South Africa
Country Overview
South Africa is a vibrant country located at the southernmost tip of the African continent. Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe lie to the north, Mozambique and Swaziland to the east, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans lie to the south. Another more unique neighbor is Lesotho, a small independent country that is completly surrounded by South African territory.
South Africa is often called the “adventure capital of the world” because of its awe-inspiring natural beauty and wildlife. In fact, South Africa is ranked 6th in the world in flora and fauna diversity as it is home to more than 20,000 different plants. South Africa also contains some of the oldest archaeological sites in the world and fossils of Homo sapiens have been found dating back almost 3 million years.
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria but South Africa has four main economic centers: Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pretoria/Johannesburg, and Cape Town. Cape Town specifically is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. This city was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a port for Dutch ships sailing internationally, but Cape Town quickly became a high-profile destination and the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony.
Culture
South Africa is a nation of approximately 50 million people of incredibly diverse backgrounds. In fact, South Africa is frequently referred to as the “Rainbow Nation” because it holds one of the most complex and diverse populations in the world. There are eleven official languages of the nation – English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Sepedi, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Swazi and Tsonga.
While the nation is very multi-ethnic, there is a commonality to their cuisine, which it is heavily meat-based. Social gatherings often take place around their distinct barbecue, known locally as braai. Served with the barbeque is another South African staple called pap. This is a porridge made with finely ground corn that is typically mixed with a tomato onion sauce or Monkeygland sauce. Despite its name, Monkeygland sauce does not involve monkeys! It is made of chopped onion, garlic and ginger with additions of chutney, soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine, and mustard.
In addition to food, music and sport are very important in South Africa. To compliment traditional Afrikaans music, a new music genre called Kwaito developed in the 80s and has become the most popular form of social representation, taking over radio, television, and newspaper. African music has even infiltrated the sports world as a result of the 2010 World Cup. Vuvuzelas, once used for tribal purposes and to summon distant villagers to community meetings, buzzed in the background of every soccer match, bringing a unique local flare to the game.
Travel Tips
The voltage in South Africa is 220. You will need a voltage converter and plug adapter in order to use U.S. appliances. While using an adapter is essential, often an adapter doesn’t account for voltage differences and certain devices can become over-heated or destroyed. Consider buying a hairdryer, curling iron, or other heated styling device locally.
Be sure to bring copies of your passport to carry with you when traveling in South Africa, as opposed to carrying the original. Leave the original in a safe place.
ATMs are an area of concern and there are frequent ATM scams. Be sure to select your ATM carefully and only visit it during broad daylight. Traveling at night is never suggested, particularly in townships.
