CLIMATE & THE NATURAL FEATURES IN SOUTH AFRICA

THE CLIMATE

The climate of South Africa is variable, but it is classified as semi-arid. The interior part of the country, where there are rocky mountains, is very dry, with extremely hot summers and extremely cold winters. The south-western corner has a Mediterranean climate, with wet winters and hot and dry summers. Further north and to east, temperatures are higher.

SPRING SUMMER AUTUMN WINTER

September December March June

October January April July

November February May August

NATURAL FEATURES

Environment

The highest mountain in South Africa is Mafadi and it is located on the border of South Africa and Lesotho. There are two major rivers in the country: the Limpopo, a part of which is shared with Zimbabwe, and the Orange, which flows across the central part of the country from east to west. Here are also areas of Southern Africa mangroves in river mouths.

Animals & plants

Here there are a lot of mammals as lions, African leopards, south African cheetahs, southern white rinhos, hyenas, hippopotamuses and south Africa giraffes.

There are a different plants grasses and acacia trees. There are significant numbers of baobab trees in this area, near the northern end of Kruger National Park.

THE BORDERS OF SOUTH AFRICA The official name of South Africa is the Republic of South Africa. South Africa is a country in the southern hemisphere and it has a total area of about 1.2 million km². it occupies the southern tip ok Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Indian ocean in the south and east. South Africa is bordered by Namibia, Botswana and Swiziland.the small country of Lesotho lies within south Africa.

THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND THE HISTORY

THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK South Africa is a very well- known wildlife area with more than 20 national parks.In the Lowveld region is the Kruger National Park, which is one of the most famous conservation areas in the world. It was founded at the end of the 19th century and named after Paul Kruger, who was the fifth president of the South African Replublic.The Kruger National Park is the largest park in South Africa ,covering an area of nearly two milion hectares.It is home to a huge number of different species.There are many species of mammals, including the so-called Big Five, that is, the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the rhinoceros and the buffalo.There are also several endangered species,such as the African wild dog.There are also lots of birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles. Morover, in the park there is a huge number of archaeological sites which range from the Stone Age to recent historical buildings and sites.

HISTORY OF KRUGER NATIONAL PARK The area was a home of the Tsonga people, from Skukuza in the South,

Manyeleti in the Centre and Makuleke in the North, the Tsonga people dominated the entire area. The Tsonga people became a victim of forced removal from the Kruger National Park between 1899 and 1926. When the British Colonialists took over the administration of Union of South Africa in 1902, they sought to expand the park and finally in 1926, the Tsonga people were removed from the entire land to make way for the establishment of South Africa's biggest nature reserve. The last Tsonga people in the park were removed during the 1960s at Makuleke in the Pafuri triangle. Since 1994, the Tsonga people have been involved in a land claim dispute with the South African Government for the restoration of their once vast Kingdoms; however the Government is not willing to hand over the entire park in the name of 'Conservation.

THE ECONOMY

The economy of South Africa is the largest in Africa. The nation is amongst the G-20, and is the only African member of the group. Nevertheles, high levels of unemployment, income inequality, growing public debt, low levels of education, reliable access to electricity, and crime are all serious problems that have negatively impacted the South African economy.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Mining has been the main driving force behind the

history and development of Africa's economy. South Africa is one of the world's leading mining and mineral-processing countries.

AGRICULTURE

Due to the aridity of the land, only 13.5% can be used for crop production. The sector continues to face problems. Maize production, which contributes to a 36% majority has also experienced negative effects due to climate change South Africa is one of world's largest producers of: chicory roots; grapefruit; cereals ; green maize.

The most important agricultural exports of South Africa include: edible fruit and nuts,tobacco,wool,sugar and milling products.

The most important agricultural imports include: cereals,meat,soya-bean oil,palm oil,spices,coffee and tea.

MANIFACTURING

The manufacturing industry's contribution to the economy is relatively small, providing just 13.3% of jobs. Labour costs are low but the cost of the transport is much higher.

SERVICE INDUSTRY

The domestic telecommunications infrastructure provides modern and efficient service to urban areas, including cellular and internet services.