Geography of South Africa

Introduction to Geography of South Africa

South Africa, or Republic of South Africa, an independent country in Africa. Until 1961, it was called the Union of South Africa. The country lies at the southern tip of the continent, facing the Indian Ocean on the south and east and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. Neighbors are Lesotho, which is surrounded by South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.

South Africa also includes Prince Edward and Marion islands, which lie in the South Atlantic Ocean about 1,200 miles (1,900 km) southeast of Cape Town. Maximum dimensions of South Africa are about 1,125 miles (1,810 km) northeast-southwest and 750 miles (1,200 km) southeast-northwest.

Nine provinces make up South Africa. They are Eastern Cape, Western Cape, North-West, Northern Cape, Limpopo, Free State, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu/Natal, and Gauteng.

South Africa is richly endowed with natural resources and has an advanced economy. Until reforms were made in the early 1990's its political system was characterized by racial discrimination by white South Africans (who form a minority of the population) against the black majority.

Physical Geography

South Africa consists basically of two geographic regionsa coastal region and a high interior plateau.

The coastal region forms an arc 1,500 miles (2,400 km) long and up to 100 miles (160 km) wide, extending from Mozambique to Namibia. In most areas, the land rises from narrow coastal plains in a series of steps created by steep escarpments. The last and highest step, sometimes called the Great Escarpment, rises abruptly several thousand feet above the adjacent base land. Its loftiest part makes up the Drakensberg range, where the rise is as much as 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and a few peaks exceed 11,000 feet (3,300 m) above sea level.

Along the southern coast the steplike terrain is interrupted by a series of high mountain ranges, which run parallel to the coast. Between these ranges are dry plateaus and basinlike areas, most notable of which are the Great Karroo and Little Karroo.

The high interior plateau, which occupies most of South Africa, lies at elevations generally between 2,000 and 6,000 feet (600 and 1,800 m). The greater part of it, that known as the Highveld, lies above 4,000 feet (1,200 m). In general, the plateau slopes gently away from the edge of the Great Escarpment and in most places appears flat to rolling. There are, however, areas of rough terrain, including highlands and buttes. In the northwest, near the border of Botswana, is the southernmost fringe of the Kalahari Desert.

South Africa has neither large navigable rivers nor large lakes. The chief drainage system is formed by the Orange River and its main tributary, the Vaal. Both flow westward from the Drakensberg range and join about midway to the Atlantic coast. The only other sizable rivers are the Limpopo, or Crocodile, River and its chief tributary, the Olifants River. The Limpopo, from its source west of Pretoria, flows along the northern border and then through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. Numerous short rivers drain the southern and eastern coasts. Elsewhere, because of semiarid conditions, most of the rivers carry little or no water for many months of the year.

Several notable waterfalls are found in South Africa. On the Tugela River near the Lesotho border is Tugela Falls. With a ribbon-like drop of 3,110 feet (948 m), Tugela Falls ranks second in height among the world's waterfalls. Equally impressive, though only 620 feet (189 m) high, is the thunderous Augrabies Falls on the Orange River in the northwest.

South Africa stretches from about 20 S. to almost 35 S. latitude and is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn in the north. Despite the generally subtropical location, the climate is varied and temperate, largely because of the elevation of the land. There is much sunny weather all year.

On the plateau, summers are warm and winters are cool with occasional freezing temperatures. Annual average temperatures at Johannesburg, for example, are 65 F. (18 C.) in January and 50 F. (10 C.) in July. Annual rainfall is moderate to scant; virtually all of it occurs between October and Aprilthe warm months. Amounts decline from more than 30 inches (760 mm) a year in the east to less than 5 inches (130 mm) in the west.

Except in the west, the coastal areas are considerably warmer than the plateau. The east coast, particularly from East London northward past Durban, has a humid subtropical climate similar to Florida's. Summers are warm, winters are mild, and rainfall is abundant. Durban, for example, has an average January temperature of 76 F. (24 C.) and an average July temperature of 64 F. (18 C.) and receives 43 inches (1,090 mm) of rainfall.

The south coast, from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, has a climate resembling that of southern California. Mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers are characteristic. The climate along the west coast, especially in the north around Port Nolloth, is cool and extremely dry, the chief influence being the cold, offshore Benguela Current. Port Nolloth receives only 2 inches (50 mm) of rainfall annually; average temperatures there are 60 F. (16 C.) in January and 54 F. (12 C.) in July.

Forests cover only about 1 per cent of the land. They are found mainly on the higher and wetter slopes of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu/Natal provinces. At lower elevations and in the Limpopo province are large tracts of tropical savannas (grasslands with scattered trees). Grasses cover much of the plateau. They range from tall stands in the higher, more humid parts of the east to scattered short grasses and scrub in the drier sections of the west. Some areas have virtually no vegetation. The southwest coast has low, drought-resistant evergreen plants, similar to those of southern California.

