A List Of Firsts

South Africa is one of the 17 most megadiverse destinations in the world and its megadiversity has firmly ranked it as one of the top destinations in the world to visit. The term “megadiverse country” refers to the world’s most biodiverse countries; to qualify, a country must have at least 5 000 of the world’s plants as endemics and also have marine ecosystems within its borders.

Source: blog-savenues.com

South Africa was the first African country to host the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2010. It is only the second country in the world (after England) to have hosted the trilogy of Cricket, Rugby Union and Soccer World Cups.

Source: buzzsouthafrica.com

South Africa was the first country to develop coal-to-oil technology.

Source: answersouthafrica.com

The longest continuous wine route on earth is found in South Africa. It is on Route 62 situated between Gqeberha and Cape Town. This scenic route passes through farming towns such as Calitzdorp, Ladismith, historic Amalienstein, Zoar and the fruit-growing and wine-producing towns of Barrydale, Montagu, Ashton, Bonnievale, Robertson, McGregor, Rawsonville, Worcester, Ceres, Wolseley, Tulbagh, Wellington and Paarl. It includes the Langkloof, with the following towns: Misgund, Louterwater, Krakeel, Joubertina and Kareedouw.

Source: route62.co.za and thefactfile.org

It may surprise you to know that our little country, South Africa, is the largest macadamia nut producer in the world, with production increasing by 4 000 hectares a year. The nuts are mostly grown in the Limpopo region, as they do well in the more tropical areas where avocados, papayas, mangoes and bananas are grown.

Source: food24.com

South African mines are deeper than any other country in the world, going down to a depth of 4km at the Western Deep Levels Mine. South Africa is the world’s biggest producer of gold, platinum, chromium, vanadium, manganese and alumino-silicates. It also produces nearly 40 per cent of the world’s chrome and vermiculite. Other interesting mining facts include: the world’s two largest platinum mines are located near Rustenburg; the Rand Refinery is the largest refinery of gold in the world; Samancor Limited is the world’s largest producer by sales of manganese and chrome products; and South Africa has the fourth-largest coal reserves in the world. Its coal industry ranks sixth in the world in terms of output of hard coal and third in terms of seaborne international coal trade.

Source: uissl.co.za

South Africa is the only country in the world to have produced two Nobel prizewinners who have lived in the same street – Vilakazi Street in Soweto. The two are former president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Mandela received his prize in 1993, nine years after the Archbishop received his in 1984.

Source: answersouthafrica.com

South Africa has bred its own red seedless table grape variety. The country has long been considered a serious producer of wines and has now upped its table grape growing status by breeding its own seedless red table grape variety, called Joybells. Until now, the table grape growing industry in SA was reliant on international grape breeding programmes. Now it has its own, indigenous variety, bred for the local soil and climate.

Source: blog-savenues.com

Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, has the second-largest number of embassies in the world after Washington DC.

Source: municipalities.co.za

South Africa has the largest hydroelectric tunnel system in the world at the Orange Fish Rivers Tunnel. This tunnel is also the fourth largest tunnel in the world, measuring 82.8km.

Source: worldatlas.com