SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2021 SOExploring the realmsUTHof history, science, nature and technology

The South African flag was adopted in 1994. The colorful flag is symbolic of the long AFRICA journey from disparity to unity of the South African people. This southernmost country on the African In a word continent seems to have it all, but problems South Africa has 12 official languages and many unofficial with poverty are an ongoing challenge. This land ones. The official languages is home to a variety of cultures, an abundance of are isiZulu, Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, siSwati, Sesotho, natural beauty and a cornucopia of landscapes — Xitsonga, Sepedi, isiNdebele, Setswana, Tshivenda and sign from beaches, mountains and grasslands to deserts. The giant protea or king protea is the national flower of South Africa. It language. ZIMBABW has a very large, artichoke-shaped The country’s nickname is the BOTSWANA bloom and is sometimes used in wed- Rainbow Nation for its many ding bouquets. It flowers in late spring. Polokwane

diverse cultures. E Limpopo Just the facts A bit of history Gaborone Mpuma Area 471,445 sq. mi. There is a cave near Johan- langa Pretoria Maputo (1,221,037 sq. km) nesburg called the Sterkfontein Nelspruit Gauteng Population 60 million where archaeologists have Minabatho Mbabane Johannesburg found some of the earliest hu- North West SWAZILAND Capital city Pretoria Province man fossils ever discovered. NAMBIA Vredefort Vaal River Highest elevation Northern Hartz River Dome About 24,000 years ago, tribes Cape Golela Mafadi Ladysmith Orange Upington Free State 11,320 ft. (11,320 m) of hunter-gatherers moved into Richards River Kimberley the region. Ancestors of these Bay Lowest elevation ancient people live near the Port Nolloth Pietermaritzburg Sea level Bloemfontein Maseru Kalahari Desert in the LESOTHO Agriculture Springbok Verneuk Orange KwaZulu northwest. Pan River -Natal Grains, oilseeds, fruits, sugars, citrus, wine, vegetables The British took control of the Olifants Port Shepstone Dutch colony at Cape Town in River Industry Mining (world’s Queenstown 1806. Almost 100 years later, ATLANTIC largest producer of platinum coast four British colonies in the OCEAN Eastern East group metals, gold, chromium), region united, creating South Cape London Western INDIAN automobile manufacturing, Port Africa. Laws were established Table Cape Shipwreck OCEAN metalworking, technology, that separated white and Black Mountain Elizabeth machinery, textiles, iron Mossel Bay 300 km South Africans, a practice Cape Town and steel of segregation called 300 miles Exports Gold, platinum, cars, apartheid. These unfair laws iron ore, coal briquettes led to generations of Springbok This antelope gives conflict and unrest. Gold-banded Forester butterfly its name to the South In 1990, after African rugby team, Did you know? 27 years in prison, the Springboks. South Africa has three capital Nelson Mandela (head cities: Pretoria is the executive of the anti-apartheid African capital, Cape Town the National Congress) was freed. The South African legislative capital and Bloem- He became the first democrati- giraffe is also known fontein the judicial capital. cally elected president of free as the cape giraffe. South Africa is home to the South Africa in 1994. 2020 populations were estimated at oldest meteor scar in the world Nelson Mandela about 29,650 – the Vredefort Dome in a 1918 - 2013 individuals. town called Parys. Table Mountain is one of the Mountain oldest mountains on the planet. zebra Leopard South Africa’s drinking water is rated third-best in the world. The nation of Lesotho is entire- ly surrounded by South Africa. It is one of only three nations in Found throughout South Africa, these the world enclosed by another big cats are highly country. adaptable. Shy but Blue cranes There are more than 2,000 cunning, they hunt are found shipwrecks off the coast. alone and prey on a only in variety of animals, The oldest remains of modern South Africa. from small rodents humans were discovered in to large antelope. South Africa and are more than 160,000 years old. SOURCES: World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc.; https://www.britannica.com; https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com; http://www.wildlifesouthafrica.com

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