South Africa's once-abundant wildlife is now limited mostly to the national parks and game reserves. The largest and best known of these is Kruger National Park, occupying more than 7,340 square miles (19,000 km2) in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Animals here include lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, monkeys, baboons, and antelopes. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses are common along the streams in the park.

Among the many kinds of birds found in South Africa are ostriches, hornbills, and secretary birds.

Other wildlife sanctuaries include Hluhluwe Game Reserve in KwaZulu/Natal, home of the rare white rhinoceros, and Addo Elephant National Park, Bontebok National Park, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, and Mountain Zebra National Park in Eastern Cape Province.

Economy

Until well into the 20th century, South Africa's economy was based almost entirely on agriculture and mining. Industrial development came primarily after the political unification of the country in 1910 and with the establishment of a domestic iron and steel industry during the early 1930's. In the following decade many secondary manufacturing concerns were established, most notably those based on iron and steel.

The greatest economic boom, however, occurred during the 1950's and 1960's. This period was marked by diversification of industry and large investments of foreign capital. Economic growth slowed during the 1970's and 1980's, largely because of political instability, the cessation of much foreign investment, and the wide fluctuations in the price of gold, an important export for South Africa.

Most of South Africa's industries are privately owned, but somesuch as iron and steel, electrical power, and most forms of transportationare primarily government enterprises. The economies of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Namibia are closely linked by a customs agreement.

Most white South Africans enjoy a relatively high income and a high standard of living, comparable to those of the United States. The income and the standard of living of most nonwhites, although improving, are substantially lower.

In terms of its contribution to the gross national product, manufacturing leads all other economic activities. Though production is less varied than in most industrialized nations, it is, nevertheless, diverse. Except for computers, South Africa does not rely heavily on imports.

The principal groups of manufactured products are processed foods and beverages, metals and metal products, textiles and clothing, chemicals, machinery, and transportation equipment (mainly automobiles and trucks). Also important are the industries that produce paper, tobacco, glass, rubber, and wood products.

Most of the industrial development has occurred in four widely separated areasthe metropolitan regions of Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth, and, especially, in Gauteng Province. The latter centers on Johannesburg and extends northward to Pretoria, southward to Vereeniging and to other cities of the Witwatersrand, or Rand. Concentrated here are the metallurgical, chemical, and engineering industries.

To avoid the further concentration of industry, the government has established a program that provides incentives for private companies to locate their facilities in regions that are relatively undeveloped. The incentives include tax concessions and financial assistance.

In the late 1980's agriculture employed about 14 per cent of South Africa's labor force and made up a large and highly valuable part of the economy. It is declining in relative importance, however, because of increasing industrialization. Most of the commercial farms are operated by white South Africans employing mainly black laborers.

Only about 12 per cent of South Africa's land is suitable for cultivation, mainly because of scant rainfall and because few rivers can provide water for irrigation. The principal exception is the Orange River, where a vast engineering project supplies irrigation water and hydroelectric power for parts of the Free State and Northern Cape Province.

Despite the relatively small crop area, a great variety of temperate and subtropical crops are grown, mainly because of the wide range of climate, soil, and terrain. Corn is the chief cash crop. It is also the main subsistence food of black South Africans. Wheat ranks second among cereals; others include oats, barley, and kafir (a grain sorghum). Sugarcane and fruits are grown, partly for export. Other chief crops include potatoes, wine grapes, tobacco, peanuts, cotton, bananas, and pineapples.

The raising of livestock has long been a basic part of the South African economy. It is based on the vast grasslands that are unsuited to crops, but are capable of sustaining livestock. Sheep are by far the most numerous animals; next are cattle, goats, and hogs. From the sheep herds comes one of South Africa's most valuable exportswool, mainly merino wool. Among wool-exporting nations South Africa has long held a prominent position. Large amounts of meat, dairy products, hides, and skins are also derived from South Africa's livestock.

South Africa is one of the world's great mining countries, not only in production but also in the variety of minerals produced and in reserves. Except for petroleum, which is totally lacking, the nation is virtually self-sufficient in minerals.

For many decades gold has been of overwhelming importance. Normally it accounts for 50 to 60 per cent of the value of all minerals mined in South Africa and the largest single share of world production. The chief mining areas are in the north-central part of the country, especially in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and the northern part of Free State. In gem-quality diamonds South Africa has long been a leading producer. Mines near Kimberley and Pretoria account for much of the production. Of increasing importance is the Atlantic coast, where diamonds are recovered from alluvial sand and gravel.

Copper and coal also rank among South Africa's valuable minerals. Coal is particularly significant since it is virtually the only domestic fuel and source of electric power. Gasoline is produced from coal at Sasolburg in the Free State. Other minerals produced in South Africa include uranium, platinum, asbestos, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, chromium, antimony, silver, and vanadium.

The fishing industry of South Africa has grown rapidly since the 1950's. Operations are conducted far out at sea and along the entire coast, including that of Namibia. The catch consists mainly of pilchard, anchovy, herring, rock lobster, and hake, and is processed primarily at fishing ports along the western and southern coasts. Much of the catch, especially rock lobster and hake, is canned or frozen for export. Large amounts of fish are also converted to meal and crude fish oil.

