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Portal:South Africa

Welcome to the
South Africa
Portal

Unity in Diversity

Introduction

Flag of South Africa
Flag of South Africa
Map of the South Africa within Africa.

The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the African continent. It borders the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini, and entirely surrounds Lesotho.

South Africa has the largest population of people of European descent in Africa, one of the largest Indian population outside of Asia, as well as the largest Coloured (of mixed European, Asian and African descent) community in Africa, making it one of the most ethnically diverse countries on the continent. Racial and ethnic strife between the black majority and the white minority have played a large part in the country's history and politics. The National Party began introducing the policy of apartheid after winning the general election of 1948; however, it was the same party under the leadership of F.W. de Klerk who started to dismantle it in 1990 after a long struggle by the black majority, as well as many white, coloured and Indian South Africans.

The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état, and regular free and fair elections have been held since 1994, making it a regional power and among the most stable and liberal democracies in Africa.

South Africa is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank. It has the second largest economy in Africa after Nigeria, and the 34th-largest in the world. By purchasing power parity, South Africa has the 7th highest per capita income in Africa. Although being the second largest economy, South Africa has the most sophisticated economy in the continent, with modern infrastructure common throughout the country. The country is considered to be a newly industrialized country according to the World Bank classifications.

A Denel Rooivalk in flight

The Denel Rooivalk (previously designated AH-2 and CSH-2) is an attack helicopter manufactured by Denel Aviation of South Africa. Rooivalk is Afrikaans for "Red Falcon", which refers to the lesser kestrel. Development of the type began in 1984 by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation. Its development was closely connected to the Atlas Oryx transport helicopter, with both aircraft being based on the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma and having started development at the same time.

Development of the Rooivalk was protracted due to the impact of limited budgets during the 1990s, and a desire to produce a highly advanced attack helicopter. The South African Air Force (SAAF) ordered 12 Rooivalk, designated the Rooivalk Mk 1 in SAAF service, the first of which were officially handed over in April 2011. The helicopters are flown by 16 Squadron, based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein. (Full article...)

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Meerkats in the Kalahari
A family, or mob, of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) in the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa. Meerkats, members of the mongoose family, are primarily insectivores, though they may eat other small animals or plants. They are social animals that live in groups of twenty or more. Meerkat family dynamics were featured in the series Meerkat Manor, first aired in 2005.

Did you know... - show different entries

  • ...that The deepest mine is a gold mine in South Africa. in 1977 the Western Deep Levels Mine reached a depth of 11,749 feet. Most mines descend to about 3,300 feet.
  • ...that South Africa is the only country in the world to voluntarily abandon its nuclear weapons program.
  • ...that South Africa has 19,004 miles of railway track - 80% of Africa's rail infrastructure.

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

"Feelings" is a song by South African singer Zonke from her third studio album Ina Ethe (2011). It was released as the parent record's second single on 12 July 2012 through TMP Entertainment. Solely written and produced by the singer herself, "Feelings" is a jazz song that is accompanied by a combination of African drums and beats. The single was nominated for "Record of the Year" at the 2013 South African Music Awards, but lost to "Kulungile Baba" by Sifiso Ncwane in the category.

The accompanying music video was directed and produced by Shawn Borcherding and won the recognition of "Most Gifted Female Video" at the Channel O Music Video Awards, also in 2013. Zonke performed "Feelings" live on several occasions, including as part of the pre-show for select Lionel Richie concerts and during her 2013 Give and Take Live Tour. The live rendition would later be included on her first live album, Give and Take Live (2013). (Full article...)

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Anton van Wouw
Anton van Wouw (20 November 1862, Driebergen - 30 July 1945, Pretoria) was a Dutch-born sculptor regarded as the father of South African sculpture.

Van Wouw decided to move to the developing city of Pretoria at the age of 28 and waited for ten years to receive his first commission. This was from financier Sammy Marks to create a monumental statue of Paul Kruger, which stands on Church Square.

During his time spent in the wilderness he developed a great admiration for the Boer nation. This also influenced his artistic development a great deal. He identified with the struggles and hopes of these people and this commitment was reflected in his work.

A great deal of his work, although representational, captures the rugged and emotional essence of his subjects. One of his most notable pieces of work is the figure of a woman used in the Women’s Monument near Bloemfontein. He collaborated on this with the architect Frans Soff. He was also responsible for the less successful figure of a woman incorporated into the Voortrekker Monument near Pretoria, a powerful bust of General Christiaan de Wet and the statue of Louis Botha in Durban.

He also portrayed indigenous peoples and among these smaller sculptures some of his finest work can be found. They are much less formal than his larger work and are appealing in their vivid and lifelike facial expressions.

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Hertzoggies being sold in a South African bakery for R5.99 (roughly US$0.42) each.

A Hertzoggie /hɜːrtsɒxi/, also known in Afrikaans as a Hertzogkoekie or in English as a Hertzog cookie, is a jam-filled tartlet or cookie with a coconut topping commonly served on a cup-like pastry base. (Full article...)

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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Panoramic view from the Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

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The following are images from various South Africa-related articles on Wikipedia.

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