of GDP by economic sector (2001): agriculture 3%, industry 31%, services 66%. GDP by employment: agriculture 8%, industry 13.3%, services 78.7%.
Manufacturing is the largest productive sector of the national economy (18% of GDP). In 2000-02, the cost of its products increased by an average of 3.7% per year. The largest industry is ferrous metallurgy. Five mills, the largest of which in Saldanha Bay cost $1.6 billion and have a capacity of 1.2 million tons of steel per year, began operating at full capacity in the beginning. 2003, owned by ISKOR Corporation. Currently it is completely privatized. Having left ISKOR, the state did not completely withdraw from the iron and steel industry, participating in new mixed enterprises. In 2000, it partnered with a Swiss firm to begin construction of a $1.5 billion rolling-plating plant in Saldanha Bay. South African steel is one of the cheapest in the world, but in 1999 South Africa introduced anti-dumping duties on rolled products from the Russian Federation.
Another important manufacturing industry associated with mining is the production of gold and platinum bullion in refineries. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by factories producing almost all non-ferrous metals - from copper, antimony, chromium to rare earth elements. If the production of some metals, such as copper, in the 1990s. decreased to 100.5 thousand tons due to oversaturation of the world market, the output of others, in particular aluminum, grew. Its current production is approx. 700 thousand tons at low cost (sales price - $750 per 1 ton). In con. 2002 an agreement was reached in principle to build, jointly with a French company, a large aluminum smelter worth $1.6 billion. South Africa ranks 1st in the world in the production of ferrochrome alloys (220 tons, 2000). Three manganese production enterprises are also of global importance.
Most of the metals are exported, but its consumption in the country is growing as a result of the creation of the metalworking, electrical, and automotive industries. Already more than 50% of the parts, incl. Motors at Japanese and German car assembly plants are made in South Africa. In 2000, 266 thousand cars and 130.6 thousand trucks rolled off assembly lines.
The collapse of apartheid gave impetus to the development of the oldest manufacturing industry - food and drink production, especially fruit juices, wine (187 hl, 2000) and beer. In 2002, SAB-Miller became the 2nd largest beer company in the world thanks to expansion into 11 countries in Africa, India, the USA and other countries, incl. in the Russian Federation, where her brand of beer “Golden Barrel” is known.
The textile, clothing, and footwear industries accounted for 7.9% of the total value of manufacturing products in 2002. The clothing industry provides 90% of the domestic market and, in addition, products are exported. However, the footwear industry is experiencing difficulties due to the smuggling of shoes from China and Southeast Asia, going through the countries that are members of the customs union with South Africa and through Mozambique.
The next most important was the chemical industry - a relatively new industry, if you do not count the production of explosives for mining. In terms of employment (135 thousand people), it has overtaken light industry. The range of products is very wide: fertilizers, petroleum products, acids, paints, artificial fibers, rubber products, plastics, etc. In South Africa, technology was invented and three plants were built to produce gasoline from coal.
Among other branches of the manufacturing industry, production should be noted (2000 million tons): cellulose - 1.37, paper and cardboard - 2.02, cement - 8.7, sugar - 1.15.
Mining remains an important industry, especially as a source of foreign exchange, although its share of GDP fell to 7.5% by 2002. Gold ranks first in terms of production value. In 1970, its production was a record - more than 1000 tons, but since the 1980s. began to steadily decline and in 2001 was below 500 tons (20% of world production and 50% of South African mineral exports). The main reason is the fall in world prices. In 1999, it dropped to $252.9 per ounce, while the cost of gold in South Africa was St. $300 As a result, most of the mines closed. The rise in prices after the Iraqi crisis stimulates an increase in gold production.
Favorable conditions on the world market contribute to an increase in the production of platinum and platinoids (220 tons in 2000), and other metals. In 2000, ore production was (by metal content, thousand tons): nickel - 38, zinc - 70, vanadium - 17, antimony - 6, cobalt - 0.3, lead concentrate - 81. Iron ore production - 33.1 million tons, copper ore (metal content) - 0.14, chrome ore - 7.1, manganese ore - 3.2, silver ore - 0.15, coal - 225, uranium - 1 million tons. Diamond mining - 10 million carats Many other minerals are also mined.
Agriculture is a successfully developing sector of the economy, but its share in GDP is constantly declining. 12.13% of the territory is suitable for arable land. There is much more area for pastures; the slopes of mountains and hills are used for vineyards and forest plantations. Due to frequent droughts, yield fluctuations are very significant, for example for corn from 2.9 to 13.6 million tons. There are two agricultural sectors: natural, in which most of the products are consumed by the producers themselves, and commercial. The main grain crop in both sectors is corn. In 2001, the grain harvest was (million tons): corn - 8; wheat - 2.3; sorghum - 0.2; barley - 0.1. Productivity is low by international standards. The corn harvest per hectare, for example, is 38% of the corresponding figure in the USA.
Along with grains, South Africa provides itself with all basic food products, and exports a significant amount of sugar (cane), vegetables, fruits and berries in a very wide range - from plums, apples and strawberries to bananas, avocados, mangoes, and citrus fruits. In 2001, the harvest of the most significant crops was (thousand tons): sugar cane - 22,000, potatoes - 1681, grapes - 1332, oranges - 1086, sunflower seeds - 677, peanuts - 204, tobacco - 30, apples - 561, tomatoes - 489, pineapples - 137, cotton - 32.
In livestock farming, indicators in recent years have been stable both in terms of livestock numbers and production volumes. The main export product is sheep and goat (mohair) wool. In 2001, the number of livestock (millions): cattle - 13.5, sheep - 28.8, goats - 6.8, pigs - 1.6, chickens - 62. In recent years, ostrich farming has been developing.
Fishing is a rapidly growing industry; fish catch reached 600 thousand tons in 2000. In addition, marine crustaceans and mollusks are caught and artificially bred. The volume of fish caught in inland waters is insignificant, but crocodiles are caught in rivers for the leather industry (26,926, 1999).
South Africa has a dense transport network. All railways and almost all roads belong to the state. The length of main railways is 20,384 km, and taking into account access roads to industrial facilities - 31,400 km (2000). 9900 km of roads are electrified. Over the past two decades, investments in the development of railway transport have been directed mainly to the expansion of railway terminals in ports - the construction of warehouses and access roads to them. In 1999, for the first time in 15 years, the government decided to build a new railway line. Annual traffic volume is approx. 2 billion passenger-km and approximately 110 billion tonne-km. The length of roads is more than 500 thousand km, of which 20.3% are paved (2001). Road transport accounts for 80% of all freight transport in the country. Number of cars - 1.5 million units.
