A trip to the Republic of South Africa:Please check it

A trip to the Republic of South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, located at the southern tip of the African continent, is one of the most diverse and interesting countries in the world.
It includes more than 1 million km² and is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, in the interior of the country are the kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland.
35 million blacks of diverse cultures are living in the Republic of South Africa, furthermore 5 million whites, 4 million coloured and 1 million people of Indian origin - a rainbow nation.

This country has an important historical past.
In the 15th century the first European sailors arrived, and the "seizure" of the country by the whites began. In 1994 the "miracle at the Cape" stopped this development, when Nelson Mandela was sworn as the first democratically president and apartheid ended. In 1999 he commited his function to Thabo Mbeki, who continued the policy of reconciliation and is now fighting against the high unemployment and the rising crime rate. Nevertheless, the Republic of South Africa is a country of contrasts, because first and third World live alongside and almost seamlessly together. Not far from the luxury hotels and wealthy suburbs, you can find the shantys of the poor population in the townships.

But although, the Republic of South Africa has much to offer for tourists. Game reserves, secluded beaches, high mountains and deserts - but also world metropolises, diamonds and gold. This combination of landscapes and cities, people, culture and history offer a great experience.

One big reason for visiting the Republic of South Africa is of course the sunshine. The country enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with warm sunny days most of the year. The Republic borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west as well as the warm Indian Ocean in the east, and its coast stretches 2,800 kilometres. It is said, that you can find the least crowded beaches in the world there, and so you got wonderful chances to have a relaxing holiday. But also its natural beauty is fascinating. There are, for example, the table mountain, the sea of flowers in Namaqualand or the Kruger National Park, but also wonderful landscapes as in the Cape Winelands.

And also the wildlife in the Republic of South Africa is a “must see”.
The country is home to more than 300 mammal species,
over 500 species of birds and above 100 kinds of reptiles. But furthermore countless insects - so insect repellent and mosquito nets can be effective. In addition to this, you should pay attention to hygienic food and drink. In this way, most of, sometimes dangerous, infectious diseases like malaria and diarrhea can be avoided. Advisable are also vaccinations for protection against tetanus, diphtheria, polio, typhoid and hepatitis A.

Other very important information are, that the Republic of South Africa has a high and even more rapidly rising rate of the immune deficiency disease AIDS. Between 10% and 20% of the adult population should already be infected with HIV.
Moreover the country recorded a high crime rate including high violent crime, especially in big cities and their outlying areas. Therefore, you should mind some precautions: You should not walk alone in deserted areas at night, and also you should never flash photographic equipment or jewellery. Order Taxis at well-known companies and never accept drinks offered by strangers in bars or restaurants!

But furthermore it is a fact, that the Republic of South Africa is rich in mineral resources. The country is the world`s largest supplier of gold, platinum and chrome and 50% of electricity, 40% of industrial production and 45% of the mining industry of the whole continent are in the Republic of South Africa.
But there is also a wide gap in living standards, lifestyles and job opportunities in the large population of the Republic. In spite of the upward trend in the country since the elections in 1994 there are still huge social problems. So the blacks are still paid worse than the white people. There is still a big range between the poor and the rich population. While the rich inhabitants live in locked housing estates, which are surrounded by fences and security personnel, the majority of the poor, mainly black citizens, are living in the Townships. Therefore it is hard for them to catch up with training opportunities.

All in all the Republic of South Africa is definitely worth seeing!
Where else can you see as many facets of the world in one country as here?