Because of its limited natural forests, South Africa relies heavily on commercial plantations of pine, eucalyptus, and wattle (a type of acacia) to meet most of its wood requirements. Many woods, however, must still be imported. Wattle bark and its extract, which is used in tanning leather, have long been exported.

The South African government owns and operates virtually all public transportation facilities, including railways, ports, airports, and pipelines. Most of the facilities and equipment are operated by one agency, South African Transport Services.

The railway system is modern and serves all major South African urban and mining centers. It also connects with the railways of several adjoining countries. Johannesburg is the chief rail hub. Except in the sparsely inhabited northwest, the country is served by an extensive and modern highway system.

South Africa's merchant marine is made up of nearly 1,000 vessels. Durban is the largest port in terms of tonnage. Other major ports include Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Mossel Bay. The Johannesburg-Pretoria area is served by Maputo, the principal port of Mozambique. South African Airways (SAA), the national airline, provides domestic flights and international servicemainly to adjoining countries and to Europe. The largest airport, and center of operations for most foreign airlines, is Jan Smuts International Airport, about midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The People

South Africa has many ethnic groups. From 1948 to 1991, when the government maintained a policy of apartheid (apartness), all persons were designated as members of one of four official ethnic groups and each group was segregated from the others. These groups were the whites (also called Europeans), blacks (also called Natives, Bantus, or Africans), coloreds (of mixed races), and Asians (also called Indians). These designations are still used unofficially.

The whites form about 14 per cent of the population. Some three-fifths of them are Afrikaners, or Boers, descendants of the early, predominantly Dutch settlers. The remainder are largely of British ancestry.

Blacks account for more than 70 per cent of the population. The largest black groups are the Zulus, Xhosas, Tswana, Sepedi, and Seshoeshoe. The Xhosas and Zulus, together with the Swazis, form a larger linguistic, cultural groupthe Ngunis.

About a third of the blacks work in the cities; others work in mines, in outlying industrial plants, and on farms. In urban areas most live in separate communities called townships.

The coloreds, who make up about 9 per cent of the population, are descendants of the residents of the early settlement at the Cape of Good Hopethe Khoi (traditionally called Hottentots), Europeans, and Southeast Asian and African slaves. Descendants of Southeast Asian slaves who maintain a Malayan identity are called Cape Malays.

The Asians are descendants of laborers brought from India. They make up less than 3 per cent of the population. There is a small community of Chinese.

There are 11 official languagesAfrikaans (which developed from Dutch), English, Ndebele, Zulu, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa.

Most of the whites and coloreds, a large percentage of the blacks, and some of the Asians are Christian. The principal Christian churches are the Dutch Reformed, Anglican, and Roman Catholic. The majority of the Asians are Hindus. There are small groups of Muslims and Jews.

Each province decides educational policy at the primary and secondary levels. Church groups operate many schools in areas not served by public schools. For many yearsuntil 1991, when apartheid endedit was South Africa's policy to have separate schools for each race. The literacy rate is 93 per cent for white people, 70 per cent for Asians, 60 per cent for coloreds, and 30 per cent for blacks. Principal institutions of higher learning include the University of Cape Town (founded 1829); University of the Orange Free State (1855), in Bloemfontein; University of South Africa (1873), in Pretoria; and University of Pretoria (1908).

Cultural activities have unusual variety because of the diversity of the population. Authors publishing in English who have gained worldwide readership include Alan Paton, Stuart Cloete, Nadine Gordimer, and Laurens van der Post. Afrikaans writing has been especially notable for poetry. The performing arts are subsidized by the provincial governments.

In black culture, music and dancing are prominent. A black singer, Miriam Makeba, became an international favorite in the 1960's and the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo won fame in the 1980's. Black painters and sculptors often are influenced by traditional African art, such as the rock paintings and engravings done in ancient times by prehistoric peoples and more recently by the San (traditionally called Bushmen).

Rugby, soccer, tennis, and golf are popular sports. Because of foreign objections to its racial practices, South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games from 1964 to 1988.

Government

Under the constitution of 1996, South Africa is a republic. The parliament, whose members are elected for five-year terms, has two housesthe National Assembly with 400 members and the National Council of Provinces with 90. Members of the National Assembly are popularly elected and members of the National Council of Provinces are elected by the provincial legislatures (10 from each province).

The president (head of state) is elected by the majority party of the National Assembly and is limited to serving two five-year terms. The president appoints a deputy president and a cabinet.

The judicial system is headed by the Constitutional Court, which interprets the constitution, and the Supreme Court, which has authority over the provincial, regional, and appellate divisions. The president appoints members of the Constitutional Court.

Each province has an elected legislature. The executive branch of each province is headed by a premier. The provinces have exclusive responsibility in a few specific areas, such as building and maintaining roads.