History
History (1945 - Present)
- 1948 - Policy of apartheid (separateness) adopted when National Party (NP) takes power.
- 1950 - Population classified by race. Group Areas Act passed to segregate blacks and whites. Communist Party banned. ANC responds with campaign of civil disobedience, led by Nelson Mandela.
- 1960 - Seventy black demonstrators killed at Sharpeville. ANC banned.
- 1961 - South Africa declared a republic, leaves the Commonwealth. Mandela heads ANC's new military wing, which launches sabotage campaign.
- 1960s - International pressure against government begins, South Africa excluded from Olympic Games.
- 1964 - ANC leader Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.
- 1990 - ANC unbanned, Mandela released after 27 years in prison. Namibia becomes independent.
- 2000 December - ANC prevails in local elections. Recently-formed Democratic Alliance captures nearly a quarter of the votes. The Inkatha Freedom Party wins 9%.
- 2015 February - President Zuma announces plans to limit farm sizes and ban foreign farmland-ownership in an attempt to redistribute land to black farmers - a longstanding ANC pledge.
Basic Information
Population - 54.96
Type of Government - Parliamentary Republic/democracy
Major Religions - About 3 percent of the population follow Islamic faith, Hinduism, and Judaism. The most common religion in South Africa is Christianity.
Population - 54.96
Type of Government - Parliamentary Republic/democracy
Major Religions - About 3 percent of the population follow Islamic faith, Hinduism, and Judaism. The most common religion in South Africa is Christianity.
Culture
Black African culture is most obviously known for its art, dance and music. These have been profoundly influenced by more than two centuries of colonialism and the work of Christian missionaries.
Attractions
Kruger National Park-
Black African culture is most obviously known for its art, dance and music. These have been profoundly influenced by more than two centuries of colonialism and the work of Christian missionaries.
Attractions
Kruger National Park-
- Is one of Africas largest game reserves.
- There are almost 254 known cultural heritage sites in the Kruger National Park, including nearly 130 recorded rock art sites.
- More than 300 archaeological sites of Stone Age man have been found
- "The Cradle of Humankind is one of eight World Heritage Sites in South Africa. Here the landscape is dotted with subterranean limestone caves that have turned up a rich fossil record for human evolutionary studies. These findings have led to the 'Out of Africa' theory, estimating that most human ancestors originated from one general spot… Africa."