SOUTH AFRICA

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA

BLOEMFONTEIN (MANGAUNG), CAPE TOWN, DURBAN, JOHANNESBURG, NELSPRUIT, POLOKWANE (PIETERSBURG), PORT ELIZABETH (NELSON MANDELA BAY), PRETORIA (TSHWANE), RUSTENBURG

AFRICA INDEX

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SOUTH AFRICA

Kgalagadi NP: Kalahari Desert Landscapes

Kgalagadi NP Animals: Gazzelle (Springbok, Steenbok)

Kgalagadi NP Animals: Suricate and Mongooses

Kgalagadi NP Animals

Augrabies NP Waterfall and Orange River Gorge

Augrabies NP Landscapes and Animals

Springbok

Kamieskroon

Namaqualand NP: Blooming Desert

Olifants River Valley

Cederberg WA

Matjiesrivier NR

Mount Ceder

West Coast NP

West Coast: Postberg

Yzerfontein

Cape Winelands: Paarl

Cape Winelands: Franschoek

Cape Winelands: Boschendal

Cape Winelands: Stellenbosch

Overberg

De Hoop NR

Arniston

Cape Agulhas

Hermanus

Whale Route

Cape Town

Table Mountain

Cape Town: Castle of Good Hope (Kasteel van Goede Hoop)

Cape Town: Company Gardens

Cape Town: Bo-Kaap

Cape Town: Waterfront

Cape Town: Kirstenbosch Garden

Cape Town: Groot Constantia

Hout Bay

Muizenberg

Boulders Beach

Cape of Good Hope NR

Cape Point

Cape of Good Hope

Southafricans

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

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SOUTH AFRICA:

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held in South Africa, this can be an unique occasion to visit this beautiful country rich of attractions of every kind: Eight are the properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Cultural: Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs in the Gauteng, Limpopo and North-west provinces (1999, 2005); Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape in the Northern Province (2003); Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape in the Northern Cape province (2007); Robben Island in the Western Cape province (1999). Natural: Cape Floral Region Protected Areas in the Western Cape Province and Eastern Cape Province (it comprises the Cape Peninsula National Park, the Cederberg Wilderness Area, the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, the Boland Mountain Complex, the De Hoop Nature Reserve, the Boosmansbos Nature Reserve, the Swartberg Complex, and the Baviaanskloof) (2004); Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in the KwaZulu-Natal province (1999); Vredefort Dome in the Northwest and Free State provinces (2005). Mixed: uKhahlamba/Drakensberg Park in the KwaZulu-Natal province (2000). In addition between the properties submitted on the Tentative List are: Modderpoort Sacred Sites in the Free State province (1998); Pleistocene occupation sites of Klasies River, Border Cave, Wonderwerk Cave and comparable sites relating to the emergence of modern humans in the Eastern Cape province (1998); Pilgrim's Rest Reduction Works Industrial Heritage Site in the Mpumalanga Province (2004); Kimberley Mines and Associated Early Industries in the Northern Cape province (2004); The !Xam Khomani Heartland in the Northern Cape province (2004); Tswaing Meteorite Crater in the Gauteng province (2004); Alexandria Coastal Dunefield in the Eastern Cape province (2004); The Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape in the Western Cape province (2004); The Prince Edward Islands (2004).

Sudafrica boasts some of the most beautiful beaches of the world: from the incontaminated Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal, to the Wild Coast in 'Eastern Cape, to the Penguins colony of Boulders Beach in Western Cape, until the sunny beaches of Camps Bay close to Cape Town. In the zone of the Cape Peninsula, the Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and rainy winters, with the wealth of the soil, has created the ideal conditions for the development, since 17th century, of an important wine area, the Cape, in fact, boasts five wine regions: the coastal region, the Olifants river, the Boberg, the Breede river valley, and the Klein Karoo. Sudafrica has always held in great consideration its faunistic and floral patrimony, a unique and unforgettable experience is the visit to the numerous national parks: Addo Elephant National Park, Agulhas National Park, Augrabies Falls National Park, Bontebok National Park, Camdeboo National Park, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Karoo National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Knysna National Lake Area, Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, Marakele National Park, Mokala National Park, Mountain Zebra National Park, Namaqua National Park, Table Mountain National Park, Tankwa Karoo National Park, Tsitsikamma National Park, West Coast National Park, Wilderness National Park, Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.

