Careerbreaker Destinations - New For 2007 - South Africa
At the southern tip of the African continent, South Africa is a land of contrast and diversity. With a coastline of over 2500 kilometres on two oceans, the Atlantic and Indian it has a variety of climates zones from extreme desert to sub-tropic along its border with Mozambique.
This really is the home of the ‘Big Five’, and the landscape offers a dramatic backdrop to see some of the best wildlife to be found in Africa, as well as over 10% of all known species of plants on the earth. With a rich cultural mix of African, European and Asian influences this is a country where you can really experience African diversity; take a fantastic safari or party hard in the metropolitan city of Cape Town.
Unlike many other African nations, South Africa has undergone a very different evolution having experienced a high level of immigration from Europe, attracted by the country’s high mineralogical assets. South Africa has a rich cultural mix, there are 11 official languages including Afrikaans and English, and many prominent ethnic groups including Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho and Venda.
Relatively recent history has seen racial strife and apartheid. Apartheid laws began to be abolished in 1990 with black South Africans receiving voting entitlement in 1994. Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase ‘Rainbow Nation’, later used by Nelson Mandela during his presidency, to describe the fabulous country’s newly developing multicultural unity.
Despite a large and well-developed economy, and great political and social strides forward much of South Africa is still suffering from the historical problems of apartheid. Poverty and a lack of economic power amongst disadvantaged groups perpetuate the disparity between white and black South Africans, particularly in rural areas.
Careerbreaker projects for 2006/7 will therefore aim to help improve conditions in a rural community, focusing on the provision of basic facilities such as water supplies, sanitation and school buildings.
What Can I do In South Africa?
Community Development Projects
Adventurous Travel
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About South Africa Full Name
The Republic of South Africa
Capital City
Pretoria (official); Bloemfontein (judicial) and Cape Town (legislative).
Area
1,233,404 sq km
476,217 sq miles
Population
43,800,000
Time Zone
2 hours ahead of the UK
Languages
Zulu (official)
Xhosa (official)
Afrikaans (official)
English (official)
Tswana (official)
Sotho, Southern (official)
Swati (official)
South Ndebele (official)
Religion
Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions
Currency
Rand (R)
Famous For
Good climate, Kruger national Park
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