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South Africa’s Former Name
On their way to the Far East, Dutch traders formed the nation in 1652. Before becoming independent, South Africa was referred to as the “Union of South Africa Republic” (Central Intelligence Agency, 2004).
The Country’s Brief History
The San and the Khoikhoi commonly referred to as “bushmen,” were the first inhabitants of South Africa. Their main sources of income were mining and hunting (History and Heritage 2014). The British government invaded the country in 1910 and established a regime there with the Queen and a British governor. The Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, the Transvaal Republic, and finally, the Colony of Natal were created as a result of the division of the nation into four states. In 1994, the nation held its first multiracial elections, which cleared the path for the ANC government’s majority rule (Central Intelligence Agency, 2004).
South Africa’s Geography
Continent on Which the Country is Found
Africa
Pretoria is the name of the capital and largest city.
Johannesburg is the largest city.
Country Area 1,221,037 sq. km.
The climate of the Nation
Sunny days, chilly nights; semiarid, subtropical climate along the east coast
Environmental Concerns of the Nation
Desertification, a lack of significant artery rivers, pollution of the water and air, and soil degradation.
The Country’s Demography
Countrywide population: 59,893,885 inhabitants
0.99 males/females in terms of the country’s gender ratio
Age Groups and Age Distribution in the Population of the Nation: 0–14, 28.3%; 15–24, 20.2%; 25–54, 38.2%; 55-64, 7.1%; 65 or older; 6.2%
Population Increase in the Nation
Countrywide Annual Growth Rate: -0.48%
Countrywide birth rate: 18.94 per 1,000 people
The Fertility Rate
2.23 newborns per mother
-6.27 /1000 people is the country’s net migration rate.
