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South African Facts

• The official name of South Africa is the Republic of South Africa.
• South Africa is located at the southern end of Africa.
• In 2011 the population of South Africa was around 52 million.
• South Africa has three capital cities, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
• The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg. Other major cities include Soweto and Durban.
• South Africa has 11 official languages, including Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa and English.
• South Africa has the largest economy of any African country.
• South Africa has had an unsettled history, with apartheid policies made by the National Party enforcing a system of segregation from 1948 until 1994. Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994 after South Africa’s first universal elections.
• South Africa's coastline stretches over 2500 kilometres (1553 miles) in length.
• South Africa is home to a wide variety of animals including giraffes, hippopotamus, leopards and lions.
• Conservation is an important issue in South Africa. It has lost many natural habitats due to deforestation and overpopulation.
• South Africa is a member of the United Nations.
• South Africa has high unemployment.
• The first human heart transplant was performed in a Cape Town hospital in 1967.
• Cave paintings have been found in South Africa that date to around 75000 years ago.
• Drivers use the left-hand side of the road in South Africa.
• The most popular sports in South Africa are football (soccer), rugby and cricket.
• In 2010 South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup.

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