Official name of country: Republic of South Africa
Population: 49 million
Capital Cities: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative)
Time Difference: South Africa is +2 GMT, so it is 6 hours ahead of the east coast and 9 hours ahead of the west coast.
National Animal: Springbok
National Currency: Rand (ZAR)
National Flower: King Protea
National Motto: “Unity in Diversity”
Sports: In a country with such great diversity, sports in South Africa have proven that there is uniting power in cheering on the home team! The South Africans favorite sports tend to be soccer, rugby, and cricket. In 2009, there was even a major film, Invictus, made about South Africa’s rugby team winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup! They are also proud of their champion golfers, swimmers, and boxers. While studying in South Africa, get out and join the locals in supporting their favorite team!
Geography: South Africa is located on the very southern tip of Africa and it shares borders with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. The geography of the country is made up mainly of flat, dry plains in the interior and lush vegetation along the coasts. Generally speaking, the climate of South Africa is semi-arid with hot days and cool evenings. In Stellenbosch, you’ll experience hot sunshine for most of the year with wet winters that rarely see snow.
Famous People: Nelson Mandela (politician), Alan Paton (author), Charlize Theron (actress), Miriam Makeba (singer), and Lyndon Ferns (Olympic swimmer).
Great Movies: Faith Like Potatoes; Invictus; Tsotsi; Cry, the Beloved Country; Promised Land; District 9.