South Africa in brief

 

South Africa, the land of splendour, lies at the southern extremity of the African continent. It was during 1488, when Bartholomeu Dias was looking for a sea route to India, that the first contact between Europe and Southern Africa was made.

In 1652, the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) decided to establish a settlement at the Cape of Good Hope and on 6 April 1652, Jan van Riebeeck, together with 90 men, arrived in Table Bay, where Cape Town was founded.

Today South Africa has a population of approximately 40 million. Over the years many cultural groups have immigrated to South Africa and therefore it has a rich diversity of cultures. It also has a dramatic range of environments - from placid lakes to deserts. The climate ranges from subtropical and Mediterranean to occasional snowfalls.

South Africa's national wealth is derived from mining, agriculture, the manufacturing industry, exports and tourism.