South Africa: An Overview Trivia Quiz

Answer: Springbok

The springbok is a small gazelle inhabiting grasslands in South Africa. Its name literally means "jumping antelope", which is a distinctive feature of the animal when it is spooked. National colours in most sporting codes are considered "springbok colours" and are a source of great pride for the country's sportspeople and fans.

Answer: Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park was established in 1898 under the name Sabie National Park by then President Paul Kruger. The park consists of 18,989 square kilometers of conservation area, with eight main gates that lead to different accommodation sites. The Kruger Park boasts more than 140 species of mammals, including the "Big Five" (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhinoceros) and hundreds of bird and reptile species.

Answer: JRR Tolkien

The author of "The Lord of the Rings" was born in Bloemfontein on 3 January 1892. His parents moved back to England when he was three, but his legacy still lives in Bloemfontein. There is even a Tolkien Trail, which takes a traveler to the great writer's birthplace and other interesting places. You can even stay in "Hobbit House", a guest house dedicated to Tolkien.

Answer: uShaka Marine World

The uShaka Marine World is one of Durban's major attractions. It boasts two restaurants in the wreck of an old cargo ship, as well as a state of the art aquarium, dolphinarium, and seal and penguin exhibits. For the brave, there is also a shark-diving experience.

Answer: Sterkfontein Caves

In April 1947 Dr Robert Broom discovered a 2 million year old skull about 70 kilometers from the capital Pretoria. The skull was called Mrs Ples and has provided valuable information on the region's history. The area has now been named a World Heritage Site and is informally known as "The Cradle of Humankind".

Answer: Drakensberg

The Drakensberg mountain range is approximately 1,000 kilometers long and literally means "Dragon Mountains" in Dutch. It splits the Free State province and KwaZulu-Natal and rises to a height of 3,482 meters.

Answer: Friendly

In 1488, Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias landed on the coast of South Africa in the area that was to become known as Algoa Bay. This would later become Port Elizabeth, one of South Africa's major ports, affectionately known as "The Friendly City". The area is home to the country's motor industry with most of the major car manufacturers' bases here.

Answer: Table Mountain

At 1,086 meters high, Table Mountain may not be the highest in the world, but it certainly is one of the most recognisable. Overlooking the Cape Peninsula, it towers over the city of Cape Town and looks out over the convergence of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The mountain is a popular tourist attraction and boasts a cable car to the top, as well as impressive hiking routes and wildlife.

Answer: Ostriches

Ostrich farming forms an integral part of the Western Cape economy. These huge birds are bred for their impressive feathers and healthy meat, and the area is home to the largest cluster of ostriches in the world.

Oudtshoorn is a picturesque Karoo town which has several other tourist attractions, including the Cango Caves and the biggest annual arts and culture festival in the country.

Answer: Jacaranda

During the summer months in South Africa Jacaranda trees go into full bloom in Pretoria, to such an extent that the city appears covered in purple. An interesting folktale is that if you are writing exams you will pass all your tests if a Jacaranda flower falls on your head!

Answer: Atlantic & Indian

The Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge at the southern tip of South Africa. Two major ocean currents also collide, namely the cold Agulhas current on the west coast and the warmer Benguela current on the eastern coast.

Answer: King Protea

The King Protea is an impressive indigenous fynbos species. It is also the symbol of the South African cricket team.

Answer: Kimberley

In 1866 a prospector called Erasmus Jacobs discovered a diamond on the banks of the Orange River, which led to a diamond rush and the establishment of the town of Kimberley. The "Big Hole" is an excavation site as a result of diamond mining and at its deepest was 240 meters deep. The world's largest diamond company, De Beers, was established from small companies in the Kimberley area.

Answer: Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga constitutes just over 6% of the country's land area. The name translates as "the place where the sun rises" from the original Swazi, and is the area that was previously known as the Eastern Transvaal. It is a beautiful province with a subtropical climate and several tourist destinations, including part of the Kruger National Park.

Answer: African National Congress

The ANC was elevated to power after South Africa's first fully democratic elections in 1994. It has since been re-elected several times, including the country's 2009 elections, when Jacob Zuma was elected as the President.