Name three physical features in your province and find the altitude of the area where you live using a map key.

For calculations, we will use an approximate scale of $1 \text{ cm} \approx 136 \text{ km}$.

2a. Calculate the straight-line distance from where you live to the nearest ocean.
To answer this, you would need to identify your specific location on the map. Since your location isn't provided, here's an example:
Let's assume you live in Bloemfontein (located in the central part of South Africa, in the Free State province).

On the map, this distance is approximately $2.5 \text{ cm}$.

The straight-line distance from Bloemfontein to the nearest ocean is approximately $\boxed{\text{340 km}}$.

2b. Calculate the length of any river on the map.
Let's calculate the approximate length of the Orange River.

By visually tracing the Orange River from its source to the Atlantic Ocean, its length on the map is approximately $10 \text{ cm}$.

The approximate length of the Orange River is $\boxed{\text{1360 km}}$.

3a. In two or three sentences, describe South Africa's physical geography. Use the information in Figure 1.
South Africa features a prominent central plateau (Highveld) bordered by the Great Escarpment and several mountain ranges, including the Drakensberg. Its extensive coastline is influenced by both warm (Indian Ocean) and cold (Atlantic Ocean) ocean currents, contributing to diverse regional climates. Major river systems like the Orange and Vaal traverse the landscape, which varies significantly in altitude and relief.