Text Box: Conservation South Africa has initiated the establishment of Transfrontier game reserves, so-called Peace Parks in Southern Africa such as the !Ais/!Ais/Richersveld, the Kgalagadi, etc.; The Cape Peninsula has more species of plants per hectare than any other area of the world; More that 800 birds species, one tenth of those known to mankind, are found in South Africa.  

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Heritage Mrs Ples (2.5 million years old and the first complete Australopithecus skull discovered) and "Little Foot" (3.5 million years old), crucial links in archaeological evolution of mankind were found in the Sterkfontein Caves, South Africa's "Cradle of Civilization" (a world heritage site); South Africa has 4 other World Heritage Sites including Robben Island (global icon of human rights and reconciliation), St. Lucia Wetland, Drakensberg (outstanding landscapes) and Mapungubwe (an iron age site of 1000AD to 1300AD).

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Sport South African Mike Barnado is a well-known former K1 Champion in Japan; South Africa's sporting legends include famous golfers such as Gary Player, Ernie Els, and Retief Goosen; Soccer players as Bennie McCarthy and Quinton Fortune; Athletics, former Olympic marathon gold medal winner Josiah Thugwane.