South Africa Information

South Africa at a Glance

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. Here are the quick facts to get you started.

Location

South Africa is located on the southern tip of the African continent, bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It encompasses the independent mountain kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland and is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the warm Indian Ocean on the east - giving the country its spectacular range of biodiversity.

Provinces & Major Cities

South Africa is divided into nine provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu- Natal, Limpopo, Mpumulanga, Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. The major cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban form a triangle between the costal and in-land regions.

Language

There are officially 11 recognised languages in South Africa: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu.

English is spoken by almost everyone. Road signs and official notices are all in English. Information documents and booklets are also available in English, e.g. maps, telephone directories, forms and tourist brochures.

Climate

South Africa enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with warm sunny days most of the year. Summer runs from November to February with hot weather and afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are generally mild and dry. South Africa enjoys one of the world's highest average daily hours of sunshine - 8.5 compared with 3.8 in London, 6.4 in Rome and 6.9 in New York.

For daily and long-term forecasts for South Africa, visit www.weathersa.co.za

Time Differences

South Africa is GMT +2

Further Information