South Africa Explained in 10 Minutes History People and Culture

Welcome to the tip of Africa, a country that is a symbol of resistance against colonialism and racism. A dark past but with a bright future ahead. A country with three capitals. Join us as we discover South Africa, its history and its people. For a hundred thousand years humans have lived in the tip of southern Africa. Hunter-gatherers and farmers alike thrived in the area. Approximately 2,000 years ago, the Khoekho settled along the coast of modern-day South Africa, along with the San Bushmen and Bantu-speaking agropastoralists. In 1652, European settlers arrived in the territory, bringing with them their own culture and traditions. These were colonists that were part of the Dutch East India Company, who had a goal of opening up a trade route to the Far East. They landed in what is now Cape Town. They supplied fresh produce to passing ships. Soon after, the Dutch colonists started to expand the colony via farming. They soon started importing slaves from East Africa, Madagascar and the East Indies. Beginning in the 1770s, the settlers came into an inevitable conflict with the Bantu-speaking populations. It was an unceasing century conflict that ended up with the settlers gaining dominance over the local population. The British, enemies of the Dutch, captured the Cape colony in 1795 and used it as a deterrent versus the French, who also passed through the Cape route. This temporary disruption of life on the high veld served to facilitate the expansion northwards of the original Dutch settlers' descendants, the Boer Voortrekkers, or the Great Trek, from the 1830s. By 1806, Britain reoccupied the Cape. The colony grew and prospered, and by 1838, slavery was abolished. European influence spread eastwards. British settlers began arriving in the in what is now Nelson Mandela Bay. They were 2,500 all in all and were made up of artisans, tradesmen, religious leaders, merchants, teachers, bookbinders, blacksmiths, discharged sailors and soldiers, professional men and farmers. From the mid-1800s, the Voortrekkers coalesced in two landlocked white-ruled republics, the South African Republic, Transvaal, and the Orange Free State. The so-called Mineral Revolution in 1886 led to a turning point in South African history. The British would declare war in 1899 on the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State after the discovery of rare minerals, especially diamonds, in the area. The South African War, or Boer War, as it was more commonly called, became the bloodiest war in South Africa. In 1910, the Union of South Africa was created out of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal, and Free State. It was to be essentially a white union. Black opposition was inevitable, and the African National Congress, ANC, was founded in 1912 to protest the exclusion of black people from power. Apartheid began in 1948 when the Nationalist Party was elected into office. Thereafter, racism was largely legalized. Nonwhites were segregated from their counterparts. It took decades and thousands of protests, led by people such as Nelson Mandela, before it was fully abolished on May 4, 1990. Today, South Africa is a multi-ethnic nation where people live freely together. According to the World Bank, South Africa's GDP is valued at $405 billion. It is the third wealthiest country in the entirety of the African continent. It is a mixed, emerging market economy. The country is the world's largest producer of platinum, chromium, and manganese. Needless to say, the country is rich in natural resources. Therefore, mining is one of the biggest industries in the country. The service sector makes up a majority of the GDP of the country with a whooping 68 percent, while industry comes at a close second. Agricultural products do also exist and include sugarcane, maize, milk, potatoes, wheat, grapes, chicken, oranges, apples, and soybeans. The flag of South Africa was first used on April 27, 1994. It was designed by a certain Fred Bonnell, a former South African state herald. There is no individual symbolism for each color, but they represent the diversity of the country and its past. The central design of the flag, beginning at the flagpost in a V form and flowing into a single horizontal band to the outer edge of the fly, can be interpreted as the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity. South Africa is unique as a country in that it has three capital cities. Pretoria is the executive capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judiciary capital. It has a land area of 1.2 million square kilometers or 460,000 square miles. The topography of the country is made up of a vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plains. One of the most famous sites in all of South Africa can be located in Cape Town, Table Mountain. It is a large plateau that stands well above the skyline of the city. However, it is not the highest point in South Africa. This one can be found in Enthaledi or Mafadi. It stands at a height of around 3,400 meters or 11,000 feet and is a delight for hikers. Almost the entirety of the country lies in the temperate zone, but there are areas where the climate is subtropical. There are very rare occurrences of extreme heat or extreme cold as a result. The climate is mostly influenced by the oceans. It is generally semi-arid and farmers often face water shortages. Average temperatures in South Africa range from 15 degrees Celsius to 36 degrees Celsius in the summer and negative two degrees Celsius to 26 degrees Celsius in the winter. Due to its climate and topography, South Africa is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Its population of megafauna is second to none. Additionally, it is home to one of only six floral kingdoms in the world that supports 9,000 species of flora. In total, there are 20,000 species of flora in the country. South Africa has a total population of about 60 million people, a majority of whom are black Africans. Descendants of Dutch settlers in the country are called Afrikaners. Colored is the official term for persons of mixed race ancestry who developed a distinct cultural identity over several hundred years. Being a former colony, South Africa has grown to be a multi-ethnic country with traditions and cultures passed on from both local and foreign influences. South Africa has a total of 12 official languages. These include Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, South African Sign Language, Swazi, Chivenda, Xhosa, Zitsanga, and Zulu. An overwhelming 85% of South Africans subscribe to the Christianity, which was brought to the country by the Dutch and British settlers. South Africa is a generally young multiracial society still struggling with its dark apartheid past. South Africa's food scene is rarely talked about, yet there are so many dishes you ought to try when you visit. Here are some of them. First, we have Boboti, considered to be the national dish of South Africa. This hearty meal combines minced meat, typically lamb or beef, with curry spices, onions, milk-soaked bread, and dried fruit, usually raisins or sultanas. The meat is topped with an egg and milk mixture and baked in the oven. Up next, we have Biltong, cured dried meat that's not only popular in South Africa, but also the rest of Africa as well. It comes from the Dutch word bil meaning meat and tong meaning strip. Simply put, it's a meat strip. And lastly, how about some pudding? Made from flour, soda, milk, butter, eggs, and apricot jam, this dessert will surely leave you wanting more. Which one of these dishes do you want to try out the most? When we talk about South Africa, we also need to talk about the influential people who proudly call the country their home. Here are some of them. Of course, first and foremost, we have Nelson Mandela, one of the most prominent anti-apartheid activists in the years leading to its abolition. Next off, we also have another anti-apartheid activist, Desmond Tutu, who was a bishop and theologian. Famous Elon Musk, businessman and investor who currently resides in the United States, was born in South Africa. And lastly, we have Charlize Theron, one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. If you enjoyed this video on South Africa, you'll love this next one.