SOUTH AFRICA. COUNTRY FACTS:

The Republic of South Africa, is located on the southern tip of the African continent and inhabits 1,219,912 square kilometres (471,011 square miles) of land. It is neighboured by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique to the north and Swaziland in the east. South Africa wholly encompasses the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
The country has a population of more than 47 million that spans across nine provinces. The provinces are the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape.

The country has three capitals: Cape Town (legislative), Pretoria (administrative) and Bloemfontein (judicial). The government is further divided into three tiers: national, provincial and local.
There are 11 recognised official languages but English is used in road signs, hotels, commerce, banking, government and official documents. The country is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (UTC +2) and has an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine per day.

HOST CITIES

CAPE TOWN

Facts Name: Cape Town The city’s name is derived from its association with the Cape of Good Hope.
Province: Western Cape.    
Population: 1,3 million.
Altitude: 0m.

Geography: The city is located on either side of a mountain ridge on the Cape Peninsula and low-lying flat areas at sea level.
Climate: Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and temperatures around 18°C. Summer time is generally warm with temperatures in the range of 25-27°C.
Key Economic Sectors: Tourism, Agriculture, Manufacturing.
Professional Football Clubs: Ajax Cape Town, Santos  (Premier) Hanover Park, Ikapa Sporting, FC Cape Town (1st Division).
Green Point Stadium: One of the most artistic football venues in South Africa, the newly-built Green Point Stadium is situated in one of the much sought-after areas in the city of Cape Town.

DURBAN

The City of Durban, or Ethekwini, is a place of fusion. It is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The city has an intense gusto for life and has a diverse range of cultures. Durban is the venue for one of the two semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup and, with its humid weather, it is bound to be a tourist hot spot during the tournament.

Durban, which is also a port city,  is the busiest port in Africa. You can take a ride on a rickshaw, a distinctive Durban experience, with the drivers decorated in ornate headdresses. At the very heart of Durban is the ‘golden mile’, a four kilometer stretch of beaches, promenades, swimming pools and restaurants. The water is warmed by the Aghulas current and even during winter, the water temperature averages at 15°C making it ideal for year-round swimming.
UShaka Marine World is Africa’s largest Marine-themed park. Within the park is one of the five largest aquariums in the world.

Durban hosted the Preliminary Draw on 25 November 2007. Durban is also a gateway to the Zulu Kingdom, where tourists can experience the intensity of Zulu culture. The city is also a good base from which to explore two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park has various landforms such as coral reefs, coastal dunes, lake systems, swamps, and reed and papyrus wetlands. The Ukahlamba/Drakensberg National Park has dramatic blue mountains and the largest concentration of rock paintings south of the Sahara.
 
Facts Name: Durban.
Province: KwaZulu-Natal.
Population: 3064624.
Altitude: 0m.

Geography: The city is located on a huge natural lagoon that forms its harbour with a range of hills inland that are the remains of fossilized sand-dunes.
Climate: Sub-tropical, mild and sunny winters, hot and humid summers. Average temperatures are around 16 to 25° C year round.
Key Economic Sectors: Tourism, transport, agriculture, manufacturing.
Football Clubs: Amazulu, Golden Arrows, Thanda Royal Zulu, Maritzburg United (Premier) Durban Stars, Nathi Lions (1st Division).
Stadium: Durban Stadium.
The new Durban Stadium’s design is characterized by two large archways which arc 100 meters above the stadium roof.

JO’BURG

Johannesburg or the City of Gold, as the city is known in South Africa, is the business hub of South Africa, contributing a substantial part of the country’s GDP approximately 12 per cent. The city is home to two of the country’s most popular football teams and historical arch-rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Johannesburg is also known as the economic engine of Southern Africa and the trendsetter of South Africa. It is a melting pot laced with all the flavours of African cultures and beyond

Despite the hustle and bustle of the big city, Jo’burg is unexpectedly green and orientated towards outdoor living. It has a wealth of trees creating an ‘urban forest’, and many of the trees are located in the 2328 parks.

Facts Name: Johannesburg, also referred to as Jozi, Joburg or Egoli (place of Gold)
Province: Gauteng Province
Population: 3,2 million
Altitude: 1753m

Geography: Located on the eastern high-lying plateau in South Africa referred to as the Highveld.
Climate: Dry with winter temperatures ranging from 24°-16°C. Summer is temperate with temperatures exceeding 30°C and afternoon thundershowers.
Key Economic Sectors: Retail, Finance
Professional Football Clubs: Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows Orlando Pirates (Premier) FC AK, Jomo Cosmos  (1st Division.
Stadium: Ellis Park Stadium.