There is no river navigation, but sea transport plays a vital role in foreign trade. The seven major ports - Durban, Cape Town, East London, Richards Bay, Port Elizabeth, Saldanha Bay and Mossel Bay - are equipped with the latest equipment, specialized in certain cargoes (containers, coal, ore) and are among the most profitable in world. Cargo turnover in 2002 amounted to 110 million tons. The merchant fleet includes 197 ships with a total displacement of 381.9 tons (2001).
Civil aviation services 546 cities in South Africa. There are 143 airports with paved runways. The main air services are carried out by the state-owned South African Airways (SAA), which is currently in the process of privatization. In addition to it, there are 3 more large ones (Comair, SA Express and SA Airlink) and 16 small local airlines. Air transport connects South Africa with countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, America and Australia. 7 million passengers and 2 billion tonne-kilometres of cargo are transported annually.
The country has three large pipelines: 931 km (crude oil), 1,748 km (petroleum products), 322 km (gas).
Communication lines are the most modern. Communication with the outside world is carried out via two submarine cables and three Intersalt satellites. Long-distance telephone conversations are provided by cable network and via satellites. The number of landline phones is more than 5 million, mobile phones - 7.06 million (2001). A telephone network expansion project has been developed and launched to include 12 million new telephones at a cost of R6 billion. There are more than 350 radio stations and more than 550 television stations in the country, 145 of which rebroadcast other television stations. The number of radios is 17 million (2001), televisions are 6 million (2000). Number of Internet users: 3.068 million (2002).
20 coal-fired power plants, one nuclear and several small hydropower plants are owned by the state-owned company ESKOM. Their total capacity is 39,154 MW. South Africa is the center of the unified energy system of southern Africa, from Zambia to Namibia; it supplies energy to neighboring countries and, in turn, receives it from Mozambique and Zambia. A project to transfer water from the mountains of Lesotho to South Africa worth $3.77 billion is being implemented, including a water pipeline with a throughput capacity of 77 m3 per second and a cascade of hydroelectric power stations. Construction will be completed in 2017, but the first phase of the project has already been completed.
Trade provides employment to a large part of the population. In 2001, out of 10.8 million jobs, trade and restaurants accounted for 2.4 million. In reality, at least 2 million more people are employed in trade. These are street vendors, they do not pay taxes and therefore are counted in statistics as unemployed.
Tourism is a rapidly growing industry. In 2000, the country was visited by 6 million tourists (this number does not include foreigners who came to work).
The government's economic and social policies are very closely linked. Efforts in the economy are aimed at achieving annual growth of 5%, at a minimum, which would allow part of the GDP growth to be directed to the fight against poverty. 50% of the population is below the poverty level (2000). These are mainly Africans, whose incomes in general are several times (and in rural areas an order of magnitude) lower than those of whites. Their hopes for a quick improvement in their situation after the overthrow of the power of white racists were not justified, and in order to avoid a social explosion, the government is forced to direct significant budget funds not to production, but to the social sphere, to combat the poverty of Africans. Programs are being implemented for electrification, water supply to African regions, and construction of houses for the poor. The social component of government policy is aimed at stabilizing the situation in the country, but at the same time it is a brake on economic growth. Eight years of democratic South Africa have shown that it cannot achieve 5% growth through domestic savings. Foreign investment is needed, but hopes for an influx after apartheid have not materialized. One of the aspects of the economic reforms carried out by the government is the creation of favorable conditions for foreign capital, however, South Africa will most likely not receive large private investments in the coming years, because external capital views it as a country with a high potential for socio-political destabilization due to the abyss between the living standards of whites and blacks. As for financing from other states and international organizations, South Africa has not received a single large loan from the World Bank. The IMF says it is ready to assist in the development of South Africa, but Pretoria refuses the proposed loans, considering the conditions for their provision unacceptable. Among the IMF's recommendations are privatization, termination of state aid to unprofitable enterprises, and reduction of government spending. The paradox is that, while rejecting the IMF conditions, the government follows them in its policy. Privatization is proceeding, albeit slowly, and the government's first development program has been replaced by a second, in which ambitious figures for helping the poor have disappeared, although the authorities have not abandoned the principles of their social policy. However, reforms towards economic liberalization, especially privatization, lead to the loss of jobs in the public sector and provoke resistance from trade unions and the Communist Party - the main political allies of the ruling ANC party. The government is forced to take this into account, especially since opponents of reforms reinforce their position with strikes. The achievement of domestic policy is, although slow, but stable economic growth and some improvement in social infrastructure in African regions.
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) issues the rand, determines its exchange rate, credit policy, setting the discount rate, issues licenses to private banks, and controls foreign trade operations. In recent years, some restrictions on the export of foreign currency have been lifted, and gold miners, who were obliged to hand over mined gold to the South African Republic, received the right to independently enter the foreign market. Commercial operations are carried out by private banks, incl. foreign. South Africa is united with Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland under a common currency agreement in the so-called. rand zone This means the need for coordinated action by the Central Banks of these countries, but in practice the overall financial policy is determined in Pretoria.
State budget (2002/03, billion US dollars): revenues 22.6, expenses (including capital budget) 24.7. Taxes provide 75% of budget revenues. To combat poverty, a “temporary” tax has been in place for several years on the income of individuals and legal entities if they exceed R50 thousand per year. At the same time, since 2000, the corporate income tax has been reduced from 40 to 35%, but the tax on dividends has been increased from 15 to 25%. A peculiarity of the state budget is that 46% of its expenses are transfers to the provinces for use for social needs. The second largest item of expenditure in the 2001/02 budget was servicing the public debt (20.2%). In the 2002/03 budget it decreased to 15.7%. In recent years, the budget deficit has been planned at 2.1% of GDP, but budget execution showed 1.4-1.5%. External public debt - 25.5 billion US dollars (2001).
The standard of living in South Africa is higher than in most African countries, but national income is distributed extremely unevenly. Since 1993, data on its distribution by racial group have not been published, but the income of most whites is still several times higher than that of the vast majority of Africans. In 2000, 50% of the population was below the poverty line. These are primarily rural residents and the unemployed in cities. The situation of other sections of urban residents has improved in recent years. Wages in the public and private sectors are indexed in accordance with inflation, and the cost of living index in 2000-02 did not exceed it, amounting to 5-6% per year. Minimum wages have been established for different industries. In the mining industry, it is $200 per month for surface workers. In addition, the miners' union achieved a 25% increase in wages for low-wage workers. Many trade unions and entrepreneurs have entered into agreements linking wage levels to increased enterprise productivity. The repeal of apartheid laws that excluded Africans from skilled work opened up the opportunity for them to engage in private business and thus improve their standard of living. Already, Africans have ousted whites from the taxi service and African millionaires have appeared in business. The Africanization policy not only changed the racial composition of the state apparatus, there were changes in the administration of large private companies. The improvement in the lives of the working population is evidenced by an increase in sales of durable goods and an increase in deposits in banks (in 2000-01 by 20% per year). Bank deposits exceed the amount of money in the hands of the population by 11 times. We can talk about the emergence of an African “middle class”.
