South Africa has a complicated and fascinating history with diverse peoples from all over the world making their mark on its uniquely diverse character. The early San and Khoi peoples were joined by the Bantu, then by Dutch, French, British, Irish and Portuguese settlers. In the early 1900s, the last big wave brought Chinese and Indians to the region. Nowadays, the steady influx continues with refugees from the Congo and Mozambique and businessmen from North Africa, the East and Pakistan still arriving there.

The country aptly calls itself The Rainbow Nation, a description garnered from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s proclamation that South Africans, post-apartheid, were the "Rainbow People of God". In Nelson Mandela’s inauguration speech he expanded the concept, saying that "each of us is as intimately attached to the soil of this beautiful country as are the famous jacaranda trees of Pretoria and the mimosa trees of the bushveld - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world".

South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological sites in the world and some of the finest scenery. in terms of its flora and fauna it is ranked the sixth most diverse country on the planet. It has a sophisticated infrastructure and a robust, diverse economy with particularly strong agricultural and mining sectors. South Africa’s economy is the largest in Africa and it is the continent’s largest producer and user of electricity.

The country has weathered the recent recession comparatively well; inflation remains under control and the currency is stable. While social issues remain a priority in a nation plagued by huge wealth disparity, improvements are ongoing in all areas, particularly through the government’s attempts to improve literacy rates where South Africa scores very badly compared with some its less wealthy neighbours.

The country produces some of the world’s greatest minds and some of its top doctors and surgeons. It is a nation of great sporting prowess and skilled in art, music and sculpture. South Africans are proud of their history and their melting pot of cultures and heritages and they are lauded worldwide for their conservation efforts. This diverse land is a tourist paradise for all age groups, with fine accommodation across the cost spectrum, good roads and air links, an enviable variety of scenery, some of the best game-viewing on the continent and a wide range of adventure activities.

South Africa is justifiably proud of the welcome it extended to the world during the 2010 Football World Cup which gave the country enviable exposure in the media across the globe. The upbeat atmosphere created by that event continues to thrive in a nation with hospitality embedded in its soul. Truly South Africa is the Rainbow Nation. Indeed, as the slogan used to say, it is The World in One Country.