Fun Facts About South Africa!

· It is the 25th largest country in the world.

· The country of Lesotho lies inside the borders.

· 53 million inhabitants.

· The motto is “Unity is Diversity.”

· There are eleven official languages!

· There are three capitals of South Africa; Pretoria is the executive capital, Bloemfontein is the judicial capital, and Cape Town is the legislative capital.

· Johannesburg is the largest city.

· It is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, making it a peninsula (like Florida)!

· The blue crane is the national bird.

· It is ranked in the top ten for income inequality.

· The first heart transplant in the world took place here in 1967 by Christiaan Barnard.

· 79.8% of the population is Christian.

· The country is well known for its wine and meat.

· Soccer (football) is the largest sport. It was home to the 2010 World Cup.

· Cape Town is a sister city to Antwerp, Belgium and Saint Petersburg, Russia!

· Nelson Mandela was awarded 250 honors and the Noble Peace Prize.

· South Africans also call Nelson Mandela “Madiba” or “TATA.”

· Cape Town is also known as the “Mother City.”

· There are nine official provinces.

· Jacob Zuma is the president.

· 80% of the population is black (and Indian), 11% is colored (mixed), and 9% is white.

· They discovered diamonds and gold in 1888.

· There is almost 3000kn of coastline.

· They have a summer rainfall, except in West Cape, which has a winter rainfall.

· The seasons are opposite ours. Starting in the beginning of the year, it goes fall, winter, spring, and summer.

· Less than 30% of students who start school graduate.

· Many students have to walk very far to get to school.

· Nearly 40% of families live in extreme poverty.

· 1/2 of 20-24 year olds are unemployed.

· Crime levels are very high.

· They use a lot of different spices, like curry.

· South Africa won two Noble Peace Prizes for literature.

· Afrikaans is the language of containment and control.