South Africa Overview

South Africa lies at the southern tip of the African Continent. It is flanked in the west by the Atlantic 0cean, in the south and the east by the Indian 0cean, in the north by Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and in the north-east by Mozambique and Swaziland.
South Africa covers an area of 1,127,000 square meters - about one-eighth the size of the USA and nearly five times the size of the United Kingdom.

Population

The population is currently estimated at about 46,000,000 people. This heterogeneous composition embodies a unique diversity of cultures, religions, languages and lifestyles.

Time

Throughout the year, Standard Time in South Africa is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, one hour ahead of Central European Wintertime, and seven hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Winter Time.

Climate

• Overview: Mostly sunny and temperate
• Sunshine Hours: The average number of sunshine hours is among the highest in the world: 8.5 hours a day
• Winters: Winters are mild and clear, although snowfall often occurs on the higher mountain ranges
• Summers: South Africa experiences summer rainfall usually in the form of short afternoon thunderstorms
• Seasons: As South Africa lies in the southern hemisphere, seasons are the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere
• Average Temperature: In Johannesburg, summer: 28 degrees Celsius; winter: 17 degrees Celsius.