Its GDP once ranked first in Africa, even surpassing China for many years; It ranks first in the world in diamond production and is a member of the BRICS countries; Once a step away from developed countries, it is known as the Pearl of Africa... It is South Africa.
▲ The local indigenous people of South Africa
Whether it is "rich and oily" or "poor", compared with 1/3 of the unemployed, what can meet the needs of food and clothing is more realistic. Let's walk into Africa and take a look at the "Rainbow Country" and the 9 lesser-known fruits produced here.
The gap between rich and poor is huge, with 35.3% of the unemployed living average of only 10 yuan
▲On one side are a series of high-rise buildings, modern buildings
There is no denying that South Africa has long been the first in the entire African GDP, and even today it is second only to Nigeria. But that doesn't mean its national income is also high, with 71% of South Africa's wealth as a whole held by 10% of the wealthiest, according to a 2015 World Bank report; And 60 percent of the poor hold only 7 percent of their wealth. At the same time, the data shows that its unemployed people live on less than $1.25 a day, equivalent to only about 10 yuan. (Source: Africa News)
▲ On one side is the slum as old
Not only that, South Africa's unemployed population hit a new high in the fourth quarter of 2021, reaching 35.3%, and 1/3 of the country's population is unemployed.
▲ The proportion of unemployed people in South Africa in the past 30 years
Based on the above data, the amount of GDP is not much directly related to the general public.
1.21 million square kilometers of fruit, 9 lesser-known fruits
South Africa has an area of about 1.21 million square kilometers, equivalent to the area of 10 Fujian provinces (about 121,000 square kilometers), similar to the area of tibet (about 1.22 million square kilometers) and Inner Mongolia (about 1.18 million square kilometers), ranking 9th in the entire African country.
The geographical location in the whole of southern Africa, as well as the sea conditions, allow it to produce many different fruits, such as "monkey orange" that can make musical instruments, "marula" that elephants eat and get drunk, and "sour figs" that spread around the world with black rats... Here are 9 kinds of lesser-known fruits, see which ones have you eaten?
■ "Monkey orange" that can make musical instruments
▲The flesh inside the monkey orange
In addition to the distribution of monkey oranges in South Africa, it is also found in zimbabwe and other regions.
The ripe monkey orange flesh is soft, sweet and tastes like an apple.
▲ Monkey orange fruit hanging from a tree
Although monkey oranges have a round shell and turn yellow when ripe, not all monkey oranges are edible, so if you want to try this fruit, be sure to consult the locals.
In addition to being eaten raw, the monkey orange can also be used to flavor porridge, and the dried shell can also be used to make ornaments and a musical instrument called "Carl".
■Instead of pickling, it is a fresh and raw "sour plum" fruit
▲The fruit of the sour plum looks quite appetizing
In addition to its distribution in South Africa, sour plums are also found in Tanzania.
When it comes to sour plum, most people will associate it with products such as yo-yo plum, but in Africa, it is a real fruit.
The fruit of the sour plum is oval or ovate, about 3.5 cm long and about 2.5 cm in diameter.
When immature, the fruit is green and turns yellow, orange, or red when ripe. The inner flesh of the fruit is also the same orange or red at the moment, which looks very attractive.
▲Red, red, green and green sour plum fruit
But sour plum fruit is not as tempting as it looks on the outside, because it tastes very sour. However, for the resource-poor Africa, it is a gift of nature, wild birds, animals like to eat it, of course, South Africans are no exception.
▲The pulp inside the sour plum fruit
Although the fruit tastes a bit sour, the flesh is very juicy, and in addition to eating it raw, it is also used to make jams, desserts and jellies, as well as as a sweetener for boiling porridge.
■ "Sour Fig" spread with black rats
▲ Sour figs hidden in leaves
The "sour fig" is native to South Africa. It is a fruit that black rats like to eat, and it has spread to all parts of the world, including the Mediterranean Sea and Australia.
