123 Facts About South Africa That Will Make You Want To Go There

South Africa is one of the most advanced economies on the African continent.

South Africa's population is a mixture of people from different ethnicities and cultures, leading to the country being named the 'Rainbow Nation'. Ever since the end of apartheid, the country has managed to take giant steps towards ensuring an inclusive and equitable society.

The entire continent of Africa is known for its beauty and cultural practices. There are many historical as well as cultural facts that most people outside of the African continent are unaware of. These include amazing practices and brutal struggles that the people of Africa were subjected to in their history.

The same holds true for South Africa. The country has gone through such great struggles, that one can not help but marvel at the progress the nation has recorded since its liberation.

The South African flag features many colors.

While the red in their flag is a sign of their ancestral blessings, it is the black that keeps them united.

Green is indicative of wealth within South Africa and the white line which draws a Y or a V is symbolic of bringing together the people of diverse societies of South Africa and all of them walking together as one.

The answer to the question 'which city is the capital of South Africa?' is quite interesting.

South Africa has three capital cities and no, Johannesburg is not one of those despite being the largest city in the country. The capital cities of South Africa are the executive capital Pretoria, the judicial capital Bloemfontein, and the legislative capital, Cape Town.

With a population size of 60,143,000 (according to the 2021 data), the African country is managed by a multi-party government.

Read on to know some more interesting facts about South Africa, its geography, culture, and various other aspects related to the nation. Afterward, also check facts about Saudi Arabia and Argentina facts.

Fun Facts About South Africa

Being the second-largest among all the seven continents, Africa is a land of 1500-2000 different languages and speaking styles. A fun fact is that the richest ever emperor to have ever lived in the history of mankind was Musa, the tenth ruler of Africa.

• The Sahara Desert is also present in South Africa. It is the hottest of all deserts on Earth.
• Giraffes, known as the tallest animal, are native to South Africa. Cheetahs are known as the fastest animals and reside here, in South Africa.
• It is fun to know, especially for all the adventurers out there that South Africa is the center for the highest bungy jumping. It is a center for a great experience.
• The African country has a Lost City-themed hotel.
• Every year there are thousands of animals, such as zebras, who migrate across the borders to enter South Africa.
• The South African coast has one of the largest islands in the world, the fourth-largest, Madagascar. It is recorded on the east coast of South Africa.
• The South African coast is relatively more populated than the desert regions, and understandably so.
• Cape Town is the southernmost city. It is the oldest city to have been developed.
• Cape Town is the main city of South Africa which is regarded as the capital of the Western Cape. The legislative capital of Southern Africa is none other than Cape Town itself.
• The country lies at the bottom of the continent when searched on a map.
• The famous African Safari and various national parks are what make this country and continent so famous and attractive, especially to tourists and cultural and forest researchers, along with animal photographers and lovers.

Facts About South Africa's History

The historical accounts of this African country have been filled with struggles and fights for establishing equal rights for all. Here are some extremely important facts about the history of South Africa to help you understand the country better.

• Long before the South African War, the system of apartheid was prevalent here.
• All the native black community members were regarded as belonging to lower sections and discriminated against in terms of not providing them proper living conditions, protection from laws or even allowing them to attend the same schools and drink water from the same places as white people.
• Once the war of equal rights was over, Nelson Mandela was chosen to be the leader of the black community in South Africa.
• Nelson Mandela took part actively in this struggle for equality and even went to prison several times for the same. Under his guidance and leadership, the law against apartheid was finally passed in 1976.
• Following this abolition, the times changed for the black community in South Africa as they no longer had to fear the apartheid struggle and could freely complete education and live in quality homes.
• Nelson Mandela rose as a national figure in South Africa after years of struggle and fights.
• Major contributions to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa were made by Nelson Mandela.
• South Africa forms a country of mixed cultures and shows acceptance for all people who visit, regardless of ethnicity.

Facts About South Africa's Culture

South Africa, the Rainbow Nation, has a rich culture. Here are some extremely interesting facts related to the culture of South Africa which you will surely enjoy:

• South Africans have accepted different cultures over the years following their independence. As a result, there has been a mix of several cultures like Arab culture, Islamic culture, western culture, Tibetan culture, and more.
• Facts about South Africa include that the rich cultures present within Africa are not accumulated in any specific country. It is all diverse. There are people from different cultures living in harmony with the traditional South Africans in all the countries of Africa.
• South Africans have a traditional culture of art. South African artworks include drawings of couples, women, and wildlife. All their traditional marks and clothes represent this art form and also consist of symbols of their religious and spiritual beliefs.
• Both North and South Africans have been seen wearing different traditional clothes, demarcating the differences in their historical cultures.
• South African food habits are mostly based on meat, vegetables, fruits, and milk.
• Their musical instruments present a unique rhythm.
• The dressing and makeup techniques of the traditional South African population differ widely.
• Due to water scarcity in the region, some South Africans wash their hair with wood ash and apply specialized soil on their face and hands to protect themselves from the sun. Due to this mixture, they often appear red.
• Widely known for its cultural practices, the beauty of nature, and diversity, South Africa’s largest revenue is from commercial activities including tourism. Sadly, however, this South African nation is considered to be a third-world country. This is majorly owing to the presence of poverty and widespread scarcity in numerous regions of Africa.

Geographical Facts About South Africa

Here are some interesting facts about the varied Geography of South Africa:

The entire African continent is divided into 54 countries, along with 10 territories.

Algeria has become the largest country in Africa recently after the latest division of Sudan.

An interesting fact is that the Rainbow Nation is the home to the longest river in the world.

The River Nile in South Africa flows richly from the territories of 11 different states, providing relief to many for their daily activities and work.

Karueein is the oldest known University to man-kind which is still operational in the Republic of South Africa.

Cape town, which is the southernmost country of Africa, is situated along the African coast.

Maps place Port Elizabeth as a southern coast with commercial as well as cultural importance and significance.

The Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces are bordered by the oldest mountains. The Stormberg region, which is west of Eastern Cape Town, is less elevated in comparison to the other side.

All the ridges and mountains along the Eastern Cape and Western Cape regions show considerable signs of erosion caused due to time.

The Kalahari Desert is a semi-arid land area present within South African borders. The Kalahari Desert has extreme day and night temperatures.

Facts about South Africa also include that the Kalahari Desert runs across several African countries.

It is home to several specialized plants and animals. South Africans believe the Barberton Greenstone Belt to be the oldest mountain, not only in the Republic of South Africa but on the entire surface of the Earth. These oldest mountains are not the highest.

This is mostly because the oldest mountains often get worn down due to the constant weather conditions affecting them for thousands of years. The southernmost part of the country is called Cape Point.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 123 Facts about South Africa that will make you want to go there then why not take a look at Barbados facts, or facts about Spain?