The South African economy is highly dependent on foreign trade. In 2001, South Africa had a positive trade balance. Exports amounted to 32.3 billion US dollars, and imports - 28.1 billion. Main export items: gold, diamonds, platinum, other minerals, machinery and equipment, food and drinks. Main import items: vehicles, machinery, oil, chemicals, food. Main trading partners: EU, USA, Japan, Holland, Saudi Arabia. South Africa is a member of the Southern African Customs Union, which also includes Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. South Africa's balance of payments has been in recent years with a positive balance ($2.16 billion, 2001).
Science and culture of the Republic of South Africa
According to UNESCO, 18.2% of the adult population is illiterate. School education is compulsory for children aged 7 to 16 years. In 1996, 94% of all children (93% of boys and 95% of girls) attended primary schools, and 51% (46 and 57%) attended secondary schools. Scientific work is carried out at universities and research institutes. In 2000, the country had 22 universities and 15 technical universities (“technikons”). In 2002, a reform of the university system began, as a result of which some universities will be closed, but new ones will open. Scientific institutes conduct research in many fields: astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, social sciences. To some extent, research coordination is carried out by the South African Academy of Sciences and Arts, but administratively the institutes are independent from it. South Africa is the first country to perform a heart transplant.
From the end 19th century An extensive South African literature has been produced in English, Afrikaans and African languages. The names of such writers as O. Schreiner, B. Vilakazi, A. Jordan, P. Abrahams, Breitenbach and others are known all over the world. N. Gordiner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The architecture of South African cities is very diverse. Local architects brought originality to European styles - neo-Gothic, neoclassicism, creating “Cape” architecture. In con. 20th century In large cities, many administrative buildings have been erected with complex planning solutions in the style of the most avant-garde trends. The development of painting and music is characterized by the revival of the traditional African heritage and the combination of elements of African and European art. South African church choral singing has gained worldwide fame.
Square: 1.2 million km2
Population: 49 million people
Capital: Pretoria
Geographical position
The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is located in the extreme south of Africa, south of the Southern Tropic and is washed by two oceans. The cold Benguela Current in the west and the warm Cape Agulhas Current in the east determine the climate and nature of the country. The slightly indented coastline and desert areas of the western coast are not conducive to its intensive development. The southern coast has a more favorable geographical location for development. On the territory of South Africa there are two small independent states - Lesotho and. (Use the map to determine which countries South Africa borders with.)
Natural conditions and resources
South Africa has the most powerful economic potential in the world and is the only African country classified as a developed country. The Republic of South Africa was proclaimed in 1961.
Most of the country's territory lies above 1000 m above sea level. The geological structure of the territory determined the richness of South Africa in ore and the absence of deposits. The country's subsoil is extremely rich in manganese ores, chromites, platinum, diamonds, gold, coal, iron, etc.
The territory of South Africa is located in the subtropical and tropical zones. The climate is arid, but cooler than in the north of the mainland. Average annual temperatures are +20…+23 °C. The difference in temperatures between the hottest and coldest seasons is only about 10 °C. Annual rainfall ranges from 100 mm on the west coast to 2000 mm on the slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains.
The territory of South Africa is crossed by several large rivers: Orange, Tugela. The largest river in South Africa is the Orange, whose length is almost 2 thousand km. Its basin contains the most important industrial and agricultural areas of the country. Large hydraulic structures were built on the river, including reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations. The Drakensberg Mountains are crossed by the Tugela River, which is home to Africa's highest waterfall, the Tugela (933 m).
The soils are varied and mostly fertile: red-brown, black, gray-brown. A significant part of the territory in the center and in the east is occupied by savannas. Tropical forests have been preserved along the banks of the rivers. In the south, subtropical forests and evergreen shrubs are common. The country's flora numbers about 16 thousand species, dominated by savannah formations. In the most humid areas there are savannas with palm trees and baobabs, in the Karoo there is a deserted savannah (dry-loving trees, shrubs and succulents (aloe, spurge, etc.). In the Kalahari, the peculiar ones are of particular value - pens, in which moisture accumulates after rains and appears lush grass is good food for sheep.
In the Cape floristic region (region) there are more than 6 thousand plant species, most of which are endemic. The silver tree flower (protea) has become the national symbol of South Africa. Deserts and mountains, river valleys, and a significant length of ocean coast determine the diversity of the flora and fauna of South Africa. The most diverse fauna is in national parks, the most famous of which are Kruger and Kalahari-Gemsbok, in which all representatives of the fauna are concentrated, including endemics. About 200 species of snakes, more than 40 thousand species of insects are known in the country, and pockets of malaria mosquitoes and tsetse flies have been preserved.
South Africa is the richest country in Africa in terms of mineral resources. Climatic conditions make it possible to grow cultivated plants all year round.
Population
The ethnic composition of the South African population is very complex. About 80% of the country's citizens are black Africans who belong to various ethnic groups (Zulu, Xhosa, Suto, etc.). The population of European origin is less than 10%. The third largest group of the population of South Africa are mulattoes and mestizos. There is a significant population of Asian origin.
Population density 37 people/sq. km. The most densely populated areas are Cape Town and Durban. Over 35% of the population lives in cities. Since the late 90s. Natural population growth due to morbidity has sharply decreased and has been negative since 2005.
In terms of the employment structure of the population, South Africa is a post-industrial country (65% of the working population is employed in the service sector, more than 25% in industry).
The high level of economic development made it possible to resolve many social issues and ethnic relations. Previously, the majority of the local population was oppressed. The apartheid policy lasted 45 years in South Africa. She preached racial oppression of the colored population, the creation of reservations for blacks, the ban on mixed marriages, etc. In 1994, the apartheid political regime was overthrown as a result of general elections and the refusal of whites to renounce their monopoly on power. South Africa was restored to the world community.
Cities
The capital is the city of Pretoria (more than 800 thousand people). The urban population is 64%. South Africa is dominated by small towns with a population of up to 10 thousand people. In addition to Johannesburg (3.2 million people) and, the largest cities are port cities - Cape Town,.
Industry
The country's economy produces 2/3 of the continent's GDP. The country's economy is determined by its mining industry. About 52% of the country's exports come from mining products. The country ranks second in the world in diamond mining and third in uranium ore mining. Almost all types of minerals, excluding oil, are found in South Africa. Coal mining is developed - South Africa ranks third in the world in terms of coal use.
