The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of the African continent. It borders Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho. Humanoid species have been present in the region for more than 3 million years. Human civilisations are known from the 5th century, but findings from the Xhosa people are from around 1050.

In 1487, the Portuguese arrived in South Africa and in the following centuries Portuguese fishing settlements were set up along the coast. However, the first proper colonisation was done by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries, but it resulted in several frontier wars with the Xhosa civilisation. In 1805, the Cape colony was annexed by the British Empire, which continued the warfare against the Xhosa.

In the mid 19th century gold and diamonds were found and led to increased immigration. This resulted in conflict with the descendents of the Dutch settlers and the two Boer wars ensued, where Britain forces were victorious. The independent Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, but hardly allowed black people to earn land. This policy led in 1948 to a number of segregation laws known as apartheid. Apartheid became increasingly controversial, leading to widespread sanctions and divestment abroad and growing unrest and oppression within South Africa.

The apartheid was first properly removed in 1994, when the first multiracial election was held. The result of the elections made Nelson Mandela the first black president. South Africa is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Inhabitants: 47,900,000
Area: 1,200,000 km2
Capital: Pretoria (1,900,000 inhabitants, largest city is Johannesburg with 3,200,000 inhabitants)
Languages: English and Afrikaans are the major languages
Religion: Protestants (72%), Non-believers (16%), Roman Catholics (7%), Muslims (2%), Hindi (1%), others (2%)
GBD per capita: $13,300
Government: Parliamentary republic
Climate: South Africa has a subtropical climate with sunny warm summers and mild winters.