South Africa

revised 15 October 1998

South Africa Information

Map of South Africa with the peoples discussed in "Art and Life in Africa" CD-ROM

General Information for South Africa

Country:

South Africa

Location:

Southern Africa

Independence:

27 April, 1994

Nationality:

South African

Capital City:

Pretoria

Population:

44,187,912

Important Cities:

Cape Town, Joannesburg, Durban

Head of State:

Thabo Mbeki

Area:

1,219,912 sq.km.

Type of Government:

Republic

Currency:

6.3639 SA rands=1 USD

Major peoples:

Zulu,Xhosa,Sesetho,Tswana,Afrikaaners

Religion:

Christian 68%, African Religion 28.5%, Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5%

Climate:

Temperate to semiarid

Literacy:

81.8%

Official Language:

Afrikaans, English and nine others

Principal Languages:

Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, English, Afrikaans

Major Exports:

Gold, Diamonds, Metals, Minerals, Machinery and Equipment

Pre-Colonial History

People speaking Khosain languages are the oldest surviving inhabitants of the territory of South Africa. Most of today's black South Africans belong to the Bantu language group, which migrated south from central Africa, settling in the Transvaal region sometime before 1000 A.D. The Nguni, ancestors of Zulu and Xhosa, occupied most of the eastern coast by 1500. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Cape of Good Hope, who sailed to the region in 1488. However, permanent white settlement did not begin until 1652, when the Dutch East Indian Company established a provisioning station of Cape. In subsequent decades, French Huguenot refugees, the Dutch, and Germans began to settle the cape. Collectively, they form the Afrikaner segment of today's population. The British gained control of the Cape of Good Hope at the end of the 18th century. Before 1836, partly to escape British rule and cultural hegemony and partly out of resentment of the recent abolition of slavery, many Afrikaner farmers (Boers) undertook a northern migration which became known as the "Great Trek." Under their leader, Shaka (1787-1828), the Zulu conquered most of the territory between the Drakensburg Mountains and the sea (now KwaZulu-Natal). In 1828, Shaka was assassinated and replaced by his half-brother Dingane.

Post-Colonial History

In 1912, the South Africa Native National Congress was formed in Bloemfontein and became known the African National Congress (ANC) with the goal of eliminating restrictions based on skin color. In 1948, the National Party (NP) won the all-white elections and began passing legislation codifying and enforcing the policy of white dominance and racial separation known as "apartheid" (pronounced apart-hate). Nelson Mandela and many other anti-apartheid leaders were convicted and imprisoned on trumped-up charges of attempting to overthrow the state. In May 1961, South Africa relinquished its dominion status and declared itself a republic. In February 1990, State President F. W. de Klerk-who had come to power in 1989-announced the unbanning of the ANC and all other anti-apartheid groups. Two weeks later Nelson Mandela was released from prison. The country's first nonracial elections were held on April 26 to 29, 1994, resulting in the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President on May 10, 1994. He was suceeded by Thabo Mbeki. The past decade has witnessed a growing prosperity as South Africa has been able to access world markets, but this prosperity has benefitted only a few Blacks and Whites, and large numbers of poor Blacks remain un- or under-employed and very poor. The unemployment rate is 26% and 50% of the people are in poverty. To add to the problems the country faces, 21% of the population or 5.3 million people are HIV positive.

Country:	South Africa
Location:	Southern Africa
Independence:	27 April, 1994
Nationality:	South African
Capital City:	Pretoria
Population:	44,187,912
Important Cities:	Cape Town, Joannesburg, Durban
Head of State:	Thabo Mbeki
Area:	1,219,912 sq.km.
Type of Government:	Republic
Currency:	6.3639 SA rands=1 USD
Major peoples:	Zulu,Xhosa,Sesetho,Tswana,Afrikaaners
Religion:	Christian 68%, African Religion 28.5%, Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5%
Climate:	Temperate to semiarid
Literacy:	81.8%
Official Language:	Afrikaans, English and nine others
Principal Languages:	Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, English, Afrikaans
Major Exports:	Gold, Diamonds, Metals, Minerals, Machinery and Equipment
Pre-Colonial History	People speaking Khosain languages are the oldest surviving inhabitants of the territory of South Africa. Most of today's black South Africans belong to the Bantu language group, which migrated south from central Africa, settling in the Transvaal region sometime before 1000 A.D. The Nguni, ancestors of Zulu and Xhosa, occupied most of the eastern coast by 1500. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Cape of Good Hope, who sailed to the region in 1488. However, permanent white settlement did not begin until 1652, when the Dutch East Indian Company established a provisioning station of Cape. In subsequent decades, French Huguenot refugees, the Dutch, and Germans began to settle the cape. Collectively, they form the Afrikaner segment of today's population. The British gained control of the Cape of Good Hope at the end of the 18th century. Before 1836, partly to escape British rule and cultural hegemony and partly out of resentment of the recent abolition of slavery, many Afrikaner farmers (Boers) undertook a northern migration which became known as the "Great Trek." Under their leader, Shaka (1787-1828), the Zulu conquered most of the territory between the Drakensburg Mountains and the sea (now KwaZulu-Natal). In 1828, Shaka was assassinated and replaced by his half-brother Dingane.
Post-Colonial History	In 1912, the South Africa Native National Congress was formed in Bloemfontein and became known the African National Congress (ANC) with the goal of eliminating restrictions based on skin color. In 1948, the National Party (NP) won the all-white elections and began passing legislation codifying and enforcing the policy of white dominance and racial separation known as "apartheid" (pronounced apart-hate). Nelson Mandela and many other anti-apartheid leaders were convicted and imprisoned on trumped-up charges of attempting to overthrow the state. In May 1961, South Africa relinquished its dominion status and declared itself a republic. In February 1990, State President F. W. de Klerk-who had come to power in 1989-announced the unbanning of the ANC and all other anti-apartheid groups. Two weeks later Nelson Mandela was released from prison. The country's first nonracial elections were held on April 26 to 29, 1994, resulting in the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President on May 10, 1994. He was suceeded by Thabo Mbeki. The past decade has witnessed a growing prosperity as South Africa has been able to access world markets, but this prosperity has benefitted only a few Blacks and Whites, and large numbers of poor Blacks remain un- or under-employed and very poor. The unemployment rate is 26% and 50% of the people are in poverty. To add to the problems the country faces, 21% of the population or 5.3 million people are HIV positive.