Closely related to the mining industry is the production of gold bars (25% of world production) and platinum. The main center of gold mining is Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, the “economic capital” of the country. Several dozen gold mines operate here, and an urban agglomeration has formed (about 5 million people). The country's industry of specialization is ferrous metallurgy. South African steel is the cheapest in the world. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by the production of most non-ferrous metals: from copper, antimony and chromium to rare earth metals.
The service sector is developing rapidly. The banking sector and trade have received the greatest development. The service sector accounts for up to 62% of GDP.
Agriculture
In agriculture, livestock breeding plays a leading role, primarily sheep breeding for wool. Sheep wool and leather form a significant part of exports. Cattle and goats are also raised. South Africa is the world's largest producer of mohair from the wool of Angora goats (South African mohair is considered the best in the world). They are also involved in breeding ostriches.
The development of agriculture is affected by droughts; 1/3 of all lands are susceptible. Cultivable lands make up about 12% of the territory. The main grain crops are corn, wheat, sorghum. South Africa provides itself with all basic food products, exports sugar, vegetables, fruits and berries, and citrus fruits. Many lands are infertile and require constant fertilization.
Transport
The main interregional mode of transport in South Africa is rail. Railways connect port cities with. The role of road transport is increasing, accounting for 80% of all transport in the country. The most important seaports are Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, etc.
South Africa is the only highly developed country in Africa. South Africa is known in the world as the leader in gold production - 25% of world production. The South African economy accounts for 2/3 of the continent's GDP.
south african republic population economy economy
Physiographic location
The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is located south of 22° S, in the tropical and subtropical latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. The territory of South Africa makes up 4.2% of the continent's area (1,223,410 sq. km). In the west the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, and in the south and east by the Indian Ocean. The coastline is 2798 km. The highest point of South Africa is Mount Njesuthi - 3408 m
This location of the country determines the presence of various natural landscapes. Its structure resembles a giant amphitheater. Its highest rows are formed in the east and south by the ledge of the Drakensberg and Cape Mountains. To the north, the surface descends in steps - a plateau to a vast arena - the Kalahari and the Limpopo River valley.
The relief of South Africa is characterized by a predominance of high-lying plain plateaus; about half of the territory has an altitude of 1000 to 1600 m, more? located above 600 m above sea level, only a narrow strip of coastal lowlands in the west, south and east has an altitude of up to 500 m. In general, the relief is determined by the internal elevated plateaus and coastal plains of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Almost all of South Africa is located within the southern margin of the African Platform, the foundation of which consists of folds of Precambrian rocks (metamorphic schists, gneisses, etc.) and clastic rocks, penetrated and metamorphosed by intrusions of so-called ancient granites. In the coastal regions of the country, foundation rocks often come to the surface; in the central regions they are covered by a thick layer of younger rocks.
North of the middle reaches of the river. Orange, within the southern edge of the vast trough of the African Platform, are the Kalahari plains (800-900 m), covered with a thick cloak of Cenozoic sands and sandstones.
Currently, almost everywhere the surface of the Kalahari is occupied by herbaceous vegetation and shrubs; the typical desert landscape can only be found in the driest southwestern part, along the borders with Namibia.
The West Coast provides a sharp contrast. To the north, beyond the Ulifants River, the Namib Desert begins. There are few bays and convenient bays on the coast; it is distinguished by a slightly indented, seemingly leveled coastline. The coast, composed mainly of slate shales and quartzites, has a rocky character, rising 7-20 m above sea level. Its stern, unapproachable appearance frightened European sailors for a long time.
The coastline in the southwest and south of South Africa to Cape Recife is more indented. A number of convenient natural bays and bays on the southern coast were appreciated by medieval sailors. These are Saldanha Bay (with a port of the same name), Dining Bay (with the port of Cape Town), False Bay (with the port of Simon's Town), Mosselbay and Algoa Bay. The narrow, rocky Cape Agulhas in front of Mosselbay Bay is the southernmost point of Africa. In the east, in the shallow Natal Bay, is located one of the mainland's largest ports - Durban. To the north of it stretches a low-lying accumulative coast. "All countries of the world" - encyclopedic reference book
South Africa is located on the continent of Africa, in its southern part. In the northeast it borders with Mozambique and Swaziland, in the north with Botswana and Zimbabwe, and in the northwest with Namibia. Lesotho is an enclave. The length of the sea borders is 3 thousand km (Atlantic and Indian oceans).
In a country with a complex racial and ethnic composition of the population, the policy of “separate development” of different racial groups (apartheid policy) continued for many years, which actually amounted to the oppression of people of a different skin color by the white minority. This led to destabilization of the internal political structure of the state. The situation changed after the adoption of the 1993 and 1996 constitutions and the first general elections, which were won by the African National Congress (ANC), which had long fought for the rights of the black majority.
Natural conditions and resources.
Most of the country is occupied by flat plateaus and the Cape Mountains. Low-lying areas run in a narrow strip along the coastal areas.
The country is rich in a variety of mineral resources. However, there are no oil and gas deposits in the country.
South Africa lies within the tropical and subtropical zones.
Inland waters are insufficient.
More than 1% of the territory is occupied by forests. The share of industrial forest plantations is significant.
Population – 45.3 million people. (2003). The population growth rate is 1.9%. (in 2015 – 2.5%: 49.3 million people). More than 3/4 of the population of South Africa is made up of the multinational composition of the indigenous inhabitants of Africa - Zulus (38.5%), Sotho (27.5%), Xhosa (11.6%) and others. 13.6% are descendants of immigrants from Europe, predominantly (57.5%) Afrikaners (Boers) and the British, who fought fiercely among themselves during the Anglo-Boer War at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries. Today they own about 80% of the national wealth. The rest are mulattoes and mestizos (which in South Africa are called colored, or clearings) (3.4 million), as well as numerous immigrants from Hindustan (about 1 million people). The remaining ethnic groups are relatively small. Religious composition: 68% of the population are Protestant Christians, 18% profess traditional cults, more than 2% are Muslims, Buddhists - 1.5%. There are 11 official languages, but the main ones are English and Afrikaans. The country has three capitals. Pretoria is the administrative capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Urbanization coefficient – 60%.
The population across the country is distributed extremely unevenly.
The territory of the South African Republic located in the extreme south of the continent in the 17th–18th centuries. developed by the Dutch, then by the British, from 1910 to 1961 it was called the Union of South Africa and was part of the British Commonwealth with dominion rights. Modern South Africa is a presidential unitary republic with elements of federalism (9 provinces).
