South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country that lies at the southern tip of Africa. The country borders Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north. In the east it borders on Mozambique and Swaziland. The independent state of Lesotho is entirely enclosed by South Africa.
South Africa has had a rich colonial history since the seventeenth century. In 1652 the Dutch founded a refreshment post on the Cape for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). After a century and a half of Dutch colonization, the Cape Colony was taken over by the United Kingdom. A large number of Dutch-speaking settlers, known as “Boeren” (farmers), migrated with the Great Trek inland and founded several farmer-states, of which the South African Republic and the Orange Free State were most important.
These republics were conquered by the British in 1902 in the Second Farmers War and were united together with the Cape Colony and Natal in 1910 to South Africa. In the 20th century, South Africa was overshadowed by apartheid, a system of racial segregation with which the non-white population was disadvantaged. In 1990 apartheid was abolished and in 1994 Nelson Mandela was elected as the first black president of South Africa.
South Africa is a country with diverse population groups and eleven official languages, including Dutch-related Afrikaans. The country is a parliamentary republic with three capitals and is one of the most developed countries on the continent.
Not to miss is the beautiful “Kruger Park”. To get an impression, watch the video below:
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