▲Picked sour figs
Because it is a surface plant, it will bloom beautiful flowers and has long been used for landscape plants to grow. It produces bell-like fruit and is also a food that many small animals like to eat. However, its taste is not as beautiful as a flower, because it is sour to eat. In South Africa, in addition to being eaten raw, it can also be made into sour jams.
■ The elephant eats the drunken Marula
"Marula" is native to South Africa, Sudan, Madagascar and other African countries, in African culture, has an important significance, known as the guardian tree of Africa.
Marula fruit is a fruit that many animals like to eat, and even elephants are attracted to it, so in Africa it also has a name called "elephant tree fruit". The ripe marula fruit, which ferments quickly, will attract many animals to its taste. In one movie, many scenes of animals getting drunk because they ate it were recorded. For elephants, it takes a lot to get drunk.
▲The fruit has a distinct yellow color
The fruit of Marula is not large, about 3-3.5 cm in diameter, and the fruit is ovate or spherical. The unripe marula fruit is green and becomes ripe yellow over time.
Its epidermis is thick, and the middle cortex has a thick layer of fibers. But underneath the peel is a succulent pulp that contains 8 times more vitamin C than an orange.
▲The flesh is thick and juicy
It tastes like a combination of walnut and peanut. In addition to being eaten fresh, it can also be cooked to make jams, juices, and added to wine to make cocktails.
■ "Red Milkwood" that can be used to make distilled liquor
▲The shape of the fruit is somewhat similar to that of a tree tomato
Red shea butter is native to the northern region of South Africa and is the fruit of a large tree.
The red shea butter is a wild plant that is less abundant than the "marula" and can only be picked by hand. The harvest cycle is about 6 years long, so the locals dry the results and eat it in the winter.
▲The fruit is very colorful and very eye-catching
The fruit is the size of an apricot, crispy and sweet to eat, with a somewhat powdery texture and a slightly astringent taste that resembles an apple. In addition to being eaten raw, it can also be made into distilled liquor.
■Base apple with mango, star fruit and apricot flavors
This fruit, called Kei Apple, does not resemble an apple in appearance, but resembles a persimmon and an apricot.
▲Picked base apples
Because the ripe base apple is bright yellow, it is almost the same color as the ripe yellow apricot, but it is very similar in appearance to persimmon.
The fruit of the base apple is not large, similar to a normal apricot, with an average diameter of 2 to 5 cm, round to flat round. Its peel is smooth and soft, but very tough.
▲ Pulp and seeds inside the base apple
Beneath the surface, the golden flesh is soft, moist, juicy, tender and aromatic, reminiscent of mangoes, starfruit and apricots. It has a sweet and sour taste and for most people, sugar is added before consumption.
Like many fruits, base apples can also be used to make jelly and jam, and can also be used for dessert or pickling to make preserves.
A netizen from Guangxi once left a message that it was trying to grow this fruit.
■ "Vangueria infausta" that can cope with food shortages
▲The initial fruit is green
Vangueria infausta has many names, such as widemispel, etc., and the names vary depending on the country in which they are located.
▲ Ripe fruit
The fruit is initially green, but gradually turns purple with ripeness and time recommendations. The ripe fruit is spherical, shiny on the surface, and about 4 cm in diameter.
Its flesh is dried powdery with some sweet and sour taste. The pulp is often used to make desserts or wine, or added to beverages, and the dried pulp can be stored all the time for unforeseen needs.
■"Num Num" planted as a landscape plant
▲ "NUMNUM" fruit is bright in color
If you've read the Venezuela chapter of the Global Fruit Parade, you may still have an impression of it, which is known as the "Natal Lee" in Venezuela and its origin is South Africa.
It is a oleander plant, and because of its bright color and good shape, it is often cultivated as a landscape plant.
▲ "numnum" is like a rose
After ripening, the fruit is round and plump, and the dark red fruit is very eye-catching in the bushes and can be seen from a distance. It tastes a bit like a cranberry, but like many oleanders, it is slightly toxic. Locals generally make jams, jellies, sauces, or add them to pies.
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