SOUTH AFRICA

           I am going to tell you about South Africa, one of the En­glish speaking countries.

           Southern Africa, officially Republic of South Africa, is situated at the southern tip of the continent of Africa. South Africa borders on Namibia to the north-west, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and Mozambique and Swaziland to the north-east and east. Lesotho, an independent constitutional monarchy is located inside the Republic of South Africa.

            After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers trekked north. The discovery of diamonds in 1867 and gold in 1886 spurred wealth and immi­gration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabi­tants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were de­feated in the Boer War (1899-1902). As a result, Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid — the sepa­rate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

            Total territory of South Africa is 1,220,000 square kilo­metres. The climate is mostly semiarid, subtropical along east coast; it has sunny days, cool nights. The natural resources of South Africa are gold, chromium, coal, iron ore, nickel, phos­phates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vana­dium, salt, natural gas.

            The population of the country is about 44 million people.

            As to the ethnic groups there are 76 % black people, 14 % white people. There are eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, etc.

            Government type is republic. The capital is Pretoria. Cape Town is the legislative centre and Bloemfontein the judicial centre. Administrative divisions are nine provinces.

            South Africa became self-governing on May, 31, 1910. Before that, it was one of the numerous English colonies.

            Legal system is based on the Roman-Dutch law and the English common law. The chief of state is President and Exe­cutive Deputy President. The president is both the chief of state and head of government.

                QUESTIONS:

1.      Where is South Africa situated?

2.      What countries does South Africa border on?

3.      Why was the subjugation of the native inhabitants in­tensified in 1867-1886?

4.      What is apartheid?

5.      When was apartheid brought to the end?

6.      What is the climate of South Africa?

7.      Are there any natural resources in South Africa?

8.      How many people inhabit the country?

9.      How many official languages are there in South Africa?

10.  What can you tell about the government system of the country?

VOCABULARY:

to be situated — находиться, располагаться

to border on / upon — граничить

to seize — завладевать, захватывать

the Cape of Good Hope — мыс Доброй Надежды

settler — поселенец

to trek — переселяться

to spur — зд. способствовать

to intensify — усиливаться

subjugation — подчинение, покорение

inhabitant — житель, обитатель

encroachment — агрессия, вторжение

to defeat — агрессия, вторжение

apartheid — апартеид, расовая изоляция

majority — большинство

semiarid — полузасушливый

chromium — хром

coal — уголь

ironore — железная руда

tin — олово

gem diamonds — ювелирный алмаз

copper — медь

legislative — законодательный

judicial — судебный

division — деление, разделение

numerous — многочисленный

chief head — глава