Covering a huge swathe of land, washed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans, South Africa has enormous wealth above and below ground, making it one of the richest natural storehouses on the planet.

In 1869, diamonds (and, later, gold) were discovered, attracting huge numbers of fortune hunters. President Paul Kruger of the Transvaal (now Gauteng) invoked strict franchise requirements. Britain’s attempts at intervention resulted in the Anglo-Boer War; the British victory in 1902 established the Union of South Africa in 1910.

In 1948, the National Party came to power and cemented the policy of apartheid – officially, the separate development of all racial groups but, effectively, the creation of semi-autonomous ‘homelands’ for non-whites and the preservation of white supremacy.

In 1989, FW De Klerk became national party president, removed the ban of anti-apartheid groups, and released the jailed ANC leadership including, after 27 years of imprisonment, its leader, Nelson Mandela.

By 1993, all three main parties (ANC, Inkatha and the National Party) had laid out a blueprint for a new constitutional future for South Africa, the centrepiece of which was the first genuinely inclusive national election in South Africa, held in 1994. Nelson Mandela became the country’s president.

As the attention shifted away from politics, the focus once again landed on South Africa’s magnificent landscape; its desert dunes, savannah, subtropical forests and white-sand coast. Its game viewing equals the best in Africa: where else can you find both penguins and elephants? There are over 1,000 bird species, and the Western Cape alone has one of the richest floral kingdoms in the world.

The country’s fascinating human and cultural history does not just start in apartheid, but stretches back to the aboriginal San (Bushmen) and Khoikhoi, through the black African peoples to the latest arrivals, the Afrikaans and British. Archbishop Desmond Tutu named the newly integrated South Africa ‘the rainbow nation’. It is a fitting name for a country with 11 official languages and people of all colours, race and creed, living in a vividly coloured and sculpted landscape. No wonder its cities are so cosmopolitan.

The South Africans are charming hosts; most speak English, and all have a fascinating story to tell.

Melissa Shales

1,219,192 sq km (470,693 sq miles).

46 million (UN estimate 2005).

36.8 per sq km.

Pretoria (administrative). Population: 1.98 million (2001). Cape Town (legislative) population: 2.89 million (2001). Bloemfontein (judicial) population: 119,698 (2001).

Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1910.

The official languages are Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

Most inhabitants profess Christianity of some form and belong to either Catholic, Anglican and other protestant denominations, Afrikaner Calvinist churches or African independent churches. There are also significant Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities, and traditional beliefs are still practised widely, sometimes in conjunction with Christianity.

GMT + 2.

Handshaking is the usual form of greeting. Normal courtesies should be shown when visiting someone’s home. Casual wear is widely acceptable. Formal social functions often call for a dinner jacket and black tie for men and full-length dresses for women; this will be specified on the invitation. Smoking is prohibited in public buildings and on public transport.

220/240 volts AC; 250 volts AC (Pretoria), 50Hz. Three-pin round plugs are in use.

President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki since 1999.