South+Africa

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South Africa is the country on the southern tip of the African continent. The oceans around South Africa are Atlantic and Indian oceans. South Africa borders to Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. There are eleven official languages in South Africa, and they are: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Some of these are spoken more than others.



//**Map showing principal South African languages by municipality. Lighter shades indicate a non-majority plurality.**//

How South-Africa became a colony
“The Dutch East India Company” established a delivery-station for ships that travelled from Europe and Asia, beside the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. The station developed very soon to become the city **Cape** **Town**, and became to the colony **Cape**. South Africa was a British-colony. It became England’s colony in 1806, and the British forbade slavery in 1833. A lot of people from Europe, also Norwegian, traveled to South-Africa when it was discovered that it was gold //(1886)// and diamantes //(1867)// in the country. The gold and diamantes started the //Second boar war that// was from 1899-1902. After 3 years of fighting the boars lost. //Boer women and children in a British consentration camp.//

Similarities between South Africa and Britain
 * Both South Africa and Britain speak English in their countries.
 * They both have School uniform in the school system.
 * When South Africa was a union, they both had Elisabeth 2 as queen, they also had the same governor-general and Prime-minister.

[[image:johannesburg.JPG width="297" height="214"]] [[image:cape.JPG width="298" height="188"]]

 * Geography**


 * Population (2006 est.):** 44,187,637

Cape town is the capital in South Africa and the lagest city to.
 * Other large cities:** Durban/Pinetown, Johannesburg and East Rand,

In South Africa there is **79%** black African, **9,6%** white, **8,9%** colored and **2,5%** Indian/Asian. And the relgions in South Afrinca is **11%** Zion Christian, **8%** Pentecostal/Charismatic, **7%** Catholic, **7%** Methodist, **7%** Dutch Reformed, **4%** Anglican, **36%** other Christian, **2%** Islam and **15 %** of the population have no religion. //This is examine in 2001.//

Namib is the 4th largest nature conservation area in the world.

The largest canyon in Africa is called Fish River Canyon, and its the second largest in the world. Its 161 km long, 27 km wide ravine, maximum depth of 550m.

Damaraland has unusual geological features, rock paintings and engravings. Populations of desert-adapted elephant and black rhino. Ancient San and Himba cultures.




 * South Afica** **now**

South Africa is the only country in the world who are ruled from three different capitals: In the city Cape Town lays the parliament and thereby the legislative power. In Pretoria lays the government and thereby the executive power. And at least, in Bloemfontein lays the high court and thereby the judging power. But the last years a new high court came in a new city, Johannesburg, this so-calles Constitutional Court only takes care off constitution questions. South Africas constitution was signed of Nelson Mandela in 1996. South Africa is a democratic country.
 * Politics:**

Economy: South Africa is a middlerich country.


 * History**

It was in 1652 the Dutch came to South Africa, and around 1700 the Dutch people and the Britain people had already a lot of colonies. It was found diamonds in 1867 and gold in 1886. This leaded to wealth for the Europeans. In 1910 the union South Africa was created as an independent dominion in British Commonwealth. And this didn’t make conditions for the black people any better, they just got more and more suppressed. In 1948 was apartheid regime established. That meant that the black and white couldn’t share anything, everything was separated. One bench in the park for white people, and one for the black. And the white people always got the best ones. Many of the black people had to live in townships. The most famous township is Soweto in Johannesburg. The apartheid regime ended in 1990.

Nelson Mandela was a very important person for South Africa. He fought for his country, freedom and an end of segregation. Because Nelson fought for this he got in prison in 1962-1990. And in 1991 he became the first black president in South Africa. He was president in eight years. Nelson Mandela is a great man! Nelson Mandela Soweto

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa __[|www.google.com] http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8r-Afrika__