- South Africa has 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Stephen and I speak English, Afrikaans, and a little Sotho.
- Amazing animals live in South Africa:
- Three of the five fastest land animals:
- the cheetah (63 miles per hour),
- the wildebeest,
- and the lion.
- World’s largest animals
- bird (ostrich),
- largest mammal (bull elephant),
- largest reptile (leatherback sea turtle: 1500 pounds),
- tallest animal (giraffe),
- largest fish (whale shark).
- The worlds “Big 5”, coined by big game hunters, refers to the African lion , leopard , rhino , elephant, and Cape buffalo.
- Three of the five fastest land animals:
- The second highest waterfall in the world is in South Africa: Tugela Falls. It checks in at 948m (3,110 feet), 31m (102 feet) less than Angel Falls in Venezuela.
- Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world – and the largest green one. The Grand Canyon in the U.S. is the biggest, and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia the second, but both are very dry.
- South Africa has the longest wine route in the world as well as the oldest wine industry outside of Europe and the Mediterranean, featuring Chardonnays, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cinsault, Riesling, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage varietals.
- Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to be one of the oldest mountains in the world.
- The world’s first heart transplant was performed in Cape Town at Groote Schuur Hospital in 1967 by Dr. Christiaan Barnard.
- The only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace prizewinners is in Soweto. Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
- South Africa is the largest producer of strategic minerals. It produces 90% of the platinum, 80% of the manganese, 73% of the chrome, 45% of the vanadium, and 41% of the gold.
- The two biggest man made holes in the world were excavated in South Africa. The Big Hole in Kimberley and the Jagersfontein Mine are both gigantic.
- The world’s largest diamond was the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless color and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.
- South Africa has produced some of the oldest fossils in the world.
- The Sudwala Caves in South Africa is the oldest known caves in the world.
- South Africa is home to seven World Heritage sites.
- South Africa has the world’s largest individually timed cycle race (the Cape Argus), the world’s largest open water swimming event (the Midmar Mile), and the world’s largest ultra-marathon (the Comrades Marathon).
- South Africa is the first country in Africa to build nuclear weapons and voluntarily give up its nuclear weapons.
- The Vredefort Dome is the oldest meteor scar in the world.
- Since the 1940s, South African golfers have won more golf majors than any other nation apart from the United States.
- The Rovos Rail it is the most luxurious train in the world and runs from South Africa to Namibia and Tanzania.
- Kruger National Park supports the greatest variety of wildlife species on the African continent.
