දකුණු අප්රිකාවේ භූගෝලය
South Africa is in southernmost Africa, with a coastline that stretches more than 2,500 km (1,553 mi) and along two oceans (the South Atlantic and the Indian). At 1,219,912 km2 (471,011 sq mi),[1] South Africa is the 24th-largest country in the world.[2] Excluding the Prince Edward Islands, the country lies between latitudes 22° and 35°S, and longitudes 16° and 33°E. The interior of South Africa consists of a large, in most places almost flat plateau with an altitude of between 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and 2,100 m (6,900 ft), highest in the east and sloping gently downwards towards the west and north, and slightly so to the south and south-west.[3] This plateau is surrounded by the Great Escarpment[4] whose eastern, and highest, stretch is known as the Drakensberg.[5] Mafadi in the Drakensberg at 3,450 m (11,320 ft) is the highest peak. The KwaZulu-Natal–Lesotho international border is formed by the highest portion of the Great Escarpment which reaches an altitude of over 3,000 m (9,800 ft).[6]
The south and south-western parts of the plateau (at approximately 1,100 – 1,800 m above sea level) and the adjoining plain below (at approximately 700 – 800 m above sea level – see map on the right) is known as the Great Karoo, which consists of sparsely populated shrubland. To the north, the Great Karoo fades into the more arid Bushmanland, which eventually becomes the Kalahari Desert in the north-west of the country. The mid-eastern and highest part of the plateau is known as the Highveld. This relatively well-watered area is home to a great proportion of the country's commercial farmlands and contains its largest conurbation (Gauteng). To the north of Highveld, from about the 25° 30' S line of latitude, the plateau slopes downwards into the Bushveld, which ultimately gives way to the Limpopo River lowlands or Lowveld.[4]
The coastal belt, below the Great Escarpment, moving clockwise from the northeast, consists of the Limpopo Lowveld, which merges into the Mpumalanga Lowveld, below the Mpumalanga Drakensberg (the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment).[7] This is hotter, drier and less intensely cultivated than the Highveld above the escarpment.[4] The Kruger National Park, located in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in north-eastern South Africa, occupies a large portion of the Lowveld covering 19,633 square kilometres (7,580 sq mi)[8]
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The coastal belt below the south and south-western stretches of the Great Escarpment contains several ranges of Cape Fold Mountains which run parallel to the coast, separating the Great Escarpment from the ocean.[9][10] (These parallel ranges of fold mountains are shown on the map, above left. Note the course of the Great Escarpment to the north of these mountain ranges.) The land between the Outeniqua and Langeberg ranges to the south and the Swartberg range to the north is known as the Little Karoo,[4] which consists of semi-desert shrubland similar to that of the Great Karoo, except that its northern strip along the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains has a somewhat higher rainfall and is, therefore, more cultivated than the Great Karoo. The Little Karoo is famous for its ostrich farming around Oudtshoorn. The lowland area to the north of the Swartberg range up to the Great Escarpment is the lowland part of the Great Karoo, which is climatically and botanically almost indistinguishable from the Karoo above the Great Escarpment. The narrow coastal strip between the Outeniqua and Langeberg ranges and the ocean has a moderately high year-round rainfall, which is known as the Garden Route. It is famous for the most extensive areas of forests in South Africa (a generally forest-poor country).
In the south-west corner of the country, the Cape Peninsula forms the southernmost tip of the coastal strip which borders the Atlantic Ocean and ultimately terminates at the country's border with Namibia at the Orange River. The Cape Peninsula has a Mediterranean climate, making it and its immediate surrounds the only portion of Sub-Saharan Africa which receives most of its rainfall in winter.[11][12] The coastal belt to the north of the Cape Peninsula is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and the first row of north–south running Cape Fold Mountains to the east. The Cape Fold Mountains peter out at about the 32° S line of latitude,[10] after which the Great Escarpment bounds the coastal plain. The most southerly portion of this coastal belt is known as the Swartland and Malmesbury Plain, which is an important wheat growing region, relying on winter rains. The region further north is known as Namaqualand,[13] which becomes more arid near the Orange River. The little rain that falls tends to fall in winter,[12] which results in one of the world's most spectacular displays of flowers carpeting huge stretches of veld in spring (August – September).
