South Africa country information,...a brief overview

Actually, it is not so easy to take you on a South Africa information tour. There are so many exciting things to tell you about.

Situated at the southern point of the African continent just waiting to be discovered, our country is like no other place on earth, vast, sweeping, diversified, complicated and breathtaking, offering a dazzling variety of attractions and countless opportunities for exciting adventure, leisure and cultural activities.

View from space of South Africa at the southern tip of Africa
South Africa country information

With an amazing variety of stunning scenery, it is a huge country surrounded by a shoreline of gorgeous beaches and the blue-green waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

According to many Archaeologists ancestors of the human race have occupied this country two million years ago. That is why it is often called the "Cradle of mankind".

Thousands of years ago the earliest known inhabitants of South Africa, the "San" people, painted primitive images of prehistoric life on rock and cave walls, producing some of the finest examples of primeval art.

South Africa's climate is normally warm with lots of sun, providing excellent conditions for outdoor activities. The average number of sunshine hours per day is among the highest in the world.

The South African people are hospitable, warm and friendly, the plant and wildlife is absolutely unique, the food is incredible and last but not least, the beaches and surf are fantastic.

The entire country is bigger than France, Germany, Italy, Holland and Belgium put together, with the same cultural diversity if not more.

The entire coastline of South Africa is close to 3000 km long, featuring an abundance of beach entertainment such as water sport, swimming and many others.

Several of the many beaches are home to international surfing events on a regular basis, whereas others are well suited for deep sea fishing activities. The harbors are favored ports of call with members of the yachting community from all over the world.

Along its inland border, South Africa has got border posts providing access to the neighbouring countries Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland.

Completely enclosed by South African territory, the small kingdom of Lesotho is to be found in the south eastern part of South Africa.

Our country's sophisticated infrastructure makes it the ideal starting point for a tour of the African Continent. The excellent telecommunications and accommodation and facilities together with an outstanding transport and road system, enable visitors to enjoy their stay in comfort against the background of the untouched splendor of Africa.

South Africa is known as a country that houses an incredible variety of vegetation, wildlife and geographical characteristics inside its boundaries.

The underlying reason for the large diversity in vegetation and climate between the west and east coasts of South Africa is to a large extend the quite substantial difference in temperature between the warm south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas sea stream along the eastern coastline and the cold north-flowing Benguela sea stream along the western coastline. They also cause big differences in the marine life along the two coasts.

The geographic surface area of South Africa comprises two major key features, the interior plateau and the regions between the plateau and the coastline.

The dividing element between the two is called the Great Escarpment, a continuous range of mountains at the periphery of the interior plateau all around the country. Its elevation above sea level differs from 3482 mtrs. In the Kwazulu-Natal Drakensberg mountains to 1500 mtrs. In the southwestern part of the country.

Within the different regions of the country some of the world's most diverse plant and animal kingdoms are to be found. In fact, South Africa is home to its own unique Cape Floral Kingdom known as the "Cape Fynbos", which is nowhere else to be found in the whole world.