Registry Node Page 11 of 12
Discover the story of our nation, one fact at a time.
The annual Comrades Marathon is the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon. First run in 1921 between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, the roughly 90-kilometre race alternates direction each year and attracts thousands of runners.
South Africa is home to the largest remaining population of the endangered riverine rabbit, one of the rarest mammals in the world. This small rabbit lives only in the Karoo and is the focus of intensive conservation efforts.
The first successful lung transplant in South Africa took place in 1990. Combined heart-lung transplants followed soon after, further strengthening the country’s reputation in advanced transplant surgery.
The town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga is one of the premier fly-fishing destinations in South Africa. Its highland streams and dams are stocked with trout and attract anglers from across the country and abroad.
South Africa has the largest number of French-speaking residents of any country in Africa outside the traditional Francophone zone, largely due to immigration and historical ties, although English, Afrikaans and African languages dominate daily life.
The first successful pancreas transplant in South Africa was carried out in the 1990s. The procedure is still performed at specialised centres for patients with severe type-1 diabetes.
The annual Absa Cape Epic is one of the toughest and most prestigious mountain-bike stage races in the world. Riders cover more than 700 kilometres through the Western Cape mountains and vineyards over eight days.
South Africa is one of the few countries that still has a functioning narrow-gauge railway used for tourism. The famous Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe once ran along the Garden Route and remains an iconic part of the country’s railway heritage.
The first successful corneal transplant in South Africa was performed in the 1940s, making the country an early adopter of eye-bank and transplant technology on the African continent.
The first successful double-lung transplant in South Africa was performed in the early 1990s. The country continues to perform complex multi-organ transplants at specialised academic hospitals.