South Africa
People have lived in what is now South order diazepam Africa for thousands of years. They hunted and gathered their food and used stone tools. About 2,000 years ago they learned to use herd sheep and cattle. At about 200 AD they were growing both crops and raising animals. Around this time iron tools were introduced here.
Around the end of the 15th century there were Portuguese who sailed past the Cape of Good Hope but it wasn’t until 1652 that a colony was founded by Europeans in South Africa. In 1652 Jan van Riebeeck who was Dutch founded a base here were ships that were traveling to the Far East could be supplied. In 1658 Europeans fought there first war with the native people of the area.
The Dutch colony here gradually grew and expanded and in 1688 French Huguenots arrived as they were fleeing persecution in their own lands. Many natives were driven from their lands and many also died in a smallpox epidemic here.
In 1795 the British captured the colony here but gave it back to the Dutch only to take it back again in 1814 where a treat confirmed the ownership to the British. The Boers here resisted the British rule and they moved away from the British which was called the Great Trek. Two Boer republics were established in the 1850s called Orange Free State and Transvaal.
In 1867 diamonds were found in the Northern Cape as well as gold in 1886. The British also fought the Zulus here and suffered heavy losses but eventually own the war. Tensions rose over the years and in 1899 war between the Boers and the British erupted. Many Boers died in concentration camps at the hands of the British. In 1902 the Boers surrendered and in 1910 South Africa had a constitution and it was called the Union of South Africa at this time.
Climate in South Africa
The climate of South Africa is relatively dry and has an annual rainfall of 464 mm. The Western Cape gets most of its rainfall in winter. The summers in the country are hot with thunderstorms occurring frequently.
Language in South Africa
There are 11 official languages in South Africa. English, Afrikaans, and IsiXhosa are common.
Currency in South Africa
The currency of this country is called the rand.
South African Major Cities
- Cape Town – 3 million
- Durban – 2.3 million
- Johannesburg -3.8 million
- Pretoria – 1.5 million
Things to do in South Africa (Cities and main point of interest)
In Cape Town you can take many fishing cruises and trips as well sample fine wines. South Africa also has many fine golf courses for the golf enthusiast. Ostrich riding is also very popular if you’re brave and want to try something different. South Africa also has many locations where you can surf. Hiking is also popular in South Africa as the coastline is lovely and you need to be on foot to get to it. Backpacking and hiking trips are popular.
Food and Restaurants in South Africa
There are many foods used in this country by indigenous people. The diet before colonial times consisted of cooked grains, stewed meat, and fermented milk. Curry dishes ar? popular in South Africa, as well as sausages. Some foods include Amasi, Biltong, and Chutney. Bunny chow is a curry which is stuffed in a hollowed out loaf of bread and the locals call it Kota.
Shopping in South Africa
This country has many large shopping centers with both chain stores and smaller boutiques. There are also plenty of flea markets for bargain shoppers. There ar? also many street vendors looking to make an income off the tourists.
Arts and crafts are popular in South Africa with plenty of handmade items to be found across the country. There’s also robust fashion industry with everything from fine clothing to outfits for safari adventures.
