South Africa is one of those rare places on our planet where not every tourist gets to. But almost everyone who is familiar with the call of wanderings and the aroma of the earth scorched under the sun dreams of such a journey. Although South Africa, whose climate is very diverse, can give not only sunny days, but also rainy weeks, when everything around is under the influence of bad weather for many kilometers.
South Africa: geographic location
South Africa is a fairly young state, today it is not even a hundred years old. But the history of this place is truly unique and belongs to the oldest on the planet.
South Africa is located in the southern part of the African continent and stretches over more than one million square kilometers. Nine provinces and three capitals are located in this territory. Few people know that South Africa is one of the richest countries in the world. There are deposits of manganese, diamonds andgold, and the diversity of flora and fauna can be envied by recognized leaders in the list of countries recommended for visiting.
Such a variety of plants and animals, many of which are truly unique, provided the South African climate. It miraculously preserved rare plant species that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet and provided a comfortable life for many animal species.
The climate of South Africa: briefly about the main thing
If we talk briefly about the climate of the Republic of South Africa, the most important thing to mention is the number of climatic zones. There are twenty of them on the territory of the state, this does not occur in any other country in the world! These amazing features of the climate of South Africa provided the state with an influx of tourists who a few years ago were able to appreciate the possibilities of recreation in the Republic of South Africa. After all, in one trip you can easily cross several climatic zones and see rare species of animals live.
South Africa: nature and climate
The territory of South Africa is washed by the waters of two oceans at once, which significantly affects the climate of the state. The Indian Ocean brings warm subtropical air, while the Atlantic contributes to the formation of hot and dry air masses over most of South Africa. In general, the climate in the country can be described as moderate, which is very unusual for such a geographical location. But do not forget that South Africa is quite high above sea level and is often influenced by fresh ocean breezes. This featuremakes it easy to endure even summer heat exceeding thirty-five degrees Celsius.
Twenty climatic zones existing in South Africa can be roughly divided into:
- tropics;
- subtropics;
- Mediterranean.
The east of the country is characterized by high humidity and high average annual temperatures, which is very similar to the subtropical climate of the Asian mainland. The north of South Africa can be safely attributed to a tropical climate with a lot of rainfall, but the south is just a Mediterranean paradise. Tourists from Europe often come here, surprised by quite pleasant and comfortable climatic conditions.
South African climate: interesting features
For those who come to South Africa for the first time, the climate can bring many surprises and surprises. For example, the spread of average annual temperatures in different parts of the country is quite surprising. It can reach up to ten or twelve degrees, which is absolutely impossible in other states.
Winter and summer in South Africa are the opposite of the usual seasons for residents of Europe and Asia. Summer lasts from October to April, and winter begins in May. Moreover, spring and autumn fly by almost imperceptibly, they are very short. Usually the off-season does not last more than two or three weeks. The average monthly summer temperature is twenty-five degrees above zero Celsius, in winter, especially in the desert, the thermometer can drop to zero. In the daytime, even in winter, the air warms up quickly, which allows tourists to visit South Africa inany time of the year.
The impact of climate on the flora and fauna of South Africa
A large territory of South Africa is given over to national parks and reserves. It is forbidden to hunt in them, and ideal conditions for the active life of animals are created. Tourists who come to the African continent try to go on a safari to see lions, elephants and rhinos in their natural habitat. They feel great in a large number of climatic zones and after the ban on their shooting was introduced, they significantly increased their population.
For botanists, South Africa is simply a paradise, because many houseplants known to us were taken to Europe from here. Today, the country boasts the largest number of endemic plants in the world. Now there are more than five thousand species that are not found anywhere else in nature. This fact makes the climate of South Africa really special.
The silver flower, which is the symbol of the country, is of great interest to scientists. The fact is that it is found only in South Africa. The climate of the country surprisingly affects this plant. On the one hand, climatic conditions allow the flower to grow within one habitat zone, but on the other hand, it is the climate that does not allow the spread of this plant throughout the territory of the Republic of South Africa.