Ellis Park, at the centre of bustling Johannesburg, was built in 1982 and has had a long and distinguished history with sport.
Soccer City: For a long time Soccer City was the only South African stadium dedicated to the beautiful game and is a fitting finals venue.

Nelson Mandela Bay / Port Elizabeth

Named after one of the world’s renowned statesman and South African icon, Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is one of the most sought-after destinations in South Africa. It will host the third and fourth place play-off.
Known as ‘the Friendly City’, Nelson Mandela Bay/ Port Elizabeth is surrounded by immaculate beaches and is one of South Africa’s port cities. It is located in the Eastern Cape Province, which has been home to some of the country’s most iconic figures including Mandela, former president Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, Chris Hani, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and other heroes of the struggle against apartheid.

Facts Name: Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth.
Province:  Eastern Cape
Population:  1,005,779
Altitude:  0m

Geography:  Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth is nestled in the shelter of Algoa Bay
 Climate:  Sub-tropical with winter rainfall. The city has mild temperatures ranging from 20° to 9°C during winter, and 25° to 17°C during summer.
Key Economic Sectors:  Motor Industry, Tourism.
Professional Football Clubs:  Bay United, OR Tambo Cosmos (First Division)
Stadium: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
Set on the shores of the North End Lake, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, will be the first dedicated football stadium in the city.

 Mangaung/Bloemfontein

At the heart of the Free State Province lies the artistic city of Mangaung/ Bloemfontein which is home to some of the country’s most fanatical football supporters. The city’s open spaces reflect the openness of its people – friendly, warm and quietly dignified. The city’s citizens are a unique blend of rural tranquility and vibrant city life.

Mangaung/Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and the provincial capital of the Free State Province.
The Appeal Court, which is the highest court in South Africa, is also found in the city. Mangaung literally means “Place of the Cheetahs” in SeSotho, which is one of South Africa’s 11 official languages. On the other hand, Bloemfontein literally means ‘fountain of flowers’ in Dutch.

Facts Name: Mangaung / Bloemfontein.
Province: Free State.
Population: 850 000.
Altitude: 1400m.

Geography: The city is located in central South Africa on the Free State Plateau. The landscape is accentuated by grassland plains and low hills.
Climate: Dry winters, from May to August with temperatures around 17° C in the day and reaching -2° C at night. Summer ranges from October to February and city is much warmer, around 30° C during the day and cloud bursts in the afternoon.
Key Economic Sectors: Trade, Finance, Transport

Professional Football Clubs: Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars (Premier League) Carara Kicks (1st Division)

Stadium: Free State Stadium
Home to some of the country’s most fanatical group of supporters, the Free State Stadium is likely to be the centre of attention during the FIFA World Cup.

Tshwane/Pretoria

Tshwane/Pretoria’s rich and colourful heritage is reflected in the city’s myriad of museums and monuments and is punctuated by contemporary arts and craft markets, making the city alive with a unique blend of new and old.
Tshwane/Pretoria is the capital of South Africa. Many embassies thus call this city their home. The Union Buildings house the administration of the country and have also been the setting for all the presidential inaugurations of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and the incumbent South African president, Jacob Zuma. These sandstone buildings offer beautiful views over the city.

There is a lively culture in the city with a variety of museums, monuments, historical buildings and art centres. The Science and Technology Museum offers a tactile experience of science at work. The South African mint has a minting press dating back to 1892, which is still in operation. The city also offers township sleepovers with a five-star stay.

Facts Name: Tshwane/Pretoria.
Province: Gauteng Province.
Population: 2,2 million.
Altitude: 1214m.

Geography: Situated between rocky ridges in the north eastern part of the country. The city is in the transitional area between tropical savannah (Bushveld) and the Highveld plateau.
Climate: Dry winters with temperatures averaging 20 °C during the day, dropping to about 5 °C at night. Hot summers with occasional thunderstorms, daytime average temperatures 25 to 30 °C.

Key Economic Sectors: Services, Commerce, Industry.
Professional Football Clubs: Mamelodi. Sundowns, Supersport United (Premier) Pretoria University (1st Division).
Stadium: Loftus Versfeld.
Loftus Versfeld, in Tshwane/ Pretoria is amongst the most established stadiums in South Africa, built in 1906.

