A Brief History: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. Independence from British rule was established 31 May 1910 and following a referendum in 1960 South Africa became a republic in 1961. Increasing internal resentment at the Afrikaner-led government’s apartheid policies during the 1970s and 1980s coupled with growing international isolation resulted in negotiations for a new democratic order between the white government and the main black political movement the African National Congress. ANC leader Nelson Mandela was finally freed from 27 years of prison in 1990 and became South Africa’s first democratic leader in 1994 following a landslide victory by the ANC. South Africa’s new Constitutional entered into effect on 3 February 1997. Two subsequent elections in 1999 and 2004 saw the ANC maintain its two-thirds majority in parliament.

Demography:  South Africa has a population of 44 820 000 (July 2003 census) comprising 79% African, 9,6% white, 8,9% coloured and 2,5% Indian/Asian.

Thirty percent of the population is under 15 years of age and only 5% are over 65 years of age. The population growth rate is -0.25% (2004 estimate). Infant mortality rate is 62 deaths per 1000 live births, while the fertility rate is 2.18 children born per woman. Life expectancy is currently 44 years for both male and females.

Zulu Maidens

Language : The Constitution provides for 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

isiZulu is the mother tongue of 24% of the population, isiXhosa (18%), Afrikaans (13%), Sepedi (9%), and English and Setswana (8% each). The least spoken indigenous language in South Africa is isiNdebele, which is spoken by under 2% of the population.

Religion:  Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Geography:  South Africa is located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa. It covers a total area of 1.2 million square kilometers and includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island). It has a land boundary of 4,862 kilometers, with the Border with Botswana being 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km and Zimbabwe 225 km. South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland. South Africa has a coastline of 2,798 kilometers. The highest point is Njesuthi in the Drakensberg mountains at 3,408 meters above sea level.

Natural Resources include gold (world’s largest producer), platinum (world’s largest producer) chromium (world’s largest producer) , antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Economy: South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income.

South Africa’s GDP based on purchasing power parity is $456.7 billion comprising agriculture 4.5%, industry 29% and services 67%. Per capita income is $10,700 (2003 est.).

Labor :  Force of 17 million economically active divided into agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%. The unemployment rate is around 37% and includes workers no longer looking for employment.

Industry: Mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Agriculture: Products include corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool and dairy products. About 12% of the land is arable. About 13,500 square kilometers are irrigated with prolonged droughts being the country’s main natural hazard.

Health and environment: Recent estimates show an HIV/AIDS adult prevalence of approximately 20% with approximately 5 million South African’s living with HIV/AIDS.

Education:Literacy rate (ie those over 15 that can read and write) is at 86.5% for the population, with males at 87% and females at 86%.

About KwaZulu Natal Province:

Click on the map for a larger image.

Geography: The province of KwaZulu-Natal, on the eastern side of the country, is bordered by the warm Indian Ocean to the east and the escarpment of the Drakensberg Mountains separating it from the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, to the west. It covers almost 8% of the country’s geographic area. The relatively low lying coastal strip rises to rolling hills in the Midlands before reaching the high altitudes of the mountains and escarpment. The province boasts two of the country’s major natural harbours at Durban and Richards Bay. It also boasts two World Heritage Sites – The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park.

Climate and Weather: KwaZulu-Natal has a warm, sub-tropical, maritime climate, with temperatures moderated by the expanse of the Indian Ocean. Summers are hot and humid, averaging 28 Degrees Celsius and experience the majority of the annual rainfall, while winters, with average temperatures of 23 Degrees, are warm, dry and clear with occasional frost in the interior. Winter sunshine averages almost 7 hours a day, some of the highest in the country. The province boasts an all-year tourism friendly climate. Sea temperatures are also relatively stable, averaging 21 Degrees around the year providing possibilities for a diversity of aquatic activities in any season, including diving, fishing, swimming, boating and surfing.

Demography: KwaZulu-Natal has the largest population of South Africa’s nine provinces at 9.2 million (2002), a figure which includes estimates of reductions due to HIV/AIDS. This is approximately 21% of the total South African population. Of this total, approximately 1.6 million people in KwaZulu-Natal fall into the economically active category consisting of those aged between 15 and 65 years. The largest proportion of HIV/AIDS deaths are being found to occur in KZN.

Economy: Durban’s harbour is said to be the largest, busiest, safest and most sheltered harbour on the African continent, and the ninth largest in the world. Plans are at present afoot for major further development of the port. The harbour at Richards Bay, in the north of the province, is the country’s second busiest harbour.