Oxford Announces 2009 Place of the Year: South Africa

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Next month Hollywood will deftly
foreshadow one of world's most important events. Clint Eastwood's Invictus
(December 2009) will take audiences back to Nelson Mandela's quest for
national unity as his newly democratized country hosts the 1995 Rugby World
Cup. If the film buzz extends long enough (Oscar season, DVD release) the
perfect stage could be set for the 2010 World Cup this summer -- another
athletic tournament for the South African history books. As the parallels
between history and the present unfold, Oxford University Press is proud to
announce South Africa as 2009 "Place of the Year."

Officially becoming a post-apartheid, democratic nation 15 years ago, South
Africa still proves to be a complex dichotomy of transformation and tragedy.
The billions of dollars pumped into the World Cup are estimated to ultimately
boost the economy, increase jobs, and national pride--a potential success
story for a country that still struggles to overcome poverty, staggering HIV
rates, and residual apartheid sentiment. The 2009 "Place of the Year" campaign
aims to give the blogosphere a more in depth look at a nation that will be
front and center in the upcoming months.

Starting November 9th the OUP blog is proud to present a range of perspectives
and stories in celebration of "Place of the Year." To get the things started
Oxford presents you with some useful South African facts:
Population: 48,783,000
Capital(s): Cape Town (Legislative); Pretoria/Tshwane (Administrative),
Bloemfontein (Judiciary)
Government: Multiparty Republic
Ethnic Groups: Black 76%, White 13%, Colored 9%, Asian 2%
Languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana,
Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu (all official)
Religions: Christianity 68%, Islam 2%, Hinduism 1%
Currency: Rand=100 cents
Most valuable activities: mining and manufacturing
President: Jacob Zuma (elected in 2009)

For more on our ever changing world, be sure to check out Oxford's Atlas of
the World, 16th Edition--the only atlas updated annually. New additions this
year include:

-- A completely refreshed satellite imagery section, including:
-- Greater focus on the center of London, at larger scale, with clear
visibility of the new high-speed continental rail terminal at St.
Pancras and many other well-known London landmarks
-- Completely new image of Tehran, clearly showing its geographical
position below the Alborz Mountains
-- New images of Nouakchott, the largest city and capital of Mauritania,
and Shanghai, one of the fastest growing cities in the world
-- A stunning image of New Zealand's Cook Strait

-- Brand new images span the Americas, from Quebec to Lima, Peru

-- Gazetteer of Nations completely revised to include important international
events:
-- The most recent US and South African elections

-- Recent political developments in Pakistan and Zimbabwe

-- Updates to all population figures
-- A new durable paper-over-board matte cover--makes the atlas an elegant gift
this Holiday season!

Atlas of the World, 16th Edition was published, in hardcover, by Oxford
University Press on October 22, 2009.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
Dan Agin
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=91299
Edward Shorter
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=86777

SOURCE Oxford University Press

Michelle Rafferty of Oxford University Press, +1-212-726-6243,
Michelle.Rafferty@oup.com