Rustenburg

Rustenburg is in the heart of the savannah bushveld. The city is in the North West Province, nestled at the foothills of the breathtaking Magaliesburg Mountains. The highest point in this mountain range is 1,852m above sea level and has been a tactical region for many battles for land during the early 1800s.
The region is rich in mineral wealth and boasts the most platinum mined in the world making it the platinum capital of the world. Mining, therefore, provides the most employment in the area. It is home to one of the country’s richest tribes, the Bafokeng Nation.

Rustenburg is also 30 kilometres from the sensational Sun City. Internationally renowned as Africa ‘s premier holiday resort. Sun City offers a myriad of different entertainment and relaxation opportunities, as well as enough attractions and activities to keep everyone busy. It incorporates The Palace of the Lost City. Attractions at this resort include hot air balloon rides, The Valley of Waves and a 25-hectare jungle.
Facts Name: Rustenburg. The city’s name originates from Dutch.
 
Province: North West
Population: 395 539
Altitude: 1500m
Geography: Located on the Highveld Plateau with low mountains and grasslands in the north western part of South Africa.

Climate: Rustenburg enjoys a sub-tropical climate with temperatures around 16°C during winter and 31°C during summer. The climate is generally ideal for year round outdoor activities.
Key Economic Sectors: Mining, Agriculture.

Professional Football Clubs: Platinum Stars (Premier).
Stadium: Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
The Royal Bafokeng Stadium is named after the Bafokeng People who own shares in the platinum mines in the area.

Polokwane

Polokwane is often described as a vibrant, busy and colourful wonderland in a sea of grasslands, surrounded by scenic mountains.  It is home to many fascinating people and some remarkable cultural diversity.  Polokwane is situated at the centre of the Limpopo Province and is surrounded by three of South Africa’s neighbours: Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is the economic and cultural hub of Limpopo and is attracting investments into the province. This is also the land of the upside down tree known as ‘Baobab’, which is the biggest tree in Africa.

Polokwane, which means ‘place of safety’, was previously known as Pietersburg. The area around Polokwane is steeped in mythology and resonates with the sound of the ancient lands. It has seen the history of the Mapungubwe people who flourished during the Iron Age and Modjadji, the Rain Queen. The Bakone Malapa Northern Sotho Open-Air Museum is a good introduction to the daily life of the dynamic Bakone people. The Bakone people are a highly sophisticated northern Sotho tribe.
Facts Name: Polokwane, place of safety

Province: Limpopo
Population: 508 272
Altitude: 1310m
Geography: 60 kilometers south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The landscape is mainly grassland interspersed with rocky granite hills, referred to as ‘koppies’ in South African English.

Climate: Tropical climate with winter temperatures 20°- 4° Centigrade and summer temperatures between 28-16° Centigrade.
Key Economic Sectors: Agriculture, mining, manufacturing.
Professional Football Clubs: Black Leopards, Dynamos, Winners Park  (1st Division)
Stadium: Peter Mokaba Stadium

Named after one of the renowned sons of the struggle and emancipation of South Africa against the apartheid regime, the Peter Mokaba Stadium holds much  historical significance in South Africa.

Nelspruit

Surrounded by some of the country’s most spectacular game reserves and the famous Kruger National Park, Nelspruit offers more than just a world-class football stadium. Nelspruit is the capital of Mpumalanga Province. In siSwati, (one of the official languages), Mpumalanga means a ‘place where the sun rises’. With the unending view of rolling mountains from God’s Window to the majestic scenes of the green hills contrasting with blue rivers at Blyde River Canyon, this is definitely a place the sun would not want to leave.

Nelspruit, located in the local municipality of Mbombela. The whole area invokes the idea of a ‘Garden of Eden’, with a flourishing fruit industry and countless waterfalls which drop from dramatic cliff faces. Wild horses roam freely in Kaapsehoop.

Facts Name: Nelspruit. The city’s name has Dutch origins and means Nel’s stream.
Province: Mpumalanga
Population: 21541
Altitude: 660m
Geography: Located on a low-lying plateau, known as the Lowveld, in the fertile Crocodile River valley in the north eastern part of South Africa.

Climate: Sub-tropical with temperatures around 23°C during winter and warming up to 29°C during summer.
Key Economic Sectors: Agriculture, Mining

Football Clubs: Mpumalanga Black Aces, Witbank Spurs (1st Division)
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium
The Mbombela Stadium is one of the newly-built stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and it takes its name from the local municipality which incorporates the city of Nelspruit.