Background :
South Africa, southernmost country in Africa, bordered on the north by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland; on the east and south by the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Lesotho forms an enclave in the northeastern part of the country.

South Africa has a diverse and dramatic landscape. Most of the interior is covered by high plateaus, which are separated from the country’s long coastline by chains of tall mountains. South Africa is rich in minerals such as gold and diamonds, and its industrial base grew up around the mining industry.

Black Africans comprise three quarters of South Africa’s population, and whites, Coloureds (people of mixed race), and Asians (mainly Indians) make up the remainder. Among the black population there are numerous ethnic groups and 11 official languages. Until recently, whites dominated the nonwhite majority population under the political system of racial segregation known as apartheid. Apartheid ended in the early 1990s, but South Africa is still recovering from the racial inequalities in political power, opportunity, and lifestyle. The end of apartheid led to the lifting of trade sanctions against South Africa imposed by the international community. It also led to a total reorganization of the government, which since 1994 has been a nonracial democracy based on majority rule.

South Africa is divided into nine provinces. These provinces are Gauteng, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, North-West Province, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. The country has three capitals: Cape Town is the legislative capital; Pretoria, the executive capital; and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.

Economy :
South Africa is changing economically from a producer of raw materials to an industrial nation that produces both raw materials and commercial products. The nation’s manufacturing, commerce, and services have been built extensively on the foundations of mining and farming. The economy remained primarily agricultural for much of the 19th century until the discovery of diamonds at Kimberley in 1867 and gold on the Witwatersrand in the 1880s. Mining quickly became dominant, but was overtaken by manufacturing during World War II. South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $125.9 billion in 2000.

The GDP per capita in South Africa is $2,940 per year, which ranks South Africa alongside other middle-income countries such as Chile, Mexico, Hungary, Thailand, and Malaysia. The modern industrial and commercial economy gives a minority of the population, including most whites, a standard of living equivalent to that in Western Europe; but for many who are wholly or partially excluded from the economy, incomes and lifestyles are characteristic of developing countries.

There are marked variations in economic production among different geographic areas in South Africa. About 40 percent of GDP is produced in Gauteng Province alone, while minimal commercial activity and poor infrastructure characterize the former bantustans. Such inequalities present a problem for South Africa in trade negotiations. The country subscribed to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) reached in 1993 and proposed that it be awarded developing-country status. This was not accepted, but the United States backed a proposal that South Africa be treated as an “economy in transition,” a status similar to that of the former Communist countries of Eastern Europe. In negotiations with the European Union (EU), South Africa has been treated as a developing country for the purpose of trade preferences in EU markets, but it has been denied participation in the Lomé Convention agreements between the EU and 70 African, Caribbean, and Pacific states because South Africa’s export capacity and the size of its economy threaten those states.

During the apartheid period the South African government championed the capitalist system, although its own economic policies were in many respects interventionist, and its racial policies compromised fundamental elements of capitalism such as the free movement of labor. International sanctions imposed because of the government’s apartheid policies were increasingly damaging in the late 1980s but ended in the early 1990s as the apartheid era came to a close. The majority party in government, the African National Congress (ANC), came to power in alliance with trade unions and the Communist Party, leading to fears that it would pursue socialist policies. In practice its economic policies have been geared to maximizing economic growth and attracting foreign investment. A restructuring of state assets involving full or partial privatization is currently planned. In 1995 inflation fell to less than 8 percent, the lowest level in 20 years.

Language :
South Africa has 11 official languages, however, the two languages most widely used are English and Afrikaans. Most of the hospitality industry is versed in at least one other foreign language.

Religion:
About 92 percent of South Africans are Christians, 2 percent are Hindus, and 2 percent are Muslims. Hindus are mainly Indian, and Muslims either Indian or Coloured. There has been some growth of Islam among Coloured people in recent years. The Christian churches include over 4,000 African independent churches that collectively claim over 8.5 million adherents.

African independent churches originally broke off from various mission churches, but have since developed their own momentum. The majority are now Zionist or Apostolic churches, with some independent branches of the Pentecostal movement. The Zion Christian Church is by far the largest of these churches; biannual gatherings at Zion City, its headquarters in Moria near Pietersburg in Northern Province, usually attract about 1 million members. In rural KwaZulu-Natal there are hundreds of separate churches, and at least 900 churches flourish in Soweto.

Most Afrikaners belong to one of the three Dutch Reformed churches whose 4.5 million members also include about half of the Coloured people and a small number of blacks. The Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (Afrikaans for “Dutch Reformed Church”) is the largest of the Dutch Reformed churches with 4 million members including the Coloured and African membership. It was a racially segregated church that supported the state during the apartheid years, but then recanted and moved closer to other churches. Other denominations include Roman Catholics (2.91 million), Methodists (2.25 million), Anglicans (1.46 million), Lutherans (0.96 million), and Presbyterians (0.56 million). The larger churches in this group were prominent in the struggle against apartheid, at least at the leadership level. A number of charismatic churches (an interdenominational Christian movement) have also been established in recent years, including the Rhema Church in Randburg, Gauteng Province.

Most people who claim no religious affiliation are African traditionalists. Their religion has a strong cultural base and rituals vary according to ethnic group. They generally recognize a supreme being, but ancestors are much more important, and they believe in manipulation of the power of spirits. Traditionalists have had some contact with Christianity and many are in a transitional position, incorporating aspects of both religions into their beliefs and worship.

Holidays:
1. January 1, 2005 New Year's Day National

2. March 21, 2005 Human Rights Day National

3. April 18, 2005 Good Friday National

4. April 20, 2005 Easter Sunday National

5. April 21, 2005 Family Day National

6. April 27, 2005 Freedom Day National

7. May 1, 2005 Workers Day National

8. June 16, 2005 Youth Day National

9. August 9, 2005 National Women's Day National

10. September 24, 2005 Heritage Day National

11. December 16, 2005 Day of Reconciliation National

12. December 25, 2005 Christmas Day National

13. December 26, 2005 Day of Goodwill National

Clothing :
South Africa enjoys long hot summers and clothing is generally informal. In the more up-market hotels, evening entertainment venues or gala dinners, smart-casual wear is often required. For the summer months( October-March), pack lightweight clothing but include a jacket for the occasionally chilly evening. Neutral colours are best for safaris. Most of the country is in the summer rainfall region, so it is best to carry an umbrella or raincoat. Warm clothing is suggested for the winter months.

Communications:
South Africa has an extensive automatic telephone system, two GSM cellular network, e-mail facilities at most hotels and a postal service. Cellular telephones are freely available for hire on arrival at all major airport

Customs:
Duty Free Allowance per person is as follows: 2 litres of wine, 1 litre of spirits, 400 cigarettes and 50 cigars.

Electricity
220/230 volts AC. An adapter is necessary for international electrical appliances.

Health:
If you intend visiting Northern Kwa Zulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Province, Swaziland, Botswana or Zimbabwe you are urged to commence a course of anti-malaria prophylactics - please consult your local practitioner for the most suitable medication.

Medical Facilities:
South Africa offers first class private hospitals with all the equipment conforming to European and American standards.