The South African economy is a dual economy. Along with features typical of developed countries (a large share of the hired labor force, a relatively high share of the manufacturing industry in the economy, etc.), South Africa is characterized by many features inherent in developing countries: the economic and technical backwardness of agriculture in the African sector (unlike highly productive European), low standard of living of indigenous residents (50% of the population lives below the poverty line), large influence of foreign capital in the economy, dependence of the economy on the foreign market, etc. The rate of economic growth is 2.6%.
South Africa, as the most economically developed industrial-agrarian country in Africa, occupies a leading position in the economy of the entire continent. It accounts for 27% of GDP, 40% of industrial and 30% of agricultural products. It occupies first place in terms of the cost of mined mineral raw materials, electricity generation, and steel production. South Africa ranks first in the foreign world in reserves and production of gold, magnesium, chromium, manganese, vanadium ores, platinum group metals, and one of the leaders in the production of diamonds, uranium ores, asbestos, coal, iron ore, etc.
South Africa's commercial agricultural sector (5% of GDP) produces a large amount of export products (almost exclusively from European farms) - wool, fruit, sugar; However, in general, the country's food needs are not met by domestic production, and South Africa imports it.
In terms of industrial production, South Africa is one of the twenty leading countries in the world.
The basis for the development of the country's economy is the mining industry. It provides about 12% of GDP, at the same time 2/3 of the value of exports. Mineral raw materials are exported to more than 80 countries.
The most important mining region is the Witwatersrand (Rand) in the small province of Gauteng (part of the former historical Transvaal region), where gold (more than 20% of world production) and uranium are mined. Here is the largest city and industrial center of the country, Johannesburg. Not far from the official capital of South Africa, Pretoria, diamonds are mined (in the same province). They are also mined in some other areas (Kimberley). De Beers is the largest transnational concern that owns diamond mining in South Africa and controls the world diamond market.
South Africa's manufacturing industry accounts for about 19% of GDP - more. It employs 16% of the economically active population. The main industries are the chemical, food, engineering and metallurgical industries. In recent decades, the growth rates of these industries have been quite high. Light industry and electric power industry are developed. The country produces almost half of the region's electricity. The most powerful thermal power plants in the world were built in South Africa (85% run on coal). There is a nuclear power plant in Kuberg. High-tech industries also appeared - the military industry, the production of nuclear reactors, electronics - the “white elephants” of the South African industry.
The development of water resources of the Orange River is being carried out over several decades. It provides for the solution of energy, irrigation and water supply problems (which is very relevant for a country with developed industry and a large area of arid and semi-arid regions). Electricity in South Africa is used mainly in industry, while its consumption in the domestic sphere is small across the country. Suffice it to say that significantly more than half of the dwellings are not electrified, and this is one of the socio-economic paradoxes of South Africa. Electricity production is highly monopolized - more than 90% of it is in the hands of Eskom.
South Africa has highly commercial agriculture. The country provides itself with all basic food products. The country has both irrigated and (mainly) rain-fed agriculture. In European farms, the most important grain crop is corn, in African farms it is sorghum. In the southeast (in the provinces of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal) sugarcane is grown. Wheat, potatoes, peanuts, and fruits play an important role in agricultural production. Among African countries, South Africa ranks 1st in terms of marine fish production.
Livestock products account for about 40% of agricultural production. The industry is characterized by a high number of cattle, meat and dairy breeds, sheep and goats, and pigs.
The country's transport network is one of the most developed and extensive in the region. All traditional modes of transport are represented. The share (50%) of electrified roads is high. In wind farms, the leading place belongs to sea and air transport. Cape Town and Durban have both major seaports and airports.
Wind farm. The country pursues a protectionist policy aimed at protecting its producers. The volume of exports in 2003 amounted to 36.5 billion dollars, and imports - 38.1 billion dollars. The main export items are gold, diamonds, chrome, platinum, machinery and equipment. Imports include machinery and equipment, petroleum products, chemicals, and food. South Africa's main trading partners are the G7 countries. The country trades with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
The country attracts foreign capital. The country has great potential for tourism development.
Western Cape Province. Cave drawingsSouth Africa is known as one of the most cultural countries in Africa, but this area of local life is divided into colorful halves. Even the earliest South Africans had artistic talents, as evidenced by the rock paintings on cave walls. The white minority has achieved great success in literature, theater and cinema. Writers Nadine Gordimer are famous in the world (Nobel laureate 1991), Alan Payton and John Coetzee (Nobel Prize 2003 and two more Booker Prizes), playwright Etol Fugard, film directors Jamie Uys, Neill Blomkamp and Gavin Huth, not to mention film star Charlize Theron. The luminary of adventure prose, Wilbur Smith, is no less closely associated with South Africa, although he is not one of its natives. Black citizens are strong in music: they have had their say in various genres, from spirituals to hip-hop, and have won prestigious awards many times.
The names of microsurgeon Christian Barnard, the author of the first human heart transplant, and a whole galaxy of paleoanthropologists are inscribed in the history of science.
For more than 100 years, South Africans have been successfully competing in world-class sporting events. They have achieved the greatest success so far in athletics, swimming and rugby. The country hosts Formula 1 racing and hosted the world football championship in 2010.
Kitchen
Each of the local peoples took part in setting the national table. The natives offer exotic foods like fried grasshoppers or penguin legs, as well as nutritious dishes made from corn and millet. English cuisine is represented by steaks, which in South Africa are prepared not only from beef: ostrich and crocodile are common meats here. Fugitive Huguenots back in the 17th century. brought the traditions of French cuisine to South Africa, and the country's port cities smell of Asian spices. Once upon a time, the Dutch brought slaves here from Indonesia, then Indian and Chinese coolies appeared on the Cape. Asians could not live without rice, curry and various sizes of noodles - now all this can be found in restaurants in Cape Town and Durban. The Boer kitchen preserves the memory of the Great Trek. Constant movements in hot climates required supplies that could not be stored for a long time. This is how biltong was invented (Biltong)- dried meat flavored with spices. Nowadays it is considered the same symbol of South Africa as Table Mountain or Kruger Park. Having settled on a farm, the Boer appreciated fresh food, but preferred to cook outdoors. That's why South Africa is so famous for its barbecue - called braavleys here. (Braaivleis, or Braai). In addition to tenderloin, boerwars is grilled over coals. (Boerwors), something like our “hunting sausages”. The third of the whales on which the Boer kitchen stands is called potjekos (Potjekos)- this thick brew of meat, potatoes and vegetables is cooked in a pot directly on hot coals or on a three-legged stand over the fire.
