Webquest: South Africa

Webquest South Africa

Learn about South africa to complete your worksheet:

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History

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Population & languages

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History

About 24,000 years ago, tribes of hunter-gatherers known as the San, or Bushmen, began moving into South Africa. Many San still live, much as their ancestors did, around the Kalahari Desert in the northwest.

THE SAN

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History

In the 1400s, European ships heading to the Far East began stopping on the South African coast for supplies. In 1652, the Netherlands established the southern city of Cape Town, and Dutch farmers, called Boers, began settling in the areas around the city.

1st European settlement

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In 1806, wars in Europe left the British in control of the Cape Town colony. In 1910, the British united four colonies in the region and created South Africa. They established laws that separated whites from black South Africans, a practice of segregation called apartheid, which led to decades of conflict.

BRITISH settlement

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History

In 1963, Nelson Mandela, head of the anti-apartheid African National Congress, was given a life sentence in jail for "terrorist" activities. In 1990, after 27 years behind bars, he was freed by President F.W. de Klerk. In 1994, Mandela was elected president of South Africa and served until 1999.

NELSON MANDELA

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The flag of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, the day Mandela got elected. It features a unique and vibrant design that incorporates six colors: black, green, yellow, blue, red, and white. These colors are not only visually striking but also rich in symbolic meaning. The overall design symbolizes unity: the Y-shape converging as a single nation moving forward into the future.

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Black, green, and yellow are derived from the flag of the African National Congress, representing the country’s native African population. Green symbolizes the fertile land, while yellow denotes the natural resources, particularly gold. The color black represents the people of South Africa.

Black, Green, and yellow

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The red, blue, and white colors were taken from the flags of previous colonial states—specifically, the British and the Dutch Boer Republics. Red symbolizes the people and their struggles, blue the sky and the ocean surrounding South Africa, and white reflects the European contribution to the country’s heritage.

RED, BLUE & White

People & culture

Many different communities make up South Africa, each with their own language and history. The country has 12 official languages and many more unofficial ones. This colorful mix of cultures gives South Africa its nickname "rainbow nation."

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South Africa has 62-million people, according to 2022 estimates. Black South Africans make up around 81% of the total, coloured people 7%, whites 8% and Indians 3%. The country has the fourth-largest population in Africa

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The founding provisions of South Africa’s constitution recognise 12 official languages:

In 2023, South Africa has 12 official languages and a multilingual population fluent in at least two.

Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and, since 2023, South African Sign Language (or SASL).

IsiZulu and isiXhosa are the largest languages

At home, English is spoken by less than 1 in 10 people.

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South africa: a rich and diverse country

Having a multitude of ethnicities, South Africa is the most multicultural country on the continent. People of different cultures, languages, and religions can now live peacefully and tolerantly with each other which makes the country a great place to visit.

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South africa: a rich and diverse country

South Africans are passionate about music, often using song and dance to express social and political ideas. They're also known worldwide for their skill in sports, including rugby, cricket, golf, and soccer. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup.

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Webquest South Africa

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