South Africa is a country at the southern tip of Africa. Because of its cultural and ethnic diversity, South Africa is often called “the Rainbow Nation.” Here are 10 fun facts about South Africa. Let’s read.
10 fun facts about South Africa
Overview
South Africa has an area of around 1.22 million square kilometers. It is the ninth largest country in the African continent. The population of South Africa is 61 million (2024 estimate), making it the sixth most populated country in Africa.
South Africa has three capital cities
There are three capital cities in South Africa – Bloemfontein the judicial capital, Pretoria the executive capital, and Cape Town the legislative capital.
South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot
South Africa is among the very few megadiverse countries in the world. It is estimated that over 100,000 species of flora and fauna are found within the country’s borders. This includes about 300 mammal species, over 850 bird species, and thousands of plant and insect species.
One of the oldest mountains in the world are in South Africa
In the Makhonjwa Mountains of South Africa and Eswatini, some of the oldest preserved rocks are found. Rocks more than 3.2 billion years old have been discovered in these mountains. These mountains have thus earned the title of “oldest mountains on Earth.”
South Africa completely surrounds a country
South Africa is one of the only two countries in the world that completely surround another country. Lesotho is an enclaved country completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho has an area of 30,355 square kilometers and a population of 2.4 million.
South Africa has one of the largest lion populations
With over 3,000 lions, South Africa has one of the largest populations of lions in the world. Moreover, South Africa also has a stable population of leopards and cheetahs.
National animal of South Africa
Springbok, a fast-running antelope is the national animal of South Africa. With a running speed of nearly 90 km/hr, Springbok is one of the fastest animals on Earth.
The world’s first human-to-human heart transplant was performed in South Africa
Christiaan Barnard, a surgeon in Cape Town, performed the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant in 1967.
Official languages in South Africa
There are 12 official languages in South Africa – Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu and South African Sign Language. Among these languages, Zulu is the most spoken first language.
There are many other significantly spoken languages in South Africa as well which include languages spoken by immigrant communities like Hindi, Gujarati, Greek, etc.
Sports in South Africa
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in the country. Cricket and Rugby are also very popular in South Africa. In both cricket and Rugby, South Africa is among the top-performing nations.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Africa
There are 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Africa – 7 cultural, 4 natural, and 1 mixed. The most famous ones are iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, Robben island, etc.
The largest city in South Africa
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa. The city has a population of more than 6 million. Located in the Gauteng province, Johannesburg is among the top 10 largest cities in the whole of Africa.
Some basic facts about South Africa
| Area | 1.22 million square kilometers |
| Population | 61 million (2024 estimate) |
| Capitals | Bloemfontein (judicial capital), Pretoria (executive capital), and Cape Town (legislative capital). |
| Largest city | Johannesburg |
| Currency | South African rand |
| National animal | Springbok |
| National tree | Real yellowwood |
| National bird | Blue crane |
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