Society
20 years have passed since the end of apartheid, but the country is still divided along racial lines, and many whites have chosen to move abroad altogether. Although N. Mandela, an icon of resistance and a prisoner with 25 years of experience, was a supporter of national reconciliation, his presidency in South Africa became an analogue of our “dashing 90s.” The degree of social tension increases the presence in the country of poor migrants from neighboring countries, who took advantage of the weakening of the border regime under the same Mandela. "Natural apartheid" is most noticeable in cities. Moreover, if Cape Town, as a port city, has been cosmopolitan from time immemorial, then Johannesburg is clearly divided into the “white” north and the “black” south. The danger of getting involved with crime in South Africa is greatly exaggerated, but, alas, it exists. Don't walk around alone in the evening. If you are modestly dressed, not hung with gold and not waving an iPad, then your chances of survival increase dramatically.
South Africa is a multinational country: there are only 11 official languages here! South Africans and their guests are helped by the fact that all residents of the country (except for the very primitive ones) speak English.
South African National Park Service
The first nature reserve was created in the Boer Republic of South Africa in 1898. The decree was signed by President Paul Kruger, whose name is now the oldest and largest national park in South Africa. The legal status of protected areas was finalized in 1926, and at the same time an agency responsible for the protection and use of national parks appeared in the country. Now run by the South African National Parks Service (South African National Parks, SANParks, +27-012-4265000; www.sanparks.org) There are 20 parks with a total area of more than 3 million hectares - from the southernmost African Cape Agulhas to Mapungubwe on the border with Zimbabwe. The continent's oldest conservation organization is headquartered in Pretoria, with branches throughout the country. In some provinces of South Africa, nature reserves are looked after by their own services. Thus, the Shlushluwe-Umfolozi and Isimangaliso parks are the domain of the KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Service (KwaZulu Natal Nature Conservation Service, + 27-033-845-1000/1002; www.kznwildlife.com), and in the Western Cape is managed by Cape Nature.
North of South Africa
The best natural areas of the north-east of South Africa are located within the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. Transport in this part of the country is well established and caters to travelers from Johannesburg or Pretoria. Nelspruit is a good base for the Kruger Park, while Xlushluwe-Umfolozi and Isimangaliso are more easily accessible from Durban. Northern section of the Drakensberg ridge (Dragon Mountains) It is equally accessible from both Joburg and Durban, while the center of the massif is closer to Durban.
The abbreviation "r" is used to denote the South African currency - the rand. - do not confuse with rubles.
Long and narrow (360 by 65 km) Kruger Park occupies the northeastern corner of South Africa on the border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The large town of Nelspruit is located 50 km from the southwestern corner of the park. (Nelspruit), connected to Joburg by Highway 4. This highway runs along the entire southern border of the park and ends at the Ressano Garcia border crossing (Ressano Garcia). In 2009 Nelspruit was renamed Mbombela (Mbombela), but this name doesn’t stick well. Outside Joburg's Park Station (from King George St.) you can easily find a bus going to Nelspruit. Flights are operated by major carriers (Intercape - 2 flights per day from 240 rub.; Greyhound - 3 flights per day, all morning, 260 rub.; Citiliner - from 185 rub.), and local companies - for example, CityBug (www.citybug.co.za; departure from Melville, 16.00, 360 rub.). The journey takes about 6 hours, so morning flights are preferable. You can also get to Kruger by train: Shosholoza Meyl departs from Joburg three times a week (Mon. Wed., Fri; 18.10, seated only), goes through Pretoria and arrives in Nelspruit at 4 am the next day (70 rub.). The final destination is the town of Komatipport (Komatipoort, 150 rub., arrives 6.38) on the southern border of Kruger. It is located very close to the Crocodile Bridge park gates (Crocodile Bridge Gate) and two campsites. North of Nelspruit there is Kruger Mpumalanga Airport (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, MQP), where flights fly from Joburg and other major cities in South Africa. South African Airways flies 4 times a day, tickets from RUR 1,279.
Nelspruit has many hotels and travel agencies offering daily trips to Kruger. It will be even more convenient to spend the night in Hazyview (Hazyview) 50 km to the north: in this town there are no less opportunities to organize a safari, and the two closest park gates are Pabeni and Numbi (Phabeni Gate, Numbi Gate) only 12-15 km. Kruger Main Gate (Kruger Gate) located 47 km east of Hazyview. It will also serve as a base for your trip to the border of the High Veldt (Drakensberg Escarpment). Minibuses to Hazyview depart from the bus station, which in Nelspruit is located between the railway station and the Nelspruit Plaza shopping center (corner of Henshall St. and Andrew St.; 1 hour journey, about 20 p.m.).
South African Airways flies daily from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport to Durban (1-2 flights per day, 1 hour 15 minutes on the way, from 1895 rub.). There are no direct big bus services between Nelspruit and Durban, but CityBug has a shuttle twice a week (www.citybug.co.za; Sonpark BP, Thu and Sun, departure 7.00, arrival 16.00, 560 RUR). There are many buses leaving from Joburg to Durban every day (approx. 5 hours on the way, 400 rub.), and Shosholoza Meyl has three weekly trains on this route (Mon, Tue and Thu, 18.00, 20 hours on the way, from 130 rub.). From 6.00 until midnight from the airport. Various airlines fly from O. Tambo to Durban (total about 30 flights, 1 hour 10 minutes on the way, from 630 rubles). Huge Durban is about 200 km from the Drakensberg Mountains (west of it) and 270 km from Isimangaliso/Xlushluwe-Umfolozi (to the northeast). To visit these places it is better to use intermediate bases - in the first case it will be Winterton (Winterton, 195 km), in the second - Mtubatuba (Mtubatuba, 250 km). Xlushluwe-Umfolozi can also be reached from Ulundi (Ulundi, 240 km from Durban) where is the airport (Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport, ULD, flies Federal Air from Pietermaritzburg, +27-011-3959000; www.fedair.com, Mon-Fri, 2 flights, 1200 RUR). Ulundi is 36 km west of the nearest gate of the Umfolozi Game Reserve (Cengeni Gate). At Baz Bus (www.bazbus.com) there is a route Pretoria/Joburg - Durban - Joburg/Pretoria with stops in Pietermaritzburg (Pietermaritzburg, southern Drakensberg), Winterton (Drakensberg center) and Bergville (north of the array). Base buses depart at 7.30am on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, picking up passengers from budget hotels in Pretoria and Johannesburg. At 9.15 the car leaves for the southeast and reaches the Drakensberg Mountains by noon. The trip ends in Durban around 19.00 and costs RUR 290. Return buses depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays (also at 7.30). You can get off at any point on the route - the price does not change.
East South Africa
The eastern edge of South Africa, from the Elephant Coast in the north to the Sunshine Coast in the south, is a chain of wide white beaches interrupted by rivers and forests approaching the ocean. Highways stretch along the sea, to which the centers of civilization are attached - Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth (this does not include small settlements). Durban is as good a starting point for a route as Cape Town is a finishing point. Just remember that there are many people who want to relax on the coast, and the peak season is in the second half of December and the first half of January. It is warmest from October to April, while in our summer the southern winter reigns on the South African coast: the water temperature on the South Coast drops below +19°C, and south of East London it becomes even colder. Rains, alas, are possible at any time of the year.
