South African EGP: description, description, main features and interesting facts

South Africa is one of the richest countries in Africa. It combines primitiveness and modernity, and instead of one capital - three. Below in the article in detail the EGP South Africa, the geography and features of this amazing state.

General information

A state known in the world as the Republic of South Africa, the local population is used to call Azania. This name arose during the time of the segregation policy and was used by the indigenous African population as an alternative to the colonial one. In addition to the popular name, there are 11 official names of the country, which is due to the diversity of state languages.

EGP South Africa is much more profitable than many other countries on the continent. This is the only African country that is part of the Big Twenty. Here they go for diamonds and impressions. Each of the nine provinces of South Africa has its own landscape, natural conditions and ethnic composition, which attracts a huge number of tourists. There are eleven national parks and many resorts in the country.

The presence of the three capitals, perhaps, adds South Africa's uniqueness. They share various state structures among themselves. In Pretoria is the government of the country, so the city is considered the first and main capital. The judiciary, represented by the Supreme Court, is located in Bloemfontein. In Cape Town there is a parliament building.

South African EGP: briefly

The state is located in the south of Africa, it is washed by the Indian and Atlantic oceans. In the north-east, the neighbors of South Africa are Swaziland and Mozambique, in the north-west - Namibia, the northern border of the country shares with Botswana and Zimbabwe. Near the Drakensberg Mountains lies the enclave of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

On the area (1 221 912 sq. Km.) South Africa is on 24 place in the world. In size, it exceeds the UK by about five times. The characteristics of the South African EGP will not be complete without a description of the coastline, the total length of which is 2798 km. The mountainous coast of the country is not severely dismembered. In the eastern part is the bay of St. Helena and the Cape of Good Hope. There are also bays and bays of St. Francis, Falsbey, Algoa, Walker, Dining. Cape Agulhas is the southernmost point of the continent.

The wide outlet to the two oceans plays an important role in the South African EGP. Along the coast of the state there are sea routes from Europe to Southeast Asia and the Far East.

History

EGP South Africa was not always the same. Its changes were influenced by various historical events in the state. Although the first settlements appeared here at the beginning of our era, the most significant changes in the South African EGP in time occurred from the XVII to the XX century.

The European population, represented by the Dutch, Germans and French Huguenots, began to populate the territory of South Africa in the 1650s. Before that, the Bantu tribes, koi-koin, Bushmen, etc. lived on these lands. The arrival of the colonists caused a series of warriors with the local population.

Since 1795 the main colonizer is Great Britain. The British government pushes the Boers (Dutch peasants) into the Orange Republic and the Transvaal province, abolishing slavery. In the XIX century wars between Boers and English began.

In 1910, the South African Union was formed with British colonies. In 1948, the National Party (Boer) won elections and established the apartheid regime, which divides the population into blacks and whites. Apartheid deprives black people of almost all rights, even citizenship. In 1961, the country became an independent South African Republic and, over time, abolished the apartheid regime.

Population

About 52 million people live in the Republic of South Africa. EGP South Africa significantly influenced the ethnic composition of the country's population. Due to its favorable location and rich natural resources, the state's territory attracted Europeans.

Now in South Africa, almost 10% of the population are ethnic white Europeans - Afrikaners and Anglo-Africans, who are descendants of settler colonizers. The Negroid race is represented by the Zulus, Tsonga, Soto, Tswana, Kosa. They are about 80%, the remaining 10% are mulattoes, Indians and Asians. Most Indians are descendants of workers brought to Africa to grow reeds.

The population professes various religious beliefs. Most of the residents are Christians. They support the Zionist churches, Pentecostals, Dutch reformers, Catholics, Methodists. Almost 15% are atheists, only 1% are Muslims.

There are 11 official languages in the republic. The most popular among them are English and Afrikaans. Literacy among men is 87%, among women - 85.5%. In the world, the country occupies the 143rd place in terms of education level.

Natural conditions and resources

In the Republic of South Africa all kinds of landscapes and different climatic zones are represented: from subtropics to deserts. The Drakensberg Mountains, located in the eastern part, smoothly pass into the plateau. Monsoon and subtropical forests grow here. In the south are the Cape Mountains. On the Atlantic coast is the Namibia desert, along the northern bank of the Orange River stretches a part of the Kalahari desert.

On the territory of the country there are significant reserves of mineral resources. Here, gold, zirconium, chromites, diamonds are mined. In South Africa, there are reserves of iron, platinum and uranium ores, phosphorites, and coal. In the country there are deposits of zinc, tin, copper, and also rare metals, for example titanium, antimony and vanadium.

Economy

Features of EGP South Africa have become the most important factor for the development of the country's economy. 80% of metallurgical products are produced on the continent, 60% are from the extractive industry. South Africa is the most developed country on the mainland, despite this, the unemployment rate is 23%.

Most of the population is engaged in the service sector. In the industrial sphere, about 25% of residents work, 10% is agriculture. In South Africa, the financial sphere, telecommunications and electric power industry are well developed. There are huge reserves of natural resources in the country, coal mining and export are best developed.

Among the main branches of agriculture is livestock (breeding ostriches, goats, sheep, birds, cattle), winemaking, forestry, fishing (hake, sea bass, anchovy, mackerel, mackerel, cod, etc.), crop production. The republic exports more than 140 kinds of fruits and vegetables.

The main trading partners are China, USA, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, India and Switzerland. Among the African economic partners - Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe.

The country has a well-developed transport system, a favorable tax policy, a developed banking and insurance business.

Interesting Facts

• The world's first successful heart transplant was performed in Cape Town by surgeon Christian Barnard in 1967.
• The largest depression on Earth is on the Waal River in South Africa. It was formed as a result of the fall of a giant meteorite.
• Diamond Cullinan weighing 621 was found in 1905 in a South African mine. He is the largest jewel on the planet.

• This is the only country in Africa that does not belong to the Third World.
• It was here that they first received gasoline from coal.
• About 18,000 native plants grow on the territory of the country and 900 species of birds live.
• South Africa is the first country that voluntarily abandoned the existing nuclear weapons.
• The greatest number of fossils is in the South African region of Carrú.

Conclusion

The main features of the South African EGP are the compactness of the territory, the wide access to the oceans, the location next to the sea route connecting Europe with Asia and the Far East. Most of the residents are engaged in the service sector. Due to the large reserves of natural resources in South Africa, the extractive industry is well developed. The population of the country is only 5% of the total population of Africa, however, the country is the most developed on the continent. Due to its economic situation, South Africa occupies a reasonably strong position in the world.