A few notes on the people you will encounter when traveling in South Africa.In 1995 the total population of South Africa was estimated at 41,2 million people. The population density varies from less than 2 persons per square kilometer (Northern Cape) to over 1000 per square kilometer in the urban areas. The average population density is about 35/km². Most of the people live in the wetter eastern half, where the rainfall is over 500mm a year. There is also a greater concentration of South Africa’s more valuable minerals in the eastern half. Within the eastern half, rural population densities are especially high in the former homelands.
The percentage of the people of South Africa living in cities is increasing. About 65% of the population lives in urban areas, the rest in rural areas. The Western Cape is the most urbanized province, while most people in the Limpopo province still live in rural areas. Less than 15% of Limpopo’s population is urbanized.
The composition of South Africa’s population is not a simple distinction between Black and White people. Even the Black people are not an undifferentiated homogeneous group of individuals. Culturally and historically there are different ethnic groups trying their best to make up a rainbow nation:
Blacks form the largest part of the rainbow nation (79%), followed by the Whites (9,6%), then Coloured (8,9%) and the Asians (2,5%). The main groups of indigenous people are the following:
-
Basotho: On plateau west of Lesotho, part of greater Sotho group.
-
Tswana: On western plateau, related to Basotho.
-
Xhosa: Eastern Cape, part of Nguni people.
-
Swazi: From Swaziland, part of Nguni people.
-
Ndebele: Limpopo, part of Nguni people.
-
Venda: Limpopo, migrated from the north – related to Zimbabweans.
-
Tsonga: Related to people of Mozambique.
-
Pedi: North of central plateau, part of Northern Sotho group.
-
Zulu: Kwazulu-Natal, part of Nguni people.
-
Nama: Northern Cape, related to Khoi-Khoi people.
-
San (Bushmen): Northern Cape, nomadic. Very few still in SA.
There are 11 official languages in South Africa but English is the most commonly used and understood, especially for business. Other languages are Afrikaans (which is derived primarily from 17th century Dutch), Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho (Sepedi), Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
South Africa Travel will bring you to a secular state where all major denominations are well represented. Approximately 75% of the population are Christians. Many Africans follow traditional belief systems rich in oral folklore and ceremonies.
|
