South Africa

At the southern tip of Africa, South Africa is a vast country known for its diversity. South Africa has widely varying and interesting landscapes and ecosystems that attract various animals from penguins and hippos to zebras, lions and dolphins. Yet the country is even more known for a diversity in cultures and languages with 11 official languages and a very ethnically diverse population.

South Africa is a constitutional democracy and has the largest economy in the continent. The country is renowned for its wines and is also one of the world's largest producers of gold. Gold has been the reason for many wars and conflicts in South Africa, but the country is especially infamous for its apartheid policy. During apartheid individuals were classified by race and separated in buses, schools and even park benches.

Despite the abolishment of apartheid, racial inequality persists in South Africa. Some townships have problems with HIV/AIDS and crime while about a quarter of the population is unemployed and lives near or below the poverty line. However, there is a lot of hope for the future, with the country developing and being hosts to events like the 2010 World Cup.

More information:
Wikipedia
United Nations
NationMaster