1/ Read this and answer the questions :

Which countries share a border* with South Africa ?

What oceans border* it ?

What is its capital town ? What are the main cities?

2/Click here :

How big is South Africa ? Compare it to France (beware of measurements !)

How many inhabitants are there ? Compare the population to the French population.

Find the official name of the country.

3/Follow this link :

What languages are spoken ? Make a difference between official languages and their evolution, and other languages.

How many languages do most people speak ?

4/ There are three links for the following questions :

Here : 

What is the economic situation of South Africa ?

And here : 

What are its natural resources ?

Name the main agricultural products.

Look at the economic snapshots here, down the page

Look at the proportion of unemployed* people in 2000.

Find the proportion of black unemployed* people compared to white unemployed people.

Look at the difference of money earned in white households compared to black households.

5/ Now you can look at a few photos :

a-    Who lives in the dunes ?

b-    Find an example of endangered species*.

c-     Compare Johanesburg to an American city. What common points can you see ?

6/More facts here :

What are the most popular sports in South Africa ?

What side of the road do people drive their cars ? Can you guess why ?

7/ The flag :

How many colours are there on the flag ?

What do they represent ?

8/ APARTHEID

Scroll down the page and look at the white chart : Apartheid and the people of South Africa (1978 figures)

Compare the figures for black and white people on the proportion of both groups, the number of doctors available*, the proportion of land ownership*, and the teacher/pupil ratio.

 

VOCABULARY (definitions from the Merriem-Webster Online Dictionary) :

Available : easy or possible to get or use

Border : a line separating one country or state from another

To earn money : to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered

Endangered species : Any species of plant, animal, or other organism threatened with extinction.

Household : the people in a family or other group that are living together in one house

Ownership : the state, relation, or fact of being an owner. To own : to legally possess something

Unemployment : the state of not having a job