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May 14, 2008

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Quick Facts

Here are 10 Quick Facts to help you know a bit more about Scout's new home.

1) South Africa is almost twice as big as Texas and three times the size of California.

2) The country has 11 official languages. Nine are native African, one is English and the last is Afrikaans, a language developed by the region's early Dutch settlers.

3) There is one TV set for every eight people in South Africa. In the U.S. there are four TV sets for every five people.

4) Almost 40 percent of the gold mined on Earth has come from South Africa. Scientists estimate that gold deposits there are 3 billion years old.

5) South Africa has one of the world's great wildlife sanctuaries. It's called Kruger National Park and roaming free through the park are more than 500 different types of birds and 147 different mammals, including lions, leopards, elephants, water buffaloes and rhinos.

6) Because it's below the equator, South Africa's summers begin in September and last until April. Daytime temperatures during the summer range from the 60's to the 90's. The nicest weather is usually in April and May.

7) South Africa has an official national holiday called Youth Day. It's celebrated on June 16.

8) African culture emphasizes the philosophy of “ubuntu”. This means that all people should be treated with respect and dignity, because a person becomes a person through other people.

9) He's most famous as the nonviolent leader of India's fight for independence, but Mahatma Gandhi first made his reputation as protest leader for the rights of Indians living in South Africa.

10) From 1948 until 1994 the South African government enforced an official policy of apartheid. This not only made it a law for the races to stay separate, but it also allowed the white minority, although outnumbered 4 to 1 to control the country.

Pictures: DCI |

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