The Republic of South Africa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 7, 2006 -- Overview
Wildlife, wild times and a culture in repair.
South Africa is an exhilarating, spectacular and complex country. With its post-apartheid identity still in the process of definition, there is undoubtedly an abundance of energy and sense of progress about the place. Travellers too are returning to a remarkable land that has been off the trail for way too long.

The infrastructure is constantly improving, the climate is kind and there are few better places to see Africa's wildlife. But if you want to understand the country, you'll have to deal with the full spectrum. Poverty, the AIDS pandemic and violence remain a problem.
Geography: South Africa is a big wallop of a country, extending nearly 2000km (1240mi) from the Limpopo River in the north to Cape Agulhas in the south and nearly 1500km (930mi) from Port Nolloth in the west to Durban in the east. Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland run from west to east along South Africa's northern border and Lesotho soars above the grassland towards the southeast. The country can be divided into three major parts: the vast interior plateau, the Kalahari Basin, and a narrow coastal plain.

Destination Facts

Capital: Pretoria (official); Bloemfontein (judicial) and Cape Town (legislative).
President: Thabo Mbeki
Government: republic and independent member of the British Commonwealth
Time zone: GMT +2
Area: 1233404
Population: 43800000
People: 77% black, 10% white (60% of whites are of Afrikaaner descent, most of the rest are of British descent), 8% mixed race, 2.5% of Indian or Asian descent
Languages:
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions
Currency: Rand (R)
Major industries: Mining, finance, insurance, food processing
Major Trading Partners: USA, UK, Germany, Japan, Italy

Daylight Saving: From not in use to not in use
Country Dialing Code: 27

Source: http://www.yahoo.com

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