Cape Town and surroundings
The inhabited land ends here, but such a “end of the world” cannot be called sad: blue sea, bright sun, and below it a beautiful city surrounded by harsh, but no less beautiful mountains.
In South Africa, Cape Town is respectfully called "Mother" (Mother City). The country's oldest city was founded in 1652 by Jan van Riebeeck, the first governor of the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope. At first the town was called Kapstadt and little by little it grew into suburbs. Every Cape Dutch man wanted to have land, but it was hard to work on it himself. Therefore, for the first 150 years of its history, Kapstadt grew at the expense of Asian and African slaves, whose blood mixed with the blood of the owners and European sailors who dropped anchor in Table Bay. When did Kapstadt become Cape Town? (this happened in 1806), the British abolished slavery, after which the fusion of races proceeded even faster. By the end of the 19th century. A special type of resident of the Cape Colony was formed - a southern, hot and dark man. The British, who came to their senses, began to resettle the townspeople according to the color of their skin, justifying these measures as sanitary necessity - in fact, this is how apartheid was invented. Even now the city is considered the capital of the country's white minority, but Cape Townians don't seem to bother with that. The South African Parliament meets in Cape Town, culture flourishes, and the main event of recent years has been the FIFA World Cup games in 2010.
The change of seasons on the Cape is the same as elsewhere in South Africa - from May to August it is cool, from September to April it is warm, and in our winter months it is simply hot. The difference between the coast is that the ocean prevents the air from cooling down and heating up too much. Spring is very pleasant - the threshold of the local winter (no more than +23 °С and no lower than -15 °С).
Cape Town is considered more prosperous and safe than all other cities in South Africa; however, it is not recommended to open your mouth on the streets here, especially in the evenings.
The tourist information center is located a couple of blocks from the train station. (Cape Town Tourist Information Centre, Pinnacle Building, corner of Burg St. and Castle St., 0 +27-021-4876800; 8.00-18.00, Sat to 14.00, closes 1 hour earlier in Apr.-Sept.).
Visa
To visit South Africa, Russians need a visa, which, alas, cannot be obtained upon crossing the border. The South African Embassy is located in Moscow (Granatny lane, 1, building 9, 495-9261177; www.saembassy.ru, Mon-Fri 9.00-12.00) and for a single-entry tourist visa requires the following:
- Application form filled out in English with a black ballpoint pen.
- Two color passport size photographs (3.4 x 4.5 cm) on matte paper.
- A foreign passport that expires no less than 30 days after the end of your planned visit. At least 2 pages of the passport must be free of marks.
- Copies of completed pages of the civil passport.
- An invitation from a South African travel agency with a detailed description of the route or confirmation of hotel payment for the entire duration of the trip.
- A certificate from work indicating the position, salary and confirmation of leave for the duration of the trip.
- Confirmation of solvency: certificate from the bank detailing account transactions (map) over the last 3 months.
- Paid air ticket (There and back again).
- Payment of consular fee in the amount of 1800 rubles.
If you plan to enter South Africa from other African countries, you will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
The processing time for a South African visa is 5 working days and is issued for the duration of the trip.
No special vaccinations are required, but you must be vaccinated against yellow fever if you enter South Africa after visiting one of the hotbeds of the disease. These include Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. South Africa's closest neighbors are Angola and Zambia. Even if you just went to see Victoria Falls from the Zambian coast, but received a mark in your passport, South Africans will require a certificate.
Transport
South Africa is the only African country where transport reaches the best world standards. Main local airports:
- International Airport Olivera Tambo (OR Tambo International Airport, JNB, inquiries +27-011-9216262, +27-086-7277888, www.acsa.co.za) in Johannesburg.
- Cape Town International Airport Cape Town International Airport, CPT, inquiries +27-086-7277888; www.airports.co.za) in the far south of the country.
- King Shaka International Airport King Shaka International Airport, DUR, inquiries +27-032-4366585, +27-0867277888; www.kingshakainternational.co.za). Also known as La Mercy Airport. Opened in 2010, located 35 km north of Durban, and named after the Zulu king Shaka (Chucky). Serves domestic routes, as well as flights to Mozambique, Zambia and the island. Mauritius. Major international airlines fly to Durban with Emirates (from Dubai).
- There are a great variety of local airports, airfields and landing sites in the country. Of the local fliers, South African Airways is the most famous (+27-011-9785313 from 6.00 to 22.00 South African time; www.flysaa.com). This is a national airline with a solid fleet and worldwide flight geography. Getting from Cape Town to Joburg costs from RUR 1,667. with all fees. This is the highest price, so it makes sense to turn to low-cost airlines;
- Kulula.com (+27-0861585-852; www.kulula.com). The first airline of its kind in South Africa, established in 2001. Connects Johannesburg (OR Tambo and Lanseria), Cape Town, Durban, George (George) and Port Elizabeth. A flight from Joburg to Cape Town costs from RUR 722.
- Mango (+27-01 1-0866100; www.flymango.com). A subsidiary of SA Airways, flies between Joburg (OR Tambo and Lanseria), Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Durban. A flight from Joburg to Cape Town costs from RUR 997.
The first rails in African history were laid in 1860 in the Cape Colony. The main line of South African railways connects Cape Town and Johannesburg, secondary lines run from Joburg to Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Komatipoort (Komatipoort) and Musina (Musina). The choice of trains is small, but sufficient, for example:
- Shosholoza Meyl and Premier Classe (as well as Metroraif trains) owned by the state-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Trains Shosholoza Meyl (+27-011-7744555, +27-0860008888, www.shosholozameyl.co.za) convenient, safe and popular. Tariffs change throughout the year: cheaper in summer, more expensive in winter. The amount and schedule must be specified upon purchase. Train classes vary - Tourist ("tourist") allows you to sleep in a compartment, a Economy ("economic") equipped with seating only. Children are transported for half the price of an adult ticket (in tourist discounts are given for children under 10 years old, in economic ones - under 5 years old). Smoking is prohibited on trains, luggage is limited to 50 kg. Premier Class trains (in Joburg +27-011-773878, in Cape Town +27-021-4492252; www.premierclasse.co.za) more comfortable and expensive.
A separate South African theme is luxury “hotels on wheels”:
South Africa has a network of commuter rail lines served by cheap Metrorail trains. (www.metrorail.co.za). The web of rails covers Cape Town and Johannesburg, and to a lesser extent Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London. Metrorail is also divided into classes: there are “superior” trains (Metro Plus) and "business express" (morning and evening). Conditions on trains vary from city to city - in Cape Town and other southern cities they are relatively safe, but in Durban and especially Joburg they are notorious. The authorities are working on this problem, but in the meantime you can use the new Gautrain in Joburg.
