What is the overview of South Africa under the 7th-grade History and Geography curriculum in Vietnam? What are the regulations on the manners of 7th-grade students in Vietnam when attending school?

Overview of South Africa

1. General Overview of South Africa

- Location: Located at the southernmost tip of Africa, bordering Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and surrounding Lesotho.

- Area: Approximately 1,220,000 km².

- Population: Approximately 60 million people (estimated in 2024).

- Capital: South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)

- Religion: Diverse, with Christianity being the largest (around 80%), along with followers of Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and traditional African beliefs.

National Day: April 27 – Freedom Day, commemorating the first democratic elections in 1994 after the end of apartheid policies.

2. History of South Africa

The history of South Africa can be divided into the following periods:

- Pre-colonial Era: Before the arrival of Europeans, the area was inhabited by the San, Khoikhoi, and Bantu tribes such as the Zulu and Xhosa.

- Colonial Era (1652 – 1910):

+ The Dutch established a supply station in Cape Town (1652).

+ Wars between settlers and indigenous tribes.

+ In 1795, the British seized Cape Town, leading to conflicts between the British and the Dutch (Afrikaners or Boers).

+ Two Boer Wars (1880-1881 and 1899-1902) between the British and the Boers, ending with complete British control of South Africa.

- Formation of the Union of South Africa (1910 – 1961):

+ In 1910, South Africa became a British dominion, with a government mainly controlled by whites.

+ Racial segregation laws were enacted, restricting the rights of black people.

- Apartheid Era (1948 – 1994):

+ The government led by the National Party implemented apartheid policies – strict racial segregation.

+ Black people were stripped of citizenship, forcibly relocated, and lived in separate areas.

+ A strong resistance movement led by the African National Congress (ANC), with notable figures like Nelson Mandela.

- End of apartheid and democratic era (1994 – present):

+ Under international pressure and resistance movement, the apartheid government had to concede.

+ Nelson Mandela became the first black President of South Africa in 1994. Since then, South Africa has transitioned to a multiracial democracy but still faces many socio-economic challenges.

3. Some Historical Events in South Africa in Recent Decades

- 1994: The first democratic election was held, Nelson Mandela became President, marking the end of apartheid policies.

- 1999: Mandela stepped down, Thabo Mbeki became President, continuing economic reform policies.

- 2010: South Africa became the first African country to host the FIFA World Cup, boosting tourism and economic development.

- 2013: Nelson Mandela passed away, with millions worldwide mourning the great leader.

- 2018: Jacob Zuma resigned as President due to corruption scandals, Cyril Ramaphosa replaced him, pledging political and economic reforms.

- 2020 – present: South Africa faces the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crisis, and high unemployment rates, but maintains its position as Africa's leading economy.