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South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, its coastline stretching more than 2,850 kilometres from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic (western) coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then northeast to the border with Mozambique on the Indian Ocean. The low-lying coastal zone is narrow for much of that distance, soon giving way to a mountainous escarpment that separates the coast from the high inland plateau. In some places, notably the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the east, a greater distance separates the coast from the escarpment. Although most of the country is classified as semi-arid, it has considerable variation in climate as well as topography.
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu and Natal Province were merged. It is located in the southeast of the country, enjoying a long shoreline beside the Indian Ocean and sharing borders with three other provinces and the countries of Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho. Its capital is Pietermaritzburg and its largest city is Durban. It is the 2nd most populous province in South Africa, with slightly fewer residents than Gauteng.
The Drakensberg is the name given to the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment, which encloses the central Southern African plateau. The Great Escarpment reaches its greatest elevation in this region – 2,000 to 3,482 metres. It is located in South Africa and Lesotho.
Ingwavuma is a town in the Umkhanyakude District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. It is unclear where the name of the town came from; one theory is that it was named after the Ngwavuma River while another is that there was a leader called Vuma, the name then meaning "Vuma's place" in Zulu. Trees found on the river bank are also named Ngwavuma but it is unclear which entity was named after which. It is over 700 metres above sea level in the Lebombo Mountains and boasts several highly scenic spots. The town is three kilometres from the country's border with Swaziland and overlooks the plains of Maputaland to the East. It falls within the Mngomezulu Tribal Authority.
The Maputo River, also called Great Usutu River, Lusutfu River, or Suthu River, is a river in South Africa, Eswatini, and Mozambique. The name Suthu refers to Basotho people who lived near the source of the river, but were attacked and displaced by Swazis. It is also said to mean 'dark brown', a description of the river's muddy water.
The Swazi or Swati are a Bantu ethnic group of Southern Africa, predominantly inhabiting modern Eswatini and South Africa's Mpumalanga province. The Swati are part of the Nguni family that can be archaeologically traced in East Africa where the same tradition, beliefs and cultural practices are found. The Swati share a unique experience, culture and Royal lineage. This lineage is exclusive to the inhabitants of Eswatini, even though there have been more Swazi people that have moved to South Africa and the United Kingdom in the 20th century. The original inhabitants of Eswatini no longer reside in Eswatini as a majority population while some remain in the land. The Swazi people and the Kingdom of Eswatini today are named after Mswati II, who became king in 1839 after the death of his father King Sobhuza who strategically defeated the British who occupied Swaziland. The Kingdom of Swaziland was a region occupied by the San people of Southern Africa and the current Swazis came in from North Eastern regions through to Mozambique and eventually Swaziland in the 15th century. Mixtures with the San people and other Nguni tribes occurred. Their royal lineage can be traced to a chief named Dlamini I; this is still the royal clan name. About three-quarters of the clan groups are Nguni; the remainder are Sotho, Tsonga, others North East African and San descendants. These groups have intermarried freely. There are slight differences among Swazis as a nation with varying features and skin tones yet Swazi identity extends to all those with allegiance to the twin monarchs Ingwenyama "the Lion" and Indlovukati "the She-Elephant". The dominant Swati language and culture are factors that unify Swazis as a nation since there is no other language spoken except for English.
The Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area was born out of the Peace Park Foundation’s vision to establish a network of transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa. It straddles the border between South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, southern Mozambique, and Eswatini.
Kniphofia, also called tritoma, red hot poker, torch lily, knofflers or poker plant, is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Asphodelaceae, first described as a genus in 1794. It is native to Africa.
Eswatini Railways (ESR), formerly known as Swaziland Railway or Swazi Rail, is the national railway corporation of Eswatini.
The Kingdom of Zulu, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or the Kingdom of Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north.
The Diocese of Zululand is a diocese of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa which covers the part of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal that lies to the northeast of the Buffalo and Tugela Rivers. It is divided in ten archdeaconries.
Golela is a town in Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa, 45 km east of Pongola on the border with Eswatini. The Golela border post was recently rebuilt to meet the increasing movement of people and goods between South Africa and Eswatini.
Callilepis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is native to southern Africa.
- Callilepis caerulea – ox-eye daisy – Soutpansberg, Limpopo
- Callilepis lancifolia – Limpopo
- Callilepis laureola – ox-eye daisy, black-eyed susan, marguerite – Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Swaziland, Cape Province
- Callilepis leptophylla – wild daisy – Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland
- Callilepis salicifolia – Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland
Protected areas of Eswatini include any geographical area protected for a specific use inside the landlocked country of Eswatini, in southern Africa.
Stenoglottis is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae native to southern and eastern Africa. Six of the 8 known species are endemic to South Africa.
- Stenoglottis fimbriata Lindl. - Swaziland, South Africa
- Stenoglottis inandensis G.McDonald & D.G.A.Styles - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis longifolia Hook.f. - South Africa
- Stenoglottis macloughlinii (L.Bolus) G.McDonald ex J.M.H.Shaw - South Africa
- Stenoglottis modestus Truter & Joliffe - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis molweniensis G.McDonald ex J.M.H.Shaw - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis woodii Schltr. - KwaZulu-Natal
- Stenoglottis zambesiaca Rolfe in D.Oliver & auct. suc. - Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, northeastern South Africa
Haworthiopsis limifolia, formerly Haworthia limifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Haworthiopsis, native to southern Africa and first described in 1910.
Rhodohypoxis is a small genus of tuberous flowering plants in the family Hypoxidaceae, native to southern Africa. The small flowers, no more than 15 cm (6 in) high, are constructed so that their centres are not visible. Some species are in cultivation.
Bonatea is a genus of orchids native to tropical and southern Africa, with one species extending into Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
