While some people may know some common facts about South Africa (like the fact that it is the 9th largest country in Africa), others may not know much about the country’s rich history. Keep reading to learn some interesting South Africa Facts!
6 Facts About South Africa
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- South Africa has 11 official languages, the 3rd most official languages in the world. (source) South Africa is home to more than 34 languages, but only 11 are listed as official languages. These include English, Afrikaans, Swazi, Zulu, and Venda.
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- There are three capital cities in South Africa. (source) South Africa has three capitals, the most of any country in the world. The three capitals are Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial). Despite all of the capitals, the largest city in the country is Johannesburg.
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- Lesotho is completely land locked by South Africa. (source) Lesotho is one of three countries in the world that is landlocked by another country. The 11,600 square mile country is completely surrounded by South Africa.
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- The world’s largest diamond was found in South Africa. (source) The Cullinan Diamond, which weighs 3,106 carats, was found in Pretoria is 1905. It is part of the Crown Jewels of England and is on display in the tower of London.
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- South Africa is home to the 3rd largest urban park in the world. (source) Table National Park in Cape Town is the 3rd largest urban park on the planet at more than 54,000 acres. The only urban parks that surpass it are Chugach State Park in Alaska and Gatineau Park in Canada.
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- The JSE Limited is the largest stock exchange in Africa. (source) Founded in 1887, the JSE Limited – formerly known as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange – has hundreds of listings and is larger than the Egyptian Exchange and Casablanca Stock Exchange.
