Why Is south Africa called south africa?

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life

interesting fact...

European explorers "discovered" South Africa as a direct result of European countries' rivalry with each other for dominance and the subsequent need for wealth which lead to the efforts to "discover" (by exploration) sea routes to trade with Asia and the Far East during the Age of Discovery. Far-off places, whether they became colonies or not, were regarded as sources for raw materials to be processed or enjoyed by Europeans.

South Africa is often referred to as The Rainbow Nation - a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and later elaborated upon by then-President Nelson Mandela as a metaphor to describe the country's newly-developing multicultural diversity in the wake of segregationist apartheid ideology.

The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of the African continent. It borders the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland. Lesotho is an enclave entirely surrounded by South African territory.

Vango

To elaborate on what shoe s said: South Africa was formed as a union ( like the United States of America, the Union of Socialist soviet Republics, etc.). The union was formed in 1910 from a British colony and three independent republics.
There is also a country called the Central African Republic.
If this question applies to the union (now republic) of South Africa, it also applies to the United States of America. Why doesn't the latter have a proper name like Canada or Mexico?

rmm352

That's pretty much it. Also it actually has an English name because a lot of people speak English there. Who knows what "Ghana" means in the local langauge. Maybe "West Africa"?

andy

maybe because its in the south...that is such a DUMB QUESTION...MORON!!!

chersgaz

Because we like it here. It makes it less complicated for people to find us. Do you know that people don't even know where is it? Could you image if we had another name they might put us on another Continent.

Belle

he he.
me and my brother talked about it the other day. It is possibly the most unoriginal name on planet earth. But we love it anyway!!
Funny thing though... I spent a month in Germany as an exchange student and my host mother asked me where I live. I told her South Africa. She asked where that is!!
I HAD TO SHOW HER ON A MAP!! :-)
Viva South Africa :-)

velle_b

cause it is so lekker. meaning nice.

Diezel

The same reason why USA is called the "United States of America" and not just one name like Brazil, Canada or Argentina, and its people are called the "Americans" as if it's the only country which is in both (2) American continents.
I totally agree with Vango.

Roadrunner58-79

Because it's in the southern part of Africa.

poepies

Babigirl, just must be a baby asking such a question!

Chucky

What's proper about Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya???????????

bean

because

Cas

http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/history/history.htm

k0rva1

The written history of South Africa begins with the accounts of European navigators passing South Africa on the East Indies trade routes. Subsequent to the first circumnavigation of the Cape in 1488. The name has stuck scince then. Why change it now? How often do counties change names?

rabbit

You got it. The souther most point in Africa

besbez85

that's not strange or freak , many countries & cities had there names from there locations, special things or phenominas on it. like NETHERLANDS. and this thing is for ur knowledge MOROCCO,what does MOROCCO means? MOROCCO'S name in ARABIC is (ALMAGHRIB) which refers to the place where the sunset bcz its location n WESTERN-AFRICA

*Kristy* <3

becuz its south of afica