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Location: Southern Africa, at the
southern tip of the continent of Africa |
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Geographic Coordinates: 29 00
S, 24 00 E |
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Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) |
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Area Comparative: slightly
less than twice the size of Texas |
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Land Boundaries: total: 4,862 km |
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Border
Countries: Lesotho 909km, Swaziland 430km, Botswana 1,840km, Namibia 967km,
Zimbabwe 225km, Mozambique 491km. |
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Coastline: 2,798 km |
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Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical
along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
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Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by
rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
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Natural Resources:
gold, chromium, tin, copper, gem diamonds, antimony, coal, nickel, iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, uranium, platinum, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
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Note: South
Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost surrounds Swaziland. |
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| Throughout the
year, South African Standard Time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean (or Universal
Standard) Time (GMT+2), one hour ahead of Central European Winter Time, and seven hours
ahead of the USA's Eastern Standard Winter Time. |
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South African
currency works on the decimal system 1 Rand equaling 100 cents.
Denomination of Rand notes - R200, R100, R50, R20, Rl0
Denomination of coins - R5, R2, R1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c |
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South African Banks can
accommodate all international transactions and are situated throughout the country. |
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Most major credit cards are
accepted as well as travelers cheques in major currencies. Master Card, VISA, Diners and
American Express. |
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We suggest utilising credit
cards as much as possible to pay for services and facilities once here. An excellent
network of ATM's throughout the country are linked internationally. Some venues will
accept US$ although the rate of exchange may not be controlled. |
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Travelers cheques and foreign
currency notes of all major currencies can be exchanged at any commercial bank. American
Express offices and most hotels have exchange facilities for guests. Travellers cheques in
SA Rand are advisable as these are then accepted locally at face value. |
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Travelers must obtain the
necessary permit from the South African Reserve Bank should they have more than R500 in
cash in their possession on leaving the country. For more information or advice, telephone
Customs and Excise. |
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| Visitors are
subject to clearance through customs. Information about what may or may not be brought
into the country may be obtained from travel agents. Details of requirements for the
temporary importation of exhibition goods are obtainable from the Department of Customs
and Excise. |
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| South Africa
uses the metric system. |
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telecommunications system is almost fully automatic - one can dial direct to most centres
in South (and southern) Africa and to most parts of the world. Telephone directories list
the dialing codes. Facsimile transmission (fax) facilities are widely available. Internet
facilities available with Cyber Cafes in most larger centres. |
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| Enquiries: |
| Should you find
that a number you need is not listed in the telephone directory, or the number has
changed, dial 1023. |
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| Generally, urban
power systems are 220/230 volts AC at 50 cycles a second. Plugs are 5-amp 2-pin or 15-amp
3-pin (round pins). Not all electric shavers will fit hotel and game park plug points,
visitors should seek advice about adaptors from a local electrical supplier. Generally the
110V video chargers work safely on the 220V supply. Television is on the PAL system. |
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| South Africa is
one of the few countries in the world where the Municipal tap water is palatable and perfectly
safe to drink. Check if the tap water is suitable to drink at more remote lodges.
Bottled water is readily available in shops, lodges and hotels. Water in streams and
rivers could be polluted and Bilharzia is commonly found in rivers and streams on the
northern and eastern regions of the country. Bilharzia is not present in the sea or in
swimming pools. |
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is a great deal of poverty in our country and as in other countries there are a few basic
precautions that you should take to ensure that your stay is as pleasant and safe as
possible. |
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| At your hotel: |
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Never leave your luggage
unattended. |
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Store valuables in the
hotel's safety deposit box. |
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Keep your room locked,
whether you are in it or out. |
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Check who is at your door
before opening it. |
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Hand your keys into reception
whenever leaving the hotel. |
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| In the street: |
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Avoid displaying expensive
jewelry, cameras and valuables. |
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Do not carry large sums of
money. |
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Keep away from dark, isolated
areas at night. |
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It is better to be in groups
and stick to busy well lit streets. |
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Plan your route. |
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Call a taxi from your hotel. |
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| In your car: |
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Plan your route in advance. |
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Lock the doors and close the
windows. |
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Lock valuable items in the
boot (trunk). |
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Park in well lit areas at
night. |
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Never pick up strangers. |
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If in doubt about your safety
phone the police or drive to the nearest police station. |
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| International: |
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The country's major point of
entry is Johannesburg's International Airport, which also serves Pretoria. |
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Durban and Cape Town airports
also have International status. |
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| Domestic: |
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Domestic centres served by
South African Airways are Cape Town, Johannesburg, George, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, East
London, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Pretoria and Upington. |
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Comair, Nationwide, SA
Airlink and other small airlines serve the smaller towns and main tourist destinations. |
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Air charter services
(including helicopter hire) are widely available. |
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| Luxury coach
services (Greyhound, Intercape, Translux, Trancity) link the major centres; tour operators
spread the network wider, taking in game parks, scenic attractions and other tourist
venues. |
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| South Africa has
an extensive and well-signposted road network comprising some 200,000 kilometers (124,280
miles) of national and provincial highways. Surfaces are generally in very good condition,
though they can be a bit rugged in more remote and hilly country areas. |
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| Main roads are
identified by colour and number rather than by name. Using a good map (one which
incorporates the route marker system), the visitor should have little difficulty in
finding his / her way around city and country when driving a South
African Rental Car. |
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| Driver's
License: |
| You must carry
this with you at all times. Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland
licenses are valid in South Africa. So too are other foreign licenses, provided they carry
a photograph and are either printed in English or accompanied by an English-language
certificate of authenticity. Alternatively, obtain an International Driving Permit before
your departure. |
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| Petrol: |
| Cities, towns
and main routes are very well served by filling stations. Many of these stay open 24 hours
a day, others from 06:00 to 18:00. Pump attendants see to your fuel and other needs. Both
leaded and unleaded fuel is available. Note that one may not use one's normal credit card
for purchasing fuel - cash or special local account 'Garage cards' only. |
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| Insurance:
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| Your motor
vehicle must be covered by a Third Party Insurance policy; if you're hiring a car, the
rental firm will make the appropriate arrangements; for overland visitors, insurance
tokens are available at Beitbridge and other major border control posts. |
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| Driving
Tips & Procedures: |
| For driving
tips, please click here. |
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| Maps: |
| Excellent
regional and city maps are available from your Car Hire firm, Satour, the Automobile
Association, from major book stores and airport kiosks. |
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| Automobile
Association: |
| The AA is the
country's biggest motoring club, and provides a wide range of services, including
assistance with breakdowns and other emergencies, accommodation reservations and advice on
touring, caravanning, camping, places of interest, insurance and car hire. Maps and
brochures are available. These services are offered to visitors who belong to the AA or
any affiliated motoring organization. The AA's headquarters are in AA House, 66 Korte
Street, Braamfontein (Johannesburg) 2001; Tel: (011) 407-1000. For AA offices in other
centres, consult the relevant telephone directory. |
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South Africa enjoys long hot
summers and generally mild winters. For the summer months (October to April), pack
lightweight garments and a hat but include a jacket or jersey for the cooler, and
occasionally chilly, nights. Most of the country is in the summer-rainfall zone, so bring
an umbrella or raincoat. For the winter months, pack warm clothing. |
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People dress
informally, though 'smart casual' wear is often required after dark at theatres and other
art / entertainment venues, and by the more sophisticated hotels and restaurants. Beach
wear is acceptable only on the beach, casual clothing is customary at holiday resorts and
in the game areas. |
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