South Africa is the country in which Flip Meyer resides. His media consultancy is based in Johannesburg, but he travels to Europe and the US on a regular basis.

South Africa (SA) is the most developed country in Africa. It is the world’s biggest producer in the world of gold, diamonds, platinum and various other minerals.

In 2005 the economy of South Africa grew at more than 4%. In the years since democracy the country has enjoyed sustained economic growth. The ANC party rules the government. The first president of SA under the new democracy was Nelson Mandela.

SA is a combination of the First and Third World. The First World is very much developed and Larry King of CNN was surprised at hte number of modern buildings and shopping malls his country has that could be compared with those in the US. Cape Town in the south has become a popular international tourism destination.

After the 9/11 attack on the US there were terrorism fears and it was ironic that SA was then singled out as one of the safest places in the world to travel.

This beautiful country is characterised by AIDS, poverty and crime but its whole story of is not always told.

These problems do exist but this does not mean that South Africa is not a safe place to travel. In fact tourism is becoming a bigger earner of foreign exchange than the income from gold.

SA has a developed Internet and communications network. There are many international companies with offices in Johannesburg, like Microsoft, Barclays Bank from Britain, JP Morgan, the huge US financial group, Kodak; Standard Chartered from Britain and Deutsche Bank.

The Stock Exchange of South Africa (JSE) has a market value of well over $200 trillion and it’s the sixteenth biggest in the world.

Pretoria is South Africa's Capital city (in the Greater Tshwane Metropolitan area), and the Union Buildings overlook the city. Completed in 1913, the structure was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and incorporates an amphitheatre. Nelson Mandela's Presidential inauguration took place at the Union Buildings on 10 May 1994. It was the largest gathering of international leaders ever held in South Africa. The ceremony was televised and broadcast internationally.