South Africa — Media Gallery

Table Mountain - a level plataeu about 3 km (2 mi) from side to side - overlooking some homes in Cape Town.

Cape Town is considered to be one of the great scenic cities of the world. Situated in the southwestern part of Cape Province, it lies at the foot of Table Mountain (1,088 m; 3,567 feet in altitude) on the shore of Table Bay, in which lies Robben Island. Because the mountains obstruct inland expansion, the city has developed along the coast. The Cape of Good Hope appears at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Franschhoek (Afrikaans for "French Corner") is a small town in Western Cape Province and one of the oldest towns in the Republic of South Africa. Settlement by French Huguenot refugees began in 1688 and many of their original farms are today renowned wineries. The town, at the very heart of the South African wine industry, still retains much of its historic Dutch Cape-style architecture, including this much photographed Dutch Reformed Church.

Sculpture at a Cape Town shopping mall.

Cape Town waterfront. Pleasure boats, ferries, and cranes fill the harbor.

Monument marking Table Mountain as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The Cape Town art gallery.

Statue of Jan Smuts in Cape Town. Smuts was a former prime minister and military leader who later in life opposed strict segregation.

Buildings in Cape Town with ornate facades.

Building in Stellenbosch in the West Cape. The town, founded in 1679, is South Africa's second-oldest urban area; it lies in the center of wine country.

Buildings in the Bo-Kaap District in Cape Town with very brightly painted exteriors.

Entrance to the prison on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years.

The blue-colored swirl at the bottom right of this satellite image is an ocean eddy - a huge mass of water spinning in a whirlpool pattern. Eddies often spin off of major ocean current systems. The blue tint is a result of microscopic plant-like organisms called plankton, which grow as a result of the eddy stirring up nutrients from the deep to the surface. This image is from 26 December 2011 around 800 km (500 mi) south of South Africa. Image courtesy of NASA.

Tip of South Africa where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet.

Mountains seen from the vantage of Cape Town Harbor.

The Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus (Church of the Society of Jesus) on the Plaza de Armas (Parade Square) in Cusco. The historic Jesuit church is built on the site of an Inca palace and is one of the best examples of Spanish Baroque architecture in Peru. Its construction began in 1576, but the structure was badly damaged in an earthquake in 1650. Rebuilding of the church was completed in 1668.

Building in Stellenbosch in the West Cape with a filigree portico. The town was founded in 1679 and is in the center of wine country.

The picturesque Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, affords photographers a wide range of opportunities. With Table Mountain as a scenic backdrop, marine vessels of all kinds can be seen coming and going from this working harbor and residential marina.

Nelson Mandela's cell where he was held captive for 18 years as a political prisoner.

Brightly colored cars complement the brightly painted exteriors of buildings in the Bo-Kaap District of Cape Town.

The reddish-brown Kalahari Desert with its northwest-southeast-trending sand dunes and dry lakebeds stands out in this image of South Africa. Also distinguishable are the westward-flowing Orange River, south of the true desert; the cape ranges of folded mountains near the extreme southern point of South Africa; as well as Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope, and Cape Agulhas. Image courtesy of NASA.

African penguins at the Boulders Penguin Colony in Table Mountain National Park.

Cape of Good Hope signage.

Cape Town from the top of Table Mountain with view of the ocean.

A view of Cape Town from Table Mountain.

The Cape of Good Hope.

Shoreline along the Cape of Good Hope.

Local residents at the Cape of Good Hope - Chacma or Cape Baboons.

Observation tower at the Cape of Good Hope.

Area comparison map

The patience of this fur seal was tested severely as the photographer got a little too close for comfort. The seal had been relaxing on a dock in the harbor of Cape Town.