South Africa also has one offshore possession, the small sub-Antarctic archipelago of the Prince Edward Islands, consisting of Marion Island (290 km2 or 110 sq mi) and Prince Edward Island (45 km2 or 17 sq mi)
දේශගුණය
[සංස්කරණය]
South Africa has a generally temperate climate because it is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, because it is located in the climatically milder Southern Hemisphere, and because its average elevation rises steadily toward the north (toward the equator) and further inland. This varied topography and oceanic influence result in a great variety of climatic zones. The climatic zones range from the extreme desert of the southern Namib in the farthest northwest to the lush subtropical climate in the east along the border with Mozambique and the Indian Ocean. Winters in South Africa occur between June and August. The extreme southwest has a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean with wet winters and hot, dry summers, hosting the famous fynbos biome of shrubland and thicket. This area produces much of the wine in South Africa and is known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Further east on the south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout the year, producing a green landscape. The annual rainfall increases south of the Lowveld, especially near the coast, which is subtropical. The Free State is particularly flat because it lies centrally on the high plateau. North of the Vaal River, the Highveld becomes better watered and does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. Johannesburg, in the centre of the Highveld, is at 1,740 m (5,709 ft) above sea level and receives an annual rainfall of 760 mm (29.9 in). Winters in this region are cold, although snow is rare.[14]
The coldest place on mainland South Africa is Buffelsfontein in the Eastern Cape, where a temperature of −20.1 °C (−4.2 °F) was recorded in 2013.[15] The Prince Edward Islands have colder average annual temperatures, but Buffelsfontein has colder extremes. The deep interior of mainland South Africa has the hottest temperatures: a temperature of 51.7 °C (125.06 °F) was recorded in 1948 in the Northern Cape Kalahari near Upington,[16] but this temperature is unofficial and was not recorded with standard equipment; the official highest temperature is 48.8 °C (119.84 °F) at Vioolsdrif in January 1993.[17]
Climate change in South Africa is leading to increased temperatures and rainfall variability. Extreme weather events are becoming more prominent.[18] This is a critical concern for South Africans as climate change will affect the overall status and wellbeing of the country, for example with regards to water resources. Speedy environmental changes are resulting in clear effects on the community and environmental level in different ways and aspects, starting with air quality, to temperature and weather patterns, reaching out to food security and disease burden.[19] According to computer-generated climate modelling produced by the South African National Biodiversity Institute,[20] parts of southern Africa will see an increase in temperature by about 1 °C (1.8 °F) along the coast to more than 4 °C (7.2 °F) in the already hot hinterland such as the Northern Cape in late spring and summertime by 2050. The Cape Floral Region is predicted to be hit very hard by climate change. Drought, increased intensity and frequency of fire, and climbing temperatures are expected to push many rare species towards extinction. South Africa has published two national climate change reports in 2011 and 2016.[21] South Africa contributes considerable carbon dioxide emissions, being the 14th largest emitter of carbon dioxide,[22] primarily from its heavy reliance on coal and oil for energy production.[22] As part of its international commitments, South Africa has pledged to peak emissions between 2020 and 2025.[22]
ජෛව විවිධත්වය
[සංස්කරණය]
South Africa signed the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 4 June 1994 and became a party to the convention on 2 November 1995.[23] It has subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which was received by the convention on 7 June 2006.[24] The country is ranked sixth out of the world's seventeen megadiverse countries.[25] Ecotourism in South Africa has become more prevalent in recent years, as a possible method of maintaining and improving biodiversity.
Numerous mammals are found in the Bushveld including lions, African leopards, South African cheetahs, southern white rhinos, blue wildebeest, kudus, impalas, hyenas, hippopotamuses and South African giraffes. A significant extent of the Bushveld exists in the north-east including Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, as well as in the far north in the Waterberg Biosphere. South Africa houses many endemic species, among them the critically endangered riverine rabbit (Bunolagus monticullaris) in the Karoo.