CLIMATE: South African climate is a moderated climate, with local variations according to the altitude and the infuence of the warmth currents of the Indian Ocean on the Eastern coast, and of the colds currents of the Atlantic Ocean on the western coast. Climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of the country to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast. A small area in the northwest has a desert climate. Although the climate varies from region to region, it is generally mild and sunny throughout the year. The Western Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The inner provinces of the Gauteng, the Cape interior and Free State have hot summers with occasional thundershowers and frosty winters, much of the interior consists of extensive high plains, known in South Africa as 'veld', with an altitude between 900 m and 1,800 m. KwaZulu Natal and part of Eastern Cape have a sub-tropical climate with high humidity in summer. The province of the Northern Cape is characterized from a semi-arid climate. On the whole it is a dry country with a mean annual rainfall of 502 mm. Although South Africa's climate varies considerably across its various regions and environments, temperatures remain comfortable throughout the year. Rainfall generally occurs during summer (November through March), although in the southwest, around Cape Town, rainfall occurs in winter (from June through August), snowfall is limited to the highest mountain peaks. The best time to visit for safari is between May to August, when there is less rain and much less dense vegetation, making animal sightings far more frequent.  

THE CITIES WILL HOST 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA:

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held in nine cities across South Africa from June 11 to July 11, 2010. The World Cup will be host in the following 9 South African cities: Bloemfontein (Mangaung), Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Polokwane (Pietersburg), Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay), Pretoria (Tshwane), e Rustenburg. 

BLOEMFONTEIN (MANGAUNG):

Bloemfontein is the capital city and the main town of the Free State Province with more than 650 000 inhabitants, the city is located in central South Africa, near the border with the semi-arid Karoo Region, on a Plateau at 1 395 m above sea level, the landscape is formed by grassland plains and low hills (Highveld). The city is an important commercial and financial center and is a vital road and railway node. It's the seat for the Supreme Court Of Appeal and is the judicial capital of South Africa.

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 has much warmer temperatures around 30°C during the day and cloud bursts in the afternoon. Snow is a rare event.

STADIUM: Free State Stadium: seating capacity of 48 000.

CAPE TOWN:

Cape Town, the provincial capital of the Western Cape, is the third most populous city in South Africa (2 900 000 inhabitants), as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament is located. It was founded from the Dutch in 1652 and is considered for its position one of the beautiful cities of the world, the city in fact is located in a spectacular natural scene, along the sea around the famous Table Mountain and at the beginnig of the peninsula of the Cape of Good Hope. Tourism represents one of the pulling ahead fields of the economy of the city, together to the manifacturing field.

Climate: Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate with well-defined seasons, with winter (from May to September) rainfall and temperatures around 18°C. Summer time is generally warm with temperatures in the range of 25°C-27°C.

STADIUM: Green Point Stadium: new stadium, situated between the mountain and the ocean, seating capacity of 70 000.

DURBAN:

Durban, situated in the KwaZulu-Natal Province, is an important port city, and with about 3 000 000 inhabitants, it's the second most populous city in South Africa. Durban is a famous tourist center thanks to its warm sub-tropical climate and its beaches. The city is placed along the sides of the Indian ocean in an enormous natural lagoon that forms its bay, in the interior is a range of hills that are the remains of fossilized sand-dunes.

Climate: sub-tropical, mild and sunny winters, hot and humid summers. Average temperatures are around 16°C to 25°C year round. Rain is frequent in the summer months of October to April as late afternoon downpours.

STADIUM: Durban Stadium: new stadium, seating capacity of 70 000.

