With post-apartheid optimism melding South Africa into a new society of great energy and significance, travellers are returning to a place that has been off the trail for most of the century. Political violence seems to be a thing of the past and among the vast majority of people there is a desire to get on with building a new nation. It's an exciting time to visit.
For the first time traveller to Africa, South Africa is not a bad place to start: the infrastructure is very good, the climate is kind and there are few better places to see Africa's wildlife. But if you want to understand the country, you'll have to deal with the full spectrum South Africa dishes up, and it's not always from one side of the rainbow to the other. The segregation of society is still extreme and the crime rates in some areas call for caution, but South Africa's natural beauty and nation-building enthusiasm make it a great place to visit.
Full country name: The Republic of South Africa

Area: 1,233,404 sq km
Population: 41 million
Capital city: Pretoria (administrative capital); Bloemfontein (seat of high court) and Cape Town (seat of parliament).
People: 75% black, 13% white (60% of whites are of Afrikaner descent, most of the rest are of British descent), 8% mixed race, 3% of Indian descent.
Languages: English, Afrikaans, seSotho, isiXhosa and isiZulu are the most commonly spoken. Other official languages are isiNdebele, saLebowa, siSwati, Xitsonga, Setswana and Tshivenda.
Religion: Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions.
Government: Republic and independent member of the British Commonwealth
President: Thabo Mbeki

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