▁are ▁very ▁few ▁coast al ▁rivers ▁along ▁the ▁ar id ▁west ▁coast ▁north ▁of ▁ 3 1 ° 3 0 ′ S . ▁ ▁In ▁such ▁a ▁dry ▁country , ▁d ams ▁and ▁ir rig ation ▁are ▁extremely ▁important : ▁the ▁largest ▁dam ▁is ▁the ▁Gar ie p ▁on ▁the ▁Orange ▁River . ▁ ▁Top ographical ▁divisions ▁▁ ▁Like ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁continent ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Sah ara , ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁landscape ▁is ▁domin ated ▁by ▁a ▁high ▁Central ▁Pl ate au ▁surrounded ▁by ▁coast al ▁low lands . ▁This ▁plate au ▁is ▁rim med ▁by ▁the ▁Great ▁Esc arp ment ▁which ▁extends ▁north wards ▁to ▁about ▁ 1 0 °   s outh ▁of ▁the ▁Equ ator ▁( i . e . ▁into ▁Ang ola ▁in ▁the ▁west , ▁and ▁the ▁Much ing a ▁Esc arp ment ▁in ▁Z amb ia ▁in ▁the ▁east .) ▁ ▁Great ▁Esc arp ment ▁ ▁In ▁South ▁Africa ▁the ▁plate au ▁is ▁at ▁its ▁highest ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁where ▁its ▁edge ▁var ies ▁in ▁alt itude ▁between ▁ 2 , 0 0 0   m ▁and ▁ 3 , 3 0 0   m . ▁This ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁plate au , ▁as ▁the ▁land ▁dro ps ▁sharp ly ▁to ▁the ▁coast al ▁plain , ▁ ▁forms ▁a ▁very ▁high , ▁ste ep ▁esc arp ment ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁D rak ens berg ▁Mountains . ▁The ▁southern ▁and ▁western ▁ext ents ▁of ▁the ▁esc arp ment ▁are ▁not ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁D rak