|
HISTORY: The history and culture of southern Africa is as diverse as
its natural
wonders which are no wonder as the two are intricately interwoven. From
ancient
African cultures such as that of the Bushman, to the tribes that speak
the
11 official languages of South Africa, there is a wealth of African
culture.
Then there is the European history in this region including watershed
events
such as the Boer war. Of course there is also the legacy of Apartheid
in
South Africa and its miraculous transition to the Rainbow Nation.
POPULATION: The population of South Africa is one of the most complex
and
diverse in the world. Of the 45 million South Africans, nearly 31
million are Black, 5 million White, 3 million Colored, and one million
Indian. The population density is 32.9 people per km². The Black
population is divided into four major ethnic groups, namely Nguni,
Sotho, Shangaan-Tsonga and Venda. There are numerous subgroups of which
the Zulu and Xhosa (two subgroups of the Nguni) are the largest. The
majority of the White population is of Afrikaans descent (60%), with
many of the remaining 40% being of British descent. Most of the
Coloured population lives in the Northern and Western Cape provinces,
whilst most of the Indian population lives in KwaZulu Natal. The
Afrikaner population is concentrated in the Gauteng and Orange Free
State provinces and the English population in the Western and Eastern
Cape and Kwazulu-Natal.
|
