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South Africa

Highlights in South Africa

Geography of South Africa

South Africa covers an area of more than 1.200.000 km², which more than 3 times larger than Germany. South Africa can be divided into nine provinces. The Prince-Edward-Islands located in the Indian Ocean are also part of the South African territory.
South Africa’s capital is Pretoria in the East of the country. It is the seat of government. The parliament is located in Cape Town in the South, seat of the Supreme Court of Appeal is in Bloemfontein. The largest city of the country is Johannesburg.

South Africa shares borders with Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Namibia. Inside of the South African territory is the Kingdom of Lesotho. The west coast borders on the Atlantic Ocean, the east coast is located on the Indian Ocean.

The country can be divided into three different areas: the coastal areas, the threshold site and the highlands. The threshold site is dominated by the famous Drakensberg Mountains, which are the origin of most South African rivers. Ornaje River, South Africa’s longest river flows other than other rivers into the Atlantic Ocean. The major part of other rivers ends in the Indian Ocean in the east. The second most important river is called Limpopo which is the natural border with Botswana target, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The central highlands shade into the Kalahari basin in the Northwest, which reaches to the northwestern part of Bloemfontein. The highlands can be characterized by the central plateau, which is called “Highveld” in Afrikaans.

Der Tafelberg ist einer der Interessantesten Bergformationen weltweit und gehort zum UNESCO Weltnatur Erbe
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Geomorphology/Geology

Around 900 Mio. years ago South Africa was covered by the water of the ocean. The dynamics of tectonic plates lead to magma rising to the surface of the earth. The magma turned into granite rocks which built the fundament of the South African landmass. At that time it became part of the super-continent Gondwana.

Over millions of years the landscapes of today’s South Africa were formed by continuous erosion-processes, sedimentation, changing sea levels and ice ages. A special landmark in South Africa is the so called Table Mountain close to Cape Town. It mainly consists of white, quartzitic sandstones. The 1087 m high Maclears Beacon is the highest point of Table Mountain.

Travel Tips and Trivia for South Africa

Climate in South Africa

South Africa’s climate varies a lot depending on the location. In the Kalahari Desert a mainly arid climate can be found. From the southeast to the borders of Mozambique and Namibia the temperatures are rather subtropical. The coastal area on the Atlantic Ocean is Mediterranean. The Cape of Good Hope is influenced by different streams and ranges from semi-arid to semi-humide climate conditions. Compared to Europe the seasons are inverted.

The average temperatures in South Africa are around 23°C from December to February. Also March and November are quite warm. Between June and July it is winter time. The temperatures can be below 11 °C.

Flora and fauna in South Africa

South Africa’s flora counts more than 20.000 species, many of them are endemic and can be found in the Cape region. More than 9.000 species occur in Fynbos in the West Cape Region. The mountain area in this place is regarded as one of the most diverse in the world, that is why they are regularly visited from botanists from all over the world. It is called Capensis. The different plant species are dominated by deciduous sclerophyllous plants. Forests are quite rare in South Africa; not even 1% of its area is covered by forests. There are around 130 different species of the South African sugarbush and plenty of flowering plants.

The central land is characterized by different grasses, shrubs and acacias. In the north and northwest, especially in the north of Kruger National Park there are many baobabs. The area of Namaqualand turns into a lush sea of flowers during the strong rainfalls in spring.

Zebras trinken an einem Wasserloch in Suedafrika
Die Sillouetten zwei Girfannen und einen Baobab Baumes eignen sich hervorragend als Fotomotiv
Eine Elefantenherde durchstreift die Savanne angefuehrt von einer riesigen Elefanten Kuh

South Africa’s unique fauna can be observed in one of many wildlife conservation reserves or national parks, which are home to more than 300 (!) mammal species, over 500 bird species, around 100 reptiles and plenty of different insects. Apart from that you have the chance to see the famous “Big Five” lion, leopard, buffalo, African elephant and rhino in their natural habitat. Other animals which can be seen are giraffes, hippos, zebras and many different kinds of antelopes. Around Cape Peninsula there are colonies of cape penguins, the west coast is home to the fascinating leatherback turtle. At the Cape of Good Hope some groups of baboon keep tourists on their toes.

Socia Geography of South Africa

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