The most tedious way to travel around South Africa is by bus, but the quality of the roads makes it easier for passengers. Leaders are considered:
The listed companies operate regular flights between cities in South Africa. Unlike them, Baz Bus (+27-021-4392323, wwww.bazbus.com) specializes in serving budget tourists. In-out ticket (Hop-on Hop-off) gives the right to travel in one direction or another with any number of stops. At the same time, you are dropped off and picked up at the door of a temporary home - among Baz's partners there are 180 cheap hotels in 40 cities of South Africa. “In and out” from Cape Town to Pretoria costs 2,900 rubles. (one way, return 4400 RUR). In addition, you can buy a travel pass (Travel pass) for 7, 14 and 21 days - costs 1200, 2100 and 2600 rubles, respectively.
Currency
The national currency of South Africa is called the rand. (Rand, ZAR)- just not “rand”, since the word is not English. The name comes from the Witwatersrand Mountains: from gold mined in their depths in the 19th century. The first coins of the Boer republics were minted. The modern rand was put into circulation in 1961, and you'll probably get your hands on some coins issued since 2005 - they feature the Big Five animals (10 rubles - rhinoceros, 20 rubles - elephant, 50 rubles - lion, 100 rubles - buffalo, 200 rubles - leopard).
There are also coins in circulation for 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, as well as 1, 2 and 5 rand. Due to inflation, 1 and 2 cent coins have already disappeared, and the 5-cent coin is next. There are 5-rand coins featuring Nelson Mandela, issued to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the first free elections. In South Africa, this is the first time a statesman has appeared on money since 1994. In 2012, Mandela’s face also appeared on “pieces of paper” (the animals remained on the reverse of the banknotes).
South Africa is one of the few countries in the world that continues to mint gold coins. They are called Krugerrands (Krugerrand) and are available in 4 denominations of different weights. The most common is 1 troy ounce (33.93 g), there are also 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 oz. The obverse of the coins depicts the Boer President P. Kruger, after whom they are named. Krugerrands are more of an expensive souvenir and a way to invest money than the money itself. You can buy coins in special SCOINShop stores (South African Gold Coin Exchange; +27-0861724653; www.sagoldcoin.co.za), the cost is set in US dollars and depends on world prices for the “yellow metal”.
Regular rands are officially accepted in Swaziland and Lesotho (they form a single currency area with South Africa), and behind the scenes - in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Connection
Mobile communications are excellently developed. The main cellular service providers in South Africa are Vodacom (www.vodacom.co.za), MTN (www.mtn.co.za) and Cell C (www.cell.co.za), using the GSM-900/1800 standard. Tariffs for international calls are approximately the same for everyone; they do not charge money for incoming calls. If you call infrequently, then 100 rubles. the account may well be enough for 10 days. International text messages cost from 1.60-1.74 rubles. SIM card sales points can be found everywhere, starting from the airport (using a prepaid system from 10 rubles, you can immediately deposit money into your account and register your number). If you don't have a phone, you can rent one from an operator (or buy a contract that includes a cheap “pipe”), A foreign phone in South Africa is subject to registration - for this you need to know its IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity, dial *#06# and the desired number will appear on the screen).
You can make calls abroad from South Africa from a regular street payphone (green - using a card purchased in a supermarket, blue with the inscription “Coin” - using coins). To go abroad, dial 00 and the country code.
There are many internet cafes in the country (from 25-30 rubles/1 hour, you can find the point on the website www.internetcafedirectory.co.za), where you can transfer photos from a flash drive to a disc and print the necessary web page. In addition to hotels, free Wi-Fi hotspots are found in restaurants and shopping centers, so you can make Skype calls from your own phone.
Help
The Russian Embassy in South Africa is located in Pretoria, 50 km from Joburg Pretoria 0102, Brooks St., 316, MenloPark; +27-012-3621337; www.russianembassy.org.za; closed on Russian holidays). Reception is available on weekdays from 8.30 to 11.30; if necessary, you can call the consul on duty: +27-0761514598.
Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Cape Town (Norton Rose House, 8 Riebeek St., 12th floor, +27-021-4183656/57, consul on duty +27-082-3740518; www.russiacapetown.org.za). Represents the interests of the Russian Federation and its citizens in the three Cape provinces of South Africa - Western, Eastern and Northern. Located in the city center, reception from 9.00 to 12.00, except weekends and holidays.
Emergency phone numbers: police - 1011, from mobile 0 112, medical assistance - 10177, +27-0831999 (air), +27-080-0111990. In cities: Johannesburg (center)+27-011-3755911, Pretoria (24h.)+27-012-3582111, 012-4277111; Durban +27-031-3372200 (sea rescuers); Cape Town - +27-021-4182852 (police), +27-021-4493500 (sea rescuers), +27-021-9489900 (mountain rescuers).
There are about 600 nature reserves in South Africa, but the country is not small and there is also plenty of space for hunters. Hunting large animals was never prohibited here; moreover, it was lovingly cultivated. Hunting concessions (Game farms) border nature reserves, but do not encroach on their territory. If you have a license, you can hunt any wild animals, but there are some restrictions. Thus, rhinoceroses, large predators and some other species are inaccessible if we are talking about healthy animals that are in their natural habitat and do not belong to those specially bred on hunting grounds. Even if a predator poses a threat, it must be shot by authorized persons. It is allowed to hunt large animals only with non-automatic rifled weapons of at least 22 caliber, and smooth-bore weapons are allowed only when hunting birds. Pistols, automatic and pneumatic weapons are prohibited. During hunting, a car can only be used to deliver shooters to the concession border, to track animals, and also in cases where the hunter is sick or over 65 years of age. Aircraft, spotlights, dogs, bait, pens, traps, poisons and tranquilizers are prohibited. You can shoot with a crossbow in South Africa, but not at prohibited animals. A foreigner who wants to hunt in South Africa is required to have a license - it is issued in advance by the organizing company (Hunting outfitter). You will be able to harvest only those animals and only in the quantities specified in the license. Weapons are allowed to be used again in accordance with the license. The document must be with you during the entire hunt. Only South African citizens can organize safaris for guests of the country, and during the hunt they must be accompanied by a local professional hunter.
There are many companies involved in hunting in South Africa that are well represented on the Internet. The issue price is on average about $600 per day, not counting the cost of exporting trophies (Trophy fee, from $200 per head - this is what a baboon or jackal costs, for example). Clients are divided into hunters and observers (Observer) who don't shoot. The latter participation in the hunt costs half as much.
