The Geography of South Africa

        The term shame is a South African term of endearment that can be used in most social situations and is typically associated with agreement depending upon the inflexion applied. Ag (pronounced ach) is the U.S. equivalent of saying, “Oh, Man.”  When considering the beauty and diversity of South Africa, one would be correct in proclaiming, “Ag, Shame!”[1]

            South Africa is appropriately located on the southern most tip of Africa.  It borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, and Lesotho. Interestingly, South Africa completely engulfs Lesotho, bordering it on every side.             This mid-sized country of nine providences has the largest and most developed economy in all of Africa.[2]  While it holds several important tourist attracting, developed cities its most important city is Johannesburg (-26.2041 S; 28.0473 E). Johannesburg is considered to be the “economic heart” of South Africa, and it is one of the most internationally recognizable cities in South Africa.[3]

            While this region is “classified as semi-arid,” it has a diverse climate.[4] In some regions the country is dry and hot while in other regions the weather is tropical. Some regions even see occasional snowfall. This diversity in climate is largely due to the equally diverse topography. With flat land in the West and Highlands in the East, South African temperatures are often dictated by altitude and land features. However, nothing dictates the weather more drastically than the ocean currents.

            The weather, wildlife, and residents of South Africa are keenly aware of and effected by the surrounding ocean currents.

The cold Benguela current sweeps up from the Antarctic along the Atlantic coast, laden with plankton and providing rich fishing grounds. The east coast has the north-to- south Mozambique- Agulhas current to thank for its warm waters. These two currents have a major effect on the country's climate, the ready evaporation of the eastern seas providing generous rainfall while the Benguela current retains its moisture to cause desert conditions in the west.[5]

           

            It is for this reason that there is a solid tourist market for people wanting to have land safaris, great white shark encounters, and even penguin expeditions.             Though mostly surrounded by water, South Africa is still considered a dry country. Many of the waterways in the country provide no help by way of fresh water; furthermore they are mostly inhospitable.  For a land surrounded by so much water:

There are only two major rivers in South Africa: the Limpopo, a stretch of which is shared with Zimbabwe; and the Orange (with its tributary, the Vaal), which runs with a variable flow across the central landscape from east to west, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at the Namibian border.[6]

When considering the geography of South Africa, few words seem more adequately than diverse.

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[1]             Coroline Von Looy, “15 Slang Terms You’ll Need to Know in South Africa,” Matador Network: Sept. 2016. (Accessed May 19, 2016). http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/15-slang-phrases-youll-need-know-south-africa/?single=1

[2]             http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Africa/Africa_GL_1024_768.html

[3]             Mary Alexander, “South Africa’s Geography,” South Africa Info: December 2015. (Accessed May 19, 2016). http://www.southafrica.info/about/geography/geography.htm#.Vz3oAkKqxkg

[4]             Ibid.

[5]             Ibid.

[6]             Ibid.