GEEO South Africa and Zimbabwe Google Earth Presentation

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USA

Today I’d like to share a great experience I had traveling to Southern Africa. I went through GEEO, a nonprofit that helps educators travel abroad to learn about different cultures and share them with students, and I went with other teachers from across the United States.

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Africa

Here you can see the continent of Africa. Africa is larger than the United States, China, India, Japan, and much of Europe combined.

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Southern Africa

My trip was to Southern Africa: the countries of South Africa and Zimbabwe (and Zambia and Botswana where applicable).

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South Africa

My first stop was South Africa, at the southernmost tip of Africa. It’s one of Africa’s largest countries, bigger than California and Texas combined. About 60 million people live there, speaking many languages including native languages, English, and Afrikaans.

The first European colonists were the Dutch, who established a colony in Cape Town in the mid-17th century. Later, the British gained control and instituted a system of racial segregation called apartheid.

Under apartheid, non-white South Africans faced discrimination and severe restrictions on their basic rights. A small white minority ruled over the large black majority. Resistance grew stronger over the years, led by individuals like Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison fighting for equality and justice.

In 1994, South Africa held its first fully democratic elections, marking the end of apartheid. Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black president. Today, South Africa continues to grapple with apartheid’s legacy, striving to build a more inclusive society and address inequalities.

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Cape Town

Our trip started in lovely Cape Town, South Africa’s second-most populous metropolitan area with about 4.5 million people. Cape Town is also the legislative capital and seat of the Parliament of South Africa, the country’s legislature. Like the U.S. Congress, South Africa has a bicameral legislature—two chambers.

South Africa’s lower house is the National Assembly, whose members are directly elected. The upper house, the National Council of Provinces, has members appointed by provincial legislatures, similar to U.S. State legislatures.

Fun fact: The U.S. Constitution originally granted state legislatures the power to elect U.S. senators. That changed in 1913 when the Seventeenth Amendment established direct election of senators—how they’re elected today.

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City Centre

Cape Town’s Houses of Parliament are in the City Centre, which also has enormous skyscrapers and some of South Africa’s oldest buildings. Do you see the pentagon-shaped building in the top right? That’s the Castle of Good Hope, built by the Dutch in the 17th century. Next to it is the Grand Parade, a historic square for events, celebrations, and political rallies. This is where Nelson Mandela addressed the country after his release from prison.

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Robben Island

Off the coast of Cape Town is Robben Island, a place of great historical significance representing resilience and strength from those who fought for freedom and equality during apartheid. Nelson Mandela fought against apartheid and was imprisoned for 27 years, 18 of them on Robben Island. Tours of the island and former prison are led by guides who were formerly prisoners there.

After his release, Mandela was elected president of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Two other South African presidents were also imprisoned on Robben Island for anti-apartheid activism.

All five of South Africa’s presidents since 1994 have been anti-apartheid activists. Because of its historical significance, Robben Island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. UNESCO World Heritage Sites are landmarks or areas designated by the UN for cultural or historical significance. The program conserves sites for future generations.

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Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a towering flat-topped mountain overlooking Cape Town. It is the most-visited national park in South Africa and home to more than 2,200 plant species, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world.

The earliest recorded inhabitants of the Cape Town area were the indigenous Khoi and San people. These hunter-gatherer communities had a deep spiritual connection to Table Mountain and regarded it as a sacred place that held powerful spiritual forces.

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Table Mountain View

Some of us took a cable car to the top of Table Mountain for a wonderful panoramic view. You have a great view of the city and can even see Robben Island in the distance.

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Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope—at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town—was a major navigational point on the sea route from Europe to the East. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to sail around it in 1488. He named it the “Cape of Storms” due to treacherous weather. It was later renamed the “Cape of Good Hope” to signify optimism about finding a new sea route to Asia.

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Johannesburg and Soweto

After visiting Cape Town, our journey took us to Johannesburg, often referred to as Jo’burg or Jozi. It is South Africa’s largest city and a major economic hub.

One of the highlights of our visit was a tour of Soweto, short for South Western Townships, which played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid. Soweto is known for its vibrant culture and history, and it was home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

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Kruger National Park

From Johannesburg, we traveled to Hazyview, a town near Kruger National Park. Kruger is one of Africa’s largest game reserves with incredible biodiversity. We went on a safari and saw the “Big Five”—lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes.

On a safari, you ride in vehicles with large windows or open sides for clear views and photos. Guides help spot animals and explain interesting facts about them and their environment. Safaris happen during the day or night, offering chances to see different animals, since some are more active at certain times.

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Zebras

Here is a herd of zebras! Instead of seeing animals in a zoo, where they are kept in enclosures, a safari allows you to see animals like zebras, elephants and giraffes roaming freely in vast open spaces.

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Rhinoceros

Today, some places in Africa still allow big game hunting, also called “trophy hunting.” Hunters pay large sums of money to legally hunt wild animals, often in designated areas. On one hand, this system can contribute to conservation efforts by providing funding for wildlife management and creating economic opportunities for local communities. But on the other hand, there are several ethical concerns.

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African Elephant

Targeting large, often endangered animals can disrupt ecosystems and reduce genetic diversity. This is particularly harmful for species with slow reproduction rates, like elephants. And many people believe it is ethically wrong to kill animals for sport, arguing that animals have intrinsic value and should be protected from harm.

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Buffalo

Poaching—the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals—is another concern in many parts of Africa, posing a severe threat to endangered species. Some governments and local communities work to address this with anti-poaching patrols, increasing surveillance and enforcement to protect wildlife.

At Kruger, we learned about the “Little Five”—the ant lion, buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, leopard tortoise, and rhino beetle. These creatures are much smaller than the Big Five but fascinating in their own right. Nature conservationists created the Little Five concept to acknowledge the smaller, often overlooked but important animals of the African savannah.