JOHANNESBURG:

Johannesburg, situated in the Gauteng Province, is the most populated South African city with more than 3 200 000 inhabitants (the metropolitan area reach 8 000 000). Johannesburg is located on the eastern high-lying plateau called Highveld, at 1,753 m above sea level. Johannesburg is the economic and financial hub of South Africa.

Climate: Johannesburg climate has dry winter with temperatures ranging from 24°-16°C. Summer, the rainy season, is temperate with temperatures exceeding 30°C and afternoon thundershowers. The city enjoys a dry, sunny climate, with the exception of occasional late afternoon downpours in the summer months of October to April.

STADIUMS: Ellis Park Stadium: seating capacity of 61 000. Soccer City Stadium: seating capacity of 94 700.

NELSPRUIT:

Nelspruit (470 000 inhabitants), It is the capital of the Mpumalanga Province, located at 660 m. above sea level on the Crocodile River valley, Nelspruit lies about 100 kilometres west of the Mozambique border and 330 kilometres east of Johannesburg. Important mining town and agricultural hub for northeastern South Africa, is also a major stopover point for tourists travelling to the Kruger National Park and to Mozambique.

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 daily maximum temperatures around 23°C during winter and warming up to 29°C during summer, rainy season is between November and March.

STADIUM: Mbombela Stadium: new stadium, seating capacity of 46 000.

POLOKWANE (PIETERSBURG):

Capital city of Limpopo Province, it lies at 1310 above sea level, Polowkane has a population of more than 500 000 inhabitants, the town is situated on a plateau mainly grassland interspersed with rocky granite hills, referred to as "koppies", at only 60 kilometers south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Climate: tropical climate with winter temperatures between 20°C and 4°C and summer temperatures between 28°C-16°C. Although its position on the Tropic of the Capricorn, the city enjoys a mild climate thanks to the altitude. The rainy season is in summer between November and January.

STADIUM: Peter Mokaba Stadium: new stadium, seating capacity of 46 000.

PORT ELIZABETH (NELSON MANDELA BAY):

Port Elizabeth (more than 1 000 000 inhabitants) situated Alagoa Bay, in the Eastern Cape Province is one of the major seaports in South Africa and also an important industrial and cultural center, the city is also the capital of the South African motor industry. Another developed econimic sector of Port Elizabeth is tourism.

Climate: sub-tropical with winter rainfall. The city has mild temperatures ranging from 20°C to 9°C during winter and 25°C to 17°C during summer. Port Elizabeth enjoys more sunshine hours than any other coastal city in South Africa. The city boasts a moderate climate all year round with sea temperatures ranging from 16°C in Winter to 23°C in Summer.

STADIUM: Port Elizabeth Stadium: new stadium, seating capacity of 50 000. 

PRETORIA (TSHWANE):

Pretoria (the metropolitan area reach 2 000 000 inhabitants) is one of the three capital cities of South Africa, serving as the executive-administrative (Cape Town is the legislative capital and Bloemfonteinis the judicial capital). Situated in the Gauteng Province, between rocky ridges in the north eastern part of the country, 1214 above sea level, approximately 50 km north of Johannesburg, Pretoria is in the transitional area between tropical savannah (Bushveld) and the Highveld plateau.

Climate: dry winters with temperatures averaging 22 °C and 5°C. Hot summers with occasional thunderstorms, average temperatures 29°C to 17 °C.  

STADIUM: Loftus Versfeld Stadium: seating capacity of 50 000.

RUSTENBURG:

Rustenburg (about 400 000 inhabitants) is a town in the North-West Province, it lies at 100 km north-west of Johannesburg, nestled at the foothills of the breathtaking Magaliesburg Mountains, in the Highveld Plateau at about 1500 above sea level. Rustenburg is an important mining town it's home to the two largest platinum mines in the world and the world's largest platinum refinery, which processes around 70% of the world's platinum.

Climate: Rustenburg enjoys a sub-tropical climate with temperatures between 2º C and 20ºC during winter and 22º C and 35°C during summer. Occasional afternoon thunderstorms between August and March.

STADIUM: Royal Bafokeng Stadium: new stadium, seating capacity of 42 000.