The inner part of South Africa is located on a large plateau. The eastern part of it, known as the Highveld, is between 1,200 and 1,800 metres above sea level. Large farms, ranches and fields dominate this most fertile region of South Africa.

The Great Escarpment is a series of mountain ranges, that separates the plateaus from the coastal areas. The highest part of this mountain range is the Drakensberg,  which reaches a height of 3,350 metres. The Orange, South Africa's largest river, originates here and flows west into the Atlantic Ocean,

The coastal plains are between 60 and 250 km wide and extend from the Atlantic Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope to Mozambique in the northeast.



South Africa - Physical map

Main regions of South Africa
Image: Urutseg, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
modified by Klaus Rosmanitz



Highveld during winter months

Highveld during the winter months
Image: Marduk, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons


Climate

Most of South Africa has a dry and sunny climate with frequent droughts in some areas. The Cape region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, sunny summers and winters that are cooler with more rainfall. Temperatures in the inner plateau can fall below freezing during during the wintertime. The eastern coast around the Indian ocean are hot and humid  .



Words

  • coast, coastal = where land meets the sea
  • dominate = overlook, stand out
  • drought = a long phase of dry weather, when plants and animals do not get enough water
  • enjoy = the pleasure of having ...
  • escarpment = a steep slope between two levels on a hill or mountain
  • extend = to reach from one place to another
  • fertile = very good farming area
  • flow = runs into
  • freezing = here: 0° C
  • height = how high something is
  • humid = very wet
  • Mediterranean = relating to the area between Europe and Africa
  • mountain range = a group of mountains usually in one line
  • originate = here: starts
  • plateau =  a large area of flat land that is higher than the land around it
  • sea level = the average height of the sea; it is used to measure other things, like the height of mountains etc..
  • separate = divide, keep apart