Up to 1945, more than 4,900 species of fungi (including lichen-forming species) had been recorded.[26] In 2006, the number of fungi in South Africa was estimated at 200,000 species but did not take into account fungi associated with insects.[27] If correct, then the number of South African fungi dwarfs that of its plants. In at least some major South African ecosystems, an exceptionally high percentage of fungi are highly specific in terms of the plants with which they occur.[28] The country's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan does not mention fungi (including lichen-forming fungi).[24]
With more than 22,000 different vascular plants, or about 9% of all the known species of plants on Earth,[29] South Africa is particularly rich in plant diversity. The most prevalent biome is the grassland, particularly on the Highveld, where the plant cover is dominated by different grasses, low shrubs, and acacia, mainly camel-thorn (Vachellia erioloba). Vegetation is sparse towards the north-west because of low rainfall. There are numerous species of water-storing succulents, like aloes and euphorbias, in the very hot and dry Namaqualand area. And according to the World Wildlife Fund, South Africa is home to around a third of all succulent species.[30] The grass and thorn savanna turns slowly into a bush savanna towards the north-east of the country, with denser growth. There are significant numbers of baobab trees in this area, near the northern end of Kruger National Park.[31]
The fynbos biome, which makes up the majority of the area and plant life in the Cape Floristic Region, is located in a small region of the Western Cape and contains more than 9,000 of those species, or three times more plant species than found in the Amazon rainforest,[32] making it among the richest regions on earth in terms of plant diversity. Most of the plants are evergreen hard-leaf plants with fine, needle-like leaves, such as the sclerophyllous plants. Another uniquely South African flowering plant group is the genus Protea, with around 130 different species. While South Africa has a great wealth of flowering plants, only 1% of the land is forest, almost exclusively in the humid coastal plain of KwaZulu-Natal, where there are also areas of Southern Africa mangroves in river mouths. Even smaller reserves of forests are out of the reach of fire, known as montane forests. Plantations of imported tree species are predominant, particularly the non-native eucalyptus and pine.
South Africa has lost a large area of natural habitat in the last four decades, primarily because of overpopulation, sprawling development patterns, and deforestation during the 19th century. The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.94/10, ranking it 112th globally out of 172 countries.[33] South Africa is one of the worst affected countries in the world when it comes to invasion by alien species with many (e.g., black wattle, Port Jackson willow, Hakea, Lantana and Jacaranda) posing a significant threat to the native biodiversity and the already scarce water resources. Also woody plant encroachment of native plants in grasslands poses a threat to biodiversity and related ecosystem services, affecting over 7 million hectares.[34] The original temperate forest found by the first European settlers was exploited until only small patches remained. Currently, South African hardwood trees like real yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius), stinkwood (Ocotea bullata), and South African black ironwood (Olea capensis) are under strict government protection. Statistics from the Department of Environmental Affairs show a record 1,215 rhinos were killed in 2014.[35] Since South Africa is home to a third of all succulent species (many endemic to the Karoo), it makes it a hotspot for plant poaching, leading to many species to be threatened with extinction.[30]
යොමු කිරීම්
[සංස්කරණය]- ^ "Country Comparison". World Factbook. CIA. 1 May 2011 දින මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂණය කරන ලදී. සම්ප්රවේශය 4 September 2009.
- ^ "Demographic Yearbook – 2015". United Nations Statistics Division. 2016. 8 July 2018 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 12 December 2017.
- ^ McCarthy, T. & Rubidge, B. (2005). The story of earth and life. p. 263, 267–268. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
- ^ a b c d Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 13. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica (1975); Micropaedia Vol. III, p. 655. Helen Hemingway Benton Publishers, Chicago.
- ^ Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 151. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town
- ^ Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 186. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town
- ^ "Kruger National Park". Africa.com. 18 December 2014 දින මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂණය කරන ලදී. සම්ප්රවේශය 16 December 2014.
- ^ McCarthy, T. & Rubidge, B. (2005). The story of earth and life. p. 194. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
- ^ a b Geological map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (1970). Council for Geoscience, Geological Survey of South Africa.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica (1975); Micropaedia Vol. VI, p. 750. Helen Hemingway Benton Publishers, Chicago.
- ^ a b Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 19. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town
- ^ Atlas of Southern Africa. (1984). p. 113. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town
- ^ Sullivan, Helen (11 July 2023). "'Pure magic': snow falls on Johannesburg for first time in 11 years". The Guardian. 28 June 2024 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 29 December 2023.
