Wednesday, May 23, 2012 4:51 PM SAST

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana  and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho  is an independent country wholly surrounded by South African territory.

Modern humans have inhabited Southern Africa for more than 100,000 years. At the time of European contact, the dominant indigenous peoples were tribes who had migrated from other parts of Africa about one thousand years before. From the 4th-5th century CE, Bantu-speaking tribes had steadily moved south, where they displaced, conquered and assimilated original Khoikhoi and San peoples of southern Africa. At the time of European contact, the two major groups were the Xhosa and Zulu peoples.

Articles About South Africa

Tiger
Tiger and Elephant Poachers: India's Maharashtra State Orders Rangers to Shot-to-Kill Illegal Hunters

By IBTimes UK

Injuring or even killing animal poachers in India's state of Maharashtra will no longer be a crime. (4:26 pm)

MORE TOPICS: HUMAN RIGHTS, INDIA

A four-month-old lion cub is seen inside its cage at Jordan's zoo in Yaduda
Airlines See Profits in Shipping Animals in Cargo Holds

By Mother Nature Network

From pandas to thoroughbreds, flying animals and wildlife is big business. But there is a dark side. (1:38 am)

MORE TOPICS: CHINA, FEDEX, NEW YORK, MADAGASCAR

IBM's Expanion into Growth markets
High Tech Vietnam: IBM Opens Da Nang Office

By IBTimes

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer maker, said it opened a new center in Da Nang, Vietnam, its third center in the Southeast Asian country. (8:20 pm)

MORE TOPICS: CHINA, IBM, NYSE, INTEL, RUSSIA, INDIA

Tim Howard was the starting goalkeeper for the United States in the 2010 World Cup.
U.S. Men's Soccer Team 2012 : What the Final Roster Should Look Like

By IBTimes

Here's a look at how the U.S. Men's National Team should shape up when the final cuts come Friday, May 25. (May 22)

MORE TOPICS: GERMANY, NEW YORK

Eugene Terreblanche was murdered at his farm in South Africa (Reuters)
Chris Mahlangu Found Guilty of South African White Supremacist Eugene Terreblanche's Murder [VIDEO]

By IBTimes UK

Farm worker Chris Mahlangu found guilty of the murder of white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche while co-accused Patrick Ndlovu found not guilty. (May 22)

The Spear by artist Brett Murray
South Africa: Jacob Zuma ‘The Spear’ Painting Defaced in Johannesburg

By IBTimes UK

A controversial painting of South African president Jacob Zuma with his genitals hanging out has been vandalised in Johannesburg. (May 22)

MORE TOPICS: AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, COURT, JACOB ZUMA, CONGRESS

Iron ore
China Suspends Coal, Iron Ore Cargo Shipments

By IBTimes AU

In what could be a firm testament of its cooling economic activity, a number of China's raw commodity trading houses have suspended their cargo shipments of coal and iron ore amid the continued drop of the prices of the two commodities in the world market. (May 22)

MORE TOPICS: CHINA

Business Group Bats for a Complete South Australia Rebrand

By IBTimes AU

The name South Australia was not attractive enough and a business group is firmly convinced state authorities should consider a complete rebrand to lure more investments and possibly more tourists. (May 22)

MORE TOPICS: AUSTRALIA, ADVERTISING, CRICKET

Israel foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor
Israel: South Africa Ban of West Bank Products Smacks of Racism

By IBTimes UK

Israel's foreign ministry spokesman said South Africa's decision to ban imported goods marked as 'made in Israel' when they come from the West Bank settlements had "characteristics of racism". (May 21)

MORE TOPICS: AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, ISRAEL, HUMAN RIGHTS, SETTLEMENT, CONGRESS

Sixty Scholars Debate Inclusion of Harry Potter as Literary Texts
Scholars Debate Inclusion of Harry Potter as Literary Texts

By IBTimes UK

Academics from US, India and South Africa meet at St Andrews University in Scotland to discuss inclusion of Harry Potter series as literary texts. (May 19)

MORE TOPICS: INDIA