Jeffrey Gu

SOUTH Africa, a large, scenically splendid and diverse country at the foot of the African continent, is home to 47.4 million people representing at least 20 ethnic groups.

With 1.22 million square kilometers in area, the country is bigger than Germany, France and Italy put together. The people in this country are from at least nine African, three Asian and half a dozen European cultures. Also, there are 11 official languages, although English is mostly used in public places. Even the national flag is more colorful than that of most other countries.

That’s why the former South African President Nelson Mandela calls his country a “rainbow nation.” Invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, I visited the country recently and witnessed the amazing diversity in both its people and its architecture. Yesterday was Freedom Day for the “rainbow nation,” which commemorates the day she became a democratic country in 1994. Here are some pictures I’d like to share with you.

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