- ^ "These are the lowest ever temperatures recorded in South Africa". The South African (ඇමෙරිකානු ඉංග්රීසි බසින්). 1 July 2018. 11 September 2020 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 11 September 2020.
- ^ "South Africa's geography". Safrica.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. සම්ප්රවේශය 30 October 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ South Africa yearbook. South African Communication Service. 1997. p. 3. ISBN 9780797035447. 24 January 2016 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 14 October 2015.
- ^ Republic of South Africa, National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) සංරක්ෂණය කළ පිටපත 12 ජූනි 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Version UE10, 13 November 2019.
- ^ "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health". www.mdpi.com (ඉංග්රීසි බසින්). 10 June 2021 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 26 November 2020.
- ^ "South African National Biodiversity Institute". Sanbi.org. 30 September 2011. 1 September 2011 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 30 October 2011.
- ^ "South Africa's Second National Climate Change Report". November 2017. 14 June 2020 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 17 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "The Carbon Brief Profile: South Africa". Carbon Brief (ඉංග්රීසි බසින්). 15 October 2018. 9 May 2021 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 3 August 2020.
- ^ "List of Parties". 24 January 2011 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 8 December 2012.
- ^ a b "South Africa's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan" (PDF). 2 May 2013 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත (PDF). සම්ප්රවේශය 10 December 2012.
- ^ "Biodiversity of the world by countries". Institutoaqualung.com.br. 1 November 2010 දින මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂණය කරන ලදී. සම්ප්රවේශය 30 May 2010.
- ^ Rong, I. H.; Baxter, A. P. (2006). "The South African National Collection of Fungi: Celebrating a centenary 1905–2005". Studies in Mycology. 55: 1–12. doi:10.3114/sim.55.1.1. PMC 2104721. PMID 18490968.
- ^ Crous, P. W.; Rong, I. H.; Wood, A.; Lee, S.; Glen, H.; Botha, W. l; Slippers, B.; De Beer, W. Z.; Wingfield, M. J.; Hawksworth, D. L. (2006). "How many species of fungi are there at the tip of Africa?". Studies in Mycology. 55: 13–33. doi:10.3114/sim.55.1.13. PMC 2104731. PMID 18490969.
- ^ Marincowitz, S.; Crous, P.W.; Groenewald, J.Z. & Wingfield, M.J. (2008). "Microfungi occurring on Proteaceae in the fynbos. CBS Biodiversity Series 7" (PDF). 29 July 2013 දින මුල් පිටපත (PDF) වෙතින් සංරක්ෂණය කරන ලදී. සම්ප්රවේශය 26 June 2013.
- ^ Lambertini, Marco (15 May 2000). "The Flora / The Richest Botany in the World". A Anturalist's Guide to the Tropics (ඉංග්රීසි බසින්) (Revised edition (15 May 2000) ed.). University Of Chicago Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-226-46828-0.
- ^ a b Trenchard, Tommy (2021-07-31). "In South Africa, Poachers Now Traffic in Tiny Succulent Plants". The New York Times (ඇමෙරිකානු ඉංග්රීසි බසින්). ISSN 0362-4331. 10 May 2022 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 2022-06-27.
- ^ "Plants and Vegetation in South Africa". Southafrica-travel.net. 28 October 2011 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 30 October 2011.
- ^ Lewton, Robin Cherry & Thomas. "South Africa's flammable floral kingdom". www.bbc.com (ඉංග්රීසි බසින්). 16 July 2022 දින පැවති මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂිත පිටපත. සම්ප්රවේශය 2022-07-16.
- ^ Grantham, H. S.; et al. (2020). "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material". Nature Communications. 11 (1): 5978. Bibcode:2020NatCo..11.5978G. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 7723057. PMID 33293507.
- ^ Towards a policy on indigenous bush encroachment in South Africa (2019) සංරක්ෂණය කළ පිටපත 19 අප්රේල් 2024 at the Wayback Machine, Department of Environmental Affairs, Pretoria, South Africa
- ^ "Progress in the war against poaching". Environmental Affairs. South Africa. 22 January 2015. 23 January 2015 දින මුල් පිටපත වෙතින් සංරක්ෂණය කරන ලදී. සම්ප්රවේශය 22 January 2015.