1. The rand was the best performing currency against the US Dollar
between 2002 and 2005 (Bloomberg Currency Scoreboard)
2. South Africa accounts for almost 25% of the GDP of the entire African
continent, with an economy more than twice the size of the second biggest –
Algeria. (World Bank)
3. Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province but produces 34% of South
Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (Stats SA)
4. South Africa generates two-thirds of Africa’s electricity (Eskom)
5. South African power supplier provides the fourth cheapest electricity in
the world
6. Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto is the biggest hospital in the
world
7. The number of tourists visiting South Africa has grown by 200%
since 1994, from 3 million to over 9 million in 2007 (Dept of Environment
and Tourism)
8. The world's best land-based whale-watching spot is located in
Hermanus in the Western Cape.
Hermanus in the Western Cape.
9. In 2002, South Africa was the world’s fastest growing tourist
destination. In 2006, South Africa’s tourism grew at three times the global
average.
destination. In 2006, South Africa’s tourism grew at three times the global
average.
10. South Africa hosts the largest timed cycle race in the world (the Cape Argus
Cycle Tour), the world's oldest and largest ultra-marathon (the Comrades
Marathon) and the world's largest open water swimming event (the
Midmar Mile).
11. South Africa will become the first African country to host the Soccer World
Cup in 2010 … and only the second country in the world to have hosted
the Cricket, Rugby and Soccer World Cups.
Cycle Tour), the world's oldest and largest ultra-marathon (the Comrades
Marathon) and the world's largest open water swimming event (the
Midmar Mile).
11. South Africa will become the first African country to host the Soccer World
Cup in 2010 … and only the second country in the world to have hosted
the Cricket, Rugby and Soccer World Cups.
12. Since the 1940s, South African golfers have won more golf majors than
any other nation, apart from the United States.
13. South Africa is the first, and to date the only, country to build nuclear
weapons and the voluntarily dismantle its entire nuclear weapons
programme
any other nation, apart from the United States.
13. South Africa is the first, and to date the only, country to build nuclear
weapons and the voluntarily dismantle its entire nuclear weapons
programme
14. South Africa Constitution is widely regarded as being one of the most
progressive in the world, drawing from the experiences of the world’s
most advanced democracies
progressive in the world, drawing from the experiences of the world’s
most advanced democracies
15. The University of South Africa UNISA is a pioneer of tertiary distance
education and is the largest correspondence university in the world
with 250,000 students.
education and is the largest correspondence university in the world
with 250,000 students.
16. The first MBA programme outside of the United States was started by
the University of Pretoria in 1949.
the University of Pretoria in 1949.
17. Since 1994, 500 houses have been built each day for the poor and 1,000
houses per day have received electricity
houses per day have received electricity
18. Seventy percent of South Africa’s population is urbanised
19. The Kruger National Park supports the greatest variety of wildlife
species on the African continent
species on the African continent
20. The Cango Caves near Oudsthoorn is the world’s longest underground
cave sequence
cave sequence
21. In 1991, South Africa became the first country in the world to protect the
Great White shark.
Great White shark.
22. South Africa has embraced the concept of trans-frontier ‘peace parks’,
linking ecological reserves across national borders
linking ecological reserves across national borders
23. Afrikaans is the youngest official language in the world
24. South Africa has the world’s largest deposits of gold, chromium, platinum
and manganese
and manganese
25. South Africa has the world's second oldest air force, established 1920.
For more on these and other remarkable stories about SA, visit www.sagoodnews.co.za
