South Africa
- Country Introduction:
South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It is divided into nine provinces and has 1,739 miles of coastline. To the north of the country lie the neighboring territories of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is a multi-ethnic nation and has diverse cultures and languages. Eleven official languages are recognized in the constitution. Two of these languages are of European origin: South African English and Afrikaans, a language which originated mainly from Dutch that is spoken by the majority of white and Colored South Africans.
Though English is commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fifth most-spoken home language. All ethnic and language groups have political representation in the country's constitutional democracy comprising a parliamentary republic; unlike most parliamentary republics, the positions of head of state and head of government are merged in a parliament-dependent President.
Department of State Link:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2898.htm- Physical Geography:
- Culture and People:
Overview
Language
Religion and Beliefs
Demography and Ethnicity
Institutions
Gender and Sexuality
Education System
- Hazards and Risks:
- Health and Insurance:
- Current Issues:
- Immigration:
- Cost of Living:
- Historical Resources:
- Additional Resources:
- Introducing South Africa
- Housing and Living Information
- NetGlobers - South Africa
- U.S. Passport Information
Getting Around South Africa:
