international business-south africa

OFull name: Republic of South Africa

OPopulation: 50.5 million (UN, 2010)

OCapitals: Pretoria (executive capital); Cape Town (legislative capital);        Bloemfontein (judicial capital)

OLargest city: Johannesburg

OArea: 1.22 million sq km (470,693 sq miles)

OMajor languages: 11 official languages including English, Afrikaans,      Sesotho, Setswana, Xhosa and Zulu

OMajor religion: Christianity, Islam.

OLife expectancy: 52 years (men), 54 years (women)

OMonetary unit: 1 Rand = 100 cents

OMain exports: Gold, diamonds, metals and minerals, cars, machinery

Main natural resources  

O - Grapefruits   -Wool             - Gold
 - Corn              -Sheeps           - Diamonds
 - Sugarcane   - Oxens             - Coal
 - Oranges   - platinum

 

History

•Around 500 BC, San people from the northern part of Africa migrated to South Africa. They were later known as Khoikhoi or Bushmen.

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•During 1200 AD, trade began with Muslim traders near present day Mozambique – the region emerged as a trade centre for gold and ivory.

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•1488- The Portuguese were the first Europeans to round the Cape of Good Hope. But did not colonize.

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•1652 - The Dutch, commissioned by the Dutch-East India Company, established Cape Town under the lead of Jan van Riebeeck. It was a base camp where passing ships could shelter.

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•1962 – Many Dutch and German settle in Cape Town.

• Become known as Boers, later as Afrikaans.

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•The Khoikhoi were made slaves and slaves from Madagascar and Indonesia were also brought.

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•These slaves often married Dutch settlers, and their descendants became known as the Cape Coloureds and the Cape Malays.

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•1795 - The British gained control of the Dutch colony.

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•1833 - England had abolished the slave trade.

•The discovery of diamonds at Kimberley and of gold in parts of the Transvaal, led to immigration of fortune seekers from around the world.

•The South Africa Act 1909 brought the colonies and republics – Cape Colony,

 Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State – together as the Union of South Africa.

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•Apartheid was a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government of South Africa between 1948 and 1994.

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•Many anti- apartheid movement took place. In 1912, M. K. Gandhi organized  a peaceful protest march to form a civil rights organization. Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years from 1964 to 1990 for involving in anti-apartheid activities.

•In 1992 a white electorate voted 68% in favour of dismantling apartheid through negotiations.

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•In1994 the South African population voted in the first universal suffrage general elections. Nelson Mandela was elected as President on 9 May 1994.