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Louis Trichardt Area

Our next stop was the Louis Trichardt area, named after the Voortrekker leader who founded the town. The Voortrekkers (also called Boers) were Dutch-speaking settlers who left British-controlled Cape Colony during the 1830s-40s in the Great Trek, seeking independence from British rule and disagreeing with British policies on land ownership and treatment of indigenous peoples.

Louis Trichardt led settlers north from the Cape Colony. Despite a difficult journey, they settled in what became the town of Louis Trichardt, named in his honor. The Voortrekker migration established independent Boer republics that played key roles in shaping modern South Africa.

The town has an Anglo-Boer War museum about conflicts between the British Empire and Boers at the turn of the 20th century, with artifacts from the battles and war period.

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Zimbabwe

We crossed the border from South Africa into Zimbabwe, a country of roughly 16 million people. Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, including English, which is used in education and government.

Before European colonization, the region was controlled by the Shona people. Britain colonized the area in 1890, calling it Rhodesia after British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. For decades, a white minority government ruled.

In the 1960s, the white minority government resisted British plans for majority rule, leading to a civil war. After years of conflict and negotiations, Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.

Since independence, Zimbabwe has faced political and economic challenges, including high unemployment and poverty. The country continues working toward stability and economic recovery.

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Great Zimbabwe National Monument

Crossing into Zimbabwe, we visited the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Great Zimbabwe ruins are the largest collection of stone ruins in Sub-Saharan Africa. This ancient city was the capital of a larger kingdom and was built between the 11th and 15th centuries by ancestors of the Shona people. “Zimbabwe” comes from the Shona phrase “Dzimba dza mabwe,” meaning “houses of stone.”

We explored the ruins which span over 1,800 acres with three main areas: the Hill Complex (the royal city on a rocky hill—likely the royal city and housed the king and his court), the Great Enclosure (a massive circular stone wall with the 30-foot Conical Tower inside— thought to have had religious or symbolic significance), and the Valley Ruins (residential areas for common people). The impressive stone structures stand as a testament to the architectural ingenuity and social organization of its builders.

Great Zimbabwe was a center of political power, trade, and culture. The city was strategically located near gold deposits and trade routes that brought wealth and influence. The city eventually declined in the 15th century and was abandoned before Europeans first encountered it in the 19th century.

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Matobo National Park

Our journey continued to Matobo National Park, known for its stunning granite formations and ancient cave paintings, offering a glimpse into their lives thousands of years ago. These paintings are found in numerous caves and rock shelters throughout the hills and are attributed to the San people, also known as the Bushmen. The artwork depicts scenes of daily life, spiritual rituals, and wildlife, providing valuable insights into the culture and beliefs of these ancient hunter-gatherer communities.

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Grave of Cecil Rhodes

We visited the grave of Cecil Rhodes, the controversial British imperialist, located on a granite hill called World’s View with breathtaking panoramic views.

Rhodes was a British businessman and politician who played a major role in colonizing southern Africa in the late 19th century. He made his fortune in diamond mining, founding De Beers, which became one of the world’s largest diamond companies. He also established the British South Africa Company, which controlled territories in present-day Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Rhodes was a strong advocate of British expansion and believed in British superiority. He annexed land that was named Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia) after him, aiming to establish British control, exploit natural resources, and expand British influence across Africa.

Rhodes’ imperialist policies displaced and oppressed indigenous African peoples, and he believed in racial segregation. He died in 1902, and his impact on southern Africa continues to be debated today.

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Hwange National Park

At our next stop, we explored Hwange National Park, the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. Hwange is known for its huge elephant population, but it also hosts a variety of other wildlife, including lions, giraffes, zebras, and numerous bird species. We enjoyed another safari experience here, witnessing the incredible diversity of life and the beauty of the African savannah.

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Victoria Falls (Town)

We then traveled to a town called Victoria Falls, which is next to and named after a world-famous waterfall. The waterfalls are located on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Here you can see the wide Zambezi River flow from left to right and then suddenly become very narrow.

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Victoria Falls

The point where the river narrows is Victoria Falls, some of the largest waterfalls in the world. David Livingstone, a famous Scottish explorer, is believed to have been the first European to see the falls. He considered them one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and named them after the British Queen Victoria. The local indigenous name for the calls is Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means “the smoke that thunders. The waterfalls are 5,604 feet wide and 360 feet high.

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Botswana

At the end of our trip, some of us visited Botswana, a landlocked country without coastline. About 70% of Botswana is Kalahari Desert, making it very dry and sparsely populated. Only about 2.5 million people live in Botswana, though it’s nearly the size of Texas. (For perspective, Orlando, San Antonio, Portland, and Pittsburgh metro areas each have similar populations to the entire country.)

Botswana was called Bechuanaland (pronunciation) as a British colony until gaining independence in 1966. After diamonds were discovered in the 1970s, the government invested heavily in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, improving living standards.

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Four Countries

We crossed the Zambezi River by ferry where the Chobe River flows into the Zambezi. This spot creates a border area where four countries meet: Botswana (southwest), Namibia (northwest), Zambia (northeast), and Zimbabwe (southeast). This is the only place in the world where four countries come so close to each other. Zimbabwe and Namibia’s borders don’t actually meet—they come within roughly 490 feet of each other, separated by Botswana and the bridge connecting Botswana and Zambia.

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Chobe National Park

Some people in our group went on a safari in Chobe National Park, one of Africa’s largest and most diverse wildlife parks. It’s varied habitats including floodplains, grasslands, savannahs, and woodlands. It’s home to an estimated 50,000 elephants—the highest concentration anywhere in Africa. (Botswana has about 120,000 elephants total.) We also saw lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, baboons, and crocodiles.