SOUTH AFRICA

Tourism in South Africa is booming. The discovery of large reserves of animals, with excellent facilities, remains the main point of the trip, but many other attractions. Kruger National Park in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, via Johannesburg, the Kalahari or the Wine Route, the “Rainbow Sky” nation offers a wide range of remarkable sites.

Identity card

  • Capital : Pretoria.
  • Currency : Rand.
  • National day : April 27th.
  • Jet lag : winter, add 1 hour compared to France in winter. No jet lag in summer.
  • Official language : Afrikaans, English and eleven African languages (especially Xhosa and Zulu).
  • Main cities : Le Cap, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Soweto, East London.
  • Religion : Christians are the majority, divided between Anglicans, Methodists, Roman Catholics and members of black independent churches.

Population

Population: 50,700,000 inhabitants

Climate

South Africa has a subtropical climate tempered by altitude, except in the central and north-west of the country where it can get very hot. The coast south enjoys a Mediterranean type of climate.

Geography

Located to the forefront of Africa, this immensecountry gives, in the west, on the Atlantic Ocean,and in the east on the Indian Ocean. The Cape of Good Hope, spur of granite in the extreme south ofAfrica, marks the mythical point of passage of theone with the other. South Africa counts eightmillion hectares of protected natural spaces. Two thirds of its territory extend on vast plates, of anaverage altitude of 1200 meters.

Surface

1 221 000 km²

Highest peak

Mont Mafadi, 3 450 m

Coastline

2 798 km

Landscape types

The South African biodiversity is exceptional and well protected by the authorities. Mountain ranges, wide meadows, large semi-desert areas (the “bush”), forests and lush valleys, endless beaches: the country has a wide variety of landscapes, amazing contrasts.

When to go

The high season is between mid-December and mid-January, in the austral summer. So it was at this time that prices are higher. To make the most of nature reserves, the best time is between June and October.

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