Information about South Africa

South Africa is one of the most diverse and enchanting countries in the world. Exotic combinations of landscapes, people, history and culture offer the traveller a unique and inspiring experience. South Africa is a heady mix of third and first world cultures -- along with the best and least crowded beaches in the world. Throw in wildlife parks such as the Kruger National Park, 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, beautiful natural scenery, a great infrastructure and a stable post-apartheid environment and you have a great destination waiting to be enjoyed.

South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, its long coastline stretching more than 2500km from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then north to the border with subtropical Mozambique on the Indian Ocean.
The Country enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with warm sunny days most of the year. The seasons of the southern hemisphere are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere so our summers run from November to February, when most of the country is characterised by hot weather with afternoon thunderstorms, winters are generally mild and dry. The country enjoys one of the world's highest average daily hours of sunshine - 8.5.

We have the third-highest level of biodiversity in the world, and ours is the only country to contain an entire floral kingdom. The Cape Peninsula National Park has more plant species within its 22 000 hectares than the whole British Isles or New Zealand. You can enjoy our botanical riches in the many national parks and botanical reserves or just on the side of the road. The flower season in the Western Cape is in spring - August and September, when specialist flower-viewing trips are run and almost every small town has a flower show.

Cape Town

Best known are the mammals, and the best known of these are the famous Big Five: elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. Not that giraffe, hippo or whale are small...
South Africa's bushveld and savannah regions are still home to large numbers of the mammals universally associated with Africa. The Kruger National Park alone has over 9000 elephants and 20 000 buffaloes - in 1920 there were an estimated 120 elephants left in the whole of South Africa.
The white rhino has also been brought back from the brink of extinction and now flourishes with a Kruger population of nearly 3 000 and 1 600 in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal. Attention now is on protecting the black rhino.
Both these parks are home to all five of the big ones, as are other major reserves in South Africa - such as Pilanesberg in North West - and numerous smaller reserves and private game lodges.
Every year Southern Right whales migrate from their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica to warmer climates, reaching South Africa in June. Then the coastal waters teem with the giant animals, mating, calving and rearing their young - and giving whale-watchers spectacular displays of raw power and elegant water acrobatics.

The iSimangaliso (Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park is one of the jewels of South Africa's coastline, with a unique mosaic of ecosystems - swamps, lake systems, beaches, coral reefs, wetlands, woodlands, coastal forests and grasslands - supporting an astounding diversity of animal, bird and marine species

From modern art galleries to rock art paintings, state-of-the-art museums to remote cultural villages, city jazz clubs to open air festivals ... just some of the ways in which you can experience our rich culture and heritage for yourself

Our cities are an exciting mix of first- and third-world influences. From happening Cape Town - one of the most beautiful cities in the world - to busy, bustling Johannesburg, each has its own unique attractions.

Tourism Info

Full country name:	The Republic of South Africa
Area:	1,221,037 sq km
Population:	43.1 million
Capitals:	The legislative capital is Cape Town, the administrative capital is Pretoria, and the biggest city is Johannesburg.
People:	77% black, 10% white (60% of whites are of Afrikaner descent, most of the rest are of British descent), 8% mixed race, 2.5% of Indian or Asian descent
Languages:	There are 11 official languages. Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana, Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Venda, Ndebele
Religion:	Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions
Government:	Republic and independent member of the British Commonwealth
President:	Thabo Mbeki
Currency:	South African currency works on the decimal system, 1 Rand equaling 100 cents. - Denomination of Rand notes R200, R100, R50, R20, Rl0 Denomination of coins R5, R2, R1, .50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1 cents
GDP:	US$146 billion
WATER:	WATER South Africa is one of the few countries in the world where the Municipal tap water is palatable and perfectly safe to drink. Check if the tap water is suitable to drink at the more remote Lodges. Bottled water is readily available in shops, lodges and hotels. Water in streams and rivers could be polluted and Bilharzia is commonly found in rivers and streams on the northern and eastern regions of the country. Bilharzia is not present in the sea or in swimming pools.
Average temperatures in ºC	Summer Winter Cape Town 20 12.6 Durban 23.6 17 Johannesburg 21.4 15. Pretoria 22.4 17.
Customs	Visitors are subject to clearance through customs. Information about what may or may not be brought into the country may be obtained from travel agents. Details of requirements for the temporary importation of exhibition goods are obtainable from the Department of Customs and Excise. You will have to pay on items which are over the allowed limits. Duty is levied at 20%. You will normally have to do this before you, leave the customs hall. (see-duty-free allowances above).
Transport:	South Africa has the best developed transport system in Africa, but not as well-developed as in Europe or Japan. Major cities have bus services and inter city bus transport is readily available. Taxis are available on call. The air transport system is well developed with a large number of local carriers. More than 60 international airlines operate to and from South Africa . Car hire services are available in all cities and most of the larger towns. Drivers must have an international driver's license and a minimum of 5 years' experience. Cars can be hired from airports or arranged through travel agents.
Credit Card/Payments	Most major credit cards are accepted as well as travelers cheques in major currencies. Master Card, VISA, Diners and American Express. We suggest utilising credit cards as much as possible to pay for services and facilities once here. There is an excellent network of ATM's throughout the country that are linked internationally. Some venues will accept US$ although the rate of exchange may not be controlled. Travelers cheques in SA Rand are advisable as these are then accepted locally at face value. Available in many countries.